Since returning in the fall of 2018 when the UFC made its first journey to Russia, Krylov has split eight fights evenly between wins and losses, but the level of competition he’s faced has been outstanding. Everyone he has faced has been ranked in the Top 15, and the losses have come against two former champions (Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira), a recent title challenger (Magomed Ankalaev), and Paul Craig in a fight where he was too confident playing on the canvas with the Scottish submission ace.
“In the fight with Paul Craig, what happened is bulls***, I think,” Krylov said, when asked about the changes since that meeting in London last March that have led to the two-fight winning streak he carries into Saturday’s showdown with Spann. “I think I’m the better fighter, but his triangle is better than my defense in this fight.”
Giving Up Wasn’t An Option For Tatiana Suarez
It’s not just the setbacks that highlight the level of competition Krylov has faced during his second run on the UFC roster, though; it’s the triumphs, as well.
In addition to avenging his earlier loss to Saint Preux, the veteran added a win over Brazilian contender Johnny Walker and followed up his loss to Craig with consecutive victories over former title challengers Alexander Gustafsson and Volkan Oezdemir to bring his record to level since returning to the UFC fold.
