Paul Craig (No. 14) and Jamahal Hill (No. 15.) looked to crack the Light Heavyweight Top 10 at each others’ expense tonight (Sat., June 12, 2021) in the pay-per-view (PPV) main card opener of UFC 263, which took place inside Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Craig, 27, was the winner of back-to-back bouts, while Hill, 30, was hoping to keep his perfect professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record intact (8-0). Naturally, it was a fist fight and something had to ultimately give, and in the end it was Hill’s left arm/elbow after a grisly armbar/triangle sequence that led to the eventual finish.
There was no love lost between these two, with Craig buzzing Hill’s tower before the introductions were even made. Craig came out pawing a jab, with Hill touching his hand looking to establish some type of early rhythm. Low kick from Craig along the fence, then a jab as he tried to circle away. Hill was able to get the fight to the ground, but Craig over-hooked his arm and rolled for an armbar. He twisted it every which way but off his body, but Hill was somehow able to not tap … even though replay showed that he clearly should have. The arm dangling and damaged, Craig transitioned to a triangle and then start hammering him with unanswered and indefensible elbows and hard, short shots off his back. The referee had no choice but to finally intervene, more than likely way too late.
That was hard to watch — Hill’s arm was either broken or dislocated at the elbow … it started swimming on him when the winner was announced.
How is jamahal hill so chill with his arm broken like that https://t.co/jvybdsveNY
— anil premanath (@anil_premanath) June 13, 2021
Brutal.
Check out the video of Hill leaving the Octagon … hopefully a speedy recovery:
Jamahal Hill left the Octagon after suffering an army injury at #UFC263 pic.twitter.com/bVrQ1LNKr6
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 13, 2021
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 263 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
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