Grant Dawson VS Nurullo Aliev

Grant Dawson defeated Nurullo Aliev by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) in a lightweight bout on the UFC 333 prelims in Abu Dhabi on October 24, 2026. Dawson controlled the second and third rounds with double-leg takedowns and sustained ground-and-pound, including reaching full mount late in round three. The key moment came in round one when referee Marc Goddard docked Aliev a point for repeated hammerfists to the back of Dawson's head, turning what had been an Aliev-controlled round into a 9-9 on all three cards. The loss ended Aliev's undefeated record, which stood at 12-0 — including a 4-0 mark in the UFC — heading into the fight.

Experienced lightweight contender Grant Dawson takes on undefeated Tajik prospect Nurullo Aliev in a fight that tests whether Aliev's perfect 12-0 record can withstand UFC-level grappling and attrition. Dawson is a proven commodity at 24-3-1 with elite wrestling and a history of grinding opponents down, while Aliev arrives with the uncertainty of a talented unknown who has not yet been tested at this depth. The style clash between Dawson's smothering wrestling and Aliev's unproven mettle should tell us a lot about the prospect.