Las Vegas, NV – UFC middleweight Paul Craig gets his second fight at 185-pounds after a run at light-heavyweight against Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 82 on Saturday night.
He’s made the cut once before and has his ideal playbook of how to make the weight and still perform on Saturday night.
“We had the gold standard in London and that’s the way we’ve been running this kind of thing. If we can hit all the same numbers, all the same milestones, then we’ll be able to make middleweight and perform at the best of your abilities,” Craig told reporters on Wednesday.
“Right now we’re bang on the money. We’re setting gold standard. With regards to everything else like speed, power, all these attributes that help me be an athlete they are through the roof at the moment.”
The matchup with Allen puts together two high-level grapplers. While many believe it’ll be a grappling match Craig doesn’t see it that way.
“I think it’s a great matchup. Very rarely do you get the UFC making bad matchups. This is one of these battles where a lot of people are saying like it’s going to be a grappling battle. I don’t believe that,” said Craig.
“I believe this battle is going to be very much a standup battle. Who’s going to control the distance, who’s going to control the octagon and then from that who’s going to capitalize with these heavy shots. From that then it’ll be ended on the ground.”
Craig won’t be shy to stand with Allen and then force the fight to the ground to end the fight.
“So it’ll be one on the feet ended on the ground.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Paul Craig above. He takes on Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 82.
