MMA StatBook

Paul Craig

“Bearjew”

Light HeavyweightUnited Kingdom

17Wins
10Losses
1Draws
1No contest

Professional record

Last 5: LNCLLL

Compare with another fighter

Profile

Age
38 (born November 27, 1987)
Born in
Airdrie
Height
6' 3"
Weight
205 lbs.
Reach
76"
Stance
Orthodox
UFC record
9-10-1 (1 NC)

How the fights ended

Wins in the UFC9

  • KO/TKO 3
  • Submission 6

Losses in the UFC10

  • KO/TKO 6
  • Submission 2
  • Decision 2

UFC career stats

Striking

Significant strikes landed per minute
2.5 top 78%
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
3.04
Striking accuracy45%Better than 40% of light heavyweights
Strike defense43%Better than 14% of light heavyweights

Grappling

Takedowns per 15 minutes
1.43 top 41%
Submission attempts per 15 minutes
1.3
Takedown accuracy19%Better than 10% of light heavyweights
Takedown defense35%Better than 14% of light heavyweights

Next fight

No confirmed fight yet. Craig last fought on September 6, 2025 (Loss vs Modestas Bukauskas).

Booked fights appear here as soon as they are announced. See the full UFC schedule.

In the record book

About Paul Craig

Born on November 27, 1987 in Airdrie, United Kingdom, Paul Craig "Bearjew" competes as a light heavyweight mixed martial artist. Craig is 6' 3" tall with a 76" reach.

Craig turned professional in 2013, debuting with First Fighting Championship. Craig arrived in the UFC with an 8-0 record. Craig first fought in the UFC at UFC on FOX: VanZant vs. Waterson in December 2016 and beat Henrique da Silva by armbar from bottom guard. In the UFC, Craig is 9-10-1 (1 NC) across 21 fights.

A submission specialist, Craig has 6 UFC submission wins, most often by triangle choke. By the numbers, Craig attempts more submissions than 92% of light heavyweights. Notable wins include Jamahal Hill, Mauricio Rua and Magomed Ankalaev, all UFC title-fight winners. Craig ranks #1 in UFC history for highest pro MMA finish rate.

The quickest UFC win of Craig's career took 1:59, against Jamahal Hill at UFC 263: Adesanya vs. Vettori 2. Craig has fought Mauricio Rua twice in the UFC (draw, won). Before and outside the UFC, Craig fought in BAMMA (2-0) and First Fighting Championship (2-0).

Most recently, Craig lost to Modestas Bukauskas by KO/TKO at UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho in September 2025.

UFC fight history

  1. L

    Modestas Bukauskas

    KO/TKO · Elbow to Head From Guard · R1 5:00

    UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho

    Sep 6, 2025

    6Str 0TD 0KD
  2. NC

    Rodolfo Bellato

    Could Not Continue · Illegal Upkick by Craig · R1 4:59

    UFC Fight Night: Usman vs. Buckley

    Jun 14, 2025

    17Str 0TD 0KD
  3. L

    Bo Nickal

    Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00

    UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic

    Nov 16, 2024

    47Str 0TD 0KD
  4. L

    Caio Borralho

    KO/TKO · Punches to Head At Distance · R2 2:10

    UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg

    May 4, 2024

    22Str 0TD 0KD
  5. L

    Brendan Allen

    Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R3 0:38

    UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig

    Nov 18, 2023

    6Str 0TD 0KD
  6. W

    Andre Muniz

    KO/TKO · Elbows to Head From Mount · R2 4:40

    UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura

    Jul 22, 2023

    40Str 2TD 0KD
  7. L

    Johnny Walker

    KO/TKO · Punches to Head In Clinch · R1 2:16

    UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill

    Jan 21, 2023

    3Str 0TD 0KD
  8. L

    Volkan Oezdemir

    Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00

    UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall

    Jul 23, 2022

    33Str 0TD 0KD
  9. W

    Nikita Krylov

    Submission · Triangle Choke From Bottom Guard · R1 3:57

    UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall

    Mar 19, 2022

    2Str 1TD 0KD
  10. W

    Jamahal Hill

    KO/TKO · Punches to Head From Bottom Guard · R1 1:59

    UFC 263: Adesanya vs. Vettori 2

    Jun 12, 2021

    23Str 0TD 0KD
  11. W

    Mauricio Rua

    KO/TKO · Punches to Head From Back Control · R2 3:36

    UFC 255: Figueiredo vs. Perez

    Nov 21, 2020

    29Str 4TD 0KD
  12. W

    Gadzhimurad Antigulov

    Submission · Triangle Choke From Bottom Guard · R1 2:06

    UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till

    Jul 25, 2020

    2Str 0TD 0KD
  13. D

    Mauricio Rua

    Decision - Split · R3 5:00

    UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Jacare

    Nov 16, 2019

    51Str 1TD 0KD
  14. W

    Vinicius Moreira

    Submission · Rear Naked Choke · R1 3:19

    UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Stephens

    Sep 21, 2019

    18Str 1TD 1KD
  15. L

    Alonzo Menifield

    KO/TKO · Punch to Head On Ground · R1 3:19

    UFC Fight Night: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos

    Jun 29, 2019

    7Str 0TD 0KD
  16. W

    Kennedy Nzechukwu

    Submission · Triangle Choke From Bottom Guard · R3 4:20

    UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Gaethje

    Mar 30, 2019

    25Str 1TD 0KD
  17. L

    Jimmy Crute

    Submission · Kimura From Half Guard · R3 4:51

    UFC Fight Night: Dos Santos vs. Tuivasa

    Dec 1, 2018

    12Str 3TD 0KD
  18. W

    Magomed Ankalaev

    Submission · Triangle Choke From Bottom Guard · R3 4:59

    UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov

    Mar 17, 2018

    18Str 2TD 0KD
  19. L

    Khalil Rountree Jr.

    KO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R1 4:56

    UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio

    Jul 16, 2017

    17Str 0TD 0KD
  20. L

    Tyson Pedro

    KO/TKO · Elbows to Head From Crucifix · R1 4:10

    UFC 209: Woodley vs. Thompson 2

    Mar 4, 2017

    12Str 0TD 0KD
  21. W

    Henrique da Silva

    Submission · Armbar From Bottom Guard · R2 1:59

    UFC on FOX: VanZant vs. Waterson

    Dec 17, 2016

    31Str 1TD 0KD

Full MMA career

Paul Craig is 17-10-1 (1 NC) across 29 professional fights in 7 promotions, since a pro debut on August 24, 2013 (First Fighting Championship). 8 of those fights were outside the UFC.

Pro wins17

  • KO/TKO 3
  • Submission 14

Pro losses10

  • KO/TKO 6
  • Submission 2
  • Decision 2
Finish rate
100% of wins
Longest win streak
9

Fights by promotion

PromotionRecordFirst fight
UFC9-10-1 (1 NC)2016
BAMMA2-02015
First Fighting Championship2-02013
Animalistic MMA1-02015
FightStar Championship1-02015
Full Contact Contender1-02014
Underdog Xtreme Championships1-02014

All professional fights

ResultOpponentMethodEventDate
L Modestas Bukauskas KO (elbow), R1 UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho Sep 6, 2025
NC Rodolfo Bellato NC (illegal upkick), R1 UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley Jun 14, 2025
L Bo Nickal Decision (unanimous), R3 UFC 309 Nov 16, 2024
L Caio Borralho KO (punches), R2 UFC 301 May 4, 2024
L Brendan Allen Submission (rear-naked choke), R3 UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig Nov 18, 2023
W André Muniz TKO (elbows), R2 UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura Jul 22, 2023
L Johnny Walker TKO (punches), R1 UFC 283 Jan 21, 2023
L Volkan Oezdemir Decision (unanimous), R3 UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall Jul 23, 2022
W Nikita Krylov Submission (triangle choke), R1 UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall Mar 19, 2022
W Jamahal Hill TKO (elbows and punches), R1 UFC 263 Jun 12, 2021
W Maurício Rua TKO (submission to punches), R2 UFC 255 Nov 21, 2020
W Gadzhimurad Antigulov Submission (triangle choke), R1 UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till Jul 25, 2020
D Maurício Rua Draw (split), R3 UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré Nov 16, 2019
W Vinicius Moreira Submission (rear-naked choke), R1 UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens Sep 21, 2019
L Alonzo Menifield KO (punches), R1 UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos Jun 29, 2019
W Kennedy Nzechukwu Submission (triangle choke), R3 UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje Mar 30, 2019
L Jimmy Crute Submission (kimura), R3 UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Tuivasa Dec 1, 2018
W Magomed Ankalaev Submission (triangle choke), R3 UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov Mar 17, 2018
L Khalil Rountree Jr. KO (punches), R1 UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio Jul 16, 2017
L Tyson Pedro TKO (elbows), R1 UFC 209 Mar 4, 2017
W Henrique da Silva Submission (armbar), R2 UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson Dec 17, 2016
W Marcin Łazarz Submission (triangle choke), R1 BAMMA 23 Nov 14, 2015
W Karl Moore Submission (guillotine choke), R2 BAMMA 22 Sep 19, 2015
W Adam Wright Submission (armbar), R1 Animalistic MMA: Rise of the Alpha Jun 20, 2015
W Andrzej Bachorz Submission (brabo choke), R1 FightStar Championship 5 Apr 11, 2015
W Dan Konecke TKO (punches), R1 First Fighting Championship: Resurgence Sep 13, 2014
W Jon Ferguson Submission (triangle choke), R1 Full Contact Contender 10 Jun 21, 2014
W Antonio Braga Submission (triangle choke), R1 Underdog Xtreme Championships 2 Mar 1, 2014
W Brad Conway Submission (triangle choke), R1 First Fighting Championship: Prepare for Glory 3 Aug 24, 2013

Full professional record from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Quick answers

What is Paul Craig's record?

Paul Craig's professional MMA record is 17 wins, 10 losses and 1 draws, with 1 no contest.

How old is Paul Craig?

Paul Craig is 38 years old, born on November 27, 1987.

How tall is Paul Craig and what is their reach?

Paul Craig stands 6' 3" with a 76" reach.

Who did Paul Craig fight last?

Paul Craig lost to Modestas Bukauskas by KO/TKO at UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho on Sep 6, 2025.