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New And Improved Grant Dawson Is Ready To Bounce Back
American Top Team Lightweight Has Taken His Game To A New Level, And Is Ready To Return To Winning Ways At UFC 328
Grant Dawson’s first UFC assignment of 2026 sees him return to familiar territory as he looks to bounce back after defeat in his last appearance.
Dawson returns to compete in New Jersey for the second time in his UFC career, and he said he’s looking forward to returning to the Prudential Center, which proved to be a happy hunting ground for him last time he was there, at UFC 302 in June 2024.
“Yeah, it was good. I was coming off a loss, just like I'm coming off a loss now, so it looks like this is my redemption state, or city, whatever you want to call it!
“The memories of the last fight here were great. We had a nice AirBnB, lots of friends here, so I'm happy with it.”
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That night, Dawson defeated Joe Solecki by unanimous decision, and hopes that he can do even better the second time around as he prepares to face Mateusz Rebecki at UFC 328 on Saturday night. The event will be Dawson’s fourth numbered UFC card, and he feels very much at home in front of a big-arena crowd.
“It definitely feels more at home than probably the first time. But at the end of the day, when you get into the cage and get hit in the face, whether it's in front of 10 million people or 10 people, it's going to hurt the same,” he said.
“There's pros and cons to fighting in the APEX (and) there's pros and cons to fighting in front of a big crowd. I'm glad this one is in front of a big crowd.”
Dawson’s experience of New Jersey at UFC 302 has taught him some key pointers that he’s ready for as he prepares to return, and he’s clearly excited to be back.
“Be ready for a loud crowd,” he said.
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“Be ready for people wanting to see blood. I think they're gonna see a lot of blood in this fight – I think they're gonna get what they want. And then, just like the culture here, and the food is delicious, so I'm excited for – after the fight – getting to experience that again.”
As for the fight itself, it’s a chance for Dawson to get back to winning ways after losing via TKO to Manuel Torres at UFC 323 last December. While some fighters can dwell on defeats and take time to process the disappointment, Dawson has accepted the occasional loss as an occupational hazard. To him, it’s all part of the sport, and rather than worrying about the number in his loss column, he’s choosing to stay focused on being better next time around.
“I didn't get into this sport to be perfect,” he stated.
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“If I did, I wouldn't have joined the UFC, because the UFC has the best fighters in the world in it, and it's almost impossible to remain perfect when you get into the UFC.
“This wasn't my first loss, and I hate to ruin the script for you guys, it's probably not going to be my last. I got into this sport to become a world champion, and we've seen guys lose fights they shouldn't have, and then bounce back really quick. That's my plan here.”
That refreshing approach to dealing with defeats has come through necessity, as he explained.
“I'm pretty used to losing, to be honest with you,” he admitted.
“Before I was in MMA, I was a wrestler, and I lost all the time! MMA is really the only thing that I'm good at. So, in the rest of my life, I'm pretty used to things not going my way.
“It really comes down to, what are you trying to do? And for me, it's to become world champion. Being undefeated definitely helps with that, but we don't really see undefeated champions anymore. I know you got Ilia (Topuria), and (Islam) Makachev is darn near undefeated, but it's all about how you can bounce back from adversity.”
Dawson may have a matter-of-fact way of addressing his losses, but he has only tasted defeat three times in his professional MMA career. Since that loss to Torres, he has been working tirelessly in the gym at American Top Team ahead of Saturday night’s fight, and said that he feels like he’s unlocked a new level in his skillset over the past few weeks.
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“I definitely think that, in this camp specifically, something has clicked for me, and I think that you're going to see a more well-rounded and more aggressive Grant Dawson, and I think that's perfect for this stylistic matchup,” he said.
“We know Rebecki comes swinging 24/7, so obviously we're still going to wrestle, but I think there's going to be a lot more excitement for the fans than they think is going to come.”
An integral part of Dawson’s camp was his ATT teammate Chris Duncan, who defeated Rebecki via unanimous decision last August. The Scot matched Rebecki’s hard-nosed approach as they both went into the trenches, with Duncan emerging the victor. That experience of spending 15 minutes with the Pole has proved invaluable for Dawson as he’s prepared for Saturday night’s encounter.
“Chris and him had an absolute war, one of the best fights of the year,” Dawson recalled.
“I'm pretty sure Rebecki’s last four have all been like Fight of the Year contenders, so we know he's exciting. We know what he's going to bring. I don't think anybody's looking at this fight and doesn't really know what the other person is going to bring, but we've prepared fully for it.
“We've prepared for a war, not being able to get the takedown, and having Chris Duncan in the gym while I was getting ready for this fight was a big one, because he's got so much experience with the guy.”
On paper, it’s a matchup that offers Fight of the Night potential, and Dawson admitted that the change to the UFC’s bonus payouts has him far more amenable to being involved in a Fight of the Night matchup than he would have been in the past.
“I used to say I never want to win Fight of the Night, because that means both guys get beat up,” he said.
“However, they moved Fight of the Night to $100,000. So now I'm kind of like, well, how beat up am I willing to get here? Because this is a lot of money. That's life-changing money for a lot of people, myself included. So if we get the bonus, great. But the number one thing I'm focusing on is getting back in the win column.”
The best route to that success, Dawson explained, probably lies on the ground, where he sees his abilities eclipsing the energetic Pole on the mat. Though he admitted his opponent’s build makes securing a submission victory a tricky proposition.
“I could definitely see submitting him being difficult, because he has no arms and no neck, so it's like, what are you going to really crank on?” he said.
“But I could definitely see me putting him in a compromised spot on the ground and dropping down elbows on him, like I did in the Rafa Garcia fight. That's kind of where my mind is at right now.”
If the fight plays out as intended and Dawson gets back into the win column, there could be a chance for “KGD” to target ranked opposition in the talent-filled 155-pound division. But, as he explained, the outcome of his fight will be crucial to what happens next.
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“It all depends on how this fight goes,” he said.
“If somehow I knock him out in the first round or submit him in the first round, I think that shows that I need another top 15 guy – I need another crack at the top 15. If I win a dominant decision, maybe it's one more, and then top 15. If I win a split decision, then we don't know what's going to happen.
“So right now, the number one goal is to get this guy out of here, hopefully be able to bounce back into the top 15, or at least get somebody that puts me in that picture.”
UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland took place live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 9, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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