# Grant Dawson

Grant Michael Dawson (born February 20, 1994) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of February 18, 2025, he is #14 in the UFC lightweight rankings.

## Background

Dawson was born in Cambria, Wisconsin, but grew up mostly in Stromsburg, Nebraska. Initially dreaming of a career in American Football, Dawson started wrestling to aid his primary sport. After realizing he wasn't good enough at American football, he dropped the sport and concentrated solely in wrestling. He was homeschooled until his teens, and attended Cross County Community School where he competed in high school wrestling, finishing his senior season with a record of 40–8. After graduating from high school but skipping college due to dyslexia, Dawson decided to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

After compiling an amateur record of 8–1, Dawson started his professional MMA career in 2014. He amassed a professional record of 11–1 prior to participating in Dana White's Contender Series.

### Dana White's Contender Series

Dawson appeared on the first season of the program Dana White's Contender Series 6. He faced Adrian Diaz on August 17, 2017 and won the fight by submission due to a rear-naked choke in round two. With the win, Dawson was offered a UFC contract.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Dawson made his UFC debut on March 9, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos against Julian Erosa. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
His next fight came on May 18, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee against Michael Trizano. He won the fight via a rear-naked choke in round two. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Dawson was scheduled to meet Chas Skelly on January 18, 2020, at UFC 246. However, Dawson was flagged by USADA the second times where the initial flagging was in November 2017 for a residual metabolite of the steroid Turinabol which it was subsequent cleared by USDADA for not able to determine when Dawson had ingested the banned substance, and that resulted in the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) pulling bout from UFC 246. The subsequent finding from USADA found no evidence of performance enhancement of a re-ingestion of a banned drug. However, NSAC would revisit the matter in July, 2020 to determine to issue Nevada fighter licence Dawson and Dawson would have to undergo testing twice a month. The bout was rescheduled on February 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo at Norfolk, Virginia. On February 7, 2020, it was reported that Skelly was injured during one of his training session and was forced to withdraw from the event, and he was replaced by promotional newcomer Darrick Minner. At the weigh-ins, Dawson also failed to make weight, coming in at 149.5 pounds, 3.5 pounds over the featherweight non-title limit of 146 pounds. He was fined 30% of his fight purse, which went to Minner and the bout proceeded at a catchweight. Dawson won the fight via a submission in round two.
Dawson faced Nad Narimani on July 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Dawson faced Leonardo Santos on March 20, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 21. He won the fight via knockout in round three. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Grant was scheduled to face Carlos Diego Ferreira on October 2, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 193. However, Ferreira pulled out of the fight in early-September citing an injury. Instead Dawson faced Ricky Glenn on October 23, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 196. The fight ended in majority draw. 8 out of 11 media outlets scored the bout for Dawson.
Grant, replacing Rafael Alves, faced Jared Gordon on April 30, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 35. He won the bout via rear-naked choke late into the third round.
Grant faced Mark Madsen, replacing Drakkar Klose, November 5, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 214. At the weigh-ins, Dawson weighed in at 157.5 pounds, one and a half pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined 30% of his individual purse, which went to his opponent Madsen. He won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round.
Grant faced Damir Ismagulov on July 1, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 48. He won the bout via unanimous decision.
Dawson faced Bobby Green on October 7, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 229. He lost via knockout in the first round.
Dawson faced Joe Solecki on June 1, 2024, at UFC 302. With over thirteen minutes of ground control time, Dawson won the fight by unanimous decision.
Dawson faced Rafa García on October 12, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 244. He won the fight by technical knockout via ground elbows and punches in the second round.
Dawson faced Carlos Diego Ferreira on January 18, 2025, at UFC 311. After landing six takedowns, he won the fight by unanimous decision.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Performance of the Night (Two times) vs. Michael Trizano and Leonardo Santos
** Second highest control time percentage in UFC Lightweight division history (69.7%)
** Highest top-position percentage in UFC Lightweight division history (62.3%)
** Fifth most top-position time in UFC Lightweight division history (1:07:38)
** UFC.com Awards
*** 2019: Ranked #4 Newcomer of the Year

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 26 matches | 23 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 2 |
| By submission | 13 | 0 |
| By decision | 5 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 23–2–1 | Carlos Diego Ferreira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 311 | January 18, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Inglewood, California, United States | |
| Win | 22–2–1 | Rafa García | TKO (elbows and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira | October 12, 2024 | 2 | 1:42 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 21–2–1 | Joe Solecki | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 302 | June 1, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 20–2–1 | Bobby Green | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green | October 7, 2023 | 1 | 0:33 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 20–1–1 | Damir Ismagulov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov | July 1, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 19–1–1 | Mark Madsen | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Lemos | November 5, 2022 | 3 | 2:05 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (157.5 lb) bout; Dawson missed weight. |
| Win | 18–1–1 | Jared Gordon | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Vera | April 30, 2022 | 3 | 4:11 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Draw | 17–1–1 | Ricky Glenn | Draw (majority) | UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori | October 23, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 17–1 | Leonardo Santos | KO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Brunson vs. Holland | March 20, 2021 | 3 | 4:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Lightweight. Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 16–1 | Nad Narimani | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 | July 19, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Catchweight (150 lb) bout. |
| Win | 15–1 | Darrick Minner | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo | February 29, 2020 | 2 | 1:38 | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | Catchweight (149.5 lb) bout; Dawson missed weight. |
| Win | 14–1 | Michael Trizano | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee | May 18, 2019 | 2 | 2:27 | Rochester, New York, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 13–1 | Julian Erosa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos | March 9, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Wichita, Kansas, United States | |
| Win | 12–1 | Adrian Diaz | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Dana White's Contender Series 1 | August 17, 2017 | 2 | 1:15 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–1 | Mike Plazola | Submission (triangle choke) | Kansas City Fighting Alliance 20 | October 1, 2016 | 1 | 3:49 | Independence, Missouri, United States | Return to Featherweight. |
| Win | 10–1 | Christian Camp | TKO (elbows and punches) | Victory FC 52 | July 16, 2016 | 2 | 1:43 | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| Loss | 9–1 | Hugh Pulley | TKO (elbows) | Kansas City Fighting Alliance 18 | April 30, 2016 | 1 | 0:35 | Independence, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 9–0 | Robert Washington | TKO (punches) | Titan FC 37 | March 4, 2016 | 2 | 2:08 | Ridgefield, Washington, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Bryce Logan | TKO (punches) | Victory FC 47 | January 29, 2016 | 2 | 3:12 | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 7–0 | Andrew Carrillo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Kansas City Fighting Alliance 15 | August 15, 2015 | 1 | 3:21 | Grandview, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Danny Tims | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Kansas City Fighting Alliance 15 | August 15, 2015 | 1 | 4:15 | Grandview, Missouri, United States | Return to Featherweight. |
| Win | 5–0 | Chris McDaniel | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ShoFight: Branson Brawl | May 9, 2015 | 1 | 4:07 | Branson, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | James Smith | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Victory FC 45 | April 4, 2015 | 1 | 2:30 | Ralston, Nebraska, United States | Return to Lightweight. |
| Win | 3–0 | Adam Rider | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Shamrock FC: Heavy Artillery | March 7, 2015 | 1 | 1:45 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Featherweight debut; Dawson missed weight (149 lb). |
| Win | 2–0 | Matt Williams | Submission (armbar) | Dynasty Combat Sports 12: Seasons Beatings 2014 | December 5, 2014 | 1 | 2:29 | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Jeremiah Denson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Omaha Fight Club 100 | August 24, 2014 | 2 | 2:29 | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | Lightweight debut. |