Crawford uses 1st-round submission hold to win 3rd straight pro MMA fight

Written by Jeff Richards
October 4, 2022

ST. GEORGE — Mixed-martial arts fighter Dustin “DJ” Crawford of Washington County won his third straight professional bout Friday night in Salt Lake City, defeating Troy Dennison by a submission hold in the first round.

L-R: Raven Cain, Travis Johnson, Perry Taylor and Dustin Crawford, Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 30, 2022 | Photo courtesy of SteelFist Fight Night, St. George News

The lightweight fight was the featured event on the evening’s “SteelFist Fight Night” card.

As seen in the video clip above, Crawford applied a rear naked chokehold on Dennison approximately three minutes into the five-minute opening round, forcing him to tap out with 1:53 left.

Dennison had taken down Crawford within 30 seconds of the opening bell. Although Dennison had the upper hand at first, Crawford soon turned him and was able to work his way into a position that allowed him to make the winning move.

“My initial thought was that we should probably keep this standing but we knew that he was going to try to take us to the ground,” Crawford’s trainer Raven Cain told St. George News afterward.

“He did eventually take it to the ground in that first round, but we were prepared,” Cain added. “DJ knew what to do. He stuck with the game plan. He’s one of those fighters that really listens to his corner. He pays close attention and puts that passion behind his fighting.”

Crawford said Dennison was “my toughest challenge yet. Everyone thought he was just going to walk through me.”

Also on Friday night’s card was an amateur welterweight bout featuring another Southern Utah fighter who trains under Cain at Raven Self-Defense Academy in Hurricane. Perry Taylor went three 3-minute rounds against opponent Treyce Tuckett before losing in a judges’ decision. 

“Even though it was a hard fight, he did not quit,” Cain said of Taylor. “I’m very proud of my guy. He did amazing. He proved himself to be a true warrior.

“He was very much a gentleman during the fight and after the fight, so I was very grateful for that.”

As for Crawford, he says he plans to take a short break from fighting, as he and his fiancee are expecting a child in mid-October.

“I am taking three or four months off for the baby, then I will resume training and hopefully fight for the title sometime next summer,” he said.

“After (the break), we’re gonna get back to work,” Cain added. “We want a title fight. He’s on a winning streak. He’s proven himself and he’s won three straight events in a big way. I think it’s time for him to go for the title.”

To watch the full 14-minute video of the Crawford vs. Dennison fight, click here.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons and one granddaughter. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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