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COLUMN: Is it Time For Paul Daley to be Brought Back to the UFC?
Feb 20, 2012 - 12:50:24 PM COLUMN: Is it Time For Paul Daley to be Brought Back to the UFC?

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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Contributor

In May 2010, Paul Daley - having just been soundly beaten - sucker punched his opponent Josh Koscheck after the final bell sounded at UFC 113. Dana White insisted during the post fight press conference that Daley would NEVER fight inside the Octagon again. Dana White doesn't always stay true to his word though, and that's why I live in hope, that the London born Daley will return to the big leagues some day.

After beating Martin Kampmann and Dustin Hazelett, Daley was thrust onto the big stage opposite Koscheck. It was a huge deal, with the winner opposing GSP as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 12, and subsequently headlining a UFC card with a chance to win the UFC Welterweight Title. Daley blew it, outclassed by Koscheck, who used his far superior wrestling skills to earn a unanimous decision win. What then followed can only be described as a moment of utter madness. Taking a cheap shot at a fellow professional after the bell had rang, was low, very low indeed, and I doubt there was a single person associated with the sport (including Daley), who thought he had been harshly treated when he was cut.

Daley himself has never genuinely apologized for his actions, either directly to White, or to anyone within Zuffa for that matter. To that extent, he certainly hasn't helped himself. It's the one common denominator that can help change the opinion of White: show remorse for your actions, and mean it, especially in the public domain. Daley, sadly by personal choice, has yet to take this onboard. He also continues to struggle making weight for fights, missing the 170 lb cut for a recent BAMMA event last September ahead of a fight with Jordan Radev in Birmingham. To that end, it's not hard to imagine why Dana White isn't in a rush to make the long distance call to Daley anytime soon in the hope of enticing him back to the UFC.

Alright, I'm done with the negatives - granted there are plenty - but they all fall into insignificance when you load up YouTube, type in Diaz vs. Daley, and watch with your jaw drop for five insane minutes. That one round last April in Strikeforce, for me, was one of the best I've ever witnessed in my limited MMA life. I'm English, tight as a ducks butt, and I HATE PPV, the concept sucks when i've already paid my Sky TV subscription for the month. On this occasion, i reluctantly paid the £9.99, bought a six pack of Corona, and fought the inevitable tiredness waiting for the fight (It's often way past 5AM here before a main event starts).

I experienced an array of varying emotions that night, that concluded with me going from elation to despair in the space of 60 seconds. I've watched several English fighters on TV, and in a live arena for UFC 105, 120 and 138, but i've never been as emotionally involved as I was that night cheering on Paul Daley. Whatever anyone says about him, he brings it, and his sole intention for every fight is to stand and blast his opponent. Some fighters like Koscheck and Tyron Woodley, negate this threat with superior wrestling, but when the opponent is equally willing, KOTN honours are almost inevitable.

For this reason alone, I want to see Daley back amongst the elite, sooner rather than later. Granted I love watching technical fights, and I was extremely intrigued watching Carlos Condit tactically outclass Nick Diaz; I also enjoy watching BJJ specialists look for their next submission, but every now and then I want to watch two fighters stand and trade from start to finish.  There is a place in the UFC for every world class MMA fighter, and that includes Paul Daley. Potential fights against Diego Sanchez, Dong Hyun Kim or Thiago Alves would serve as a fantastic bout on any future UFC card. Daley is never going to win the UFC title, and he's always going to struggle against a wrestler, but there are plenty of potential opponents out there to give little Joe Silva wet dreams galore.

My own personal preference would be a Paul Daley vs. Dan Hardy fight on the next UFC UK card. Both are former members of Team Rough House (Daley moves to Spirit Dojo after his upcoming bout with Kazuo Misaki in Strikeforce) but when it comes to a big pay day, neither are in a position to be choosy about who they fight in the UFC, so that BS teammate rule falls way short on this occasion. Nottingham deserves a UFC event, and if that ever materializes, this fight makes perfect sense. Both would struggle to out-wrestle my 12 year old son, so it's 100% guaranteed that it would end with one of them lying prone, and unconscious, on the canvas.

My advice to Paul Daley is to convincingly beat Kazuo Misaki next month (no brainer), get straight on a flight from Columbus to Las Vegas, head to UFC headquarters and start kissing Dana White's butt until he finally relents and welcomes you back into the fold. I'm not putting any money on my plan working, but enough time has passed by to allow Dana White to back track on his word, whilst still saving face, and that's enough for me to make it a possibility.