Can Davey Grant still finish a fight?

Three wins, three unanimous decisions. Davey Grant has gotten into the habit of winning on the scorecards, not by lights out. Still, his official finish rate sits at 44.4%. So, butcher or accountant? Against Elijah Smith, the Englishman has an answer to write.

🥊 Quick Profile

Name: Davey Grant
Record: 18-8-0
Claim to Fame: Former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate, high-volume striker

The High-Five Block

Last 5 results:

• ✅ Adrian Luna Martinetti — Unanimous decision UFC Fight Night
• ❌ Charles Jourdain — Submission (R1) UFC Fight Night
• ✅ Da'Mon Blackshear — Unanimous decision UFC Fight Night
• ✅ Ramon Taveras — Unanimous decision UFC Fight Night
• ❌ Daniel Marcos — Split decision UFC Fight Night

The Origin Story

No legendary youth here, no street-kid fairy tale. What we do have is a solid résumé: an English fighter who went through the cast of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate and settled in at bantamweight in the UFC.

The rest is the style that speaks for itself. Official archetype: STRIKER. Grant lives on his feet. He throws 5.6 strikes per minute and only absorbs 4.0. He has zero interest in dancing on the mat: 0.9 takedowns per 15 minutes, 38.7% accuracy. Wrestling isn't his plan A, or his plan B.

This guy is built for distance fighting. The ground is a country he visits reluctantly.

Volume vs. the Clock

Look at his latest sequence. It tells the whole story.

Split decision loss to Daniel Marcos. Close, but not close enough. Then he bounces back: unanimous over Ramon Taveras, unanimous over Da'Mon Blackshear. Two clean wins, no judging drama.

Then the rude awakening. Charles Jourdain submits him in round one. No debate, no judges, just one round. The hole in his takedown defense (65.2%) jumps out: roughly one opposing takedown in three gets through.

Immediate response: unanimous decision over Adrian Luna Martinetti. He gets the machine running again and stays on his feet.

Last 5 tally: 3W-2L. A decent run, not a fire streak.

The profile at a glance:

Strikes landed/min: 5.6 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Strikes absorbed/min: 4.0 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Striking accuracy: 45.5% ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Striking defense: 54.8% ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Takedown defense: 65.2% ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Finish rate: 44.4% ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

Differential: +1.6 strikes per minute in his favor. Not overwhelming, but that's what wins rounds, and therefore fights.

Useless Knowledge

• Grant was part of the cast of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate.
• His last 3 wins all went to unanimous decision, even though his finish rate sits at 44.4%.
• His striking defense (54.8%) is better than his striking accuracy (45.5%). He evades better than he lands.

The MMX Eye

Let's be honest between friends: we have no official data on Elijah Smith. No record, no style, no stats. A firm prediction would be bluffing, and at the bar, we don't bluff.

What we know about Grant is enough to set the trap. The key stat is takedown defense: 65.2%. If Smith comes from wrestling and pins Grant to the mat, the Jourdain scenario isn't far off. If he accepts the striking exchange, it's the opposite. Grant has the volume, the striking defense, and a positive differential. He takes rounds without forcing it.

My bar pick: Grant is the favorite if it stays on the feet, probably by decision, with a finish possible. If there's wrestling, I drop a notch. For your ranking in La Ligue, it's a sensible pick, not a gift. Watch the first minutes: if Smith goes for a takedown right away, think twice.

Davey Grant is an English striker who takes rounds on volume and whose wrestling remains the open question. Do you think he'll win his next fight? Come make your picks and challenge your friends on MMX.

📋 On the same card: Check out all the profiles for UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker

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