On a night when Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua’s career found orbit again, a flash of madness put the future of English slugger Paul Daley in serious jeopardy.
The welterweight prospect threw a sucker-punch at bitter rival Josh Koschek long after the final bell of their UFC 113 bout. A sanctioning suspension is sure to follow, but more serious is UFC president Dana White’s insistence that Daley will never fight for the promotion again.
Simmering resentment
Bad blood had simmered between Daley and Koschek (both pictured, Koschek on top) since announcement of their title elimination bout. The pair traded public barbs at every opportunity, but on fight night Daley simply had no answer for his opponent’s vastly superior wrestling. Koschek put the Nottingham man on his back at will, easily controlling him from the top without doing much damage.
Daley did scramble back to his feet once in the first round, but threw an illegal knee to Koschek’s head on the way up (knees/kicks to the head of a downed opponent are not permitted). Koschek appeared dazed and was examined by the octagon-side doctor, but replays – broadcast to an increasingly agitated crowd – clearly showed the knee missing Koschek’s head, leading to accusations of play-acting.
Verbal taunts
Daley, already frustrated by the ‘phantom knee’ and his inability to mount any kind of offence, was verbally taunted by Koschek in the closing moments of the bout. Both fighters stood up at the final bell, but when Koschek walked away, an enraged Daley followed and unleashed a left hook that may blight his career for years to come.
“Paul Daley is done,” said Dana White at the post-event press conference. “I don’t care if he’s the best 170-pounder in the world. He’s never coming back.” Unless White softens his stance, Daley’s career will effectively be capped by the quality of opposition and salary that second-tier promotions like Strikeforce can offer.
Strikeforce brawl
Though condemnation for Daley has been universal, some have questioned the severity of his UFC life ban. Arguably, he is a victim of timing. Less than four weeks ago, Strikeforce Nashville was marred by a post-fight brawl during which fighter Jason Miller was viciously assaulted by members of middleweight champion Jake Shields’s camp. The melee, broadcast live on CBS, was perceived as a significant setback for the sport as a whole.
Dana White was particularly scathing of the Strikeforce brawl, so it is unsurprising that he should want to be seen ruthlessly stamping out the same behaviour in his own organisation. Critics, however, have been quick to point out that UFC fighter Nate Diaz – a teammate of Jake Shields and cornerman on the night – was heavily involved in the Strikeforce brawl, yet White saw fit not to punish him.
The double standard is sure to grate on Daley, who has since apologised for his actions. For now, he is left to ponder an uncertain future, and rue an enormously costly loss of control.
By Alan Murphy
Want more MMA? Check out the first part of our Ten Fights That Shaped the UFC here.
