Scottish legend Paul Craig retired from MMA on September 6, 2025, following a first-round knockout loss to Modestas Bukauskas.
Regardless of the loss, the Paris crowd gave him the sendoff he deserved, giving him a standing ovation as he watched the Scottish fighter place his gloves within the heart of the Octagon.
Identified for his high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, “Bear Jew” brings a “kill or be killed” mentality to each match. There have been 21 fights within the UFC, 17 of which led to finishes. This perspective made the Scot a favourite with followers who believed Paul Craig would give him an entertaining sport, win or lose.
paul craig the champion killer
Craig boasts a powerful resume with three previous or future champions.
Craig defeated former mild heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev in a triangle choke on all three judges’ scorecards in a March 2018 bout, actually on the final second of the ultimate spherical.
This turned the Scotsman’s trademark end. No matter whether or not you’re shedding the match or not, all it takes is one second to catch your opponent in a triangle choke and the match is over. Due to this high quality, Craig holds the report for many victories by triangle choke in UFC historical past (4).
Again in November 2020, “Bear Jew” knocked out former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in two rounds. The Scot adopted this up with a victory over future champion Jamahal Hill, but it surely was his most weird and brutal end but.
Craig caught Hill with an armbar and dislocated his elbow, however Hill refused to faucet. “The Bear Jew” then transitioned right into a triangle choke to finish the match, however Hill continued to pummel Craig together with his solely remaining working arm. At this level, Craig delivered a sequence of hammerfists and elbows to the trapped Hill’s head, forcing the referee to intervene.
Title shot missed by Paul Craig
Sadly for Craig, that streak ended with a unanimous choice loss to Volkan Oezdemir. If he had received that struggle, he in all probability would have been given a title shot, however it might have eluded him for the remainder of his UFC profession.
However, Craig ought to be praised for what he has achieved in his profession. Essentially the most triangle chokes in UFC historical past and the third-most Efficiency of the Evening bonuses (eight) aren’t unhealthy for the previous highschool instructor.
