Grant Dawson Talks Batman, Preps for UFC 333 vs. Aliev

Grant Dawson is heading into his UFC 333 showdown with Nurullo Aliev still fixated on a decades-old superhero rule that has nothing to do with fight camp.

The UFC lightweight went on Jose Youngs' "Anything But Fighting" podcast and kept up his running bit against Batman's "no killing" code, while also gushing about the old "Justice League" and "Teen Titans" cartoons and ripping Superman as a "boy scout." It's become a recurring theme for Dawson, who clearly enjoys needling comic book purism as much as he enjoys grinding opponents into the mat.

The timing lines up with a real fight. Dawson (24-3-1) meets Nurullo Aliev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, and the media run is part of the standard promotional push ahead of that booking.

Grant Dawson's Form Heading Into UFC 333

Dawson arrives off a bounce-back win. In his most recent outing, "KGD" choked out Mateusz Rębecki at UFC 328 in May. This performance got him back into the win column after being knocked out by Manuel Torres at UFC 323. That submission over Rębecki was vintage Dawson: heavy top control, relentless pace, opponent gassed and finished.

The numbers back up the style. To date, Dawson holds the UFC lightweight record for highest control time percentage (69.7%) and the second-highest top-position percentage (62.3%). Nobody in the lightweight division smothers opponents on the mat quite like he does, and that profile is exactly why the Aliev matchup is interesting.

Who Is Nurullo Aliev, Grant Dawson's UFC 333 Opponent?

Aliev enters undefeated at 12-0, a prospect the UFC has fast-tracked with real intent. He's unbeaten, hits hard, and brings momentum into Abu Dhabi, but he hasn't faced anyone who can impose control time the way Dawson does. That's the core question of this fight: can Aliev keep it standing and find a finish before Dawson gets a hand on him and drags the pace into deep water.

Sportsbooks currently have Dawson as a slight favorite, with Aliev getting live underdog value. That number feels fair. Aliev's unbeaten record is legitimate, but Dawson's wrestling and cardio are proven at this level, and his control-time resume is the best reason to lean his way if the fight hits the mat. The flip side is obvious too: if Aliev avoids the clinch and turns this into a kickboxing match, his undefeated record suggests he's capable of making Dawson pay on the feet. For bettors, the grappling exchanges in round one should tell the story fast.

Off the mic, Dawson's cartoon rants have become a side attraction of his media cycle. On fight week, though, the only rule that matters is whether he can get Nurullo Aliev to the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Grant Dawson fighting at UFC 333?

Grant Dawson (24-3-1) is scheduled to fight undefeated lightweight Nurullo Aliev (12-0) at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.

What was Grant Dawson's last UFC fight?

Grant Dawson submitted Mateusz Rębecki via choke at UFC 328 in May, bouncing back from a knockout loss to Manuel Torres at UFC 323.

What UFC record does Grant Dawson hold?

Grant Dawson holds the UFC lightweight record for highest control time percentage at 69.7%, and ranks second all-time in top-position percentage at 62.3%.