Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Ufcstar’s fightdelay

- ANDY MCGILVRAY

Airdrie UFC star Paul Craig has told ‘motormouth’ Jamahal Hill to stop saying he’s going to knock him out – and told the American he will do his talking in the Octagon.

Craig was due to grapple with Hill in Las Vegas on Saturday, but his opponent pulled out officially with ‘Covid’... and ‘Bearjew’ doesn’t believe him.

He points out that Hill is unusually active for somebody with the virus, and is surprised that the fight has been reschedule­d for three months away, rather than just next weekend.

Hill has taken to social media to trash talk Craig,

but he’s having noneof it. Craig said:“i genuinely think he’s pulled out.

“I couldbe massivelyw­rong and the man issufferin­g massivelyf­rom Covid, buti think what has happened is that he’s a striker,not renownedfo­r his grappling ability, and I think he needs more time.

“I think he’s worried aboutit being a jiu-jitsumatch, but you can’t learnjiu-jitsu in three months –you can’t learn itina year. I’m very sce p tical; until I see a Covid test Iwould takeit with a pinch of salt.

“That’s my opinion, because for someone who‘had Covid’in the week before we were dueto fly out, he did a podcast and there was nocoughing and wheezing, hesounded normal and that was himmeantto havecovid at its peak.

“Butthat’s not for me to say - if the boss tells methe fight has beenpostpo­ned and movedforth­ree monthsthen­i need to taketheir wordfor it.

“Thisiso n eo f t h eonlyfight­s that when Covidhas been contracted it has beenmoved by three months, it has always been a week ortwo later.it’s theonly time within Ufcthat it’s been three months.”

Craig says Hill has also been quite vocal, which also makes himdoubtth­e validity ofhis illness claims.

“Jamahal Hill is veryvocal on Instagram, while I’m nota prolifictw­eeter,”said Craig.

“I post some pictures about my training, that’saboutit, be he’so n eo f t h ese guy s who likes to talk.

“He did anhours-long video – again, for somebody who has Covidhe’s doneanhour­s-long videoabout‘f*** the Scottish’ and‘paul Craig’s going to get knocked out’and all this stuff – that’sthe kind of guy he is.

“I tend not to getinvolve­d in rows, I just liketo getin and do my thing – I’ll do my talking in the Octagon, youdon’t need to tell me howyou’re going to knockmeout 30 times to try and convince yourself.”

 ??  ?? Suspicious UFC star Paul Craig
Suspicious UFC star Paul Craig

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