New York City — Scottish middleweight Paul Craig wanted to make one thing clear during Wednesday’s UFC 309 media day:
Bo Nickal might be a great wrestler, but come UFC 309, they won’t be competing in wrestling.
“He might have that credential in the world of wrestling, but this sport is not wrestling. It may incorporate wrestling, [but] it’s like only having a knife in a gun fight. You need to have all the tools,” Craig (17-8-1) told media outlets assembled in New York, including Cageside Press. “I believe that my tool belt is much more equipped than his, but only Saturday night can show that. And I do believe that route to my victory is going to be that jiu-jitsu base.”
Nickal has gone on record to state that he started training in jiu-jitsu relatively recently. Craig, asked how much anyone can train in a particular discipline in such a short amount of time, suggested that “I don’t believe you can prepare for- you can prepare, but I don’t believe you can learn everything there is to know.”
“I’m never ever going to out-wrestle Bo Nickal. We know that, and we went into camp knowing that,” admitted Craig. “So what you need to do is prepare adequately. Will Bo take me down? Yes. Will that be a bad idea for Bo? I do believe so. I believe if you pin me on my back, that’s where I’m most dangerous.” Craig cited his fights with Jamahal Hill and Nikita Krylov as examples thereof. “This is where I’m most dangerous, so I do believe his game plan should not be to take me down and have me flat on my back.”
Craig acknowledged that Nickal is a good striker with power in his hands, “but I do believe my striking is just a little bit longer, and I can use that range. The reason we moved down to middleweight is to gain that advantage and size.”
A decorated collegiate wrestler, Bo Nickal sits outside the UFC’s middleweight top 15, as does Craig himself. The veteran wasn’t surprised with the booking, and should all go well on Saturday at UFC 309, he has his eye on the recently announced UFC London card in March of 2025.
“Yeah London is a good stomping ground for me, I’ve had some of my biggest wins in London. Always good to not travel, and it’s always good to give back to U.K. fans, so I’d love to be involved in that,” Craig told Cageside Press. “But as you said, it’s about getting the job done Saturday night first and foremost.”
Craig also gave his response to Nickal apparently being a bit chummy with U.S. President Elect Donald Trump.
Paul Craig jokes that he’ll see President Donald Trump at his golf course in Scotland even though he supports his opponent Bo Nickal at #UFC309
🎥🎤: @JakeNoeckerMMA pic.twitter.com/5kCpmUiayR
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) November 13, 2024
“I imagine [Trump] probably is rooting for the Scottish guy to lose, but I’ll be waiting at his golf course for him in Scotland,” joked Craig. “But no, it’s good that it’s bringing eyes to the sport. A guy like Bo Nickal, with all his credentials, of course he’s going to get a lot of respect from media and presidents and everybody else. But what you need to remember is that this sport is not wrestling, it’s mixed martial arts and it’s the UFC mixed martial arts, it’s at the highest level. And I do believe he hasn’t faced an opponent quite as hungry as me.”
Watch the full UFC 309 media day appearance by Paul Craig above.
