“If I don’t perform on Saturday night against Rodolfo Bellato, there’s a good chance the UFC won’t take me back,” said Paul Craig ahead of his UFC Vegas 106 bout. Going against someone who’s been tearing through the division with a four fight win streak—three of them KO’s—we’re not surprised at the Scotsman’s words. With his career on the line, the Scottish warrior was getting ready to leave everything in the Octagon—until fate intervened. Bellato was forced to withdraw due to a herpes infection. However, just days after the crushing cancellation, the UFC rebooked the matchup—new time, new venue, but the same high stakes.

In a conversation with Michael Bisping on the Believe You Me podcast, ‘Bear Jew’ revealed that he was in his dressing room when Hunter Campbell unexpectedly came in to break the news. “Hunter Campbell comes in, and I’m like, ‘Whoa, that’s very unusual. I don’t know why he’s coming in; he never comes in just to wish me luck.’ He says, ‘Look, your opponent has pulled out due to a skin infection.’ It’s tough. Have you ever been in that situation where you’re ready to walk out? I’m talking like 30 minutes before the fight.”

He added, “It’s almost surreal. You’re frustrated. You want to kick and hit stuff. Everything you’ve worked for up until that point is kind of ripped away from you.” Prepared to fight to the death, the news hit Craig like a truck at full speed. Though heartbroken, he accepted the situation. The good news? Dana White rescheduled the fight. Confirmed by Craig himself on his Leather’d Podcast, the highly anticipated bout is now set for UFC Atlanta, headlined by former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley.

The venue will be the State Farm Arena. Craig’s career has faced significant challenges. Since dropping from light heavyweight to middleweight, his record stands at a disappointing 1-3, far below what his skills warrant. Fearing he might be cut from the UFC, Craig has moved back up to light heavyweight and is ready to take risks to revive his career.

With a career record of 17 wins and 9 losses, Craig has secured victories over notable fighters such as Magomed Ankalaev, Jamahal Hill, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Despite these achievements, his career has been somewhat disappointing off late. Now that we know about his rescheduled fight, let’s take a look at what’s next.

What’s coming for Paul Craig in the UFC?

Craig moved down to the middleweight division back in 2023 with the hopes of capitalizing on his size advantage, but the weight cut proved to be detrimental to his health, leading to the development of an eating disorder, which in turn affected his fighting style. His restricted caloric intake for his fights negatively impacted his mental as well as physical well-being.

Riding a three-fight losing streak against Bo Nickal, Caio Borralho, and Brendan Allen, Paul Craig’s jump to middleweight has been disastrous. As one of the UFC’s A-listers, the Scottish fighter’s reputation took a serious hit following these back-to-back losses. Normally, at this point, it’s quite common for a fighter to worry that the UFC might consider releasing them due to such a streak. This is why Paul Craig is confident that his next fight could turn his fortunes around.

If Craig secures a victory against Bellato, the UFC might extend his contract, but that is just speculation. However, it is certain that if he loses his fight against the Brazilian, it will be the end of the road for him.

Do you think at age 37, Paul Craig has what it takes to overcome the 29-year-old up-and-comer they refer to as ‘Tractor’ in Portuguese? Let us know your thoughts on this matchup in the comments below.