Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight talents Rick Glenn and Grant Dawson will go to war this weekend (Sat., Oct. 23, 2021) at UFC Vegas 41 inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After some injuries and an extended layoff, Glenn returned to action earlier this year, moving back to the Lightweight division for the first time since 2016. He faced a dangerous opponent in Joaquim Silva, but Glenn required just 37 seconds to score a brutal knockout win and remind fight fans of his presence on the roster. Dawson, meanwhile, is proving himself one of the better fighters to come off “Contenders Series.” He’s won five bouts in a row between the Featherweight and Lightweight divisions, dominating the majority of his foes on the mat.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
Rick Glenn
Record: 22-6-1
Key Wins: Dennis Bermudez (UFC Fight Night 133), Joaquim Silva (UFC Vegas 29), Gavin Tucker (UFC 215), Georgi Karakhanyan (WSOF 10), Johnny Case (MCC 29)
Key Losses: Myles Jury (UFC 219), Kevin Aguilar (TUF 28 Finale), Lance Palmer (WSOF 16), Evan Dunham (UFC Fight Night 94)
Keys to Victory: Glenn is a 15-year pro with a wealth of tricks up his sleeve. He’s primarily a tricky Southpaw striker, dangerous on the counter and in the clinch. However, Glenn is an underrated wrestler and scrambler as well.
His defensive wrestling will be tested in this match up.
Dawson is not a bad kickboxer, but he’s straightforward in his objectives: he wants to score top position, and he usually wrestles along the fence to do so. Glenn has struggled with such grinding wrestlers before, and getting stuck on bottom is definitely more of a concern now that he’s back at 155 pounds.
Glenn needs to find a distance weapon early. Ideally, I’d like to see the Southpaw working the calf with his left low kick, hiding that strike with left front kicks to the mid-section. Against a fellow leftie, Glenn should have more success in establishing his jab as well, and keeping his feet moving will help keep Grant off his waist.
Clinch work could be huge for Glenn here. He’s deceptively strong in the clinch, and that position may prove a safe haven in stymying Grant’s takedown transitions. If he can pull Grant into more of a Muay Thai situation than straight wrestling, Glenn is in position to do big damage.
Grant Dawson
Record: 17-1
Key Wins: Leonardo Santos (UFC Vegas 22), Michael Trizano (UFC Fight Night 152), Julian Erosa (UFC Fight Night 146), Darrick Minner (UFC Fight Night 169)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Dawson is a specialist. An accomplished high school wrestler, Dawson has done extremely well to mix jiu-jitsu into his grappling offense, which has helped him score 11 tapout victories.
This fight is all about timing for Dawson. If he’s able to time his entries well, Dawson is likely to complete his takedowns without much trouble, and he’s in control. If not, Glenn is physically strong and has a deep gas tank, so things could get dicey.
In order to set up his takedowns, Dawson would be well-advised to move his feet and trust in his speed. The younger of the two men is the quicker man, which is a big advantage in ducking under punches. Plus, Glenn is more of a bruiser than dedicated range kicker. He likes to advance and throw in combination, so if Dawson stays a bit evasive, he may be able to convince Glenn to overcommit.
Once in top position, Dawson has to focus on control. Glenn is a solid scrambler and tough as nails, so a quick finish is pretty unlikely. Dawson’s best chance at stopping Glenn is damage over time, so a more conservative approach is likely to pay off compared to jumping on the neck right away.
Bottom Line
This is another test for Dawson.
At this stage of his career, it would take an extended win streak for Glenn to move out from the middle of the division. He’s a respected fighter and former WSOF champion, but Glenn is not currently looked at as a potential title threat. A second victory this year over a top prospect like Dawson would certainly help, but even then, it’s going to take at least one more win for Glenn to score a ranking.
As for Dawson, this should be his last fight vs. an unranked foe if he wins. Glenn is an established name and tough out, a quality addition to any win streak. However, Dawson has proven himself worthy of a high-profile foe that puts a number next to his name with a victory.
Six wins in a row would be more difficult to ignore than five.
At UFC Vegas 41, Rick Glenn and Grant Dawson will battle in the co-main event. Which man will earn the victory?
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 41 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.
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