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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
When Josh Koscheck signed with Bellator MMA, the fight most expected to eventually see was a rematch with Paul Daley. Now, after his debut was delayed due to injury, that's the fight Bellator is targeting for later in the year.
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said this week in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that they're targeting that matchup for this summer.
"I gotta talk to Josh about that," Coker said. "Our goal really is to have that fight to happen as soon as Koscheck is healthy.
"We've been very public about that, saying that's the fight we really want. That's the fight the fans want to see. And we're gonna put it together at some point in 2016."
Koscheck and Daley fought in May of 2010 in the UFC, with Koscheck scoring a decision victory after grinding Daley out from top control for three rounds. An overly frustrated Daley got himself booted from the UFC when he got up at the horn in the third round and threw a sucker punch at Koscheck after the fight had finished, and the two have had different paths since then to 2016.
For Daley, he's been an MMA nomad, fighting for promotions under ten different banners, including Strikeforce and BAMMA, and ending with his current position in Bellator. Koscheck continued on in the UFC throughout that stretch, challenging Georges St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship in his next fight before posting a 2-5 mark in his final seven UFC appearances.
Penick's Analysis: It's the one fight it makes sense for Koscheck to have in Bellator, so after his debut was already delayed it's the right move to go back to it. Koscheck fighting in 2016 isn't the most enticing proposition, but there's at least some curiosity in the rematch that is sellable enough for Bellator.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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