The UFC returns to Newark, New Jersey this Saturday night for UFC 302, headlined by a huge lightweight title fight.
When you have names like Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa at the top of the card, it’s no surprise that some other fights may slip under the radar.
This is something that Renato Moicano highlighted during his recent preview of the card on his YouTube channel.
One of Moicano’s fellow fighters out of American Top Team is set to be in action in a fight that he believes is a certain pick in favor of his teammate.
Renato Moicano Highlights Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, Praises Dawson As Top-Tier Grappler
On the prelim card, Grant Dawson will look to bounce back from his first defeat in the UFC where he was stopped by Bobby Green in just 33 seconds.
Up to that point, he was putting together a serious run in the lightweight division and now faces Joe Solecki in an attempt to regain that momentum.
Solecki, who is coming off of a loss to Drakkar Klose, is known for his jiu-jitsu skills but Moicano doesn’t believe that he will be effective with them on this occasion.
“Money” said that Dawson is one of the very best grapplers in the UFC right now so even if the fight hits the floor, he will be able to get back to his feet in no time.
I’m not seeing him losing, I think he is the lock of the card. Especially because Joe Solecki is a BJJ guy, he’s a grappler, I don’t think he’s a better wrestler than Grant Dawson. I think he’s a jiu-jitsu guy that will try takedowns, will fail on the takedowns, will pull guard or even if he does take Grant Dawson down, he will not be able to control Grant Dawson on the ground because Grant Dawson is one of the best grapplers in the UFC.
Maybe you cannot believe in me but I’m telling you, he is one of the best grapplers on the division. I saw him training against Arman Tsarukyan, I saw him train against Mateusz Gamrot, I train with him myself, so he’s very hard to control, very good grappler.”
