Paul Craig vs. Johnny Walker: UFC 283 Odds, Prediction

Edgar Chaput
January 18, 2023

Furthermore, both contestants have earned belts in the South American fighting style, as Craig adorns a black belt, whereas Walker sports a brown belt. Since the event is being held in Rio de Janeiro, Walker will surely feed off the home crowds energy.

As of Wednesday, Craig is pinned at +145 on the MMA odds to Walker’s -185 status.

Johnny Walker -165
Paul Craig +145

Paul Craig UFC 283 Odds

The Scotsman’s journey through MMA has gifted more rewards than hurdles. A 16-5-1 record has helped him rise in the ranks to ninth in his weight category. Representing Higher Level Martial Arts out of Coatbridge, the black belt wielder saw a good run of victories come to an end in his last tilt, UFC Fight Night 208 on July 23, 2022 against Volkan Oezdemir. True to his personal style, Craig made it a test of grappling abilities, yet unlike with past challenges, his opponent proved nimble enough to weave his way out of Craig’s grasp. The unanimous decision went against the Scot.

Nevertheless, his two fights before then (UFC 263 in June 2021 and UFC Fight Night 204 in March 2022) concluded favourably. Jamahal Hill, unfortunately, suffered a snapped elbow at UFC 263, thus putting an abrupt end to that tilt. As for UFC Fight Night 204, a choke hold in the very first round awarded Craig the victory, making it back-to-back Performance of the Night honours.

Submission is the preferred path to victory for Paul Craig, as 81 per cent of his fights end on that note. Fun fact: both he and his opponent this Saturday suffer a comparable number of significant hits per minute: 2.79 reach Craig whereas 2.64 land on Johnny Walker. Unsurprisingly, given Craig’s style, the takedown average per minute largely favours him (1.85 versus 0.43).

Johnny Walker UFC 283 Odds

Johnny Walker should feel right at home in Brazil on Saturday evening. Fighting in his own backyard, the 12th-ranked Light Heavyweight brawler comes into this contest on the wings of a victory at UFC 279 back in September. He was pitted against Ion Cutelaba, whom he pressed into a formidable choke submission in the initial round. The effort earned him a Performance of the Night honour.

That said, the previous two challenges did not go so swimmingly. UFC Fight Night 193 in October 2021 saw him go toe-to-toe with Thiago Santos, who claimed the night via unanimous decision. Then, in February 2022 at UFC Fight Night 201, he faced Jamahal Hill, who knocked him out in the first round.

Training out of Dublin, Ireland for SBG Ireland since 2020, Johnny Walker generally strives to vanquish his opposite numbers by KO or TKO, as evidenced by the 83 per cent of his wins decided by that tactic. Some details may prove advantageous for the local hero. For one, he is slightly taller than Craig (6’6” versus 6’3”). Secondly, his dexterity and stature grant him a more significant reach, 82 inches to the Scotsman’s 76. Third, he lands far more significant hits every 60 seconds (3.26 to Craig’s 2.47). In essence, this will be a battle of methodical (Craig) against quick and powerful (Walker).