Tom Aspinall and Others Pay Tribute as Veteran Paul Craig Announces Retirement After Brutal UFC Paris Defeat

Watch his post-fight interview here:

Upon news of his retirement, fellow fighters and champions from across the MMA world took to social media to honor Craig's contributions to the sport.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall posted on Threads, "Special shoutout to Paul Craig on his retirement. [He] has done things in his career that the majority dream of."

Others, such as former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, paid their respects as well:

Fellow countrywoman and UFC flyweight Casey O'Neill also posted on X:

Though Craig's recent record trended towards a decline, a trend that he himself has admitted in the past, his career was defined by spectacular submissions and shocking upsets against top contenders.

He was incredibly dangerous from the bottom position, with 13 of his 17 professional victories coming by way of submission.

While he may have never been close to fighting for a UFC belt, the Scottish fighter has an impressive resume, with notable victories over current UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev (whom he submitted with just one second remaining in their 2018 bout) and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill.

Here is his full fight against Ankalaev:

At 37 years old and with a wealth of experience in high-level grappling and MMA, a career in coaching could be a natural transition. He could also continue to compete in grappling matches, especially now that organizations like Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) and even UFC BJJ are gaining traction.