UFC News & FeaturesLightweights
Grant Dawson (20-2-1, 8-1-1 UFC) vs. Joe Solecki (13-4, 5-2 UFC)Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+
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Dawson experiences a first here in the UFC, as he looks to rebound from his first loss inside of the Octagon. Dawson made his UFC debut in 2019 and had a slow rise through the ranks with a fairly simple approach, working almost entirely behind a powerful wrestling game while occasionally hunting for rear-naked chokes. Dawson started his UFC career as a featherweight, at which point the book was that he would tire himself out by the third round. However, after moving up to lightweight in 2021, Dawson became a fairly reliable—if sometimes unexciting—wrecking ball. A dominant win over Damir Ismagulov in July seemingly served as the proof of concept that Dawson could be a lightweight title contender, which in turn set him up for his first UFC main event against Bobby Green in October. One of Dawson’s notable flaws was his propensity to get rocked early as he charged in to try and implement his game, but it only finally came back to bite him against Green, who closed the show almost immediately with a knockout blow 33 seconds into their fight. That should not be a risk against Solecki.
Solecki can crack a bit, but like Dawson, he’s at his most comfortable taking his fights to the mat. Solecki’s less dogged with his approach, as he is much more focused on his grappling than his wrestling and is willing to pursue submissions from his back. His career feels like it has plateaued since a 2021 win over Jim Miller. Solecki dropped a close fight to Jared Gordon, spun his wheels thanks to some unexciting matchmaking and then ate a brutal slam knockout against Drakkar Klose in December. Solecki could make this interesting if he can get the initiative from Dawson early, whether via clipping him or just beating him to a takedown. Still, Dawson does read as both the more aggressive and physically effective fighter. He should be able to lead the dance in his type of fight, and that should add up to a clear win even if Solecki should prevent him from completely dominating. The pick is Dawson via decision.
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