Lightweights Grant Dawson and Mateusz Rebecki faced off as part of Saturday’s UFC 328 preliminary card in Newark, NJ.
Both men were looking to shake off recent losses, Dawson to Manuel Torres in December, Rebecki to L’udovit Klein and Chris Duncan before that.
The opening round saw Dawson land a solid head kick early that stunned Rebecki. A hurt Rebecki then shot for a takedown and was reversed with Dawson ending up in top position. Dawson would then expertly transition to back control where he threatened a rear-naked choke submission. Rebecki would find a reversal himself with a minute left to go in the round, looking for a takedown of his own. A glancing elbow from Dawson was able to open a significant cut above the eye of Rebecki.
The second round Rebecki would come out swinging landing a flush right hook that floored Dawson. Rebecki then pressured forward looking to land a takedown but was unsuccessful, as Dawson began circling to the center of the cage. Rebecki was trying to draw Dawson into a brawl as the fight began picking up with each throwing wild overhand shots in the pocket. A head kick from Dawson was grabbed by Rebecki who landed a trip takedown off the counter. Likely a score of 1-1 entering the third after the big knockdown from Rebecki early in the round.
Early in the third round Grant Dawson was able to gain back control on Rebecki, putting him in a terrible position with four minutes remaining. Rebecki would be unable to escape the position and with twenty two seconds left in the fight tapped out to the rear naked choke submission from Dawson. A dominant win for Dawson who silenced many critics with this gutsy performance. This was Dawson’s fourteenth career submission win.
Official Result: Grant Dawson def. Mateusz Rebecki by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 4:42
