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NEWARK, N.J. – Grant Dawson met the media Saturday after his win over Mateusz Rebecki at UFC 328.
Dawson (24-3-1 MMA, 12-2-1 UFC) submitted Rebecki (20-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their fight on the prelims at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Dawson got back in the win column after an upset loss to Manuel Torres, who put him away with a first-round knockout in December. It was just the third loss of Dawson's career, and all have come by first-round knockout – and two in around only 30 seconds.
So getting things back going again, which gives him four wins in his past five fights, was of paramount importance.
But once fight week got started, the reality of a competition vs. real life reared its head. It's why Dawson is content to take some time off before he jumps back in the cage.
"(I'll come back at the) end of the year," Dawson said at his post-fight news conference. "My wife and I, we need a vacation. We've gone through a lot this week. We had a little bit of a family crisis, so we need a vacation.
"My wife and I were expecting our first baby, and we found out on Monday that we lost the baby. So it's been a rough week, and my amazing wife soldiered through it, toughed it out, no emotion, got me through this, and I promised her a little vacation for us to go and do our thing."
After the win, Dawson let it all out in an emotional response on the cage floor. He said bottling things up for the week so he could focus on Rebecki led to the scene.
He wasn't the only one with an emotional win, either. Just before him, Jim Miller submitted Jared Gordon for a $100,000 bonus, months after his son beat cancer.
"I'm going to sound like such a d*ck: It wasn't hard for me," Dawson said. "It was compartmentalized. (I) put it away. We told our closest friends and family, and it was like I'll deal with this after.
"So I was a bit emotional in the cage. I think that might have had something to do with it. And you know, Jim Miller, such a warrior. I cannot physically imagine what going through what he did with his son. I can't imagine that. So just all love for him."Check out Dawson's post-fight interview in the video above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Grant Dawson reveals reason for high emotion after UFC 328 win
Continue reading...
Dawson (24-3-1 MMA, 12-2-1 UFC) submitted Rebecki (20-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their fight on the prelims at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Dawson got back in the win column after an upset loss to Manuel Torres, who put him away with a first-round knockout in December. It was just the third loss of Dawson's career, and all have come by first-round knockout – and two in around only 30 seconds.
So getting things back going again, which gives him four wins in his past five fights, was of paramount importance.
But once fight week got started, the reality of a competition vs. real life reared its head. It's why Dawson is content to take some time off before he jumps back in the cage.
"(I'll come back at the) end of the year," Dawson said at his post-fight news conference. "My wife and I, we need a vacation. We've gone through a lot this week. We had a little bit of a family crisis, so we need a vacation.
"My wife and I were expecting our first baby, and we found out on Monday that we lost the baby. So it's been a rough week, and my amazing wife soldiered through it, toughed it out, no emotion, got me through this, and I promised her a little vacation for us to go and do our thing."
Se terminoooó Dawson termina al polaco en los últimos segundos del round#UFC328 | Ver en vivo por @PPlusDeportespic.twitter.com/UyOmxGqTTi
— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) May 10, 2026
After the win, Dawson let it all out in an emotional response on the cage floor. He said bottling things up for the week so he could focus on Rebecki led to the scene.
He wasn't the only one with an emotional win, either. Just before him, Jim Miller submitted Jared Gordon for a $100,000 bonus, months after his son beat cancer.
"I'm going to sound like such a d*ck: It wasn't hard for me," Dawson said. "It was compartmentalized. (I) put it away. We told our closest friends and family, and it was like I'll deal with this after.
"So I was a bit emotional in the cage. I think that might have had something to do with it. And you know, Jim Miller, such a warrior. I cannot physically imagine what going through what he did with his son. I can't imagine that. So just all love for him."Check out Dawson's post-fight interview in the video above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Grant Dawson reveals reason for high emotion after UFC 328 win
Continue reading...
