Paul Craig has called it a career after getting stopped by Modestas Bukauskas at UFC Paris.
Bukauskas looked to target the legs early and tried to use the clinch to his advantage. Craig attempted to bring the fight to his world, the mat, but Bukauskas kept control and looked to position himself for some strong ground-and-pound.
Bukauskas got that in the closing seconds of the first round, which included a final elbow right before the horn. However, Craig was unable to stand up after the horn and appeared to be out cold, leading to a stoppage at the end of the first round.
Following the fight, Craig laid his gloves down in the Octagon, confirming his retirement from MMA.
Modestas Bukauskas Retires Paul Craig With Buzzer-Beater First-Round KO
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Loading tweet...
Bukauskas has now won four straight and eight wins in his last nine fights.
Craig's MMA career ends with a five-fight winless record (0-4-1). Craig made his UFC debut in December 2016 as an 8-0 fighter. He'd start his UFC tenure 3-4, though he'd pick up performance bonuses in those wins. He'd then go 5-0-1 between September 2019 and March 2022.