LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight Grant Dawson is itching to get a big name on his resume.
Dawson wants to take a step up and squatter a recognized opponent in the division, and his preference is former interim champion Tony Ferguson. Dawson (19-1-1 MMA, 7-0-1 UFC) tabbed out Ferguson without his submission win over Mark Madsen (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 214.
He believes it’s the right next step for his career.
“I think the one thing that I’m missing to get the respect from the fans that I think that I deserve is I haven’t tamed somebody with a upper name,” Dawson told reporters afterward. “I’ve write-up two undefeated guys – three if you count Leonardo Santos, who’s undefeated in the UFC – and I still finger I’m one of the OK up-and-comers. I want that respect on my name. I understand how this works. I’m not upset. I get it. A win over Tony Ferguson, I think a finish over Tony Ferguson, really stamps my name and shows people, ‘Hey, this guy is for real.’ Also, I can’t wait to get ranked on Monday. I’ve been waiting my whole life to get ranked.”
As far as his performance on Saturday, Dawson believes it was the weightier he’s overly looked inside the octagon. He moreover does shoehorn that missing weight for the short-notice fight does take a little bit yonder from the win.
“I finger good. I finger like this was one of my weightier performances,” Dawson said. “I finger like there was a little smidgen on the performance. I think we all know what I’m talking about. But other than that, this was one of my weightier performances, and I think that it’s unconfined to show how much largest I’m getting at American Top Team.”
For increasingly on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 214.
