Paul Craig believes Israel Adesanya may wrestle towards Jan Blachowicz if he decides to maneuver as much as light-heavyweight and problem for the title.
The present middleweight champion defeated primary contender Paulo Costa with consummate ease on Combat Island in September.
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With most well-liked opponent Jared Cannonier failing to get previous Robert Whittaker, Adesanya appears genuinely disadvantaged of high contenders at 185lbs.
As appears to be the case for a lot of world champions, transferring up in weight and claiming a second belt is one thing ‘The Final Stylebender’ is eager to do.
Nonetheless Craig, who harbours world title ambitions himself, believes the transfer as much as 205lbs could not work in his favour.
He informed talkSPORT.com: “We’ve seen guys transfer up by means of the divisions to maneuver as much as light-heavyweight and it labored out for folks like Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos.
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“However it didn’t work out for Luke Rockhold and it didn’t work out for Chris Weidman who had been champions. So I believe generally having that further weight and having the construction to have the muscle that Jan has, as a result of he’s an enormous man, I don’t suppose is a beneficial battle for Izzy.
“He’s by no means actually been examined almost about photographs and I believe if Jan can’t land huge, heavy photographs on him, he’s simply going to take him down and grind him out that method.
“So it’s an attention-grabbing battle, however that’s what makes it an entertaining division!”
The ‘Bearjew’ will face former world champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua this night on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas in a rematch of their traditional bout a 12 months in the past.
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Though the previous college trainer was in peril of dropping his place within the UFC two-and-a-half years in the past in London, he is aware of a win over UFC legend Rua may propel him into title rivalry.
“Trying on the division now, it’s large open,” Craig added. “You’ve obtained Jan [Blachowicz] in that primary place, however the division is open man.
“I believe all people has obtained a possibility to capitalise on this and it makes the light-heavyweight division much more thrilling.
“Jon Jones transferring as much as heavyweight has made this division so a lot better as a result of he’s not clutching at that title any extra and it simply means there are extra folks making an attempt to get to it now.”
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In addition to educating, Craig was a soccer coach and was delighted to see the Tartan Military attain Euro 2020, their first main event this Millennium.
And with the favored anthem ‘Sure Sir, I Can Boogie’ set to be his walkout music, Craig is hoping to make 2021 a particular 12 months for Scottish sport.
He concluded: “That conjures up a nation! We’re famend for not being the best in sport, our final main competitors was France in 1998.
“Perhaps, subsequent 12 months we see Paul Craig ‘UFC Champion’ and Scotland European champions? We’ve seen WWE star Drew McIntyre get the belt. So who is aware of, perhaps Scotland is simply going to be the place the place sport is going on?”
