Grant Dawson returns to the spotlight at UFC 323 on Saturday night, looking to continue his climb up the lightweight ranks as he takes on dangerous finisher Manuel Torres in a pivotal matchup.
For Dawson (23-2-1), it’s a chance to remind the division why he was once viewed as one of its fastest-rising contenders while also extending his win streak. He had hoped to accelerate his climb with three fights in 2025, but those plans fell through when Joel Alvarez opted to move up to welterweight.
“Dude I’d love to fight every week if they’d let me. It’s not the UFC’s fault, it’s not Joel Alvarez’s fault. I was supposed to fight him, he wanted to go up to 70, and I am so happy that he went up to 70,” Dawson told Cageside Press.
“That’s one less stud that I have to worry about.”
Dawson knows exactly what he’s up against on Saturday night. Facing a fast-starting finisher like Manuel Torres, he isn’t sugarcoating the threat in front of him.
“Manuel Torres, absolute stud, absolute crazy good fighter. Live by the sword, die by the sword, he’s probably the most dangerous dude in the first round. This is definitely going to be a test,” he said.
“I’m not going to be a huge favorite, if I even am a favorite, this is a good test for me. I’m happy to step up to the challenge.”
Dawson believes the key to victory lies in imposing his style early and refusing to get drawn into Torres’ chaotic pace. To him, the matchup comes down to discipline, control, and sticking to the fundamentals that have defined his best performances.
“I make him fight me the way that I want to fight. Absolutely no brawling. There will be no brawling in this fight. Lots of footwork, lots of good stylistic moves. I don’t want to give too much of the game plan, but I think everybody knows (how this fight is won),” he said.
“Everybody knows how this fight’s going to play out. It’s just can he implement his game plan, can I implement my game plan.”
Despite the stylistic contrast, Dawson expects no surprises when the cage door closes. He knows Torres is coming in prepared and fully aware of the tactical battle ahead.
“Manuel Torres is not an idiot. He’s a very intelligent man. He knows what I’m going to do, I know what he’s going to do, and it’s just about who can do what they want to do,” he said.
Watch the entire interview with Grant Dawson above.
