UFC 309: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig: Full video highlights

Bo Nickal continued his ascent in the UFC middleweight division with a unanimous decision victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309. The highly anticipated bout, which marked Nickal’s fourth appearance inside the octagon, ended with all three judges scoring 30-27 in favor of the former wrestling standout.

Nickal entered the fight as a heavy favorite (-1200), with many expecting a dominant performance. However, the matchup proved more tactical than explosive.

Paul Craig, a seasoned grappler, used his experience to keep Nickal at bay, effectively nullifying his opponent’s wrestling prowess. While Nickal landed a series of leg kicks and occasional left hands, the bout’s pace left the crowd restless, with chants of “overrated” echoing through the arena.

Craig displayed moments of composure, utilizing body kicks and jabs to score sporadic points. Yet, he struggled to mount any significant offense, wary of Nickal’s takedown threat. Meanwhile, Nickal refrained from engaging on the ground, opting instead to rely on striking exchanges that were few and far between.

The third round saw Nickal deliver his most decisive strikes, including a powerful left hand that momentarily staggered Craig. Despite this, the fight remained uneventful, with neither man truly seizing control.

This victory moves Nickal to 7-0 in his professional MMA career. Craig, on the other hand, is currently on a three-fight skid, holding a fight record of 17 wins and eight losses.

Check out some of the fight highlights below:

The middleweights kicked it off in the first round with some intense exchanges:

Craig displayed some impressive kicks and calculated defense against Nickal’s offense:

Nickal went for the third round with a mighty overhand:

Another angle into Bo Nickal's blow that rocked Craig:

In his post-fight octagon interview, Nickal addressed the booing and said:

"These guys want to see blood. They expect me to knock everybody out in 25 seconds or choke them out in a minute. The reality is these are all professional fighters that have been training over a decade, I've been in this two and a half, three years. I'm fired up about that performance. I dominated him."