LONDON — In territory he does not fairly know, Paul Craig is hoping a brand new 20-pound look would be the reboot he is been on the lookout for.
After a 5-0-1 run — together with a fast knockout of eventual champion Jamahal Hill — had him within the dialog among the many UFC’s gentle heavyweight elite, Craig (16-6-1 MMA, 8-6-1 UFC) is just on the second two-fight slip of his profession. On the ESPN+ principal card on Saturday at UFC Struggle Evening 224 at The O2 in London, he’ll look to battle Andre Muniz (23-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC).
However as an alternative of 205 kilos, Craig will make his first drop to middleweight.
“I believe the midweight lower is extra suited to my model, in addition to my body,” Craig stated at Thursday’s media day in London. “I’ve at all times been a middleweight pretending to be a light-weight and I wasn’t positive if it was attainable to get to middleweight. Then coping with the UFC (Efficiency Institute) made it extra achievable. So now that I am demoted, I imagine it is going to be much more alternatives for me, and particularly as you see with these two losses, I am seeking to reclaim this win.
Muniz went on a nine-fight successful streak in February when he was submitted by Brendan Allen in a principal occasion. It was the primary submission lack of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt’s profession within the third diploma. Craig has 13 of his 16 wins by submission, together with six of his seven efficiency bonuses.
UFC Struggle Evening 224 takes place at The O2 in London on Saturday. The occasion is broadcast on ESPN+.
Try Craig’s full interview from the UFC Struggle Evening 224 media day within the video above.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s Occasion Hub for UFC Struggle Evening 224.
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