Damir Ismagulov is Back From Retirement, Faces Grant Dawson in Return

Damir Ismagulov is Back From Retirement, Faces Grant Dawson in Return

Liam Lindsay|
May 11, 2023|
0

A bout between top-15 Lightweights has just been announced. Damir Ismagulov will face Grant Dawson on July 1 in Enterprise, Nevada, inside the UFC Apex, per MMA Kings.

This bout takes place in the Lightweight (155 lbs) division.

Damir "Qazaq" Ismagulov holds a professional record of 24-2 (5-1 UFC) and is ranked #12 in the Lightweight division. He holds notable wins against Guram Kutateladze, Joel Alvarez, and Rafael Alves.

Grant "KGD" Dawson is ranked #15 in the Lightweight division and holds a professional record of 19-1-1 (7-0-1 UFC), with noteworthy wins over Mark Madsen, Julian Erosa, and Jared Gordon.

Official odds have yet to be released.

Damir Ismagulov shocked the world in his last bout for the wrong reasons. Following his first UFC defeat to Lightweight prospect Arman Tsarukyan in December 2022, Ismagulov announced his retirement from the sport. However, he reversed this decision and is now facing another top-15 opponent. Ismagulov has some of the best boxing in the Lightweight division and demonstrated this in his last victory, a technical standup affair against Guram Kutadeladze. He'll be looking to use all his tools to bounce back from his only UFC loss.

Damir Ismagulov and Guram Kutadeladze engaging in a striking matchup. Credits to: Scott Wachter - USA TODAY Sports.
Damir Ismagulov and Guram Kutadeladze engaging in a striking matchup. Credits to: Scott Wachter - USA TODAY Sports.

Grant Dawson is one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC. With a robust backlog of wins against Julian Erosa, Mike Trizano, Jared Gordan, and now Mark Madsen, he couldn't be denied a ranking any longer and secured the #15 spot in his last performance. The submission specialist handed Madsen his first career loss via rear naked choke in his last bout. He'll be looking to use his grappling skill to secure the victory against Ismagulov in his next outing.

Grant Dawson striking against Mark Madsen. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.
Grant Dawson striking against Mark Madsen. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.

This is a brilliant matchup in the UFC's stacked Lightweight division. Who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.

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