Dawson vs Aliev at UFC 333: Mirror-Image Frames, Opposite Finishes
Line up Grant Dawson and Nurullo Aliev on the tale of the tape and you'll struggle to tell them apart. Both stand 5'10". Both have a 72-inch reach. Both wrestle, with Dawson averaging 3.58 takedowns per 15 minutes and Aliev 3.48. The difference between these lightweights shows up once the fight hits the floor, and that's where UFC 333 will separate them on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Dawson, 32, nicknamed "KGD," is 24-3-1 and has fought in the UFC since August 2017. He's a finisher on the mat: 14 of his wins are submissions, 58% of the total, with five knockouts and five decisions making up the rest. He attempts 1.36 submissions per 15 minutes, has seven first-round finishes and lands 42% of his significant strikes on the ground.
Aliev, the 25-year-old "Tajik Eagle," is 12-0 and made his UFC debut in February 2023. His path to the win column looks very different. Ten of his 12 victories went to the judges (83%), two came by knockout, none by submission, and only one ended in the first round. He attempts just 0.46 submissions per 15 minutes, though 43% of his strikes still come on the ground. Control, not finishing, is his game.
- Striking output: Dawson 3.14 per minute at 51%, Aliev 2.29 at 44%.
- Strikes absorbed: Dawson 2.14 per minute, Aliev 1.59.
- Striking defense: Aliev 55%, Dawson 45%.
- Takedown defense: Aliev 80%, Dawson 67%.
- Knockdowns: Dawson 0.09 on average, Aliev none.
- Average fight time: Dawson 11:00, Aliev 12:55.
Neither is a knockout artist, and both are used to working deep into fights. It comes down to one thing: who lands the first takedown? If it's Dawson, the submission threat is live. If it's Aliev, this is the kind of fight he has won on the scorecards 10 times.
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. local time, the prelims at 8 p.m. and the main card at 10 p.m. Get your seats: UFC 333 tickets in Abu Dhabi.