Bonus-winning machine returns as UFC 323 reportedly adds another banger fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 1:18 PM ET

(Zuffa LLC)

Following a batch of fight announcements from UFC CEO Dana White, UFC 323 has reportedly added another huge matchup featuring Grant Dawson and Manuel Torres.

Set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on December 6 as the UFC’s final PPV offering of 2025 and the ESPN era, UFC 323 is headlined by a bantamweight title bout between Merab Dvalishvili and former titleholder Petr Yan in what will be Dvalishvili’s fourth title defense in less than a year.

Alexander Pantoja will also look to defend his flyweight belt for the fifth time in the night’s co-main event when he meets Joshua Van, and the bout announcements for UFC 323 are now coming at a rapid-fire pace following White’s announcement of the card's two title fights.

Grant Dawson Looks To Defend Ranking At UFC 323

First reported by Marcel Dorff, the lightweight matchup between Dawson and Torres will see “KGD” attempt to defend his #14 ranking and extend his current three-fight win streak.

A contract winner on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, Dawson went unbeaten through his first nine Octagon appearances before being knocked out by King Green in just 33 seconds during a UFC Fight Night main event in 2023.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

After taking some time off, Dawson returned at UFC 302 and took a unanimous decision over Joe Solecki. The 31-year-old followed that up by stopping Rafa Garcia with ground strikes, and in his most recent outing he bested Diego Ferreira at UFC 311 and made his return to the UFC’s lightweight Top 15.

Manuel Torres Has Never Seen A Second Round In The UFC

Dawson’s wrestling skills will likely need to be on full display at UFC 323, as he’ll be facing a fighter in Torres that has won four out of his last six fights by knockout dating back to his own contract-winning performance on DWCS in 2021.

“El Loco” also boasts a number of wins via submission, and he showcased his skills on the mat when he submitted Chris Duncan in less than two minutes in early 2024 after he knocked out Frank Camacho and Nikolas Motta in his first two UFC appearances.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Torres’ winning run came to an end when he was knocked out by Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 306, but he rebounded by stopping Drew Dober in March and will look to earn yet another “Performance of the Night” bonus when he and Dawson meet on a UFC 323 card that currently looks like this.

UFC 323 Fight Card

• Main Event: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan – For the UFC Bantamweight Championship

• Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van – For the UFC Flyweight Championship

• Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva

• Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott

• Jan Blachowciz vs. Bogdan Guskov

• Grant Dawson vs. Manuel Torres

• Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trocoli

• Fares Ziam vs. Nazim Saykhov

• Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira

• Terrance McKinney vs. Chris Duncan