UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green Preview
Grant Dawson finishes off Leonardo Santos with ground and pound strikes. Credit: MMA Fighting.
This Saturday, we receive the gift of another classic striker vs. grappler matchup in Bobby Green vs. Grant Dawson. In the co-main event, two incredibly explosive strikers collide in the cage when Joe Pyfer takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan. The entire Fight Night is loaded with killers, and I don’t expect many of these fights to go the distance. Let’s look at some of the rising stars and established finishers on the main card.
Alexander Hernandez vs. Bill Algeo
Alexander Hernandez lands an elbow on Drew Dober. Credit: Doc’s Sports.
Featherweight Bout
Alexander Hernandez: 14-6-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Bill Algeo: 17-7-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.
Hernandez has won two of his last five bouts and has wins over #4 ranked Lightweight Beneil Dariush (22-5-1), Francisco Trinaldo (28-9-0), and Jim Miller (36-17-0). He is a technical striker who is constantly coming forward and pushing a consistent pace across 15 minutes. He’s very light on his feet and has excellent footwork, never remaining in one spot for long. Hernandez has a solid kicking game and varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly. He can land damage in the pocket and at range with devastating knees, elbows, and straight punches. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he’s averaging over one takedown landed per 15 minutes and has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but seems to be more comfortable on the feet as of late. Hernandez has seven first-round knockouts and is most dangerous early, tending to brawl more and kick less as the fight continues.
Bill Algeo blasts Joanderson Brito with a jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Bill Algeo has won three of his last five fights, with his best wins coming over Joanderson Brito (15-3-1), Herbert Burns (11-4-0), and TJ Brown (17-10-0). He uses a karate-like style on the feet, often keeping his hands down and throwing various strikes to both the head and body. Training at Algeo MMA & Kickboxing, he has decent head movement, hand speed, and solid kick power. Algeo is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with a solid wrestling game to back it up. He’s skilled on his back and on top, willing to throw ground and pound and pursue submissions, with six wins via rear-naked choke on his record. He’s also shown good takedown defense and clinch work, defending 55% of takedowns attempted on him. Algeo also seems to gain confidence as the fight continues but gets less technical and can be drawn into brawls.
Drew Dober vs. Ricky Glenn
Drew Dober unloads punches on Rafael Alves. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Lightweight Bout
Drew Dober: 26-12-0, 14 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Ricky Glenn: 22-7-2, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.
Dober has won three of his last five fights and has wins over Terrance McKinney (14-6-0), Alexander Hernandez (14-6-0), and Nasrat Haqparast (15-5-0). He is an excellent striker with a Muay Thai background and a black belt in Taekwondo. He always stays technical and throws all his punches tight and straight, rarely throwing looping shots. Dober throws everything with knockout intentions and carries his power across all three rounds. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has excellent head movement and varies his shots, attacking the head and body evenly. He’s willing to brawl in the pocket but doesn’t get sloppy, has solid footwork, and is always coming forward. Dober does a great job of moving in and out of the pocket, throwing kicks at range, and landing damaging combinations in close.
Ricky Glenn looks to land ground and pound on Gavin Tucker. Credit: MMA Mania.
Glenn has won two of his last five outings with one draw and holds victories over Joaquim Silva (12-5-0), Dennis Bermudez (17-9-0), and Gavin Tucker (13-3-0). He has a very awkward style on the feet, standing upright and skirting around the outside, looking to draw his opponent in. He’s a technical striker who fights behind his jab, throws straight shots, and often opens combinations with body kicks. Glenn is tough to put away and has solid cardio, able to push the same pace across fifteen minutes. Training at Absolute MMA, he has excellent takedown defense and is active on the ground, never accepting position on top or bottom. Although he won’t often pursue takedowns, he’s comfortable on the mat, has excellent reversals, and can land damaging ground and pound. Glenn has dangerous clinch striking and typically lands elbows and knees when in close.
Alex Morono vs. Joaquin Buckley
Alex Morono lands a right hook on Donald Cerrone. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Welterweight Bout
Alex Morono: 23-8-0, 6 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.
Joaquin Buckley: 16-6-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Morono has won four of his last five outings and has wins over Donald Cerrone (36-17-0), Tim Means (33-15-1), and Matthew Semelsberger (11-6-0). He is exceptionally well-rounded, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo. He keeps his guard high and stays technical, always fighting behind his jab and throwing in combination. Morono has excellent footwork and head movement, often just getting out of the way of strikes and regularly ducking his head to slip and counter. He has solid cardio and is averaging over 70 significant strikes landed per fight in his last five bouts, and he has landed 90 or more significant strikes in a fight six times in the UFC. Training at Fortis MMA, he won’t often initiate grappling exchanges but has a slick submission game and is dangerous on the mat. With eleven of Morono’s twelve career finishes coming round one, he’s very dangerous early.
Joaquin Buckley lands a head kick on Andre Fialho. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Buckley has found victory in three of his last five bouts, with his best wins coming over Albert Duraev (16-5-0), Andre Fialho (16-8-0), and his famous KO of Impa Kasanganay (14-3-0). He is a highly aggressive striker with serious power in both hands. He perpetually moves and pursues a finish, throwing every shot with bad intentions and often mixing in kicks at the end of combinations. Although Buckley has power in all his shots, he does his best work with his kicks, never telegraphing them and throwing them from anywhere. Training at Finney’s HIT Squad, he throws everything in combination and pushes a frantic pace, willing to throw wild attacks like flying knees and spinning kicks. His UFC finishes have all come in round 2 or later, so he gets increasingly dangerous as the fight continues. He’s averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and has decent takedown defense, but he seems most comfortable on his feet.
Joe Pyfer vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
Joe Pyfer blasts Gerald Meerschaert with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Middleweight Bout
Joe Pyfer: 11-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Abdul Razak Alhassan: 12-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.
Pyfer has won four of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Alen Amedovski (8-4-0) and Gerald Meerschaert (35-17-0). He is an explosive striker with one-punch knockout power that constantly pursues a finish. He has solid, technical hands, always keeping his guard high, his shots tight, and never telegraphs. Training at Marquez MMA, Pyfer has excellent head movement and footwork, never staying on the centerline, and can land damage going forward or backward. He has a solid grappling game with great takedowns, smothering top control, and submission ability to back up his brutal ground and pound. He does his best work on the inside with his hands but will throw heavy kicks at range, particularly to the legs. Pyfer has six first-round finishes and has only gone to one decision in his career, as well as only seeing the third round once.
Abdul Razak Alhassan digs to the body of Mounir Lazzez. Credit: DraftKings Network.
Alhassan has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Niko Price (15-7-0), Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0), and Claudio Ribeiro (11-4-0). He is a potent, dangerous striker who prefers power to volume and is always coming forward. He mostly throws looping shots and hooks, often loading up and hunting for the one-shot knockout. Alhassan has a dangerous kicking game, usually throwing them without setup and with massive power. He’s won all his fights by finish, with eleven of those wins coming in round one. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has a black belt in Judo, is very strong in the clinch, and is able to land throws and trips when in close. Alhassan is averaging just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes but is usually comfortable keeping the fight standing.
#10 Grant Dawson vs. Bobby Green
Grant Dawson applies a rear naked choke to Damir Ismagulov. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Lightweight Bout
Grant Dawson: 20-1-1, 4 KO/TKO, 13 Sub.
Bobby Green: 30-14-1, 10 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.
Dawson is undefeated in his promotion tenure, holding victories over Jared Gordon (19-6-0), Mark O. Madsen (12-1-0), and Damir Ismagulov (24-3-0). He is an excellent grappler and is most comfortable on the mat, often shooting early and quickly landing a takedown. He’s averaging nearly four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC and has excellent control, especially on the back. Dawson is highly active on the ground, constantly advancing position and pursuing a finish. Of his 13 career submissions, 11 are rear-naked chokes, so he is incredibly dangerous if he can secure his opponent’s back. He throws everything with power on the feet and stays behind his jab, not typically utilizing much footwork. Training at American Top Team, Dawson has decent head movement and rarely absorbs significant damage, but he isn’t the most technical striker and will primarily throw basic combinations.
Bobby Green lands a left hand on Clay Guida. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Green has won two of his last five outings with one draw and has wins over Tony Ferguson (26-9-0), Lando Vannata (12-7-2), and Nasrat Haqparast (15-5-0). Training at Pinnacle MMA, he is an excellent boxer, picking his opponents apart with quick combinations and damaging straights. He is rarely in a boring fight, always willing to go to the center of the octagon and exchange blows. Green has won Performance of the Night twice and Fight of the Night four times, backing up his scrappy tendencies. Green also has great wrestling to supplement his striking, having defended 74% of takedowns attempted on him, and has a solid submission game and top control. Green has landed 52% of his significant strikes and has defended 62% of strikes thrown at him, making him a rather efficient striker. Green does a great job mixing up his strikes, attacking the head and the body evenly, and throwing the occasional kick to finish a combination.
Best Bets
Bill Algeo Moneyline: This might be one of my most biased picks; I love Bill Algeo and hate Alex Hernandez. Besides this, I genuinely believe Algeo is a more well-rounded fighter with better skills on the mat and the feet. I’m not sure he’ll find a finish, but I believe he should win this fight.
Pyfer vs. Razak Alhassan to Not Go the Distance: This is self-explanatory. Between these two men, there are thirty fights with twenty-two finishes, with 17 coming in round one. I would be utterly shocked if this went to the judges.
Grant Dawson by Finish: While he may not be the person you think of when you think of prolific finishers, Dawson has finished seventeen of his 20 wins. Green is an underrated grappler, but we’ve seen Dawson dismantle much higher-level guys than him. I don’t think this fight ever should have been scheduled, and it should be light work for Grant Dawson.
