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Wikipedia

Paul Craig

Paul Craig (born 27 November 1987)[3] is a Scottish mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2013, Craig formerly competed for BAMMA, where he was the BAMMA World Light Heavyweight Champion. As of 12 March 2024, he is #13 in the UFC middleweight rankings.[4]

Paul Craig
Born (1987-11-27) 27 November 1987 (age 36)
Airdrie, Scotland
Other namesBearjew
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
DivisionLight heavyweight Middleweight
Reach76 in (193 cm)[1]
Fighting out ofBathgate, Scotland
TeamHigher Level Martial Arts
RankBlack belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Brian Gallacher [2]
Years active2013–present
Kickboxing record
Total1
Wins1
Losses0
Draws0
Mixed martial arts record
Total25
Wins17
By knockout4
By submission13
Losses7
By knockout4
By submission2
By decision1
Draws1
Amateur record
Total3
Wins3
By submission3
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record
Representing  Scotland
Men's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
British Pro Championship
2015 Birmingham 95+ kg (Purple)
Abu Dhabi World Pro
2015 Abu Dhabi ABSOLUTE 75+ kg (Purple)

Mixed martial arts career edit

Early career edit

Craig's head coach took him from no martial arts experience to 8–0 as an amateur, with each of his wins coming via first-round stoppage. As a professional, Craig went 8–0 over four years before being signed by the UFC.

In November 2014, Craig won a K1-rules fight in Germany.[5]

Craig won the BAMMA World Light heavyweight Championship at BAMMA 23 when he defeated Marcin Lazarz by submission.[6] He was set to defend his title against Chris Fields in Dublin, although the fight was postponed following the death of Portuguese fighter João Carvalho. The match up was rescheduled, but failed to take place due to Craig's damaging his ankle ligaments.[7] Craig did not end up defending the title, as he signed a 4-fight deal with the UFC.[8]

Ultimate Fighting Championship edit

Craig made his promotional debut against Luis Henrique da Silva on 17 December 2016 at UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson. He won the fight via submission in Round 2[9] and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.[10]

Craig faced Tyson Pedro on 4 March 2017 at UFC 209.[11] He lost the bout via first-round TKO.[12]

Craig faced Khalil Rountree at UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio on 16 July 2017.[13] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[14]

Craig faced Magomed Ankalaev on 17 March 2018 at UFC Fight Night 127.[15] He won the fight via submission at 4:59 in Round 3, resulting in the latest submission finish in a 3-round fight in UFC history.[16] He was also awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.[17]

Following the win against Ankalaev, Craig signed a new, four-fight contract with UFC.[18]

Craig faced promotional newcomer Jimmy Crute on 2 December 2018 at UFC Fight Night 142.[19] He lost the fight via kimura in the third round.[20]

Craig faced promotional newcomer Kennedy Nzechukwu on 30 March 2019 at UFC on ESPN 2.[21] He won the fight via submission due to a triangle choke in the third round.[22] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[23]

Craig faced Alonzo Menifield on 29 June 2019 at UFC on ESPN 3: Ngannou vs. dos Santos.[24] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[25]

Craig faced Vinicius Moreira on 21 September 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 17.[26] He won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.[27] This win earn Craig his fourth Performance of the Night award.[28]

Craig stepped in on short notice to face Maurício Rua on 16 November 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 22, replacing Sam Alvey, who had withdrawn from the bout due to a broken hand.[29][30] After three rounds, the back-and-forth fight was declared a split draw.[31]

Craig was expected to face Ryan Spann on 21 March 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Edwards.[32] However, the event was cancelled.[33]

Craig faced Gadzhimurad Antigulov on 26 July 2020 at UFC on ESPN 14.[34] He won the fight via submission in round one.[35] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[36]

Craig faced Maurício Rua in a rematch on 21 November 2020 at UFC 255.[37] He won the fight via technical knockout in round two.[38]

Craig was scheduled to face Jamahal Hill on 20 March 2021 UFC on ESPN 21.[39] However, on 10 March, Hill withdrew from the bout after testing positive for COVID-19.[40] The match was rescheduled for 12 June 2021 at UFC 263.[41] Craig won the bout via TKO in round one after snapping Hill's elbow with an armbar.[42] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[43]

Craig was scheduled to face Alexander Gustafsson on 4 September 2021 at UFC Fight Night 191.[44] However, a week before the event, Gustafsson withdrew due to injury.[45]

Craig faced Nikita Krylov on 19 March 2022 at UFC Fight Night 204.[46] He won the fight via a triangle choke in round one.[47] With this win, he received the Performance of the Night award.[48]

Craig faced Volkan Oezdemir on 23 July 2022 at UFC Fight Night 208.[49] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[50]

Craig faced Johnny Walker on 21 January 2023 at UFC 283.[51] He lost the fight via technical knockout in the first round.[52]

Move to Middleweight edit

Moving down to the middleweight division, Craig faced André Muniz on 22 July 2023, at UFC on ESPN+ 82.[53] He won the fight via ground and pound TKO in the second round.[54] With this win, he received his eighth Performance of the Night bonus award.[55]

Craig faced Brendan Allen on 18 November 2023, at UFC Fight Night 232.[56] He lost the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round.[57]

Craig is scheduled to face Caio Borralho on 4 May 2024, at UFC 301.[58]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu edit

Paul Craig is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner who competes in the Absolute, Middleweight, Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight divisions.

Craig won the gold medal on the Absolute division at the Scottish Grappling Challenge 4 in No Gi in 2012.

He took part in the 2013 Scottish BJJ Nationals, taking 1st place in the Advanced 97.5 kg Division. Craig was also in the 2013 Scotia Cup Winter Leg, taking 1st place in both Purple Belt Super Heavyweight and Purple Belt Absolute Divisions.

Craig competed in the 2015 British Pro Jiu Jitsu Championship, taking 1st place in the Purple Belt 95+ kg Division and qualifying for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He also took 3rd place in the Absolute Purple 75+ kg Division.[59]

In June 2016, he won his classe in Gi and No Gi at Empire Grappling.

After defeating Jamahal Hill in 2021, Craig was promoted to black belt.[2]

On 27 August 2022 Craig defeated Sam Sweeney in a tough, back and forth sub only grappling match at Holytown Havoc 2.

On 24 September 2022 Craig faced Jed Hue in the main event of Polaris 21. Craig was submitted with an ankle-lock in 21 seconds.[60]

Professional wrestling edit

Insane Championship Wrestling edit

Craig performs as a professional wrestler. During his career, he has worked for Insane Championship Wrestling where he is a one-time ICW Tag Team Champion with Chris Bungard.[61]

Personal life edit

Paul played football before becoming an MMA fighter. He also worked as a football coach before becoming a teacher for an educational charity.[62] Paul hosts a podcast called Leather'd, with fellow Scottish MMA fighters Chris Bungard and Ross Cooper.

Championships and accomplishments edit

Mixed martial arts edit

Professional wrestling edit

Mixed martial arts record edit

Professional record breakdown
25 matches 17 wins 7 losses
By knockout 4 4
By submission 13 2
By decision 0 1
Draws 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 17–7–1 Brendan Allen Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig 18 November 2023 3 0:38 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 17–6–1 André Muniz TKO (elbows) UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura 22 July 2023 2 4:40 London, England Middleweight debut. Performance of the Night.
Loss 16–6–1 Johnny Walker TKO (punches) UFC 283 21 January 2023 1 2:16 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 16–5–1 Volkan Oezdemir Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall 23 July 2022 3 5:00 London, England
Win 16–4–1 Nikita Krylov Submission (triangle choke) UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall 19 March 2022 1 3:57 London, England Performance of the Night.
Win 15–4–1 Jamahal Hill TKO (elbows and punches) UFC 263 12 June 2021 1 1:59 Glendale, Arizona, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 14–4–1 Maurício Rua TKO (submission to punches) UFC 255 21 November 2020 2 3:36 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 13–4–1 Gadzhimurad Antigulov Submission (triangle choke) UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till 26 July 2020 1 2:06 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Performance of the Night.
Draw 12–4–1 Maurício Rua Draw (split) UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré 16 November 2019 3 5:00 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 12–4 Vinicius Moreira Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens 21 September 2019 1 3:19 Mexico City, Mexico Performance of the Night.
Loss 11–4 Alonzo Menifield KO (punches) UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos 29 June 2019 1 3:19 Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Win 11–3 Kennedy Nzechukwu Submission (triangle choke) UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje 30 March 2019 3 4:20 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Performance of the Night.
Loss 10–3 Jimmy Crute Submission (kimura) UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Tuivasa 2 December 2018 3 4:51 Adelaide, Australia
Win 10–2 Magomed Ankalaev Submission (triangle choke) UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov 17 March 2018 3 4:59 London, England Performance of the Night.
Loss 9–2 Khalil Rountree Jr. KO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio 16 July 2017 1 4:56 Glasgow, Scotland
Loss 9–1 Tyson Pedro TKO (elbows) UFC 209 4 March 2017 1 4:10 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 9–0 Henrique da Silva Submission (armbar) UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson 17 December 2016 2 1:59 Sacramento, California, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 8–0 Marcin Łazarz Submission (triangle choke) BAMMA 23 14 November 2015 1 3:51 London, England Won the BAMMA World Light Heavyweight Championship.
Win 7–0 Karl Moore Submission (guillotine choke) BAMMA 22 19 September 2015 2 0:48 Dublin, Ireland
Win 6–0 Adam Wright Submission (armbar) Animalistic MMA: Rise of the Alpha 20 June 2015 1 0:47 Preston, England
Win 5–0 Andrzej Bachorz Submission (brabo choke) FightStar Championship 5 11 April 2015 1 2:37 Coventry, England Won the vacant FightStar Light Heavyweight Championship.
Win 4–0 Dan Konecke TKO (punches) First Fighting Championship: Resurgence 13 September 2014 1 4:18 Hamilton, Scotland
Win 3–0 Jon Ferguson Submission (triangle choke) Full Contact Contender 10 21 June 2014 1 1:50 Bolton, England
Win 2–0 Antonio Braga Submission (triangle choke) Underdog Xtreme Championships 2 1 March 2014 1 2:41 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Win 1–0 Brad Conway Submission (triangle choke) First Fighting Championship: Prepare for Glory 3 24 August 2013 1 2:00 Hamilton, Scotland Light Heavyweight debut.

[69]

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 3–0 Jeff Metcalfe Submission (guillotine choke) Supremacy Fight Challenge 8 11 November 2012 1 0:46 Gateshead, England
Win 2–0 Paul Bradshaw Submission (triangle choke) Total Combat 50 6 October 2012 1 2:41 Sunderland, England
Win 1–0 Gary Sivills Submission (armbar) Total Combat 48 21 July 2012 1 1:26 Sunderland, England


See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Paul Craig | UFC". UFC.com. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b BjjTribes (14 June 2021). "UFC Fighter Paul Craig promoted to BJJ black belt by coach Brian Gallacher". BjjTribes. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Paul Craig Stats, News, Bio". ESPN. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  4. ^ "UFC Rankings | UFC.com". www.ufc.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Paul Craig aiming for his first pro title in Coventry". 7 April 2015.
  6. ^ "Paul Craig: I knew I would win title when opponent smiled at me at weigh-in". Daily Record. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Why UFC 209's Paul Craig, who doesn't even really like MMA, fights for a living". mmajunkie. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Paul Craig signs 4-fight deal with the UFC". Fights Day. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  9. ^ Doyle, Dave (17 December 2016). "UFC on FOX 22 results: Paul Craig submits Luis Henrique da Silva". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  10. ^ a b "UFC on Fox 22 Bonuses: Waterson, Craig, Smith, Aldana Pocket $50K". Sherdog. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Australian light-heavyweight Tyson Pedro to take on Paul Craig at UFC 209". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  12. ^ Ben Fowlkes (4 March 2017). "UFC 209 results: Tyson Pedro puts Paul Craig away in first with vicious elbows". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  13. ^ Tom Heffernan (21 April 2017). "UFC announce first three fights for Glasgow show as Paul Craig returns". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  14. ^ "UFC Fight Night 113 results: Khalil Rountree thrashes Paul Craig for first-round KO". MMAjunkie. 16 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  15. ^ DNA, MMA (7 November 2017). "Ongeslagen Magomed Ankalaev maakt UFC debuut tijdens UFC Londen tegen Paul Craig". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  16. ^ Alexander K. Lee (17 March 2018). "UVideo: Paul Craig pulls off unbelievable last-second submission at UFC London". mmajunkie. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  17. ^ a b Dan Hiergesell (17 March 2018). "UFC Fight Night 127 bonuses: Alexander Volkov's main event knockout leads $50K winners". mmamania.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  18. ^ Shaun Al-Shatti (21 March 2018). "From retirement to re-upping: Paul Craig signs new four-fight deal after stunning UFC London comeback". mmafighting.com.
  19. ^ "Paul Craig vs Jim Crute Set For UFC Fight Night 142 In Australia". MMAnytt.com. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  20. ^ Dave Doyle (December 2018). "UFC Adelaide results: Jim Crute submits Paul Craig in fight's closing seconds". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  21. ^ Amy MacBeath (23 January 2019). "UPaul Craig: UFC Scot to fight Kennedy Nzechukwu in Philadelphia". bbc.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  22. ^ "UFC Philadelphia: Paul Craig subs Kennedy Nzechukwu despite repeated eyepokes". MMA Junkie. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  23. ^ a b Haynes, Stephie (30 March 2019). "UFC Philadelphia post-fight bonuses: Gaethje's massive KO nets FOTN honors". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  24. ^ Marcel Dorff (26 April 2019). "Undefeated Alonzo Menifield meets Scotsman Paul Craig during UFC Minneapolis" (in Dutch). mmadna.nl. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  25. ^ Harshman, Heath (29 June 2019). "UFC Minneapolis Results: Alonzo Menifield Sleeps Paul Craig in the First Round". Cageside Press. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  26. ^ Sherdog.com. "Sergio Pettis vs. Alex Perez, Two Other Contests Confirmed for UFC Mexico City on Sept. 21". Sherdog. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  27. ^ "UFC on ESPN+ 17 play-by-play and live results". MMA Junkie. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  28. ^ a b Fernando Quiles Jr (22 September 2019). "UFC Mexico City Bonuses & Attendance Revealed • MMA News". MMA News. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  29. ^ Staff (27 October 2019). "Sam Alvey: Broken hand behind 'heartbreaking' withdrawal vs. 'Shogun' Rua at UFC on ESPN+ 22". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  30. ^ Guilherme Cruz (29 October 2019). "'Shogun' Rua vs. Paul Craig announced for UFC Sao Paulo". mmafighting.com.
  31. ^ Doherty, Dan (16 November 2019). "UFC Sao Paulo Results: Shogun Rua and Paul Craig Fight to a Draw". Cageside Press. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  32. ^ Jay Anderson (19 December 2019). "UFC London Adds Paul Craig vs. Ryan Spann". cagesidepress.com.
  33. ^ O2, The. "Cancelled | UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Woodley vs. Edwards | The O2". www.theo2.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ DNA, MMA (2 July 2020). "Paul Craig treft Gadzhimurad Antigulov op 25 juli in Abu Dhabi". Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  35. ^ Fuentes, Jon (25 July 2020). "UFC Fight Island 3 Results: Paul Craig Beautifully Submits Gadzhimurad Antigulov". Cageside Press. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  36. ^ a b Anderson, Jay (26 July 2020). "UFC Fight Island 3 Bonuses: Six Fighters Earn 50K Performance of the Night Awards". cagesidepress. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  37. ^ Ariel Helwani (18 August 2020). "UFC books Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua-Paul Craig rematch for Nov. 21". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  38. ^ Doherty, Dan (21 November 2020). "UFC 255 Results: Paul Craig Stops Shogun Rua, Settles Score". Cageside Press. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  39. ^ Nolan King (15 January 2021). "UFC adds Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill to March 20 lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  40. ^ Farrah Hannoun (10 March 2021). "UFC on ESPN 21 co-main event scrapped after Jamahal Hill forced to withdraw from Paul Craig bout". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  41. ^ Redactie (24 March 2021). "Multiple UFC fights announced, including Craig vs. Hill". mmadna.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  42. ^ Vreeland, Daniel (12 June 2021). "UFC 263 Results: Paul Craig Destroys Jamahal Hill's Arm En Route to Victory". Cageside Press. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  43. ^ a b "UFC 263 bonuses: That wicked arm injury Paul Craig delivered was worth an extra $50,000". MMA Junkie. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  44. ^ Ashah Tafari (1 July 2021). "Alexander Gustafsson to face "Bearjew" in octagon return". Frontkick.online (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  45. ^ Mike Bohn and Nolan King (21 August 2021). "Alexander Gustafsson out of UFC Fight Night 191 bout with Paul Craig due to injury". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  46. ^ Staff (28 January 2022). "Paul Craig vs. Nikita Krylov set for UFC London card in March". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  47. ^ Behunin, Alex (19 March 2022). "UFC London: Paul Craig Taps Nikita Krylov In The First Round". Cageside Press. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  48. ^ a b "UFC Fight Night 204 bonuses: Nine fighters go home with $50,000". MMA Junkie. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  49. ^ Lee, Alexander K. (12 May 2022). "Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir announced for UFC London". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  50. ^ Law, Eddie (23 July 2022). "UFC London: Volkan Oezdemir Stalls Craig's Ground Game, Takes Decision". Cageside Press. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  51. ^ Harkness, Ryan (9 October 2022). "Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig scrap set for UFC 283 in Brazil". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  52. ^ Dylan Rush (21 January 2023). "UFC 283: Johnny Walker stops Paul Craig, breaks out the worm". Cageside Press. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  53. ^ Calhoun, Curtis (15 May 2023). "Paul Craig set for UFC Middleweight debut against ranked contender". MMA News. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  54. ^ Morehouse, Cade (22 July 2023). "UFC London: Paul Craig Finds Smashing Success in Middleweight Debut Against Andre Muniz". Cageside Press. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  55. ^ a b Matthew Wells (22 July 2023). "UFC Fight Night 224 bonuses: Tom Aspinall earns $50,000 in triumphant return from injury". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  56. ^ Staff (29 August 2023). "Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig headlines UFC's Nov. 18 show in Las Vegas". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  57. ^ Dewar, Val (19 November 2023). "Brendan Allen Dominates UFC Vegas 82 Main Event, Submits Submission Specialist Paul Craig". Cageside Press. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  58. ^ Simon, Tyriece (22 January 2024). "UFC Schedule: Updated List Of Upcoming Events & Fight Cards". MMA News | UFC News, Results & Interviews. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  59. ^ "2015 British Pro Jiu Jitsu Championship Results". BJJ Latest. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  60. ^ "Polaris 21 Full Results and Review". 25 September 2022.
  61. ^ https://www.wrestling-news.net/icw-get-the-f-out-results/205168/
  62. ^ "Paul Craig". mmajunkie. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  63. ^ a b c d UFC.com (22 July 2023). "UFC Stats - Light Heavyweight Division". ufc.com.
  64. ^ Thomas Gerbasi (28 June 2018). "2018 Half-Year Awards - Part I". Ultimate Fighting Championship.
  65. ^ Mike Bohn (26 July 2020). "UFC on ESPN 14 post-event facts: Khamzat Chimaev's record might be untouchable". mmajunkie.com.
  66. ^ "MMA Junkie's 'Submission of the Month' for March: Another last-minute choke". mmajunkie.com. 3 April 2019.
  67. ^ "The Jitsmagazine 2022 BJJ Awards". January 2023.
  68. ^ https://www.wrestling-news.net/icw-get-the-f-out-results/205168/
  69. ^ Sherdog.com. "Paul Craig". Sherdog. Retrieved 16 November 2019.

External links edit

  • Paul Craig at UFC
  • Professional MMA record for Paul Craig from Sherdog

paul, craig, other, uses, disambiguation, born, november, 1987, scottish, mixed, martial, artist, competes, middleweight, division, ultimate, fighting, championship, professional, competitor, since, 2013, craig, formerly, competed, bamma, where, bamma, world, . For other uses see Paul Craig disambiguation Paul Craig born 27 November 1987 3 is a Scottish mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC A professional competitor since 2013 Craig formerly competed for BAMMA where he was the BAMMA World Light Heavyweight Champion As of 12 March 2024 he is 13 in the UFC middleweight rankings 4 Paul CraigBorn 1987 11 27 27 November 1987 age 36 Airdrie ScotlandOther namesBearjewHeight6 ft 4 in 1 93 m Weight185 lb 84 kg 13 2 st DivisionLight heavyweight MiddleweightReach76 in 193 cm 1 Fighting out ofBathgate ScotlandTeamHigher Level Martial ArtsRankBlack belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Brian Gallacher 2 Years active2013 presentKickboxing recordTotal1Wins1Losses0Draws0Mixed martial arts recordTotal25Wins17By knockout4By submission13Losses7By knockout4By submission2By decision1Draws1Amateur recordTotal3Wins3By submission3Other informationMixed martial arts record from SherdogMedal record Representing ScotlandMen s Brazilian Jiu JitsuBritish Pro Championship2015 Birmingham 95 kg Purple Abu Dhabi World Pro2015 Abu Dhabi ABSOLUTE 75 kg Purple Contents 1 Mixed martial arts career 1 1 Early career 1 2 Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 2 1 Move to Middleweight 2 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 3 Professional wrestling 3 1 Insane Championship Wrestling 4 Personal life 5 Championships and accomplishments 5 1 Mixed martial arts 5 2 Professional wrestling 6 Mixed martial arts record 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksMixed martial arts career editEarly career edit Craig s head coach took him from no martial arts experience to 8 0 as an amateur with each of his wins coming via first round stoppage As a professional Craig went 8 0 over four years before being signed by the UFC In November 2014 Craig won a K1 rules fight in Germany 5 Craig won the BAMMA World Light heavyweight Championship at BAMMA 23 when he defeated Marcin Lazarz by submission 6 He was set to defend his title against Chris Fields in Dublin although the fight was postponed following the death of Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho The match up was rescheduled but failed to take place due to Craig s damaging his ankle ligaments 7 Craig did not end up defending the title as he signed a 4 fight deal with the UFC 8 Ultimate Fighting Championship edit Craig made his promotional debut against Luis Henrique da Silva on 17 December 2016 at UFC on Fox VanZant vs Waterson He won the fight via submission in Round 2 9 and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus 10 Craig faced Tyson Pedro on 4 March 2017 at UFC 209 11 He lost the bout via first round TKO 12 Craig faced Khalil Rountree at UFC Fight Night Nelson vs Ponzinibbio on 16 July 2017 13 He lost the fight via knockout in the first round 14 Craig faced Magomed Ankalaev on 17 March 2018 at UFC Fight Night 127 15 He won the fight via submission at 4 59 in Round 3 resulting in the latest submission finish in a 3 round fight in UFC history 16 He was also awarded a Performance of the Night bonus 17 Following the win against Ankalaev Craig signed a new four fight contract with UFC 18 Craig faced promotional newcomer Jimmy Crute on 2 December 2018 at UFC Fight Night 142 19 He lost the fight via kimura in the third round 20 Craig faced promotional newcomer Kennedy Nzechukwu on 30 March 2019 at UFC on ESPN 2 21 He won the fight via submission due to a triangle choke in the third round 22 This win earned him the Performance of the Night award 23 Craig faced Alonzo Menifield on 29 June 2019 at UFC on ESPN 3 Ngannou vs dos Santos 24 He lost the fight via knockout in the first round 25 Craig faced Vinicius Moreira on 21 September 2019 at UFC on ESPN 17 26 He won the fight via a rear naked choke submission in the first round 27 This win earn Craig his fourth Performance of the Night award 28 Craig stepped in on short notice to face Mauricio Rua on 16 November 2019 at UFC on ESPN 22 replacing Sam Alvey who had withdrawn from the bout due to a broken hand 29 30 After three rounds the back and forth fight was declared a split draw 31 Craig was expected to face Ryan Spann on 21 March 2020 at UFC Fight Night Woodley vs Edwards 32 However the event was cancelled 33 Craig faced Gadzhimurad Antigulov on 26 July 2020 at UFC on ESPN 14 34 He won the fight via submission in round one 35 This win earned him the Performance of the Night award 36 Craig faced Mauricio Rua in a rematch on 21 November 2020 at UFC 255 37 He won the fight via technical knockout in round two 38 Craig was scheduled to face Jamahal Hill on 20 March 2021 UFC on ESPN 21 39 However on 10 March Hill withdrew from the bout after testing positive for COVID 19 40 The match was rescheduled for 12 June 2021 at UFC 263 41 Craig won the bout via TKO in round one after snapping Hill s elbow with an armbar 42 This win earned him the Performance of the Night award 43 Craig was scheduled to face Alexander Gustafsson on 4 September 2021 at UFC Fight Night 191 44 However a week before the event Gustafsson withdrew due to injury 45 Craig faced Nikita Krylov on 19 March 2022 at UFC Fight Night 204 46 He won the fight via a triangle choke in round one 47 With this win he received the Performance of the Night award 48 Craig faced Volkan Oezdemir on 23 July 2022 at UFC Fight Night 208 49 He lost the fight via unanimous decision 50 Craig faced Johnny Walker on 21 January 2023 at UFC 283 51 He lost the fight via technical knockout in the first round 52 Move to Middleweight edit Moving down to the middleweight division Craig faced Andre Muniz on 22 July 2023 at UFC on ESPN 82 53 He won the fight via ground and pound TKO in the second round 54 With this win he received his eighth Performance of the Night bonus award 55 Craig faced Brendan Allen on 18 November 2023 at UFC Fight Night 232 56 He lost the fight via a rear naked choke submission in the third round 57 Craig is scheduled to face Caio Borralho on 4 May 2024 at UFC 301 58 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu editPaul Craig is also a Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner who competes in the Absolute Middleweight Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight divisions Craig won the gold medal on the Absolute division at the Scottish Grappling Challenge 4 in No Gi in 2012 He took part in the 2013 Scottish BJJ Nationals taking 1st place in the Advanced 97 5 kg Division Craig was also in the 2013 Scotia Cup Winter Leg taking 1st place in both Purple Belt Super Heavyweight and Purple Belt Absolute Divisions Craig competed in the 2015 British Pro Jiu Jitsu Championship taking 1st place in the Purple Belt 95 kg Division and qualifying for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu Jitsu Championship He also took 3rd place in the Absolute Purple 75 kg Division 59 In June 2016 he won his classe in Gi and No Gi at Empire Grappling After defeating Jamahal Hill in 2021 Craig was promoted to black belt 2 On 27 August 2022 Craig defeated Sam Sweeney in a tough back and forth sub only grappling match at Holytown Havoc 2 On 24 September 2022 Craig faced Jed Hue in the main event of Polaris 21 Craig was submitted with an ankle lock in 21 seconds 60 Professional wrestling editInsane Championship Wrestling edit Craig performs as a professional wrestler During his career he has worked for Insane Championship Wrestling where he is a one time ICW Tag Team Champion with Chris Bungard 61 Personal life editPaul played football before becoming an MMA fighter He also worked as a football coach before becoming a teacher for an educational charity 62 Paul hosts a podcast called Leather d with fellow Scottish MMA fighters Chris Bungard and Ross Cooper Championships and accomplishments editMixed martial arts edit Ultimate Fighting Championship Performance of the Night Eight times vs Henrique da Silva Magomed Ankalaev Kennedy Nzechukwu Vinicius Moreira Gadzhimurad Antigulov Jamahal Hill Nikita Krylov and Andre Muniz 10 17 23 28 36 48 55 Second most Performance of the Night bonuses in UFC history 8 Fifth most Post Fight bonuses in UFC Light Heavyweight division history 7 63 2018 Half Year Awards Best Submission of the 1HY vs Magomed Ankalaev 64 Second most submission wins in the UFC Light Heavyweight division history 6 65 43 63 Most triangle choke submission wins in the UFC Light Heavyweight division history 4 Tied Stephan Bonnar for third most submission attempts in UFC Light Heavyweight division history 13 63 Tied Mauricio Rua for fifth most finishes in UFC Light Heavyweight division history 8 63 BAMMA BAMMA World Light heavyweight Championship One time MMAJunkie com 2019 March Submission of the Month vs Kennedy Nzechukwu 66 Jitsmagazine 2022 MMA Submission of the Year vs Nikita Krylov at UFC on ESPN 62 67 Professional wrestling edit Insane Championship Wrestling ICW Tag Team Championship 1 time with Chris Bungard 68 Mixed martial arts record editProfessional record breakdown 25 matches 17 wins 7 lossesBy knockout 4 4By submission 13 2By decision 0 1Draws 1Res Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location NotesLoss 17 7 1 Brendan Allen Submission rear naked choke UFC Fight Night Allen vs Craig 18 November 2023 3 0 38 Las Vegas Nevada United StatesWin 17 6 1 Andre Muniz TKO elbows UFC Fight Night Aspinall vs Tybura 22 July 2023 2 4 40 London England Middleweight debut Performance of the Night Loss 16 6 1 Johnny Walker TKO punches UFC 283 21 January 2023 1 2 16 Rio de Janeiro BrazilLoss 16 5 1 Volkan Oezdemir Decision unanimous UFC Fight Night Blaydes vs Aspinall 23 July 2022 3 5 00 London EnglandWin 16 4 1 Nikita Krylov Submission triangle choke UFC Fight Night Volkov vs Aspinall 19 March 2022 1 3 57 London England Performance of the Night Win 15 4 1 Jamahal Hill TKO elbows and punches UFC 263 12 June 2021 1 1 59 Glendale Arizona United States Performance of the Night Win 14 4 1 Mauricio Rua TKO submission to punches UFC 255 21 November 2020 2 3 36 Las Vegas Nevada United StatesWin 13 4 1 Gadzhimurad Antigulov Submission triangle choke UFC on ESPN Whittaker vs Till 26 July 2020 1 2 06 Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates Performance of the Night Draw 12 4 1 Mauricio Rua Draw split UFC Fight Night Blachowicz vs Jacare 16 November 2019 3 5 00 Sao Paulo BrazilWin 12 4 Vinicius Moreira Submission rear naked choke UFC Fight Night Rodriguez vs Stephens 21 September 2019 1 3 19 Mexico City Mexico Performance of the Night Loss 11 4 Alonzo Menifield KO punches UFC on ESPN Ngannou vs dos Santos 29 June 2019 1 3 19 Minneapolis Minnesota United StatesWin 11 3 Kennedy Nzechukwu Submission triangle choke UFC on ESPN Barboza vs Gaethje 30 March 2019 3 4 20 Philadelphia Pennsylvania United States Performance of the Night Loss 10 3 Jimmy Crute Submission kimura UFC Fight Night dos Santos vs Tuivasa 2 December 2018 3 4 51 Adelaide AustraliaWin 10 2 Magomed Ankalaev Submission triangle choke UFC Fight Night Werdum vs Volkov 17 March 2018 3 4 59 London England Performance of the Night Loss 9 2 Khalil Rountree Jr KO punches UFC Fight Night Nelson vs Ponzinibbio 16 July 2017 1 4 56 Glasgow ScotlandLoss 9 1 Tyson Pedro TKO elbows UFC 209 4 March 2017 1 4 10 Las Vegas Nevada United StatesWin 9 0 Henrique da Silva Submission armbar UFC on Fox VanZant vs Waterson 17 December 2016 2 1 59 Sacramento California United States Performance of the Night Win 8 0 Marcin Lazarz Submission triangle choke BAMMA 23 14 November 2015 1 3 51 London England Won the BAMMA World Light Heavyweight Championship Win 7 0 Karl Moore Submission guillotine choke BAMMA 22 19 September 2015 2 0 48 Dublin IrelandWin 6 0 Adam Wright Submission armbar Animalistic MMA Rise of the Alpha 20 June 2015 1 0 47 Preston EnglandWin 5 0 Andrzej Bachorz Submission brabo choke FightStar Championship 5 11 April 2015 1 2 37 Coventry England Won the vacant FightStar Light Heavyweight Championship Win 4 0 Dan Konecke TKO punches First Fighting Championship Resurgence 13 September 2014 1 4 18 Hamilton ScotlandWin 3 0 Jon Ferguson Submission triangle choke Full Contact Contender 10 21 June 2014 1 1 50 Bolton EnglandWin 2 0 Antonio Braga Submission triangle choke Underdog Xtreme Championships 2 1 March 2014 1 2 41 Belfast Northern IrelandWin 1 0 Brad Conway Submission triangle choke First Fighting Championship Prepare for Glory 3 24 August 2013 1 2 00 Hamilton Scotland Light Heavyweight debut 69 Amateur record breakdown3 matches 3 wins 0 lossesBy submission 3 0Res Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location NotesWin 3 0 Jeff Metcalfe Submission guillotine choke Supremacy Fight Challenge 8 11 November 2012 1 0 46 Gateshead EnglandWin 2 0 Paul Bradshaw Submission triangle choke Total Combat 50 6 October 2012 1 2 41 Sunderland EnglandWin 1 0 Gary Sivills Submission armbar Total Combat 48 21 July 2012 1 1 26 Sunderland EnglandSee also editList of current UFC fighters List of male mixed martial artistsReferences edit Paul Craig UFC UFC com 14 September 2018 Retrieved 19 June 2021 a b BjjTribes 14 June 2021 UFC Fighter Paul Craig promoted to BJJ black belt by coach Brian Gallacher BjjTribes Retrieved 14 June 2021 Paul Craig Stats News Bio ESPN Retrieved 30 May 2023 UFC Rankings UFC com www ufc com Retrieved 12 March 2024 Paul Craig aiming for his first pro title in Coventry 7 April 2015 Paul Craig I knew I would win title when opponent smiled at me at weigh in Daily Record 18 November 2015 Retrieved 24 January 2017 Why UFC 209 s Paul Craig who doesn t even really like MMA fights for a living mmajunkie 27 February 2017 Retrieved 30 March 2017 Paul Craig signs 4 fight deal with the UFC Fights Day Retrieved 23 January 2017 Doyle Dave 17 December 2016 UFC on FOX 22 results Paul Craig submits Luis Henrique da Silva MMA Fighting Retrieved 31 March 2019 a b UFC on Fox 22 Bonuses Waterson Craig Smith Aldana Pocket 50K Sherdog Retrieved 23 January 2017 Australian light heavyweight Tyson Pedro to take on Paul Craig at UFC 209 The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 24 January 2017 Ben Fowlkes 4 March 2017 UFC 209 results Tyson Pedro puts Paul Craig away in first with vicious elbows mmajunkie com Retrieved 4 March 2017 Tom Heffernan 21 April 2017 UFC announce first three fights for Glasgow show as Paul Craig returns Daily Record Retrieved 21 April 2017 UFC Fight Night 113 results Khalil Rountree thrashes Paul Craig for first round KO MMAjunkie 16 July 2017 Retrieved 17 July 2017 DNA MMA 7 November 2017 Ongeslagen Magomed Ankalaev maakt UFC debuut tijdens UFC Londen tegen Paul Craig mmadna nl Retrieved 27 November 2017 Alexander K Lee 17 March 2018 UVideo Paul Craig pulls off unbelievable last second submission at UFC London mmajunkie Retrieved 18 March 2018 a b Dan Hiergesell 17 March 2018 UFC Fight Night 127 bonuses Alexander Volkov s main event knockout leads 50K winners mmamania com Retrieved 18 March 2018 Shaun Al Shatti 21 March 2018 From retirement to re upping Paul Craig signs new four fight deal after stunning UFC London comeback mmafighting com Paul Craig vs Jim Crute Set For UFC Fight Night 142 In Australia MMAnytt com 22 August 2018 Retrieved 22 August 2018 Dave Doyle December 2018 UFC Adelaide results Jim Crute submits Paul Craig in fight s closing seconds mmafighting com Retrieved 2 December 2018 Amy MacBeath 23 January 2019 UPaul Craig UFC Scot to fight Kennedy Nzechukwu in Philadelphia bbc com Retrieved 23 January 2019 UFC Philadelphia Paul Craig subs Kennedy Nzechukwu despite repeated eyepokes MMA Junkie 31 March 2019 Retrieved 31 March 2019 a b Haynes Stephie 30 March 2019 UFC Philadelphia post fight bonuses Gaethje s massive KO nets FOTN honors Bloody Elbow Retrieved 31 March 2019 Marcel Dorff 26 April 2019 Undefeated Alonzo Menifield meets Scotsman Paul Craig during UFC Minneapolis in Dutch mmadna nl Retrieved 26 April 2019 Harshman Heath 29 June 2019 UFC Minneapolis Results Alonzo Menifield Sleeps Paul Craig in the First Round Cageside Press Retrieved 30 June 2019 Sherdog com Sergio Pettis vs Alex Perez Two Other Contests Confirmed for UFC Mexico City on Sept 21 Sherdog Retrieved 28 July 2019 UFC on ESPN 17 play by play and live results MMA Junkie 21 September 2019 Retrieved 22 September 2019 a b Fernando Quiles Jr 22 September 2019 UFC Mexico City Bonuses amp Attendance Revealed MMA News MMA News Retrieved 22 September 2019 Staff 27 October 2019 Sam Alvey Broken hand behind heartbreaking withdrawal vs Shogun Rua at UFC on ESPN 22 mmajunkie com Retrieved 28 October 2019 Guilherme Cruz 29 October 2019 Shogun Rua vs Paul Craig announced for UFC Sao Paulo mmafighting com Doherty Dan 16 November 2019 UFC Sao Paulo Results Shogun Rua and Paul Craig Fight to a Draw Cageside Press Retrieved 17 November 2019 Jay Anderson 19 December 2019 UFC London Adds Paul Craig vs Ryan Spann cagesidepress com O2 The Cancelled UFC FIGHT NIGHT Woodley vs Edwards The O2 www theo2 co uk Retrieved 10 April 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link DNA MMA 2 July 2020 Paul Craig treft Gadzhimurad Antigulov op 25 juli in Abu Dhabi Retrieved 3 July 2020 Fuentes Jon 25 July 2020 UFC Fight Island 3 Results Paul Craig Beautifully Submits Gadzhimurad Antigulov Cageside Press Retrieved 26 July 2020 a b Anderson Jay 26 July 2020 UFC Fight Island 3 Bonuses Six Fighters Earn 50K Performance of the Night Awards cagesidepress Retrieved 26 July 2020 Ariel Helwani 18 August 2020 UFC books Mauricio Shogun Rua Paul Craig rematch for Nov 21 ESPN com Retrieved 18 August 2020 Doherty Dan 21 November 2020 UFC 255 Results Paul Craig Stops Shogun Rua Settles Score Cageside Press Retrieved 22 November 2020 Nolan King 15 January 2021 UFC adds Paul Craig vs Jamahal Hill to March 20 lineup mmajunkie usatoday com Retrieved 15 January 2021 Farrah Hannoun 10 March 2021 UFC on ESPN 21 co main event scrapped after Jamahal Hill forced to withdraw from Paul Craig bout mmajunkie usatoday com Retrieved 10 March 2021 Redactie 24 March 2021 Multiple UFC fights announced including Craig vs Hill mmadna nl in Dutch Retrieved 24 March 2021 Vreeland Daniel 12 June 2021 UFC 263 Results Paul Craig Destroys Jamahal Hill s Arm En Route to Victory Cageside Press Retrieved 13 June 2021 a b UFC 263 bonuses That wicked arm injury Paul Craig delivered was worth an extra 50 000 MMA Junkie 13 June 2021 Retrieved 13 June 2021 Ashah Tafari 1 July 2021 Alexander Gustafsson to face Bearjew in octagon return Frontkick online in Swedish Retrieved 1 July 2021 Mike Bohn and Nolan King 21 August 2021 Alexander Gustafsson out of UFC Fight Night 191 bout with Paul Craig due to injury mmajunkie usatoday com Retrieved 21 August 2021 Staff 28 January 2022 Paul Craig vs Nikita Krylov set for UFC London card in March mmajunkie com Retrieved 28 January 2022 Behunin Alex 19 March 2022 UFC London Paul Craig Taps Nikita Krylov In The First Round Cageside Press Retrieved 19 March 2022 a b UFC Fight Night 204 bonuses Nine fighters go home with 50 000 MMA Junkie 19 March 2022 Retrieved 20 March 2022 Lee Alexander K 12 May 2022 Paul Craig vs Volkan Oezdemir announced for UFC London MMA Fighting Retrieved 13 May 2022 Law Eddie 23 July 2022 UFC London Volkan Oezdemir Stalls Craig s Ground Game Takes Decision Cageside Press Retrieved 24 July 2022 Harkness Ryan 9 October 2022 Johnny Walker vs Paul Craig scrap set for UFC 283 in Brazil MMAmania com Retrieved 10 October 2022 Dylan Rush 21 January 2023 UFC 283 Johnny Walker stops Paul Craig breaks out the worm Cageside Press Retrieved 22 January 2023 Calhoun Curtis 15 May 2023 Paul Craig set for UFC Middleweight debut against ranked contender MMA News Retrieved 15 May 2023 Morehouse Cade 22 July 2023 UFC London Paul Craig Finds Smashing Success in Middleweight Debut Against Andre Muniz Cageside Press Retrieved 4 August 2023 a b Matthew Wells 22 July 2023 UFC Fight Night 224 bonuses Tom Aspinall earns 50 000 in triumphant return from injury mmajunkie usatoday com Retrieved 22 July 2023 Staff 29 August 2023 Brendan Allen vs Paul Craig headlines UFC s Nov 18 show in Las Vegas mmajunkie usatoday com Retrieved 29 August 2023 Dewar Val 19 November 2023 Brendan Allen Dominates UFC Vegas 82 Main Event Submits Submission Specialist Paul Craig Cageside Press Retrieved 19 November 2023 Simon Tyriece 22 January 2024 UFC Schedule Updated List Of Upcoming Events amp Fight Cards MMA News UFC News Results amp Interviews Retrieved 22 January 2024 2015 British Pro Jiu Jitsu Championship Results BJJ Latest 10 March 2015 Retrieved 16 January 2021 Polaris 21 Full Results and Review 25 September 2022 https www wrestling news net icw get the f out results 205168 Paul Craig mmajunkie 27 February 2017 Retrieved 30 March 2017 a b c d UFC com 22 July 2023 UFC Stats Light Heavyweight Division ufc com Thomas Gerbasi 28 June 2018 2018 Half Year Awards Part I Ultimate Fighting Championship Mike Bohn 26 July 2020 UFC on ESPN 14 post event facts Khamzat Chimaev s record might be untouchable mmajunkie com MMA Junkie s Submission of the Month for March Another last minute choke mmajunkie com 3 April 2019 The Jitsmagazine 2022 BJJ Awards January 2023 https www wrestling news net icw get the f out results 205168 Sherdog com Paul Craig Sherdog Retrieved 16 November 2019 External links editPaul Craig at UFC Professional MMA record for Paul Craig from Sherdog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Craig amp oldid 1215440966, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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