This is the UFC 301 live blog for Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho, the opening main card fight on Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro.
Since joining the UFC light heavyweight division in 2016, Craig has made a name for himself in the promotion with his exciting grappling game and penchant for pulling off big upsets, including wins over Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev. But while Craig entrenched himself as a top-15 205-pound fighter, he was never able to make his way to a title shot and got brutally knocked out by Johnny Walker the last time he was in Rio. That fight prompted Craig to drop down to 185 pounds, where he’s 1-1. A loss tonight may raise questions about Craig’s future in the sport.
An accomplished grappler, Borralho joined the UFC in 2022 off the Contender Series, where he quickly made a splash by serving as the co-main event for his first two fights in the promotion. That confidence proved well-founded, as Borralho won both fights and then won his next three, propelling him into the UFC’s middleweight top 15. Now Borralho hopes to elevate himself up the rankings and into true title contention by finishing a well-respected veteran.
Check out the UFC 301 main card opener live blog below.
