Grant Dawson Opens UFC 333 Prelims vs. Nurullo Aliev

Grant Dawson takes on Nurullo Aliev in a lightweight bout opening the UFC 333 preliminary card on Saturday, October 24, as part of a night headlined by Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev.

Dawson enters the matchup off one of the better performances of his career. He submitted Mateusz Rebecki with a third-round rear-naked choke at UFC 328 on May 9, continuing a stretch of finishes that has made him one of the more dangerous grapplers in the 155-pound division. That win kept Dawson unbeaten in his last several outings and pushed his record to 24-3-1.

Why Dawson Draws the Lightweight Opener

Putting Grant Dawson on first for the prelims is a signal of depth, not a demotion. A 24-3-1 record with a submission resume like his usually buys a fighter a later slot on the card, and his continued presence in the early prelims says more about how loaded this UFC 333 lineup is than it does about where the promotion ranks him. Dawson has built his career on smothering wrestling and relentless scrambling for the back, and that style tends to grind out decisions or produce exactly the kind of third-round finish he got against Rebecki.

Aliev is the newer name in this pairing, and UFC 333 marks a notable opportunity for him to make a statement against a durable, experienced opponent. Facing a grinder like Dawson is as tough a measuring-stick fight as a riser can get: either he shows he can survive the pace and the mat work, or Dawson's volume and chain wrestling expose him early.

Betting Angle

Dawson's style tends to make him a durable favorite in these kinds of matchups. Fighters who grapple as heavily as he does often get live underdog odds from bettors who overweight knockout power and underweight what happens when a fight hits the mat for 15 or 25 minutes. Given his finishing streak and the fact that he has not lost in a long stretch, the smart betting approach here is to track how the line moves as fight week develops rather than assume the market has already priced in his wrestling-heavy approach correctly. If recent trends hold, expect Dawson to be favored, with the real value likely sitting in method-of-victory or round props tied to his grappling pace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Grant Dawson fighting at UFC 333?

Grant Dawson faces Nurullo Aliev in a lightweight bout that opens the UFC 333 preliminary card on Saturday, October 24.

What is Grant Dawson's current record?

Grant Dawson enters UFC 333 with a record of 24-3-1 after submitting Mateusz Rebecki via third-round rear-naked choke at UFC 328 on May 9.

What is the main event of UFC 333?

UFC 333 is headlined by a featherweight matchup between Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev.