UFC star Paul Craig was one second from quitting MMA and returning to teaching before a last-gasp submission win last Saturday earned him a new contract and a nightmare trip to Disneyland.
The proud Scotsman went into the final fight of his deal on the back of two consecutive defeats and had already decided that being cut from the UFC would be the end of his fight career and see him return to the classroom.
But – after suffering 14mins and 59secs of brutal punishment at the hands of unbeaten Russian Magomed Ankalaev – he produced one of the most dramatic finishes in UFC history to extend his stay and earn a £36,000 performance-of-the-night bonus.
A sensible celebratory beer on Saturday was made even sweeter when an email dropped from the world’s top fight firm on Monday morning telling the jiu-jitsu star not to hang up his gloves just yet.
But, before he can jump back in the ring, the 30-year-old – who does not like queues or crowds – is whisking his two daughters off on the trip of a lifetime to make up for missing him during training.
Craig told SunSport: “I am afraid to tell you that as a professional fighter now I did not go out and get mashed to celebrate, just a few beers to celebrate the win but getting the contract was the main goal and I will be back in the gym on Monday.
“We got an email on Monday telling us not to worry about the contract, I 100 per cent still thought that I might not get it because I had not done enough.
“If I did not get the UFC contract I was going back to teaching, my dream is to fight in the UFC, I don’t want to fight in any other promotion.
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“If I did not get that contract i was retiring as a fighter because I had reached my level and I am happy to say that.
“The money makes it easier for my family but it not a driving force for me.
“I won the bonus last year with my first UFC win and I still drive the same car and am still in the same house, I just get to treat my kids more.”
And Craig is going to endure more pain for the sake of his kids when he goes swinging and swirling, up and down on rollercoasters as he gets travel sickness in just a lift.
He said: “My kids are my world and they are the ones who miss out so we are going to Dinseyland. Am I looking forward to it? I could not think of anything worse.
“Queuing up in the heat and I don’t like big crowds, I don’t even travel well, I get travel sickness just going up and down elevators.
“I would rather be somewhere relaxed but this is not about me at all.
“I want my kids to be able to say ‘My dad is a UFC fighter and he took us to Disneyland with his winnings.”
Daughters Millie 11 and Maia 3 are not allowed to watch their father in action anymore.
Youngest Maia – whose name Craig is under strict orders from partner Cheryl to get spelt correctly – believes he just works at the SSE Hydro after seeing the face-painted star prepare for a fight there last year
He said: “I was so confident in my first fight that I let my eldest daughter watch it but they have never watched any other fight.
“My youngest thinks i just work at the Hydro because she went last year to see me do my weigh-in when I wore all my paint so she thinks I go there to paint and work.
“I won’t have them watching them now because although I won the fight, I took 15 minutes of punishment.”
As well as the life-changing UFC email, Craig has received a tide of congratulatory messages but some MMA keyboard warriors still reckon they could have survived his choke.
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But the trained educator beautifully explains how the drama unfolded thanks to some deafening encouragement from his Cheryl ringside.
Craig said: “I have had people come on social media and tell me ‘I could have just held my breath for 10 seconds” but that is not what is happening there.
“I use my leg and his shoulder to shut off his coratid artery and the blood stops going to his brain and then you pass out.
“Instinctively, one of two things happen; you either go to sleep or you tap without even knowing about it and that is what happened.
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“I had heard the clacker because I am very aware of my surroundings, I could even hear my partner screaming at the top of the lungs.
“I heard the clacker and I started controlling his wrist , it is not to stop him punching me, it is for me to set up the submission.
“As soon as I felt his weight coming on to me, I knew it was perfect.
“And I knew I only had seconds. A second either side and I would have been a hero or a loser.”
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