Hakeem Dawodu vs Julian Erosa
Fixtures in the featherweight division Hakeem Dawodu and Julian Erosa close out the preliminary slate on Saturday in what should be an entertaining clash from start to finish.
Dawodu has been on the cusp of breaking into the rankings for the last couple of years, but has never quite gotten there. A five-fight winning streak after dropping his promotional debut brought him close, but a loss to Movsar Evloev slammed the door closed. He rebounded with a good win over Michael Trizano last time out, and he looks to build off that effort here against Erosa.
Erosa is one of the better “feel good” stories in the UFC over the last couple of years.
A member of Team Faber on Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter, he won his fight at the finale, lost his next bout, and was released by the promotion. Two years later, he earned a second-round knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series, but didn’t get a contract, only to receive a short-notice call-back, which resulted in three straight losses and a second release.
A third chance to compete on the big stage came in the summer of 2020 and Erosa has made the most of it, posting a 4-1 mark over his last five fights, including stoppage wins over Sean Woodson, Nate Landwehr, and Charles Jourdain.
Dawodu is a polished, technical striker who likes to work clean, keep things standing, and look for openings to exploit, while Erosa is the opposite — a “go on feel” type of fighter who carries his hands low, will take one to land one, and has never seen a slight opportunity he wasn’t willing to chase after.