Paul Craig pulled off another spectacular late submission finish at UFC On ESPN 2 tonight as he tapped out Kennedy Nzechukwu with his trademark triangle choke submission in the final minute of the fight.
Round One:
Leg kick from Craig. Body kick for Nzechukwu. Spinning kick from Craig misses. Hard knee strike to the body from Nzechukwu and Craig immediately goes for a takedown attempt against the cage. Nzechukwu blasts down huge elbows as he defends and it opens up a cut.
Craig abandons the takedown and instead pulls guard. He gets an armbar from his back and it looks brutal, but Nzechukwu somehow escapes and steps away.
Craig quickly back into close quarters and pulls guard again. Craig hunting for a submission again and tries for the armbar and Nzechukwu is quicker to escape this time.
Back upright Craig throws a punch and then is wading into clinch range again and tries for the takedown, but isn’t able to get Nzechukwu down.
Craig sinks to the mat and tries for a leg lock. Nzechukwu trying to pull his leg free. Bit of a stalemate and then Nzechukwu finally breaks free.
Back on the feet Craig lands a couple of punches. Nzechukwu throws a kick as Craig comes in for a takedown and that puts him to the mat.
Craig back up, but looks a little wary here. He does throw a head kick attempt though that’s just blocked. They trade a couple more high kicks as the round ends.
Round Two:
Nzechukwu throwing the jab. Kick for Craig. Right hand for Craig. Single leg attempt from Craig. He works to the cage with it and then throws a few hooks.
Nzechukwu walks forward and Craig lands again. Now Craig trying for a takedown as Nzechukwu goes to his knees. back up Craig drags Nzechukwu down.
Nzechukwu on his knees again, but Craig is underneath him now and so he starts landing brutal elbows down on his head. Eventually he opts to stand back up.
Craig pressing forward with punches but looks a bit tired. There’s a brief stoppage as Nzechukwu has open fingers.
Jab for Nzechukwu. Body kick from Craig, but it strays to the groin and there’s another stoppage while he recovers.
Back to it they go. Straight right for Craig. Now a body kick. Jab for Nzechukwu. Leg kick for Craig. Another jab for Nzechukwu then a body kick.
Knee to the body from Nzechukwu. Body kick for Craig. Head kick attempt from Nzechukwu is blocked and then he stuffs Craig’s takedown attempt and lands a few hammerfists to end the round.
Round Three:
Front kick to the body from Craig. Leg kick for him. Right hook for Nzechukwu. Body kick for Craig. Hard knee to the body from Nzechukwu. Craig drops down for a leg lock, but Nzechukwu manages to avoid it.
Back on the feet Craig comes forward and appears to take a bad eye poke that sends him to the mat and forces the stoppage.
Craig is ok to continue and Nzechukwu is deducted a point for the illegal eye poke.
Craig punching now as he works his way back into the action, landing a nice body punch. Good punch from Nzechukwu now. Craig goes for a single leg and Nzechukwu looks to defend against the cage.
Good elbow in close from Craig. Now trying for a single leg. Nzechukwu stuffs and stays on top and starts dropping down elbows from half guard.
Craig gets him into full guard. Nzechukwu lands a few punches though. Craig sweeps and then goes for a triangle choke. Nzechukwu gets out of that one, but then moments later Craig does it again, gets the triangle choke and this time he gets it very tight, rolls on top and forces the late stoppage via submission with only 40 seconds of the fight remaining!
