Modestas Bukauskas fought to the bell and it paid off.
In a competitive middleweight contest at UFC Paris on Saturday, Bukauskas (19-6) found a home for a knockout elbow at the very last second of the opening round to finish Paul Craig (17-10-1, 1 NC).
Watch the buzzer-beating elbow strike below.
The official time of the stoppage was 5:00 of Round 1. Following the official decision being read
out, Craig removed his gloves and left them in the center of the octagon before announcing his retirement to an appreciative Accor Arena crowd.
“Guys, thank you so much for the memories,” Craig said. “This is why I do this. This sport, the young eat the old, and I’m old. Thank you for the memories.”
Craig, 37, steps away from competition with a 9-10 (1 NC) record in the UFC, including several notable wins in the light heavyweight division. In the Scottish veteran’s fourth appearance for the promotion, he scored a submission of future UFC champion Magomed Ankalaev, securing a triangle choke at the very last second of the third round. He also holds victories over UFC champions Jamahal Hill and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
On the other side, the good times continue to roll for the surging Bukauskas. His knockout of Craig makes it four straight victories and he is now 6-1 in his second stint with the promotion.
