Paul Craig wants to fight former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC 286.
According to Jordan Ellis of TalkSport, the Scottish light-heavyweight would like a relatively fast turnaround after he fights Johnny Walker at UFC 283 on January 21st.
Paul Craig vs. Anthony Smith?
Craig is looking to bounce back from a lacklustre performance against Volkan Oezdemir. Prior to that loss, he had strung together four consecutive wins by stoppage. He was arguably on the cusp of a title shot. Wins over Walker and then Smith would no doubt put him back there, especially considering the uncertainty of the division.
Not only that, Craig also boasts wins over Magomed Ankalaev, the man whom many believe should have been awarded vacant title in his fight with Jan Blachowicz, and Jamahal Hill who will fight for the vacant belt at UFC 283. His resume has aged very well.
A dominant win over Anthony Smith (#6) could springboard Craig into the top five of the division. The last few months have shown how chaotic the title picture is at 205 pounds, which means Craig could have as strong a claim as anyone to challenge for the belt in the middle of the year.
Paul Craig’s Future With the UFC
Earlier this year it was revealed that Craig had signed a contract extension with the UFC, following his fight announcement for UFC 283. Just recently, James Lynch (@LynchOnSports) confirmed this was a six fight deal:
It seems that the UFC has big plans for Paul Craig, and Craig has his eyes set on the top of the division. Not long ago Craig was planning to retire at age 35. It would appear that fight fans can expect plenty more action from “BearJew” in the coming years.
Would you like to see Paul Craig fight Anthony Smith at UFC London? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
