Issue 153

April 2017

Paul Daley: Knockout artist in the UFC, Strikeforce and now Bellator.

What’s the hardest you’ve ever hit someone in competition?

It’s hard to tell how hard you hit someone because you don’t feel the shot. I fought a kickboxing fight with a broken hand because I tried to finish Dennis Olson in a Bellator bout. I broke my hand in a few places at the end of that fight trying to hit Dennis so hard.

Who would your dream opponent be?

I was a massive Takanori Gomi fan when he was in his prime. He was the man. He had the heavy hands, the takedown defense, the good wrestling and he was such a mean guy. That didn’t cross over when he got to North America, but he’s the immediate name that jumps to mind.

What’s been the toughest fight of your life so far?

I was absolutely kicked to s**t by Mohammad Ghaedibardeh, who is an awesome kickboxer – a huge Iranian smasher. I was completely ineffective in the first round. I was just a punching bag.

It was a fight where I had to say, ‘If you want to win this fight you have to find something, somewhere to make it happen.’ Kickboxing wise, I was not on this guy’s level, but I dug deep and found something.

Did that performance change you as a fighter?

Yeah, that one experience right there is something I carry with me. I was in a complete daze. After the fight, I was probably limping and hobbling around for a month. It was a really bad first round.

That gives me a lot of confidence. It’s something my coaches refer to when I need to find something extra. To have been absolutely battered by someone who is so elite and then to come back and win on guts and determination, that’s what fighting is all about.