The man who took UFC champion Magomed Ankalaev's undefeated record returns this weekend.
Dagestan's Light Heavyweight King is one of the more dominant champions that we had in the recent memory. Unbeaten in his last 14 fighting, Magomed Ankalaev won the UFC title on UFC 313 with a striking showcase against Alex Pereira.
Ankalaev went without a single Takedown and surpassed the kickboxing legend in five rounds in March, already a rematch with Pereira on UFC 317 on 28 June.
In an almost flawless 24-fight career, only one hunter can say that they are gaining a victory over Ankalaev and that is Paul Craig van Scotland.
Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Paul Craig drew Magomed Ankalaev in his UFC debut with 1 second left on the clock
Seven years before he crossed paths with 'Patan', a 9-0 Ankalaev made his UFC debut in UFC London on March 17, 2018. He was 25 years old at the time and went against an older Craig who had just finished in back-to-back battles.
Craig was in no way the best hunter. The Crafty Submission artist nicknamed 'Bearjew' started his UFC career with a Rocky 3-4 record with all four of his losses that came through Knockout.
Yet Craig went three rounds with a competent Ankalaev and although he perhaps lost most of their fight, he was never out of it.
Ankalaev put Craig on the floor in round 3 and looked like he was on his way to a decision victory before the impossible happened. With 10 seconds left to go into the fight, Craig threw his legs around the neck of Ankalaev and went all-in a triangle-stinging entry.
Ankalaev squeezed everything he had quickly tapped to Craig just before the last buzzer sounded. The official time of Craig's entry was recorded at 4:59 with another second left on the clock.
Paul Craig seems too rebound as he did against Magomed Ankalaev on UFC Vegas 106
Unfortunately, Craig did not go on a crazy title run after he had given the future champion his first and only loss.
The Scottish hunter lost his next fight by entry and changed victories, losing and even a draw against former UFC champion Mauricio Rua in 2019.
Craig eventually got a momentum with an undefeated line with six fights that saw him subject another future champion in Jamahal Hill.
At the age of 37, Craig is currently the worst loss of his career. He was lost to Brendan Allen, Caio Borralho and Bo Nickal in the middleweight.
Now Craig returns to the light heavyweight division, where he will be on the UFC Apex against Rodolfo Bellato on UFC Vegas 106 this Saturday. The UFC veteran shoots in two years before his first victory.