Brendan Allen dominated Paul Craig and made a strong case for a No. 1 contender fight at 185 pounds in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 82 headliner with a third-round submission win.
Brendan Allen’s dominant performance against Paul Craig at UFC Vegas 82 has positioned him as a strong contender for a title fight at 185 pounds. The match, which took place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, saw Allen secure a third-round submission victory over Craig. Throughout the fight, Allen showcased his superior grappling skills and utilized a combination of elbows and ground-and-pound to wear down his opponent.
Many UFC professionals were quick to react to Allen’s impressive victory, with Chris Curtis expressing his belief that Craig appeared too comfortable being taken down and held on his back. Additionally, Curtis noted that Allen was leading with a score of 20-18, and likened Craig’s grappling strategy to that of the fictional character Homer Simpson. Meanwhile, Terrance McKinney chimed in to comment on the surprising nature of the submission win.
In the aftermath of the match, Curtis also commented on Craig’s strategic choices, expressing doubt about the fighter’s decision to move to the middleweight category. Noting Craig’s lack of power punching, limited speed, and durability on the feet, Curtis suggested that the move made Craig an easy target for opponents with better cardio and speed. Overall, the response from UFC pros highlighted the significance of Allen’s victory and raised questions about Craig’s tactics in the fight.