Welterweight knockout specialist Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley came back with bad intentions on Saturday after a stunning flying knee finish of Brennan Ward at Bellator 170. There was a marked improvement in his ferocity and the KO marked a return to form for the Brit. Something new, not seen before, was his celebration following the victory a possible nod to one of the events headliners.
“It was kind of a homage to Tito Ortiz,” Daley said in an interview conducted via email with Bloody Elbow. “I think I managed to get most of the routine right.”
Following the clash it would seem that a few on the roster in the welterweight division were keenly watching the outcome. Both Michael ‘Venom’ Page and newly signed Rory MacDonald were quick to take to social media to add their commentary, opinion, and responses. Daley, it would seem from his post-fight interview, has MacDonald in his line of sight and he was quick to add to his quick call out.
“We will see if Rory is laughing when and if our fight happens.”
As for Page, who quipped post fight that ‘someone has been studying my videos,’ Daley was quick to remind Page of his place, and establish distance between the two fighters’ pedigree.
“Page is deluded,” Daley said. “I’m Floyd Mayweather, he’s Adrien Broner. I have a KO the same as Saturday’s over Patrick Vallee from 2013.”
Daley is clearly a man on a mission. He’s intimated in the past that he’s a belt collector, but now it would seem he has widened his scope to include a variety of options that will test him as a fighter and showcase his KO power. It would seem for now that does not include Page.
“Lima, MacDonald, Koreshkov” are a few of the names he’s keen on, but interestingly enough the list of potential options doesn’t begin and end with welterweights, as he continued.
“Maybe some of the smaller middleweight contenders. Real challenges.”
As to the venue, time, and place, Daley is ever keen to compete particularly for his home crowd. With Bellator’s first venture into London soon to be backed up with a return visit by the promotion this year according to ‘Semtex,’ he will entertain a UK crowd this year.
“I will be fighting on the Bellator London card,” Daley said. “Against who…I don’t know.”