In an unexpected twist during a recent UFC light-heavyweight battle in Atlanta, Scotland's Paul Craig is urging fans to show empathy towards his opponent Rodolfo Bellato, who recently faced accusations of overacting following a controversial ending to their fight.

The match concluded as a no contest after Craig delivered a kick that many deemed illegal, prompting chaos mere seconds before the end of the first round. Craig admitted, "It was an illegal move," which has sparked heated discussions among fans.

The fight itself had been eagerly anticipated, especially after a previous postponement due to Bellato's illness. Now, with this untimely disruption, Craig reflected on public perceptions swirling around Bellato's reaction to the blow, stating, "A few people have messaged me... saying it looked a bit floppish, like he was maybe hamming it up." He quickly asserted his belief that no fighter seeks an easy way out in the high-stakes UFC realm.

Despite the controversy, Craig maintained a level of compassion, stating, "I was in the neutral corner and saw him struggling. Yet, when I spoke to him, he seemed coherent and said, 'I don’t know what happened.'" His insistence on not persecuting Bellato is steeped in respect for their shared struggle as fighters.

Craig revealed that he, too, bears some responsibility for the incident, remarking, "We shouldn’t be looking to persecute him if he's taking a knee – it was an illegal move." This fight marked a crucial moment for Craig, who was eager to break a three-fight losing streak.

Reflecting on his performance, he said, "I felt good in there and I was moving well. My shot selection was perfect." Although he hoped to reclaim his prowess in the division, the no contest outcome left him with mixed feelings.

Despite the disappointment, Craig sees the silver lining in avoiding another defeat and is optimistic about a potential rematch with Bellato. If that doesn’t come to fruition, Craig stands ready to face any light-heavyweight the UFC throws his way, confident that he could even replicate his 2018 victory against the current champion, Magomed Ankalaev.