Kicking off his 2025 campaign on the second card of the year, Grant Dawson thought he could finally have the kind of year he’s long envisioned: fighting three or four times and continuing to work his way up the lightweight rankings with each successive appearance.
The prospects for his wish to come true appeared to get brighter when he bulldozed Diego Ferreira at UFC 311 in Inglewood, California, registering his third straight win and catapulting him back into the Top 15. But outstanding performances don’t always produce the results you’re looking for when it comes time to book another walk into the Octagon.