UFC fighter Paul Craig ready to push his limits

Scottish light heavyweight Paul Craig has warned opponent Magomed Ankalaev he is ready to go to the brink to secure his UFC future.

The Airdrie fighter takes on the unbeaten Russian prospect in London on March 17.

The O₂ bout is the fourth and final clash on the 30-year-old’s UFC contract and he knows this is his last chance to impress promotion chiefs after suffering back-to-back defeats last year.

But with the aim of taking his two daughters on a dream holiday to Disneyland spurring him on, Craig insists he is prepared to go all the way to secure a fresh deal.

“Ankalaev is good at boxing, good at wrestling and I’m assuming he has some kind of sambo background,” he told Press Association Sport. “But everybody is in the UFC is good at something. There’s nobody in the UFC who is rubbish.

“We’re all on a level. It’s just about who turns up on the night and is ready to give it all.

“I don’t believe he is ready to give it all. He’s just signed for the UFC while I’m on my last fight of my contract.

“I’m fighting for something – to remain in the UFC. I’m fighting for the passion of taking my kids away to Disneyland, which is one of my goals.

“I hear people saying you will have to kill me to get me out of the octagon and that’s exactly how it’s going to be. Unless I’m as stiff as a surfboard you’re not moving me.

“I just hope Ankalaev is ready to go that far.”

Last year did not go as Craig hoped as he suffered his first UFC loss against Tyson Pedro in Las Vegas.

But again there was only disappointment as Khalil Rountree dished out a first-round stoppage.

This time as he prepares to make his London trip, Craig thinks the lack of home comforts will ensure he gets 2018 off to a better start.

“It’s a new year, new me,” he said. “Last year was great in terms of travelling and new experiences – but it was horrible in terms of fighting.

“The Vegas loss played on my mind leading into Glasgow.

“Usually before a fight I’d spent maybe 10 days away from the family getting into fight mode.

“But I couldn’t do that in Glasgow. I stayed at home and looking back it didn’t take me where I needed to go mentally.

“There were just too many home comforts.

“This time I’m going down 10 days early to make sure I’m in UFC mode.

“I can’t be Paul the dad. I need to be Paul the warrior, Paul the nasty guy.”

– Tickets to UFC Fight Night London go on sale on Friday, February 2, via AXS and Ticketmaster