Paul Craig will attempt to explore new options – at middleweight.
The UFC light heavyweight contender announced that he started his attempt to move down to 185 pounds and if successful in his trial attempt, he’d make his middleweight debut in his next fight.
Craig (16-6-1 MMA, 8-6-1 UFC) is coming off back-to-back losses to Volkan Oezdemir and Johnny Walker. Prior to that, the 35-year-old Scottish fighter was unbeaten in six fights, including a finish of current light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill.
“We had this idea of going to middleweight, not because light heavyweight is done, but just the way light heavyweight is sitting at the moment, there’s not a lot of fights above me who I’m going to get to fight,” Craig said in the most recent episode of his “Leather’d Podcast.” “So I’m like, ‘Right, maybe there’s an opportunity at middleweight.’ So we’re like, ‘Right, we’ve got a bit of time. Just had a nose operation. Let’s see if we can make the weight and then go in on the Saturday and spar hard, and see if we can perform.'”
Craig is not planning a permanent move to middleweight but sees fresh blood. He likes the idea of facing Sean Strickland and thinks his skillset can pose problems for the division. Craig has submitted the likes of Nikita Krylov and former title challenger Magomed Ankalaev.
“I do believe at middleweight there’s some opportunities for me,” Craig added. “I like the idea of Sean Strickland. I like the idea of that fight. He’s gonna stand in front of you, isn’t he? You don’t look at him and think, ‘Right, he’s a very dangerous striker, and I’m imagining he’s got very good wrestling, very good jiu-jitsu.’ I’m just a jiu-jitsu guy fighting MMA. I believe I can capitalize on that.
“Size is gonna be a huge factor, as well. When you look at the champ, Israel Adesanya, he’s not got a lot of jiu-jitsu. I’m not saying he doesn’t have any, but if you’re a jiu-jitsu guy, that’s how you’re weighing this up. How many guys in that top 15 have elite-level jiu-jitsu?”
