Strikeforce
Veteran welterweight Paul Daley released from Strikeforce contract
Jun 9, 2012 - 2:10:51 PM

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Paul Daley is once again a free agent. The British welterweight requested and was granted a release from his Strikeforce contract this week, leaving him open to field offers elsewhere.

News of his release was announced by his manager, Wad Alameddine of Fight Management Limited, who prepared a statement from his client on his exit from Strikeforce.

"I'm happy that Strikeforce has granted my request to be released from their roster as I found it difficult to fight so infrequently," said Daley in the statement (via MMAWeekly.com. "My whole career I've wanted to fight as often as possible as it keeps me in the best form and condition."

"I felt that I put on nothing but entertaining fights while at the organization. The KO's of Ludwig and Scott Smith were some great memories for me, as well as the back and forth fight of the year I had with Nick Diaz. My manager has already started speaking to some promotions about my future today following the official release papers from Strikeforce, and I'm looking forward to the next part in my journey."

Daley's first appearance in Strikeforce came in 2007, where he knocked out current UFC welterweight Duane "Bang" Ludwig. He wouldn't fight for Strikeforce again until 2010, when he knocked out Scott Smith in his third fight after his public banishment from the UFC. However, that was the last of his wins in the organization, as he dropped his next three fights in Strikeforce to Nick Diaz, Tyron Woodley, and Kazuo Misaki. Sprinkled within those losses were wins outside the organization over Yuya Shirai, Jordan Radev, and Luigi Fiorivanti.

Penick's Analysis: Strikeforce's questionable future as an organization, along with very few events being run this year, left very little in the way of openings for Daley, so this isn't a surprise at all. Had he not lost his last three in the organization, there may have been a slight possibility of seeing him in the Octagon again, but that's not going to happen via this release. He'll likely either fight in events overseas near his home, or he'll make the trek to Canada for MFC. Either way, he'll likely find places to fight soon enough.