I will begin with a brief introduction to the Randall-Sundrum (RS) models which use a warped extra dimension to solve the Planck-weak hierarchy problem of the SM. Then, I will sketch how profiles for fermions in this extra dimension can explain also the hierarchies of quark and lepton masses (and mixing angles), without leading to too large flavor violation in contradiction with experiments. I will show that these fermion profiles modify running of SM gauge couplings (from that in the SM) in such a way that we obtain gauge coupling unification at the few percent level in a grand unified model. Finally, I will show that requiring proton stability in this grand unified model can lead to a stable fermion which is a good dark matter candidate. Thus, this framework is as compelling as SUSY!