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Handicapper Ben Rajavuori is here with a UFC 283 pick between Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig. Come get his Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig prediction, pick, and odds.
ANALYSIS

Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig Prediction, Pick, Odds: Will Paul Craig Dominate at UFC 283?

The first match of the pay-per-view for UFC 283 is a good one. The UFC knew what they were doing when they made the first fight of the paid card Paul Craig against Johnny Walker. Walker enters this fight as the Brazilian, so the crowd will be loud as ever for him. Paul Craig is certainly no stranger to loud crowds, though, and he has been on the big stage in front of big crowds. Both men have high finishing upsides, so it is likely we do not see the scorecards here. The fight to end inside the distance is around -600 at most books. The books also think it is Johnny Walker who will win, as the Brazilian is -200 against Craig.

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Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig Start Time, Where to Watch, and Latest Odds

  • When: January 21, 2023
  • Time: 10:00 PM EDT
  • Where to Watch: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View

Click here for Craig vs Walker odds

Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig Prediction

Johnny Walker, the Brazilian fighter in this bout, has a record of 19-7 and is known for his striking power and flashy knockouts, although his last victory was a submission. Walker has ended 18 of his 19 wins with 15 knockouts and 3 submissions. He is a tall and lanky fighter who uses his 82" reach to his advantage. Although he is coming off a victory, Walker had been on a skid before that. He is 2-4 in his last six fights, with his other win coming in a stoppage over Ryan Spann. Walker started his UFC career with a 3-0 winning run but has since slowed his momentum, and he now sits at 5-4 in the UFC.

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Paul Craig, a Scottish fighter, has a record of 16-5-1 and is known for his grappling skills and submission holds. Much like Walker, Craig is allergic to the scorecards. Of his 16 wins, 13 are submissions, while the other 3 are by KO/TKO. He has not won on the scorecards yet in his career. He is a shorter and stockier fighter who likes to get in close and control the pace of the fight. He's also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has a talented ground game. When Craig gets you on the ground, the fight will likely be over soon. Paul Craig was really picking up momentum in the UFC with a five-fight win streak before losing his last time out against Volkan Oezdemir by decision. It was the first fight in his career that had gone to the scorecards. Craig has been in the UFC for a few more years than Walker and has also faced tougher competition. Craig is 8-5 in the UFC and has wins over Magomed Ankalaev, Kennedy Nzechukwu, Shogun Rua, Jamahal Hill, and Nikita Krylov.

This fight will undoubtedly be an exciting one as both fighters have a tendency to finish their fights. Of the 35 combined wins between the two, only one has been by decision. It will likely be a battle of striking versus grappling, with Walker looking to keep the fight standing and use his reach and power to outstrike Craig, while Craig will look to close the distance and take the fight to the ground. If Craig is able to take the fight to the ground, this fight will be over quickly as he has one of the best submission games in the light heavyweight division.

Aside from the ground game advantage, Craig has been fighting the tougher competition. The man fighting for the light heavyweight title tomorrow, Jamahal Hill, has one loss on his record, which is to Paul Craig. Craig locked Hill's head in a triangle early in that fight and broke his arm, ending the fight by TKO. The man who just fought for the light heavyweight title last month, Magomed Ankalaev, also has just one loss on his record, and it is to Paul Craig. Craig submitted Ankalev in that fight. These two wins alone against championship contenders show that Craig has fought the tougher resume and has also beaten the top fighters in the division. Johnny Walker has been struggling with the better fighters in the division and also lost to Nikita Krylov, who Craig has also beaten. I understand the crowd will be behind Walker, but Paul Craig is a bad man who is making his way up the rankings. I like Craig to not only get the upset, but to finish Walker at an excellent price.

Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig Pick

Article Author

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Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.

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