The UFC is coming to Norfolk, Virginia on February 29 for a Fight Night card held inside the Chartway Arena. The main event of UFC Norfolk is set to crown the new flyweight champion as Joseph Benavidez will take on Deiveson Figueiredo. The card also featured a featherweight bout between Grant Dawson and Chas Skelly, but for the second time the fight was canceled. Regional veteran Darrick Minner then signed with the UFC and will take on Dawson on short notice.
Darrick Minner
5’7″
Featherweight
29-years-old
Nebraska City, Nebraska, US
Disorderly Conduct
24-10
1 KO/TKO
21 Submissions
How will Minner fare in the UFC:
No discredit to Minner but this signing was very surprising as there are just much better options out there. Minner is a veteran with 34 total fights and a crapload of fight time. He has fought opponents like Clay Collard, Herbert Burns, Jordan Griffin, Luke Sanders, and other good fighters. Minner is mainly a grappler who has solid BJJ holding 21 submission wins with nearly all by a form of choke. He’s a relentless pressure wrestler so he can get the fight to the mat and on top or bottom, he’s a threat. Minner is too wild on the feet and that’s where he will have trouble in the UFC. Being such a good grappler has also hurt him in a sense, as he’s lost seven times by submission.
How Minner matches up with Dawson:
This is a fight that favors the style of Minner with Dawson being a primary wrestler. Dawson is a very good wrestler though who has bested other BJJ guys. His positional grappling, pressure, and pace really break his opponents’ will. No doubt Minner will be on his back in this fight but the danger of him on his back is always there. Dawson just has to be aware of positions on top and he will get this win.
