Daley exited and was banned from the UFC after a post-fight assault on Koscheck following the final bell in their UFC 113 encounter back in May 2010. Daley lost his temper as Koscheck had been verbally provoking him in the dying minutes of the match whilst holding him down and maintaining top position.
Bloody Elbow managed to get a few words with Paul about the upcoming fixtures.
Your old friend Koscheck is now in Bellator alongside you and already he has had some things to say. On a scale of ‘0′ to ‘Nuclear War’, how badly do you want to put it on him when the inevitable rematch happens?
Nuclear. We will fight. I’m so much better than when I fought him the first time, and I don’t think he’s improved at all. The Bellator style, fans, and referees love the stand up fighters, so his tactics will be less effective. That and my improved all round MMA game [means I win].
I would destroy Koscheck in two rounds now. A few failed take down attempts and boom, Koscheck goes to sleep. I have done a huge amount of work on my wrestling with coaches like Kenny Johnson (University of Iowa, BOLT wrestling) and David Sweeney (former British national squad).
In hindsight, who do you blame for that post-fight incident with Koscheck – you for reacting so hot-headedly or Koscheck for the provocation he was giving you verbally?
I just had a bad mentality at that time. Childish, I guess.
You will face Dennis Olson at Bellator 140 on July 17. He’s making his Bellator debut here against a big name; are you expecting him to be overcome by the occasion?
Not really. People tend to fight their best when they fight me, they see the opportunity. I expect him to be ok. But he will not win, I train hard regardless of the opponent. I train smart. The only advantage he would have would be if I underestimate him and I’m not going to do that.
At the last Bellator show it was announced that September’s ‘Dynamite’ event would feature a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights and that you would be fighting in the latter, competing under GLORY rules for the first time.
Is it difficult to bounce between the two styles or is it just something you have always done?
I think I’m able to adjust from MMA to kickboxing more so than kickboxing to MMA. I will be more than ready to compete for GLORY at Bellator: Dynamite.
In March last year you took a 40-second KO win over Russia’s Alexander Stetcurenko, currently ranked at #2 in GLORY’s welterweight division. Did you get him figured out early or was it just a case of that left cross bomb landing at the right time?
I can beat him again and again. I think my style is just really bad for him – he’s a puncher, I’m a bigger puncher.
What do you think of the GLORY four-man tournament format and any interest in taking part in one?
If the money was thrown up like in previous tournaments, then yes. But it would have be financially worth it as a tournament is so hard on the body.
Nieky Holzken is set to fight for the vacant title at GLORY 23 LAS VEGAS on August 8 but let’s say he wasn’t, and GLORY said to you ‘You know what, given who you are, we’re prepared to offer you an immediate title fight against Nieky Holzken on the Dynamite show’ – would you take that fight and how would you see it going?
Depends. I think I can compete with Holzken, and if I land I will KO him. It’s just his experience in the kickboxing game [is more than mine], he is so used to the timing and range etc. How do I see it going? I’m not sure.
In the meantime, we are waiting for news of your opponent on that card. Anyone in particular of interest, or any particular level you would like to come in at?
I think I’d like a Top Ten guy, someone to motivate me more, a guy with maybe a few GLORY fights already.
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