Grant Dawson secured victory over Rebecki at UFC 328 with a rear-naked choke, showcasing his elite back control abilities. The analysis suggests Dawson's back-taking skills rival those of top grapplers like Renato Moicano and Aljamain Sterling. Rebecki made a tactical error by engaging in grappling exchanges, which played into Dawson's strengths. Despite persistent striking deficiencies and punch resistance issues, Dawson has now compiled an impressive 12-2-1 record in the UFC. This marks his fifth rear-naked choke in the organization, putting him on pace to eventually challenge records held by Demian Maia, Michael Chiesa, and Moicano for most rear-naked chokes in UFC history.
Grant Dawson added another submission victory to his growing résumé at UFC 328 on May 9, finishing Rebecki via rear-naked choke to extend his record inside the octagon to an impressive 12-2-1.
Dawson, now 24-3-1 overall, competes at lightweight where he sits ranked 11th in the division. The 32-year-old American Top Team product stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach and fights out of a switch stance. His statistical profile tells the story of a fighter built around control and submission hunting — he averages 3.81 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while posting a striking accuracy of 52 percent and landing 3.21 significant strikes per minute. The rear-naked choke against Rebecki marks his fifth finish by that method inside the UFC, a tally that places him in conversation with the organization's all-time leaders in that category, including Demian Maia, Michael Chiesa, and Renato Moicano.
The victory came in part due to a strategic miscalculation from Rebecki, who chose to engage in grappling exchanges — precisely the area where Dawson is most dangerous. His back-taking ability has drawn comparisons to elite grapplers such as Moicano and Aljamain Sterling.
Why it matters
- Dawson's fifth UFC rear-naked choke puts him on a trajectory to challenge the organization's all-time records in that category
- A win moves the No. 11-ranked lightweight closer to the top ten in a competitive 155-pound division
- Persistent questions about his striking output and punch resistance remain the primary hurdles between Dawson and a title-contention conversation
- The result reinforces that lightweight opponents accepting grappling exchanges against Dawson do so at significant risk
Saturday, May 9, 2026
