Grant Dawson has a take on training during the holidays

It’s develop into a provided that if fighters have to coach over the vacations, they’re of a very unlucky lot.

This time of season usually is rife with further events and celebrations and gatherings, and which means temptations on the buffet desk, for starters. And whereas nearly everybody else will get an opportunity for a number of further days off and leisure, in-camp fighters are winding down prep work and beginning to dial in on weight cuts.

To look at the vacation splendor throughout, realizing yours is on maintain might be irritating – however to not UFC light-weight Grant Dawson.

Dawson (22-2-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) has one of many largest fights of his profession developing in a month towards Diego Ferreira (19-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at UFC 311 on the Intuit Dome simply outdoors Los Angeles.

However he’s probably not anxious concerning the vacation stuff. As an alternative, he’s joyful to remain busy. He’s had two fights every year he’s been within the UFC, so possibly that is the 12 months he lastly can get a 3rd for further momentum.

“I’m in all probability going to dwell ’til I’m 90. I can have fun the vacations after I’m executed combating. I don’t actually care about that,” Dawson advised MMA Junkie Radio. “I wished to remain energetic. I’ve begged to remain energetic. I’ve by no means not been energetic due to one thing with me, and it’s not the UFC’s fault – (matchmaker) Sean Shelby’s doing an awesome job.

“It’s simply I’m a man that not lots of people need to battle. I’m a man that there’s a excessive threat, low reward of combating me, so I really feel like that’s why I’ve been on the bench earlier than for a very long time. However that is nice: I’m going to start out 2025 off combating within the first month. I really feel actually hopeful that I’m going to have the ability to get three fights in in 2025.”

The bout towards Ferreira is one which was alleged to occur greater than three years in the past, however Ferreira needed to pull out with an harm. At that time, Ferreira was coming off back-to-back losses – although each have been Struggle of the Evening winners – in a three-fight skid. Now he has back-to-back knockout wins, additionally each for bonuses.

Dawson has back-to-back wins, himself, after a knockout loss to Bobby Inexperienced 14 months in the past that was the primary setback of his profession. Dawson was greater than a 4-1 favourite within the battle, however Inexperienced caught him early and took him out in a 33-second stunner.

The highway again to title rivalry might be just a little shorter, although, with a win over somebody the likes of Ferreira. Neither fighter is within the UFC’s prime 15 at light-weight, however Dawson is hopeful that would change after UFC 311.

“I’m tremendous enthusiastic about this battle and I’m tremendous enthusiastic about being on a pay-per-view, particularly such a giant pay-per-view to kick off the brand new 12 months. There’s a whole lot of large fights on this card. A number of ’55s on this card. There’s a whole lot of teammates on this card,” he mentioned.

“There’s professionals and cons to combating on a giant one. I feel I’ll get much more notoriety than I often do. A con is, in all probability not going to win any bonus cash. It’s actually onerous to recollect good performances when one other good efficiency comes or one other thrilling battle comes. We’ll see. I’m going on the market to make an announcement and hopefully with a giant win over Diego, I can break into my subsequent battle being any person within the prime 10, which can hopefully maintain me within the rankings for Pete’s sake.”

Take a look at Dawson’s full interview above.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 311.