Paul Craig doesn’t see himself very removed from the UFC championship belt.
The sunshine heavyweight contender believes he’s one or two good wins away from a title shot, relying on his performances and the way some outcomes on the prime shake out.
Craig (16-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) returns to the octagon this Saturday on the primary card of UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the place he takes on Johnny Walker (19-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC). On the prime of the cardboard, Jamahal Hill, a person he stopped in the summertime of 2021, fights for the vacant mild heavyweight title towards Brazilian legend Glover Teixeira.
Craig is hoping that Hill takes dwelling the win and the belt, so it may well arrange a possible rematch between the 2, as he would then maintain a win over the champion.
“I’ve received Jamahal Hill taking this victory as a result of not solely does it assist my profession, however I like Jamahal Hill as an athlete and an MMA fighter,” Craig informed reporters on the UFC 283 media day on Wednesday. “I believe he does wonders for the game. He’s an thrilling character, loopy energy in his fingers and that additionally results in, and I’m not wanting previous Johnny Walker, however it results in that chance to have a run again of that struggle, and it will get me one step nearer to the title.”
Craig is coming off a call loss to Volkan Oezdemir in July. However previous to the defeat, the Scottish fighter was on a four-fight successful streak, and 5-0-1 in his previous six bouts, with the draw coming towards Mauricio Rua.
The title dream would get farther away if Craig had been to lose to Walker on Saturday. The 35-year-old is nicely conscious of that and that’s why he’s decided to not solely beat Walker, however placed on a powerful displaying to raised his possibilities of a title shot.
“I must firstly do the enterprise on Saturday towards Johnny Walker,” Craig stated. “It could possibly’t simply be a victory. It must be a efficiency. It has to indicate the degrees of my ability, the brand new acquired putting abilities, and the deadly jiu-jitsu. I’ve to make sure I’m in a position to dangle with a man like Johnny Walker.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 283.
