Paul Craig Expresses Greater Excitement for “Spiderman” Appearance Than Potential Trump Attendance at UFC 309

Paul Craig is set to face undefeated American Bo Nickal at UFC 309. The Scottish fighter stated he would be more enthusiastic about “fighting in front of Spiderman” than Donald Trump, as he prepares for his bout against Nickal at Madison Square Garden as part of the event. Craig, aged 36, will compete against the American in a middleweight contest featured on the main card, preceding Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic’s heavyweight title fight. According to reports, Nickal, who is a supporter and friend of Trump, asserts that the President-elect of the United States indicated he might attend UFC 309 to observe his fight with Craig. “He’s not my president – he’s the President of America,” Craig told BBC Sport Scotland. “I was more excited about getting the opportunity to fight in front of Spiderman in London, [actor] Tom Holland.” He continued, “It doesn’t matter who’s in that crowd. You’ve just got a job to do. You’ve got to handle your business and that’s what I’m looking to do. “But I guess when you think about it, one of the most powerful people in the world sitting in the crowd, watching you at ringside. “It’s kind of cool and it’s one of these stories you can tell your kids or grandkids when you’re older.” Craig has primarily competed in the light heavyweight division for most of his 17 UFC bouts, but his upcoming bout against undefeated Nickal marks his third contest at middleweight after transitioning down a division. His initial fight in the division resulted in a win against Andre Muniz, but two subsequent losses against Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho have since occurred. At 36 years old, Craig expressed that he is currently appreciating the latter stages of his career and aims to secure participation in London’s Fight Night event in March. He elaborated, “The championship is slightly further out of reach and the top ten, it’s just out of reach.” Craig added, “So then it becomes less about them and more about right, I want these ‘Oh my God’ moments. I want these fights that get me excited.” He concluded, “I want to walk out in places like Madison Square Garden. Right now it’s all about getting Bo Nickal, handling my business, and then looking forward to potentially fighting in London.”