EXCLUSIVE: Top Featherweight Hakeem Dawodu Signs With UFC – Talks Debut & Training at Jackson/Winkeljohn
Undefeated Hakeem Dawodu is the newest UFC fighter, as the company has signed the featherweight.
Hakeem revealed the news to Fightful.com's James Lynch on Friday in an exclusive interview.
"I feel that I have to catch up on some work that already should have been done," Dawodu said. "It just gave me even more motivation. I was in limbo for a bit. I was with WSOF trying to land a contract with the UFC and now that I'm here it just feels great."
According to the 145-pounder, there was some doubt in his mind that a UFC contract would come after not getting one up until this point.
"I was definitely wondering what the holdup was and starting to wonder if I should look elsewhere. My manager Chuck told me 'be patient, the roster's full. Make sure in shape, when the call comes make sure you're ready,' We're ready," said Dawodu before saying that his coaches were the first to know the news. He said that he expects to compete sometime around January.
Dawodu most recently defeated UFC veteran Steven Siler at WSOF in March, where he remained undefeated in his 8 pro fights. The 26-year old Dawodu has competed exclusively in World Series of Fighting (now PFL) since turning pro in 2014.
In the full interview, Top Canadian featherweight prospect Hakeem Dawodu (7-0-1) talks about signing an exclusive four-fight contract with the UFC. Hakeem also talks about how this contract came together, when he'll make his debut and training at Jackson/Winkeljohn
