INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Grant Dawson beat Diego Ferreira with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 311 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
Take a look inside the fight with Dawson, who beat Ferreira more than three years after the first time they were booked.
Grant Dawson def. Diego Ferreira
Result: Grant Dawson def. Diego Ferreira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: Dawson (23-2-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC), Ferreira (19-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC)
Key stats: Dawson outstruck Ferreira 195-84 and had nearly 11 minutes of control time on six takedowns.
Dawson on the fight’s key moment
“He was not willing to grapple with me. He just didn’t have another choice. These guys aren’t willing to grapple with me. They just don’t have a choice. We’re fighting my fight. … I know how tough he is. I know how good he is. I was very nervous in this camp because I knew this was going to be really tough. I told my dad before leaving for the venue, I said I might not be able to hold this guy down. I might have to strike with this dude and play punchy-face with this dude for a little bit. He’s got really, really good get-up. But I proved again that when I get on top, I’m one of the best guys in the world. ”
Dawson on the quality of opponent
“I feel good about the performance. I know how good Diego is. I thought that this was going to be a very tough fight. It was my toughest fight, for sure. I was prepared for it being my toughest fight. I don’t think that he gets the respect that he deserves. He’s only got losses to the best guys in the division, and nothing has changed yet. I am one of the best guys in the division. I think I proved that by beating him, and I would say better than everybody else has beaten him other than maybe Dustin (Poirier), because Dustin knocked him out.”
Dawson on what he wants next
“I hope (Beneil Dariush) gets something big (after his fight with Renato Moicano was canceled). He’s a vet and he’s fought everybody, anytime, anywhere. I’m one of the anybody, so maybe it’s me (that he’s got something big against). He gets something bigger with a big name. Super happy for him. There’s enough wealth and riches to go around for everybody. If I get somebody else, I get somebody else. What I need to do is just start calling out people that I’m afraid of, that I don’t want to fight, because I never get anybody I call out. So the next person I call out, I’m probably afraid of that dude because (historically), I’m not going to get him.”
To hear more from Dawson, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.
