Paul Craig offers to fight ex-Champion Alex Pereira in UFC clash: ‘That gets my plums going’
UFC grappling ace, Paul Craig has offered to fight former undisputed middleweight champion, Alex Pereira next – claiming a showdown with the Brazilian knockout ace, who believes is more than a novice on the ground, gets his “plums going”.
Craig, who currently holds the #9 rank in the official light heavyweight pile, has confirmed earlier this month that he intends to test middleweight waters off the back of a successful test weight-cut to the lower division.
As for Pereira, the former middleweight kingpin, who dropped his undisputed crown to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 last month in Miami, Florida – will pass Scottish grappler, Craig – with the Sao Paulo striker expected to compete at light heavyweight his Octagon return next.
Paul Craig offers to fight Alex Pereira in light heavyweight bow
However, in search of a next opponent off the back of consecutive defeats to both Volkan Oezdemir, and Johnny Walker in his last two fights, Airdrie native, Craig offered to fight former duel-weight GLORY Kickboxing champion, Pereira.
“I’ve been speaking to my agent last night, and the questions they [UFC] asked were, ‘What do you wanna do? You wanna fight at light heavyweight or middleweight?’ I said, ‘Tell me what you want.’” Paul Craig said on the Leather’d podcast. “Where does Mick Maynard – the matchmaker, where does he want me. I’m a company guy. Tell me who to fight and I’ll fight him.”
Now, I’m looking for a nice fight – a fight that gets me plums going,” Paul Craig explained. ‘I’m looking for something that interests me fight-wise. That’s a fight I’ll take a light heavyweight, a hundred percent, (Alex) Pereira. I’d like that. I don’t rate his Jiu-Jitsu.” (Transcribed by MMA News)
Without a victory since submission win over Nikita Krylov back in March of last year at UFC Fight Night London, Craig also holds a first round stoppage win over current undisputed light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill.
