Bellator Fighting Championships has announced it’s latest acquisition – former UFC and Strikeforce welterweight star Paul Daley.
Daley asked to be released from his Strikeforce contract last week after being unhappy with the amount of fights he was being given, and after being granted his wish Bellator were quick to swoop in and welcome into their welterweight roster.
“I’ve been a ‘Semtex’ fan for years,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney says. “He’s an incredibly explosive fighter who is magic to watch inside the cage. So, when the opportunity presented itself to join forces with Paul, it was a simple decision to make. Paul’s one of those fighters I’ve always intentionally stayed home to watch and now I can watch him cageside at Bellator.”
The 29 year-old Daley also appears to be happy with the chance to fight for the organization.
“I’ve been a fan of Bellator for a long while. When this chance came up, I was absolutely ready to make a long-term commitment to Bellator. I have my sights set on winning the tournament and winning that Bellator title.”
Bellator will look to put Daley to good use right away as he’s now been added to their Bellator 72 card on July 20, though his opponent has yet to be confirmed.
This is definitely a good move for Bellator with Daley being one of the most exciting, hard-hitting welterweight’s around and also does a good job of generating interest in his fights which the promotion could certainly take advantage of.
Daley is the third notable fighter to join Bellator’s ranks in recent weeks, following on from two other former Strikeforce fighters Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal and Brett Rogers.
