The expectations were unclear when Paul Daley debuted at UFC 103. A late replacement for Mike Swick, Daley represented a final frontier between dangerous opponent Martin Kampmann’s shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship.
But Daley did not simply derail the talented Kampmann from his title quest–he won quickly with a devastating display of knockout power. He thus instantly made himself a threat in the Welterweight division.
Still, some were not convinced. With several submission losses on his resume, Daley actually entered his UFC 108 fight with Dustin Hazelett, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, as a slight underdog. Not even a Spike TV countdown special that hyped Daley as an absolute monster managed to convince odds makers and critics that the British striker was a lock to defeat “McLovin.”
Defeat Hazelett he did, and once again, it involved a lethal display of punching. Paul Daley scored a knockout win at 2:24 of Round One.
This time, everyone in the industry is taking notice.
“He burst onto the scene here,” said UFC President Dana White at the UFC 108 press conference.
But, according to White, Daley is still at least one big win away from getting a crack at Georges St. Pierre’s Welterweight Championship.
“He’s going to have to fight one of the top two contenders before [facing GSP],” confirmed White. He clarified, “The two best guys out there are [Josh] Koscheck and [Jon] Fitch.”
As getting those two teammates to “fight each other is a nightmare,” White envisions Daley fighting one of them this year.
Of course, as Daley reminded reporters at the presser, Thiago Alves is in the mix as well. Alves is set to get a rematch with Jon Fitch at UFC 111 in March, and a win would certainly cement Alves’ standing at the top of the division.
In breaking down the potential fights, Daley noted, “I’d like to fight a Fitch or Koscheck just to prove I have improved takedown defense…I just haven’t had a chance to display it cause I keep knocking out people standing up.”
But that does not mean Daley has no interest in a fight with Muay Thai ace Alves. Because his wins have come so quickly, Daley explained, “I haven’t displayed my full array of stand-up skills,” and would welcome the chance to do battle with a lethal, talented striker like the Brazilian.
