Allen mauls Craig, sinks in submission in UFC main event

No. 10-ranked middleweight Brendan Allen kept rolling in Saturday's UFC Fight Night main event.

Allen submitted Paul Craig with a rear-naked choke at the 0:38 mark of the third round at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Allen tagged Craig with a big punch in the opening moments of the round and wound up in top control. Allen quickly transitioned to Craig's back, wrapped his arm under his chin, and forced the tap.

"I'm a f-----g problem," Allen said in his postfight interview. "I'm telling you. And I'm here to show it every time."

It was an impressive performance for the 28-year-old Allen, who dominated Craig with grappling from start to finish.

Allen threw Craig to the mat in Round 1 and landed ground-and-pound throughout. He attempted a rear-naked choke, but Craig defended it. Allen opened up a cut on Craig's face with a vicious elbow toward the end of the stanza.

"All In" rocked Craig with a solid right hand early in the second round and immediately got back on top. He advanced to full mount, briefly attempted another submission, and chewed him up with strikes. Allen maintained good control for almost the entire frame.

The surging Kill Cliff FC product said he wants to fight someone in a 185-pound title eliminator next.

"I need a No. 1 contender shot," Allen said. "I think I deserve it. I've earned it. I've beaten everyone they've put in front of me. ... I don't care who. (Robert) Whittaker, (Jared) Cannonier, (Khamzat Chimaev). ... I'm the best in the world."

Allen is now riding a six-fight winning streak and is 3-0 in 2023. The Florida resident last fell short in December 2021.

Craig, a former light heavyweight, was coming off a TKO win over Andre Muniz in his middleweight debut in July. The 35-year-old Scot is now 1-3 in his last four Octagon appearances.