Grant Dawson defeated Diego Rebecki by rear-naked choke at UFC 328, showcasing his elite back-taking ability. Commentators praised Dawson's back mount and back-taking skills as potentially on par with fighters like Charles Oliveira and Aljamain Sterling. Rebecki made a tactical error by initiating the grappling exchange himself, which played into Dawson's strength. Despite the victory improving his UFC record to 12-2-1, concerns remain about Dawson's standup game, including instability on the feet, weak striking fundamentals, and poor chin. This marked Dawson's fifth rear-naked choke in UFC competition, putting him on pace to challenge the submission records of fighters like Demian Maia, Michael Chiesa, and Renato Moicano.
Grant Dawson added another rear-naked choke to his growing collection at UFC 328 on May 9, submitting Diego Rebecki to push his UFC record to 12-2-1 and record his fifth finish by that method inside the octagon.
Dawson, 32, competes at lightweight for American Top Team and currently sits ranked eleventh in the division. The switch-stance fighter out of the United States has built his reputation on relentless grappling, averaging 3.81 takedowns per 15 minutes — an elite rate that few lightweights can match. His striking output is also credible, landing 3.21 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, though commentators and analysts have flagged instability on the feet, suspect striking fundamentals, and durability concerns as areas that could be exploited at higher levels of competition.
Rebecki contributed to his own downfall by choosing to engage in the grappling exchanges, walking directly into Dawson's greatest strength. Once Dawson secured the back mount, the outcome was familiar: a rear-naked choke finish that drew comparisons from ringside to the back-taking artistry of Charles Oliveira and Aljamain Sterling.
Why it matters
- Five rear-naked chokes in UFC competition puts Dawson in conversation with submission specialists like Demian Maia, Michael Chiesa, and Renato Moicano as one of the division's most dangerous grapplers.
- Ranked eleventh at lightweight, Dawson is knocking on the door of the top ten, where bouts against more polished strikers will stress-test the standup concerns.
- Opponents at this level are unlikely to make Rebecki's mistake of voluntarily pulling guard or wrestling with Dawson, which could force him to solve problems on the feet sooner rather than later.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
