Preview: UFC 263 ‘Adesanya vs. Vettori 2’

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 263 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Light Heavyweights

#15 LHW | Jamahal Hill (8-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. #14 LHW | Paul Craig (14-4-1, 6-4-1 UFC)

ODDS: Hill (-280), Craig (+240)

Craig is a fascinating fighter, as the Scotsman may wind up taking a style that mostly served as a dangerous curveball for opponents and turning it into an actual run towards contention. Craig came into the UFC as an aggressive submission artist, so there was some intrigue as to how such an odd and low-percentage approach would fare at the UFC level. After losing two of his first three UFC bouts in one-sided fashion, it seemed like Craig would top out as a divisional curiosity at best. Then came his 2018 win over Magomed Ankalaev, which may go down as the unlikeliest comeback in UFC history. One of the top prospects in the world regardless of division, Ankalaev battered the “Bearjew” for the better part of three rounds—until Craig threw up a desperation triangle choke, which somehow got the Russian to tap with just one second remaining in the fight. That basically shows that Craig can tap any opponent who is not careful, and he has turned that into his current four-fight unbeaten streak. He will look to upend a rising prospect in Hill, who has impressed greatly over the course of his three UFC bouts.

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Hill looked like a raw but promising talent in earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, but he has proven to be much more capable than expected. Darko Stosic had little answer for him, and Hill blew through Klidson Abreu before a failed test for marijuana overturned the result. His breakout win came in December against Ovince St. Preux, who is typically tricky enough to turn back younger prospects and too durable to finish. Instead, Hill handled him and finished him in the second round without much suspense. Craig certainly has a chance. Hill can get himself off-balance, and his grappling game is not proven beyond a low level of competition. However, the likeliest scenario is still that Hill finishes on the feet, likely in the early going. Besides, half the fun of watching Craig fight is that his victories are not meant to be expected. The pick is Hill via first-round knockout.

Continue Reading » Dober vs. Riddell