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#4 Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Paul Craig (Light Heavyweight)
UFC Hall of Famer Shogun Rua was still a ranked contender in the UFC and had just lost one of his last five fights. The former Light Heavyweight Champion recently confirmed that he has just had two more fight left in him and the first of those was against the odds-on underdog Paul Craig.
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For the Scottish fighter, however, it was just another fight he needed to win in order to stabilize his UFC career.
Round 1: Craig showed his range of kicks as he connected with one to the body and another to the leg.
Craig initiated the clinch and tried to land a few knees. Shogun got the underhooks. Both fighters looked to impose themselves and get a better position in the battle of the clinch.
Craig landed a few punches with his back against the fence. They broke up and began exchanging strikes in the center.
Shogun shot for the takedown, but Craig stuffed it and attempted a standing guillotine.
Craig unloaded a barrage of rights and lefts. Shogun typically absorbed them all while also swinging his hands widely with the intention of catching his Scottish opponent with a killer blow.
Paul landed quite a few strikes but Shogun unsurprisingly showed his toughness. Shogun turned it up in the final 30 seconds as he pressed forward and connected with a few solid rights. 10-9 Craig
Round 2: The second round was a little more subdued than its predecessor as both fighters were cautious in their approach.
The jabs kept coming in from both ends. Craig went for a body kick but Shogun caught it and scored a takedown.
Shogun unleashed some vicious hammer fists and the fans popped had for it. Craig briefly attempted an arm triangle but Rua slipped out.
The Brazilian legend was in control on the ground as he passed guard and continued to land strikes in top position. He got up but Craig stayed down. Shogun kept jumping back in with heavy-handed shots. Shogun ended the round in a dominant position. 10-9 Shogun
Round 3: The attempted jabs didn't meet their intended target at the beginning of the final round.
Shogun took the fight to the ground again. Craig landed strikes from his back.
It was the same old story. Craig remained on his back while Shogun kept getting up on his feet before going back into Craig's guard on many occasions.
Craig got up and pressed forward with a diverse set of combinations that included rights, lefts, and a few body kicks. He got the body lock and forced Shogun down until the end of the fight.
Result: Shogun Rua vs. Paul Craig ended in a draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)
The outcome is certainly debatable as Shogun did take a lot of damage in the fight. However, the UFC Hall of Famer enjoyed long bouts of top control while Craig had the more significant strikes. What are your thoughts on the judges' decision?
