UFC Fight Night 232: Allen vs. Craig | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy

Ariel Helwhiney
May 22
3 min read

Introduction

UFC Fight Night 232: Allen vs. Craig took place on November 18, 2023 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 82. The middleweight main event featured No. 10-ranked Brendan Allen, riding a six-fight winning streak, against No. 13-ranked Paul Craig. Allen had been on a tear through the middleweight division and was looking to cement his status as a legitimate top-ten contender.

Allen dominated Craig on the ground and submitted him with a rear-naked choke at just 0:38 of round three. Post-event facts confirmed Allen was on an all-time submission streak, drawing comparisons to Royce Gracie and Demian Maia. The 14-bout card was submission-heavy, with Joanderson Brito producing a rare ninja choke and Chase Hooper and Payton Talbott both finishing with RNCs. Four PoN bonuses were awarded with no Fight of the Night.

Quick Stats

📅 Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023

📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 82)

✅ Result: Brendan Allen def. Paul Craig via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 3, 0:38)

Main Event: Allen vs. Craig

Allen controlled the fight from the outset. He outstruck Craig significantly (52-13 total strikes) and dominated the grappling exchanges with nearly eight minutes of control time across the first two rounds. Craig, known as a dangerous submission artist from his back, was unable to threaten Allen on the ground.

In the third round, Allen wasted no time. He took Craig down immediately, took his back, and sank in a rear-naked choke that forced the tap at just 38 seconds. Post-event facts confirmed Allen was on an all-time submission streak, drawing comparisons to UFC legends Royce Gracie and Demian Maia for his consecutive submission finishes.

Co-Main & Undercard Highlights

Michael Morales improved to 19-0 with a UD over Jake Matthews in the co-main event. Chase Hooper submitted Jordan Leavitt with an RNC at 2:58 of round one. Payton Talbott submitted Nick Aguirre with an RNC at 0:58 of round three. Amanda Ribas earned a PoN with a third-round TKO of Luana Pinheiro.

Joanderson Brito produced one of the card’s most impressive finishes, submitting Jonathan Pearce with a ninja choke at 3:54 of round two (PoN). Myktybek Orolbai submitted Uros Medic with a neck crank. Jeka Saragih also earned a PoN on the prelims. The card featured an unusually high number of submission finishes.

Full Results

Brendan Allen def. Paul Craig — Submission (RNC) (Round 3, 0:38) — PoN | All-time submission streak

Michael Morales def. Jake Matthews — UD R3 (19-0); Chase Hooper def. Jordan Leavitt — Sub (RNC) R1; Payton Talbott def. Nick Aguirre — Sub (RNC) R3; Amanda Ribas def. Luana Pinheiro — TKO R3 (PoN); Joanderson Brito def. Jonathan Pearce — Sub (Ninja Choke) R2 (PoN); Myktybek Orolbai def. Uros Medic — Sub (Neck Crank) R2; Jeka Saragih (PoN)

Bonuses & Awards

🥊 Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded

🏆 Performance of the Night (4 bonuses): Brendan Allen ($50k), Amanda Ribas ($50k), Joanderson Brito ($50k), Jeka Saragih ($50k)

Legacy & Impact

FN 232 was a grappler’s paradise. Brendan Allen’s submission of Craig extended one of the most impressive submission streaks in UFC middleweight history, earning comparisons to all-time greats like Royce Gracie and Demian Maia. The card was a showcase for the sport’s ground game: multiple RNC finishes, a ninja choke, and a neck crank submission all featured on the same night. Michael Morales’ unbeaten record at 19-0 also marked him as a future welterweight star.