UFC 323: Grant Dawson didn't expect 'insanely dangerous' Manuel Torres

LAS VEGAS – Michael Chandler, Beniel Dariush, notable UFC veteran contenders – that's who Grant Dawson expected to be fighting, not a relatively unknown, dangerous Manuel Torres.

Dawson (23-2-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) and Manuel Torres collide in the feature prelim at UFC 323 (pay-per-view, ESPN2/FX/Disney+, ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The American Top Team product didn't expect to draw "El Loco" for his return to the octagon, given he's on a three-fight winning streak and 14-1-1 in his past 16 fights. Yet, Dawson wants to be a company man, and has no problem taking on whoever the UFC puts him up against.

"I never know anymore," Dawson told MMA Junkie regarding the matchup with Torres. "I win a fight, I do the quarter off my wife's dump truck, and in my head I'm like, 'I'm getting Michael Chandler next. This clip is going viral. Everybody loved it. I'm getting Michael Chandler next. I'm getting Beneil Dariush next, whoever.' But then they throw ... I never know who I'm going to fight. I'm always like, 'This makes sense, this makes sense.' Then they're like, 'How about this guy on a two-fight win streak?' And I'm like, 'Ok, I'll fight him.' Three fight win streak, beat three really good vets, it’s got to be a ranked guy now. 'How about this guy on a one-fight win streak, who's super dangerous and could probably knock you out in 10 seconds?' Alright, I will take it."

Despite wanting bigger names, Dawson is in no way underestimating Torres (16-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC). He finds him to be one of the most dangerous fighters at 155 pounds, and is well aware of his knockout threat.

"Look, man, if I lose this fight, we all know how it's going to be," Dawson said. "I'm going to get knocked out in the first three minutes. I'm going to wake up looking at the ceiling. I totally get it. If I win this fight, I'll probably take him down and choke him out or wrestle him the whole time. He's an insanely dangerous fighter, definitely the most dangerous guy I've fought, for sure. He might be one of the most dangerous guys in the division. We don't really know much about him. I think we can watch all his fights in under 12 minutes. He's live by the sword, die by the sword. I'm just going in and hoping he dies by the sword."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 323: Grant Dawson expected ranked matchup instead of Manuel Torres