MMA fighter Grant Dawson believes lightweight is the best weight class in the sport, demonstrated his belief with a victory over Damir Ismagulov at UFC Vegas 76, and has set his eyes on a potential matchup with either Dan Hooker or Jalin Turner while expressing no interest in fighting his fellow American Top Team gym members Mateusz Gamrot, Arman Tsarukyan, and Renato Moicano.
Grant Dawson has lauded the lightweight as the best weight class in MMA. Celebrating a recent triumphant performance against Damir Ismagulov at UFC Vegas 76, the American fighter felt confident about his strategy. With his takedowns and back control, Dawson had the upper hand, earning a unanimous decision victory over Ismagulov. The victory left Dawson filled with immense joy.
Dawson showed great admiration for Ismagulov at the UFC Vegas 76 post-fight press conference stating, “You cannot be upset with a win against a guy like Damir”. He praised Ismagulov’s performance and believed the victory was something to be proud of, even though Dawson was not completely satisfied with his own performance. Dawson acknowledged the high level of competition, mentioning in particular the level of skill in the 155-pound weight class. Describing the weight class as the toughest, he insinuated that the class is more robust than others, including the 135.
He is aware that while his victory over Ismagulov should elevate him in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, a title shot is still a distant goal. Dawson, however, remains optimistic and is not overly worried about when his opportunity will come. He spoke about the different paths that fighters take to reach the top, comparing his journey to others like Islam and Mateusz Gamrot. He was especially impressed with Gamrot’s boldness, as he was willing to fight any challenging opponent, even someone as formidable as Rafael Fiziev.
Despite his ambition to climb the UFC rankings, Dawson acknowledges the complications, as he shares a gym with fellow competitors. Mateusz Gamrot, Arman Tsarukyan, and Renato Moicano also train at the American Top Team. He candidly admitted that he would prefer not to fight fellow gym mates, particularly those he’s close with. However, he hinted at a potential match with Dan Hooker and Jalin Turner, two top-15 lightweights who will compete at UFC 290, implying that the match-up and timeline would suit him.