Hakeem Dawodu missed weight for his featherweight fight with Julian Erosa at UFC 279 on Saturday.
Dawodu was one of three fighters heavy at Friday’s weigh-in, though only two were hit with fines after Khamzat Chimaev was booked into a new match-up, at a 180lb catchweight, with Kevin Holland.
As for Dawodu, the miss could spell the end for him at 145lbs, as the weight cuts certainly haven’t gotten easier for the Canadian. Still, he was aiming to land a ranked opponent, and needed a statement win to do so.
It wasn’t to come, at least not on this night.
Early in the fight, it was Erosa impressing on the feet, connecting with a spinning back fist, though it didn’t have enough behind it to really hurt Dawodu. Erosa then caught a kick, and nearly dumped Dawodu, with the Canadian showing some impressive balance.
Just past the midway mark, Erosa fired a couple of uppercuts, then rocked Dawodu with a right hand! Dawodu was hurt, and clinched up, looking to gain some recovery time. Erosa fired a few shots in close, and while Dawodu would survive, it was “Juicy J” pouring on the offense again at round’s end, landing his right hand and hurting Dawodu once more.
In round two, Dawodu worked his jab, doubling up on it, but more often than not coming just short on the longer Erosa. Dawodu landed a front kick, while Erosa answered back with his own, and mixed in low kicks. Midway through the round, Erosa would take the back standing, lock on a body triangle, and topple Dawodu. From there, Dawodu fought hands and tried to keep Erosa from getting under the chin for a choke.
Round three saw Dawodu pressing forward, only to run into another uppercut. Later in the round, Erosa would land a takedown, although Dawodu would eventually turn the tables and end the round on top. It wouldn’t matter; Erosa took the clean sweep on the scorecards, winning every round.
Official Result: Julian Erosa def. Hakeem Dawodu by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
