UFC London Odds: Paul Craig-Andre Muniz prediction, pick

UFC London is finally here and we're bringing you a prediction and pick for this Main Card matchup between ranked beasts in the Middleweight (185 lb) Division. No. 9 ranked Paul Craig will face off against Brazil's No. 14 ranked Andre Muniz. This fight features the two best submission artists in their divisions!

Paul Craig is 16-6-1 in his MMA career and has gone 8-6-1 inside the UFC. He famously beat champion Jamahal Hill with strikes from his guard and tapped Nikita Krylov with a triangle choke. He's lost his last two fights, however, and could be in jeopardy of losing his ranking if he drops a third straight fight. He'll be dropping down to Middleweight for this one with a chance to silence the hype behind Andre Muniz. Craig stands 6'3″ with a 76-inch reach.

Andre Muniz is 23-5 as a mixed martial artist and has gone 5-1 since joining the UFC. He went on a historic tear to start his UFC tenure and managed four submission wins. In his career, he's got 15 submissions to his name and was looking like the scariest grappler at 185. His train was derailed when he was submitted by Brendan Allen in his last fight, but he'll look to bounce back against a higher-ranked opponent. Muniz stands 6'1″ with a 78-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC London Odds: Paul Craig-Andre Muniz Odds

Paul Craig: +186

Andre Muniz: -245

Over (1.5) rounds: -122

Under (1.5) rounds: -106

How to Watch Paul Craig vs. Andre Muniz

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 3:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Paul Craig Will Win

Paul Craig garnered a lot of respect for his ground game in the way he dismantled Jamahal Hill and Nikita Krylov. His following performance against Volkan Oezdemir was questionable as he relied too much on his jiu-jitsu and sat in his guard. He was out-struck on the feet and later knocked out by Johnny Walker in his following fight. Still, Paul Craig has a knack for fighting his way out of tough positions and finding success on the ground. Look for him to welcome the grappling as he's confident off of his back.

To win this fight, Craig will have to contend in the striking exchanges. He's looked a step slow in his last few fights and hasn't quite taken the next step with his striking game. If he's getting outworked, he'll have to try and clinch along the fence to score some points. Muniz is equally dangerous on the ground, so Craig will have to mind his fundamentals when scrambling on the ground.

Why Andre Muniz Will Win

Andre Muniz came back down to Earth in his last fight against Brendan Allen. He was bested at his own submission game and his questionable cardio coming in proved to be a difference maker. Still, Muniz will find comfort in knowing that Craig, too, likes to start fights at a high pace. He'll have a slight reach advantage over Craig and should utilize it in his striking. The wrestling will be a big question in the matchup so look for Muniz to be ready for a shot. He's got a 41% defense rate and couples that with 49% accuracy on the feet.

Muniz will have to be the aggressor in the striking exchanges to win this fight. Depending on how big Paul Craig looks on fight day, Muniz may have to work in stuffing the wrestling attack. If Craig begins to tire out at any point, Muniz could pounce on a submission and end the fight quickly. He'll just have to stay technical and ensure there's no room for any comebacks in this one.

Final Paul Craig-Andre Muniz Prediction & Pick

Paul Craig will be fighting at Middleweight for the first time in his career and there's no telling how he'll look on the scales. The move down is probably to give him an advantage in the wrestling, so look for that to be a big storyline during this fight. It's worth noting that Craig went 0-15 in his takedown attempts against Oezdemir, so he may be looking to gain an advantage over Muniz with his strength.

Muniz was on an exceptional run and the hope is that he learned something from his loss to Brendan Allen. He should have a speed advantage over Craig in his home weight class and if he can counter the wrestling, he should grab this win. The only other reasonable outcome could be Craig by submission, but we'll take Andre Muniz to get the win in this fight. Go with the over as these two are evenly matched.

Final Paul Craig-Andre Muniz Prediction & Pick: Andre Muniz (-245); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-122)