Grant Dawson is set to make his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night Wichita, facing Julian Erosa in a featherweight division attraction.
While all UFC debuts are meaningful it some way, for Dawson, it will help him keep a promise that was made to his parents at 15 years old.
“I don’t care (who I fight in my UFC debut), me and James sat down and we were watching film and talking. He was telling me ‘this is a great match up for you, a great fight for the both of you.’ I was like ‘James, they could’ve put Max Holloway in there with me. I don’t care, I’m ready to go…I’m ready to make this debut.’ When I was 15 years old, I told my parents I wanted to be a UFC fighter when I grow up and March 9…I finally get to tell them I’m a UFC fighter,” says Dawson in an exclusive interview with Fightful’s James Lynch.
Dawson earned himself an opportunity in the UFC after competing on Dana Whites Tuesday Night Contender Series Episode 6, defeating Adrian Diaz by second round submission.
The debuting Dawson knows that Erosa has more experience than him, but Dawson still expects to pull out the win in Wichita.
“What am I supposed to say? I think I’m going to beat him obviously, I think he’s a great guy…I think he’s a great competitor. One thing that he has on me is he’s had three UFC fights…The Ultimate Fighter and TUF, so he’s been under the bright lights. He’s been on the big stage, he is a veteran in this sport. He’s got 28 fights, this will be his 29th…that’s almost 30 fights. He definitely has a lot of experience on me and he’s young and he’s a full grown man, he’ll be a definite challenge and test and I’m absolutely ready for it,” says Dawson.
UFC Fight Night Wichita takes place on Saturday, March 9 from the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas with Derrick Lewis and Junior Dos Santos headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on ESPN+.
