Tag: UFC London

Paul Craig calls for clash with Bo Nickal following successful middleweight debut at UFC London

Paul CraigAfter making a successful middleweight debut at UFC London, Paul Craig has his sights set on a clash with world-class wrestler Bo Nickal. ‘Bearjew’ gave the raucous crowd inside London’s world-famous O2 Arena something to cheer about, scoring a second-round TKO against Andre Muniz. The bout was very reminiscent of Paul Craig’s work at 205, […]

Paul Craig

After making a successful middleweight debut at UFC London, Paul Craig has his sights set on a clash with world-class wrestler Bo Nickal.

‘Bearjew’ gave the raucous crowd inside London’s world-famous O2 Arena something to cheer about, scoring a second-round TKO against Andre Muniz. The bout was very reminiscent of Paul Craig’s work at 205, seeing the fighter find himself in a bit of trouble before rallying and ultimately using his impeccable ground game to get the job done against a tough Brazilian foe.

Once the UFC’s return to The Big Smoke was in the books, Paul Craig joined Din Thomas, Laura Sanko, and Karyn Bryant on the UFC London post-fight show to discuss his big win and what may come next. During the conversation, ‘Bearjew’ revealed that he is by no means done with light heavyweight, but hopes to work his way into the middleweight division’s top 15 before potentially venturing back to 205.

“What I want to do is be in the top 15. I’m No. 9 in the light heavyweight [division] and that journey’s not over,” Craig said. “I’m the only guy with a victory over the ex-champion Jahamal Hill and [Magomed] Ankalaev, the other top guys in this division. I believe I can still hang with those guys. If I move back up from middleweight to light heavyweight, there will be a more scientific approach like me coming down to middleweight.”

Paul Craig wants Bo Nickal Next

As for who he wants next at middleweight, Paul Craig called out none other than Bo Nickal, a fast-rising and undefeated middleweight prospect.

“As a middleweight, I kinda like Bo Nickal,” Craig continued. “Nobody wants to fight him, but if he takes me down, he better be very good at passing guard because I’m very good at retaining guard.”

Asked why he has Nickal in his sights, Craig admitted the appeal was in part due to Nickal’s name recognition, but he also believes that Nickal’s wrestle-heavy style of fighting will play right into his own game plan.

“He’s a name and he can play into my game plan,” Craig said. “He gets in tight and takes me down, it just fits me better.”

Bo Nickal is coming off his fifth-straight win since beginning his mixed martial arts career in 2022. Nickal, a three-time NCAA Division I national champion, scored back-to-back submissions on Dana White’s Contender Series last year before making his promotional debut. He added another submission to his resume, finishing Jamie Pickett in the first round of their UFC 285 matchup.

Most recently, Nickal scored a 38-second KO against UFC debutant Val Woodburn at UFC 290 earlier this month.

Tom Aspinall calls for title fight with Jon Jones after UFC London knockout: ‘I’m gonna beat him’

Tom Aspinall claims he's gonna beat Jon Jones in title fight following UFC London knockout winOff the back of his stunning Octagon return in the main event of UFC Fight Night London tonight, Atherton native, Tom Aspinall has laid out a roadmap to a future title fight with undisputed heavyweight champion, Jon Jones – vowing to bring an end to the champion’s title reign. Aspinall, who returned to active competition […]

Tom Aspinall claims he's gonna beat Jon Jones in title fight following UFC London knockout win

Off the back of his stunning Octagon return in the main event of UFC Fight Night London tonight, Atherton native, Tom Aspinall has laid out a roadmap to a future title fight with undisputed heavyweight champion, Jon Jones – vowing to bring an end to the champion’s title reign.

Aspinall, who returned to active competition tonight for the first time in a July following a debilitating knee injury suffered last July, managed to bounce back to the winner’s enclosure in spectacular fashion atop UFC Fight Night London, stopping Polish contender, Marcin Tybura with a blistering opening round TKO win.

Emerging unscathed from his opening minute clash with the former M-1 Global heavyweight champion, Team Kaobon mainstay, Aspinall managed to drop Tybura with a step-in elbow and straight right combination, before securing an opening round ground strikes TKO win with a slew of follow-up blows.

Tom Aspinall calls his shot against Jon Jones following UFC London

Linked with a title fight with pound-for-pound kingpin, Jones – which Tom Aspinall has previously claimed would be a “dream” contest for him, the latter has laid out a plan and route to a future championship clash, which begins with either a title-eliminator with former interim champion, Ciryl Gane, or a rematch with Sergei Spivak – whom meet at UFC Paris in September.

“I’m gonna go to Paris, I’m going to sit front row for Ciryl Gane vs. Sergei Spivak,” Tom Aspinall told Michael Bisping following his UFC London win during his post-fight Octagon interview. “I’m gonna beat the winner, then I’m gonna beat Jon Jones.” 

Attempting to land a premiere title challenge against Endicott veteran, Jones before the latter’s expected retirement, the former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion is slated to return at UFC 295 in November, taking on the returning Stipe Miocic in a title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

Tom Aspinall blasts through Marcin Tybura with blistering first round knockout – UFC London Highlights

Tom Aspinall stops Marcin Tybura with blistering knockout in return UFC London highlightsA year on from a brutal knee injury which brought a halt to his perfect promotional run, Atherton native, Tom Aspinall has returned to both the Octagon and winner’s enclosure tonight in the main event of UFC London, stopping Polish veteran, Marcin Tybura with a dominant opening round TKO win in the capital. Aspinall, who […]

Tom Aspinall stops Marcin Tybura with blistering knockout in return UFC London highlights

A year on from a brutal knee injury which brought a halt to his perfect promotional run, Atherton native, Tom Aspinall has returned to both the Octagon and winner’s enclosure tonight in the main event of UFC London, stopping Polish veteran, Marcin Tybura with a dominant opening round TKO win in the capital.

Aspinall, who headlined a July card in London against Curtis Blaydes back in the summer of last year, suffering a devastating knee injury inside just 18 seconds of the opening minute of the clash with the Illinois native.

And returning in spectacular fashion tonight in pursuit of a labelled dream fight with UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, Aspinall make short work of former M-1 Global heavyweight titleholder, Tybura tonight, landing a brutal first round TKO victory against the latter.

Bouncing back to winning-ways, Aspinall, who recorded another first round win with his opening minute-and-a-half stoppage of Tybura, Aspinall vowed to travel to Paris in September and fight the victor of a main event featuring former interim champion, Ciryl Gane and former foe, Sergey Spivak, before then fighting Jones for heavyweight gold.

Below, catch the highlights from Tom Aspinall’s triumphant return at UFC London

Julija Stoliarenko submits Molly McCann with stunning first round armbar in upset win – UFC London Highlights

Julija Stoliarenko submits Molly McCann with nasty first round armbar at UFC LondonLithuanian grappler, Julija Stoliarenko has silenced the crowd at The O2 Arena in London, submitting flyweight veteran, Molly McCann with an opening round armbar in the co-main event of tonight’s UFC Fight Night London card. Stoliarenko, who boasts a dismal 1-4 promotional record during her tenure under the Dana White-led banner, had landed just a […]

Julija Stoliarenko submits Molly McCann with nasty first round armbar at UFC London

Lithuanian grappler, Julija Stoliarenko has silenced the crowd at The O2 Arena in London, submitting flyweight veteran, Molly McCann with an opening round armbar in the co-main event of tonight’s UFC Fight Night London card.

Stoliarenko, who boasts a dismal 1-4 promotional record during her tenure under the Dana White-led banner, had landed just a single win over Jessica-Rose Clark back in July of last year in her sole victory since her transition to the Octagon.

And making a flyweight divisional bow against Cage Warriors veteran, McCann tonight in the English capital, the 30-year-old silenced the partisan crowd inside the opening round of their co-headlining bout, submitting the Liverpool native with a dominant opening round armbar.

Shooting on McCann following a brief striking battle, Stoliarenko managed to successfully take the Next Generation MMA & BJJ to the ground in the opening couple minutes of their co-main event clash, before scrambling and locking up a nasty armbar win after briefly attempting a rear-naked choke.

Below, catch the highlights from Julija Stoliarenko’s finish of Molly McCann at UFC London

Paul Craig grounds out Andre Muniz with nasty elbow knockout in middleweight bow – UFC London Highlights

Paul Craig lands ground elbows knockout win over Andre Muniz UFC London HighlightsReturning to the winner’s enclosure in his middleweight divisional bow, Scottish grappler, Paul Craig has turned in another stoppage under the banner of the UFC, landing an eventual second round ground elbows TKO win over Brazilian grappler, Andre Muniz in a main card pairing. Making his middleweight divisional bow following a pair of back-to-back losses […]

Paul Craig lands ground elbows knockout win over Andre Muniz UFC London Highlights

Returning to the winner’s enclosure in his middleweight divisional bow, Scottish grappler, Paul Craig has turned in another stoppage under the banner of the UFC, landing an eventual second round ground elbows TKO win over Brazilian grappler, Andre Muniz in a main card pairing.

Making his middleweight divisional bow following a pair of back-to-back losses to both Volkan Oezdemir and Johnny Walker in his two most recent outings, Airdrie native, Craig is likely set to earn a spot in the top-15 of the middleweight pile come Tuesday and the new ranking updates, laying waste to Dana White’s Contender Series product, Muniz tonight.

Scrambling with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace in a grappling-heavy second round exchange, Craig swept the Brazilian before backing him to the fence, and laying down a slew of ground elbows, eventually turning in a TKO stoppage victory.

Below, catch the highlights from Paul Craig’s win at UFC London

Joel Alvarez slaps D’Arce choke win on Marc Diakiese following clash of heads – UFC London Highlights

Joel Alvarez lands D'Arce choke submission win Marc Diakiese at UFC London HighlightsSpanish lightweight grappler, Joel Alvarez returns to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since his one-sided loss to Arman Tsarukyan back in February of last year, locking up his staggering seventeenth submission victory across his career, with a second round D’Arce choke submission win over British veteran, Marc Diakiese on the preliminary card of […]

Joel Alvarez lands D'Arce choke submission win Marc Diakiese at UFC London Highlights

Spanish lightweight grappler, Joel Alvarez returns to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since his one-sided loss to Arman Tsarukyan back in February of last year, locking up his staggering seventeenth submission victory across his career, with a second round D’Arce choke submission win over British veteran, Marc Diakiese on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night London.

Alvarez, who had suffered a second round TKO loss to the above-mentioned Armenian contender, Tsarukyan in a bloody defeat in February of last year, saw a staggering run of four straight wins over the likes of Thiago Moises, and Joseph Duffy come to an end.

Returning tonight in the English capital, Alvarez, a native of Gijon, managed to capitalize late in the second round of his clash with Cage Warriors alum, Diakiese – wrapping up an impressive D’Arce choke submission win over the Kinshaha-born lightweight after an accident clash of heads.

Below, catch the highlights from Joel Alvarez’s win at UFC London