He’s got his job to do, and that’s the only thing he can control, which is why it’s his sole focus. Outside of that, it’s up to the fates… or the UFC brass.
“I think it would really depend on the form of the win,” Dawson said when asked what he needs to do this weekend to secure an opportunity to share the Octagon with one of those veteran names stationed ahead of him in the rankings. “If I win a split decision, I don’t think things move very well. If I submit him in the first round, I think we could be looking at a Michael Chandler or somebody ahead of me — anybody ahead of me.
“But I’m not really worried about that,” he added. “For me, it’s just about going out and performing my best. I can’t perform any better than my best, so I don’t worry about winning; I worry about performing.”
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If he performs to the best of his abilities and does manage to secure another impressive victory, “KGD” has a pretty clear picture of how he’d like his 2026 campaign to unfold.
And should he get the chance this weekend, Dawson is going to make his desires known.
“Fighting in February and then fighting again in December,” he joked. “I want as many fights as I can get. I’m gonna be hollerin’ again after the fight on the mic, I’m gonna be calling for some big names, and we’ll hopefully get three in next year.”