Filed under: Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive
The recent blockbuster Zuffa-Strikeforce deal immediately brought with it some strange bedfellows. Not surprisingly, most of the pairings included UFC president Dana White, who had ripped fighters, TV executives and others in the press, cut others, and sworn off a few completely.
Among those who found themselves in strange situations was welterweight star Paul Daley, who had less than one year earlier been fired and banned for life from the UFC by White for a UFC 113 after-the-bell punch against Josh Koscheck. With the Zuffa-Strikeforce ownership change, Daley and White were suddenly in the fight business together again. Or were they?
When he heard the news of Strikeforce’s purchase, Daley publicly debated the possibility of backing out of his scheduled welterweight title fight with Nick Diaz. But the British bomber eventually decided to follow through on his promise to fight, and the two stars will meet on April 9 in San Diego in Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley. But despite the eyes of his old boss on him, Daley told MMA Fighting that he harbors no desire to redeem himself before the Zuffa brass.