Grant Dawson is fully aware of the significance of his upcoming fight at UFC 328. The American Top Team fighter is set to face Mateusz Rębecki on May 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This lightweight bout is crucial for both athletes, with Dawson holding a record of 23 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, while Rębecki enters with a 20-4 record. Both fighters have been building momentum in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.
Grant Dawson on His Matchup with Mateusz Rębecki at UFC 328
In a recent exclusive interview with Mike Owens of LowKick MMA, Dawson articulated his primary goal for this fight: to shift public perception. He stated:
“‘Grant Dawson is better than we thought he was.’ That’s it. Fans are up and down on you all the time. I want people to say, “Alright, let’s give this guy a big name and see how he does.” I’ve dropped the ball a couple of times — that’s on me — but I still feel like I haven’t gotten my real opportunity yet. I want the chance to show people, and myself, how good I really am.”
Dawson has secured notable victories within the UFC, defeating opponents such as Damir Ismagulov, Jared Gordon, Carlos Diego Ferreira, Rafa Garcia, and Joe Solecki. He also achieved a unanimous decision win against Diego Ferreira at UFC 311 in January 2025. However, his losses, particularly the swift knockout defeat to Bobby Green in 2023 and his most recent stoppage loss to Manuel Torres, have influenced how fans perceive him.
Dawson addressed these setbacks directly, acknowledging the criticism regarding his durability and understanding why it’s a focus for some fans. He pointed out that all of his losses have come by knockout, but crucially, no opponent has managed to defeat him through sustained pressure or a comprehensive fight strategy. This self-awareness has prompted him to refine his training approach, incorporating more intense sparring rounds to strike a balance between protection and fight-night readiness.
“Yeah, they call me “Glass Jaw,” which is actually hilarious. I see the comments and let them roll off my shoulders. But they’re not wrong in one sense. I’ve only ever lost by knockout. Nobody’s ever out-grinded me, submitted me, or made me look stupid over the course of a fight. The only times I’ve lost, I’ve gotten clipped. So maybe there’s something to it. But Justin Gaethje’s been knocked out more times than I have. A lot of guys have. It’s part of the game.”
The upcoming bout with Rębecki adds an interesting dynamic, as they have a history of training together through American Top Team. Despite this, Rębecki has opted to stay in Poland for his camp, a decision Dawson believes is logical. He anticipates a challenging and aggressive fight, not a cautious one. Dawson described Rębecki as a fighter who consistently pushes forward, regardless of the fight’s progression.
“A war. I’m expecting him not to take a backward step. I’m expecting him to be very difficult to take down, very difficult to keep down. I’m going to try, but it’s going to be hard. I think we’ve got good training partners for this guy, and I think we’ve got a really good game plan for him. I’m expecting a war, but I’ve expected wars before and made them look easy, and I’ve expected easy fights that were not easy. At the end of the day, you just go and fight.”
Rębecki, the Polish lightweight, is known for his high-energy fights and has earned multiple post-fight bonuses in the UFC. His fighting style often leads to exchanges, with notable wins against Loik Radzhabov and Myktybek Orolbai. In contrast, Dawson has historically relied on his wrestling and grappling skills, accumulating 13 submission victories and a proven ability to control fights once he secures takedowns.
Dawson views UFC 328 as more than just a comeback opportunity. He believes that while a close decision victory might not significantly alter his standing, a finish could. Such a result, in his opinion, would propel him back into the Top 15 rankings and position him for matchups against the higher-caliber opponents he feels he hasn’t yet faced.
“If I win a split decision in a war, maybe it doesn’t look that great for me. But if I can finish this guy, I think it does a lot for me. Chris Duncan couldn’t finish him. He’s beaten good guys, and not many people have been able to put him away. If I can get a win and a finish over this guy, I think it puts me back close to the Top 15, maybe sets up a Top 15 fight next. But right now, a loss is much worse than a win is good, so I just want to get back in the win column and start building a streak again.“