UFC’s Grant Dawson has ‘nagging suspicion’ about next fight

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Grant Dawson feels like the odd man out in the UFC lightweight rankings.

Dawson (23-2-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) is eager to climb the ladder to reach his goal of becoming UFC champion but doesn’t think his next fight will help propel him there. The American Top Team fighter currently sits at No. 14 in the UFC’s lightweight standings.

Dawson defeated Diego Ferreira by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January and sees himself likely drawing another unranked lightweight for his next fight.

“I’m a little worried about the lightweight division to be honest with you,” Dawson told MMA Junkie. “It seems like everybody is really tied up. I have a nagging suspicion my next fight is going to be outside the top 15, which kind of sucks, but I’m very interested to see what happens after that.”

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, surging contender Fares Ziam (17-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) mentioned that he’s open to Dawson next, and Dawson likes that idea.

“Fares Ziam, he said in an interview that he’d fight me. I said let’s do it, let’s go, and I haven’t heard anything since,” Dawson said. “So, that’s kind of who I’m thinking. Nasrat (Haqparast) is also up there. I think he’s on a five-fight win streak, he definitely deserves somebody in the top 15. So, yeah, I was really hoping for Iganacio Bahamondes, but that’s not happening. So, it’s probably one of those two.

“But honestly, I’m probably going to get a phone call and get some guy I’ve never heard of and have to fight that guy, but it’s fine. I told them that as long as it’s not (Renato) Moicano, and it’s not (Mateusz) Gamrot, the answer is yes. My No. 1 goal this year was to get three fights in. I’ve got one so far, get another one shortly, and then get another one at the end of the year. Hopefully break into the top 10, maybe the top five by the end of this year would be really great.”