UFC Fight Night 258: Modestas Bukauskas vs Paul Craig Preview & Prediction
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Can the "Bearjew" pull off the shocking upset once again at the expense of the surging Modestas Bukauskas?
Modestas Bukauskas vs Paul Craig facts
What time are Modestas Bukauskas and Paul Craig expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho? Accor Arena, Paris, France
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 258
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho main card
Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho (Middleweight)
Benoit Saint Denis vs Mauricio Ruffy (Lightweight)
Modestas Bukauskas vs Paul Craig (Light Heavyweight)
Bolaji Oki vs Mason Jones (Lightweight)
Rhys McKee vs Axel Sola (Welterweight)
UFC Fight Night 258: Imavov vs Borralho prelims
William Gomis vs Robert Ruchala (Featherweight)
Oumar Sy vs Brendson Ribeiro (Light Heavyweight)
Marcin Tybura vs Ante Delija (Heavyweight)
Harry Hardwick vs Kaue Fernandez (Lightweight)
Sam Patterson vs Trey Waters (Welterweight)
Brad Tavares vs Robert Bryczek (Middleweight)
Andreas Gustafsson vs Rinat Fakhretdinov (Welterweight)
Shauna Bannon vs Sam Hughes (Women’s Strawweight)
Modestas Bukauskas: "The Baltic Gladiator" aims to secure his fourth consecutive victory.
Entering this light-heavyweight tilt off the back of a three fight win streak, the career resurgence of Modestas Bukaukas (18-6) has been a pleasure to watch. Initially cut from the UFC following a three fight skid that included two finishes, Bukauskas earned his second shot at the big leagues after reclaiming the Cage Warriors' 205 pound strap, and "The Baltic Gladiator" is now 5-1 since his return. While he's suffered several chastening losses throughout his two UFC runs, the Lithuanian-English fighter is a powerful striker with legitimate knockout power in all four limbs. He was last seen in action at UFC 315, earning a split decision over Ion Cutelaba.
Paul Craig: Can the crafty Scot play spoiler as the underdog once again?
Simply put, there's nobody quite like Paul Craig (17-9-1, 1 NC). The only man to hold a win over current light-heavyweight kingpin, Magomed Ankalaev, the towering Scotsman has essentially made a career out of absorbing comical amounts of damage on the feet, only to catch his unsuspecting opponent in his signature triangle choke when they least expect it. Unfortunately for Craig, this Hail Mary approach is extremely, and literally, hit and miss - a state of affairs evidenced by a number of brutal KO defeats. Fresh off signing a new contract, Craig looks to rebound from an extremely frustrating NC against Rodolfo Bellato, where an upkick from the Scot prompted his foe to essentially feign unconsciousness in the hopes of a DQ victory.
Modestas Bukauskas vs Paul Craig prediction
Considering that most fans and pundits are writing him off before a single punch has been thrown, it would the most Paul Craig thing ever for the Scot to catch "The Baltic Gladiator" out of nowhere with his signature submission, winning a fight that he's losing right up until he isn't.
However, when one looks at the cold hard facts, it's hard to escape the creeping sensation that the "Bearjew" is likely toast in this one. The secret on how to beat the Scotsman is out at this point - don't get caught in a triangle and at the very worst, you'll win by lackluster decision. By contrast, the proven path to victory over Bukauskas has been to separate him from consciousness on the feet - an unlikely outcome here, given Craig's mediocre striking and lack of power.
Throw in the fact that the vastly improved Bukauskas is a physical powerhouse who hits extremely hard and it's easy to see where this one is going. "Mody" is likely to be cautious in the early stages given the threat that Craig poses on the ground, but once he shucks off a few takedowns, that will be all she wrote.
Bukauskas finds the Scot's chin early to earn his fourth consecutive victory.
Prediction: Modestas Bukauskas to win by TKO
