Manuel Torres carves through Grant Dawson for latest first-round KO at UFC 323
With by far the biggest test of his career in front of him, Manuel Torres didn’t waver.
Torres (17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) exercised a patient game plan, then drilled Grant Dawson (23-3-1 MMA, 11-2-1 UFC) with a left hand a little before the midway point of the first round. Dawson hit the canvas, Torres pounced, and a few fights later, he had a TKO finish.
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Torres put the lightweight division on notice with his 16th first-round finish in 17 wins – and it came against a top-15 opponent for the first time in his career. The stoppage came at the 2:25 mark of the opening frame.
Torres now has back-to-back first-round knockouts after an upset loss to Ignacio Bahamondes 15 months ago. All five of his UFC wins have been first-round knockouts, as was his DWCS win to get into the promotion. Ahead of UFC 323, his four UFC wins have all been for bonuses.
Dawson, who was a 2-1 betting favorite, had a three-fight winning streak snapped. All three losses in his pro career have come in the first round by knockout.
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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Manuel Torres cuts through Grant Dawson for first-round KO at UFC 323
