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Paul Daley competed in his final MMA bout at Bellator 281. It was a special night as he closed out his career in front of his home country. It was a vintage performance as he defeated promotional newcomer Wendell Giacomo with an emphatic knockout.
Despite being promoted as his final bout, that didn’t seem to be the case after the fight. ‘Semtex’ didn’t remove his gloves, which many fighters have done to signify their retirement. Instead, he confirmed in his post-fight scrum that it’s possible he will compete again.
Obviously at age-39, money will be a factor in whether or not he accepts a bout. And so, it’ll have to be against a top welterweight. Bellator has depth in the welterweight division, so it shouldn’t be hard to find an opponent. This list will look at five fights if Paul Daley decides to continue fighting.
#5. Daley vs. former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov
Bellator could possibly entice Paul Daley to return is by offering him a bout with Andrey Koreshkov. The former Bellator welterweight champion was originally scheduled to be his final opponent, but was forced to withdraw from the event.
It would be an intriguing matchup and a more notable name to retire against. What excited fans about the originally scheduled bout was that it was Koreshkov who called him out. After defeating Chance Rencountre via TKO in 38-seconds, he called out ‘Semtex’ and expressed interest in being his final opponent.
‘Spartan’ vs. ‘Semtex’ would be a great matchup because both are primarily strikers and are no strangers to finishing fights. 13 out of the 25 wins have come via KO/TKO, while 35 out of ‘Semtex’s 43 wins have come via KO/TKO. Fans could be in for an entertaining slugfest and the bout could be used to help bolster an upcoming event. The bout could also easily serve as a headliner when Bellator returns to London.
#4. Daley vs. Jorge Masvidal 2 - UFC
Although it seems unlikely, Paul Daley's return to the UFC would be quite the story. Dana White issued him a lifetime ban from the promotion after he infamously punched Josh Koscheck after their bout. It was a title eliminator, with the winner challenging then UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
Since then, ‘Semtex’ has fought all over the world in major promotions. Perhaps it could be a situation where time heals all wounds. The incident occurred 12-years ago and maybe a one-off bout would be feasible. An opponent that would be logical is Jorge Masvidal. The ‘BMF’ title holder would be matched up with an opponent that likes fighting a similar style. It has the makings of being a Fight of the Night and perhaps ending with a highlight-reel knockout.
Both fighters are no strangers to one another. They fought at Shark Fights 13 in 2010, which saw ‘Semtex’ earn a unanimous decision over ‘Gamebred.’ It would be interesting to see what would happen in a rematch at this stage of their careers. Masvidal is one of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view draws, so it could be a lucrative fight for both.
#3. Daley vs. Former UFC title challenger Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz would be a great opponent for Paul Daley and a bout wouldn’t have to take place in the UFC. The former TUF winner has one fight remaining on his UFC contract and will then be a free agent. He’s been trying to get a fight booked for months, but hasn’t had one come to fruition. Once he is free to negotiate with other promotions, a move to Bellator could be very lucrative.
If he were to sign with Bellator, ‘Semtex’ could be persuaded to return for that fight. He fought Diaz’s brother, Nick Diaz in Strikeforce, which is a bout that’s still talked about. It was an action-packed round that saw Diaz recover from being dropped and knocked out ‘Semtex’ to retain his welterweight championship.
Another positive with Diaz vs. ‘Semtex’ is that it would draw a crowd regardless of venue. Bellator could return to London with that fight as a headliner. Another possible location is San Jose, California, which has always been linked with many of the promotion's high-profile main events.
#2. Daley vs. Former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima 2
If Douglas Lima picks up a few impressive wins, perhaps Paul Daley would be interested in a rematch. The former Bellator welterweight champion hasn’t had the best of luck as of late.
Lima is currently on a three-fight losing skid during which he has lost every fight via decision. He is rumored to fight No.4 ranked Jason Jackson on July 8, which has yet to be made official. Their originally scheduled bout at Bellator 281 fell through, so it looks like the promotion is rescheduling it for the summer.
An opportunity to avenge a loss could be appealing to ‘Semtex.’ He fought ‘The Phenom’ at Bellator 158 in London, England. The fight didn’t go how he hoped as Lima picked up a decisive unanimous decision win. ‘Semtex’ complimented ‘The Phenom’ as being a great fighter and that he’d eventually like a rematch.
#1. Daley vs. Former Bellator title challenger Michael ‘Venom’ Page 2
Paul Daley and Michael ‘Venom’ Page had quite the rivalry with each other. After Page came up short against Logan Storley for the interim Bellator welterweight championship, perhaps the promotion could revisit the rivalry.
MVP and ‘Semtex’ fought in the opening round of the welterweight Grand Prix in 2019. It was a highly anticipated bout that unfortunately didn’t deliver what fans had hoped for. ‘Venom’ uncharacteristically shot for takedowns and controlled ‘Semtex’ on the ground. It was effective as he earned a unanimous decision and advanced to the semi-final.
One positive for Bellator is that MVP’s stock didn’t go down after his loss to Storley. Many believed he won the fight, so it’s different than if he was outclassed in all areas of the fight. With that in mind, Bellator should attempt to book a rematch between ‘Semtex’ and Page if he agrees to compete again. London would be the perfect location, which was a missed opportunity when they fought at Bellator 216.
