Five thousand miles separate Craigneuk in Airdrie from Sacramento in California, but for Paul Craig the distance represents a journey of self-discovery and a transmigration to the pinnacle of athletic achievement.

Tomorrow night, Craig, 29, Scotland’s best known male Mixed Martial Arts exponent, will step into the world famous octagon at the Ultimate Fighting Championships for his crack at the world light-heavyweight crown.

It is a moment the full-time high school teacher and father-of-two has been working towards since he first dipped his toe in the MMA waters at a gym in Whifflet, Coatbridge, five years ago and teamed up with coach Brian Gallacher.

Hobby quickly became habit as the six-foot four fighter discovered a love for the sport that combines no-holds-barred disciplines from various martial arts such as boxing, kick-boxing, karate, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, taekwondo, wrestling and judo.

Now Craig is preparing to go to toe-to-toe and fist-to-fist with undefeated Brazilian Henrique da Silva for the UFC light-heavyweight belt at the Golden One Center on America’s Pacific coast.

He admits, however, that he still pinches himself when he considers how far he has come as he prepares to be a Saltire standard bearer tomorrow night.

He said: “I kind of fell into it, to be honest. I had played football all my life and was into a lot of coaching. I had a massive love for football. I played for Lenzietown and got an opportunity to play for Hearts but wasn’t good enough.

“So I then went down the coaching route and found I really enjoyed it. And then I discovered mixed martial arts and found I could coach myself.

“I was looking for a sport that would hold my interest and I just kind of fell into MMA. It just seemed like the perfect fit for me.”

Craig laughs off his own suggestion that he turned to fighting to stave off playground bullies.

He said: “No it wasn’t a case of fighting my way off the mean streets and having to fight for my dinner, but I was quite small at school. Then I suddenly shot up.

“I’ve always loved sport. I have a competitive edge but I’ve always felt like the underdog, the guy fighting his way to the front of the queue.

“I had one fight in England which I won and my opponent started crying. The fight lasted a minute and 21 seconds.

“I couldn’t understand it. It wasn’t the end of the world, it was only a fight. Then I realised it was because a loss, any loss, sets them back on the path they are on.

“We’re all trying to climb the mountain and any defeats sets you round the side. But I have an abundance of self-belief that I’m not going to lose. I believe in my skills and my coaches. If I lose I’ll lose because I wasn’t good enough, but I am not even contemplating that prospect.”

UFC is undergoing a huge popularity surge in Scotland where the number of gyms have quadrupled over the past few years, boosted by the popularity of two-weight champion Conor McGregor, the Irish-born poster boy for the UFC.

He has has become the sport’s modern-day version of Muhammad Ali, a living legend whose charisma is selling out arenas all over the world. 

“You either watch to see him win or you watch to see him getting smashed, but there is no doubt he has been fantastic for the sport,” said Craig.

“But I don’t want to be known as a Scottish Conor McGregor.  I don’t want money. Money comes and money goes.

“My goal is just to keep on improving and continue to reach my goals. I want a legacy. I want to be remembered as the person who beat Enrique de Silva in the UFC.

I don’t want to go through my life without having made my mark in some way. And that is a big motivation for me.”

Undefeated in eight pro fights, Craig, whose day job sees him passing on life skills to young adults through the Scottish education charity Skill Force, is the kingpin of the British Association of MMA’s light-heavyweight division, having seen off Chris Fields in September.

But his bout with da Silva, known to MMA fans as Frankenstein, represents a significant step-up in class.

“Stylistically and in terms of match-up I think I am better,” said Craig. “It is like a game of chess. As long as you can anticipate and beat his next move, you will win. I believe he is a pawn and I’m a queen.

“This is the moment I have worked towards for years. I’m in the best nick of my life and I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

Watch Paul Craig  in action at UFC Fight Night: VanZant v Waterson live on BT Sport 2 from 10pm on Saturday, or catch the Early Prelims on UFC Fight Pass from 8:30pm.