Hakeem Dawodu Says He Had Something to Prove in UFC on FOX 30 Win

Hakeem Dawodu spoke with reporters following his win over Austin Arnett at UFC on FOX 30. Highlights are below, per MMAjunkie:

On what his goals were for the fight: “A, I was like, I can’t let this guy come to my city and take away the W from me. But B, also, proving that I belong in the UFC and I wasn’t just picking my opponents when I was undefeated in previous leagues.”

On his emotional reaction to the win: “It was everything (that made me emotional). Having a hard upbringing. Being in the UFC. Performing in front of my home city. In front of all my friends and everyone I grew up with. Coming off that loss, revenge. It was just so many emotions I didn’t even know what I was doing. It just kind of came out.”

On his mindset toward the end of the fight: “It was really nice to just feel all the love, everyone behind me. So I definitely – it gave me energy, especially at the end there. I knew I was two rounds ahead. I was like, ‘I’m going to try to, you know, put the seal on the show.’ But he stuck in there an he kept his distance and he didn’t let me get too close.”

On his goals going forward: “Now that I’m back on my winning ways, I definitely want to be the face of Canadian MMA. I think I’ve got the looks, I think I’ve got the personality, and I’d love to represent Canadian MMA.”