Grant Dawson will replace Rafael Alves and lock horns with Jared Gordon in a lightweight scrap at UFC on ESPN 35.
mixedmartialarts.com was first to report the new booking. A reason for Alves’ withdrawal was not disclosed. UFC on ESPN 35 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on April 30 and is headlined by a bantamweight duel pitting Rob Font against Marlon Vera.
After earning a contract on Season 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Dawson was victorious in his first five promotional appearances before battling Ricky Glenn to a majority draw in his sixth outing at UFC Fight Night 196 this past October.