Paul Craig plans to chase titles in two divisions

LONDON – Regardless of selecting up an vital win in his UFC middleweight debut, Paul Craig just isn’t planning on abandoning mild heavyweight.

Saturday, Craig (17-6-1 MMA, 9-6-1 UFC) made a profitable drop to 185 kilos and stopped ranked contender Andre Muniz (23-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 224 at The O2 in London. Many noticed it as a brand new chapter in Craig’s profession and the tip of his days at 205 kilos.

Nevertheless, the profession transfer for the Scottish standout simply opens up extra title potentialities.

“We aren’t achieved at mild heavyweight, and we’re simply beginning at middleweight,” Craig informed reporters on the UFC Combat Evening 224 post-fight information convention. “We’ll do each. It’s the place the fights are. If the fights are at mild heavyweight, then we’ll take it.

“We’ve a victory over Jamahal Hill. We’ve the one victory over (Magomed) Ankalaev. We’ve overwhelmed (Nikita) Krylov, proper, with a number of bumps on the street within the mild heavyweight division. However we’ll take each divisions. … Who is aware of what a yr can do. Who is aware of what two years can do. However in the end, we have now one other 5 years left on this firm, and we’re going to depart the UFC with (a title), be it at middleweight or mild heavyweight. However we’re coming for it.”

Craig entered UFC Combat Evening 224 on a two-fight skid that noticed him completed by Johnny Walker and outpointed by Volkan Oezdemir. Previous to the pair of defeats, Craig was on a four-fight profitable streak.

When requested in regards to the issue in managing weight for 2 totally different divisions, Craig stated he and his group are greater than able to deal with it. He doesn’t see competing in two totally different weight courses as an issue.

“From the science viewpoint, it’s not tough in any respect,” Craig stated. “When you’re getting into right here and not using a group, and also you’re simply doing it by yourself, then you definately’re leaving it as much as probability. Then it’s going to be tough. However so long as you’ve a great group who’re all doing their jobs, and so they’re all pulling their weight, (it’s not tough). When you’ve obtained one man on the prime of the helm who’s thrown off the leg of the desk, then he’s going to throw off no matter is on that desk.

“All the blokes are there to assist me, be it as coaching companions, coaches, mentors – they’re all there for Paul. That’s what makes it such an awesome group to be half in. That’s what makes going to middleweight or mild heavyweight a lot simpler.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 224.