The bout will mark Misaki’s first in Strikeforce in more than three years with his only bout in the promotion resulting in a September 2008 TKO over Joe Riggs. The 24-11-2 Misaki is currently on a two-fight winning streak and last fought in April where he stopped Akira Shoji with strikes in the second round of their bout.

Daley has also emerged with his hand raised the last two times he’s fought though both came via decision, uncharacteristic for the 29-11-2 striker who has 20 TKOs to his credit. Among his notable past wins are instances of success against Jorge Masvidal, Jordan Radev, Duane Ludwig, and Martin Kampmann.

The March 3 event is scheduled to take place as part of the annual Arnold Sports Festival. Tate vs. Rousey will be for Tate’s bantamweight championship.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/FEG

News of the September 10 match-up was announced earlier today through an official press release from BAMMA.

“I want my title shot again, plain and simple,” the 28-year old powerhouse said when asked about the bout. “If I have to plow through Radev to get a crack at the belt, then unlucky for him. I can’t wait to be fighting for my U.K. fans again and promise that by the end of the year I’ll be crowned as the BAMMA welterweight champion.”

Daley holds an overall record of 27-11-2 with twenty TKOs and has only been finished once in the last three years. Among the notches on his belt are respected peers like Scott Smith, Jorge Masvidal, Martin Kampmann, and Duane Ludwig.

However, running through Radev is easier said than done, as the 23-4 Bulgarian has won four bouts in a row including a knockout of Bellator middleweight Alexander Shlemenko and also holds past victories over Yuya Shirai and Jorge Santiago.

“It’s a real honor to fight for BAMMA. I’m really impressed by their growth and I’m very happy to be making my debut against a World class fighter.” said Radev. “I want BAMMA to see me as a title contender, so if I have to beat the fan favorite for that recognition, so be it.”

BAMMA 7 will also feature Ultimate Fighter alumni Dean Amasinger and Andre Winner in respective rumbles, as well as well-rounded veteran Frank Trigg taking on talented judoka Jim Wallhead.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/BAMMA

According to multiple reports, Woodley has agreed to step in for Evangelista Santos on July 30 at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” and put his unbeaten streak on the line against British bomber Paul Daley after the hard-hitting Santos was recently forced to withdraw due to injury.

Word of the match-up first surfaced on MMAJunkie with a later report on MMAFighting supporting the claim. Strikeforce has not made an official announcement one way or the other.

“T-Wood” has won six straight fights in Strikeforce including the win over Saffiedine as well as success against Rudy Bears and Andre Galvao. The former All-American out of Missouri has finished six of the opponents he’s beaten including five via submission, important factors to consider when evaluating his potential pairing with Daley.

The standup-centric Daley has notched 20 of his 25 total victories through TKOs with a few strike-based submissions in the bunch as well. However, grappling has been viewed as one of his weaker points with tap-outs in half of his losses and decisions dropped to masters of the mat Nick Thompson and Josh Koscheck.

“Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” will take place in Chicago and feature a headlining bout between heavyweight icon Fedor Emelianenko and decorated champion Dan Henderson as well as a defense from female title-holder Marloes Coenen who faces ever-improving wrestler Miesha Tate. Saffiedine vs. Scott Smith and Tim Kennedy vs. Rob Lawler are also planned for the event.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The story was first reported by MMAWeekly.com

Known for his bad boy attitude, Daley will look to bounce back from an April loss to then Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. The fight, which many have called one of the best one round fights in MMA history, was a back and forth affair that ended with just three seconds left in the opening frame as Diaz stopped Daley with an onslaught of strikes to retain his title. Prior to the loss, Daley had won eight of his last nine bouts, with all but one coming needing to be stopped. Of Daley’s 27 career wins, 20 have come by way of (T)KO.

Like Daley, Santos knows what it’s like to lose to Diaz in a title fight. This past January, Santos fell victim to Diaz in the second round, tapping out with just ten seconds remaining in the round due to an armbar. Also like Daley, the majority of Santos’ career victories, 11 out of 18, have come by way of (T)KO.

Earlier this week Diaz vacated the Strikeforce welterweight strap as he’s moving to the UFC to challenge Georges St. Pierre later this year. While Daley vs. Santos won’t be for the vacant title, the fight will have title implications and the winner could very well fight for the belt in his next bout.

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson is scheduled for July 30 at the Sears Center in Chicago, Illinois. The event will be headlined by a superfight between MMA legends Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson. Also on the card is the long-waited Women’s 135 lb title fight between champion Marloes Coenen and top contender Miesha Tate.

*PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE*

Former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez continued his winning ways and emerged victorious for the eleventh consecutive time after outpointing TUF 10 alumnus James McSweeney at the event. The performance brought Rodriguez’s overall record to 46-11 and was the latest example in an impressive eight-year streak of opponents’ inability to finish him.

Also successful at BAMMA 5 was heavy-handed Brit Paul Daley who cemented a crack at Strikeforce welterweight title-holder Nick Diaz’s belt by flattening foe Yuya Shirai in less than two minutes. Though no date has been confirmed for the expected match-up it seems plausible an upcoming show on April 9 could work based on the quickness in which Shirai was dispatched.

Read below for a breakdown of BAMMA 5 results:

Jeremy Petley def. Frankie Slater via Submission Round 1 (Armbar)
Costas Doru def. Liam James via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke)
Tim Newman def. Diego Vital via Split Decision
Michael Johnson def. Paul Cook via Unanimous Decision
Jason Ball def. Peter Duncan via Knockout Round 2 (Strikes)
Lee Cohoon def. Rob Mills via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Mohsen Bahari def. Lee Barnes via TKO Round 1 (Strikes)
Claudio Henrique Da Silva def. Jean-Francois Lenogue via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke)
Alex Makhonin def. Xavier Foupa-Pokam via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Ricco Rodriguez def. James McSweeney via Unanimous Decision
Paul Daley def. Yuya Shirai via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes)

Daley is coming off a highlight-reel knockout of Scott Smith in December at “Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu 2” and has won seven of his last eight fights with the lone exception involving his infamous decision loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 113. However, “Semtex” will have more than a three-fight streak to protect when he faces Shirai, as he is considered to be one of Strikeforce’s top welterweight contenders and could lose his place on the divisional ladder with a defeat to the seasoned Shirai. The 20-8 Judoka has won three-quarters of his bouts by way of submission/decision while eight of Daley’s nine total losses have been the result of struggles on the mat.

In “big boy” action, Rodriguez will look to continue one of the most fascinating comeback stories of the last few years against McSweeney. After struggling with his weight and drug-related issues “Suave” has since regained his title-winning form and hammered out sixteen wins in his last eighteen fights including ten straight.

Here is a listing of other bouts currently attached to BAMMA 5:

Daniel Thomas vs. A.J. Wenn
Rob Mills vs. Leigh Cohoon
Jason Ball vs. Maktar Gueye
Paul Cook vs. Tom Maguire
Tim Newman vs. Diego Vital
Costas Doru vs. Liam James
Franky Slater vs. Jeremy Petley
Charlie Leary vs. Tom Breese

With the close of the year, Five Ounces of Pain is here to bring you our annual awards as we wind things down and get read for the adventures 2011 will undoubtedly bring. Over the next few days we will announce our winners in somewhat unique categories with a final batch of standard distinctions handed out on Friday, December 31.

As always, 5 Oz. invites our readers to offer their own opinions in the “Comments” section on who should have taken home the hardware (or in this case digital love). We would not be here without you, and rest assured the Staff not only appreciates your contributions from a “page view” standpoint, but genuinely enjoys reading our community’s take on topics. Have an incredibly fun, albeit safe, holiday week!

— The “Sometimes These Things Happen in MMA” Award —

Josh Barnett kicks “Mighty Mo” in the groin: In his first fight since being busted for steroids and effectively killing Affliction MMA, Josh Barnett took on a “gimme fight” against near 300 pound kickboxer “Mighty Mo” Siliga. In the middle of the bout, Barnett caught Mo with a front kick right to the groin, immediately dropping Mo to the mat. Usually when a fighter is hit in the groin, he is given five minute to recover. Well Mo was given about an hour before the fight was questionable resumed. Barnett quickly finished Mo and after the bout, proving he’s a fair man, Barnett allowed Mo to knee him in the groin. Now on every DREAM broadcast, when someone takes a strike to the groin, you often hear Michael Schiavello bring up “Mighty Mo’s balls” in reference to Barnett’s strike.

— Most Disappointing Moment of the Year —

Paul Daley vs. Josh Koscheck / Post-Fight: Though there was debate as far as going with Fedor Emelianenko finally losing in a clean manner, in retrospect the loss is more of an affirmation of why MMA is such a great sport rather than a particularly sad event. There were also, unfortunately, illegal acts and positive drug tests to consider as well. However, Paul Daley sucker-punching Josh Koscheck after their bout at UFC 113 won out as the final selection for a few reasons, the foremost being that it didn’t land clean.

Kidding, kidding.

To watch the explosive Brit likely throw away a career in the UFC because of something as small as frustration with Koscheck’s strategy was extremely disappointing. Not only is Daley an exciting fighter to watch perform, but he’s one of the most underrated hype-men in Mixed Martial Arts when it comes to promoting his match-ups to the media. His style and showmanship would have likely carried him a long way in the Octagon and now not only have fans lost out on the opportunity to see him in action against the world’s best welterweights, Daley flushed a significant future down the toilet for no real reason. The embarrassing post-fight shot also put a black-eye on MMA as far as creating the perception its participants are upon occasion uncontrollably violent even on the grandest stage in the sport. The public can generally stomach athletes breaking laws or doing drugs because they’re used to such transgressions but violence outside of the realm of competition is rarely tolerated. It was a shameful situation where nobody won outside of “Kos” on the judges’ scorecards.

— Best Performance in a Losing Role —

Chael Sonnen / UFC 117: Given the events that unfolded in the months after it happened it was tempting to give this award to someone else, but even we can’t deny that nobody deserves this distinction more than Chael Sonnen. He talked a big game leading up to his UFC Middleweight Championship fight with Anderson Silva, but hardly anybody figured that he would be able to back up that talk in the cage. Sonnen got the better of Silva on the feet, but the majority of his time was spent thoroughly dominating the champion on the mat. Silva had no answer for Sonnen’s takedowns, and as the rounds went by he had less and less time to save his title reign. Within the first few minutes of the fifth round it was all but over, as Sonnen was clearly on his way to a unanimous 50-45 decision win. Everyone saw what happened next but we cannot deny that Sonnen came closer to beating Silva than anybody else had done in the UFC. Had he not got popped for a banned substance he’d be on his way to an immediate rematch, something relatively unheard of for a challenger who definitively lost his first title shot. With his performance Sonnen established himself as the clear #2 fighter in the middleweight division, and he may very well be top dog by the time next year’s awards roll around.

PHOTO CREDIT – Tracy Lee / COMBAT LIFESTYLE

With the close of the year, Five Ounces of Pain is here to bring you our annual awards as we wind things down and get read for the adventures 2011 will undoubtedly bring. Over the next few days we will announce our winners in somewhat unique categories with a final batch of standard distinctions handed out on Friday, December 31.

As always, 5 Oz. invites our readers to offer their own opinions in the “Comments” section on who should have taken home the hardware (or in this case digital love). We would not be here without you, and rest assured the Staff not only appreciates your contributions from a “page view” standpoint, but genuinely enjoys reading our community’s take on topics. Have an incredibly fun, albeit safe, holiday week!

— The “Who Saw That Coming?” Award —

Fabricio Werdum submits Fedor Emelianenko: This was supposed to be another “tune up fight” for Fedor Emelianenko on his road to the Strikeforce heavyweight title. Werdum was looked at as a very good fighter with outstanding Jiu-Jitsu but most people’s lasting memory of him prior to this fight was seeing him get his clock cleaned by Junior dos Santos. Plus, Fedor is Fedor. He was practically undefeated, he was unstoppable, he was a robot, he was frickin’ Fedor! When the fight started, it looked like another cake walk for “The Last Emperor”. He immediately dropped Werdum and then pounced on him for the finish. Then it happened. Out of nowhere the Brazilian used Fedor’s aggressiveness and the cage to his advantage, locked on a triangle choke, and forced Fedor to give a single tap, but possibly the most memorable tap in MMA history. The once unbeatable had been beaten.

— Beatdown of the Year —

Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre / UFC 124: Not to be confused with “Fight of the Year”. Though there were plenty of options to consider, including Roger Huerta’s loss to Eddie Alvarez and Cain Velasquez’s title-win over Brock Lesnar, in the end GSP’s rivalry-ending smackdown of Koscheck prevailed. For months upon months fans listened to Koscheck spew his venom at Georges St. Pierre, questioning everything from the welterweight champion’s ability to strike to his hushed demeanor and preference for spandex trunks. An entire season of the Ultimate Fighter was dedicated to the rivalry he seemed intent on creating even if GSP wasn’t interested in engaging outside of the cage. However, once the two met in the Octagon at UFC 124 it became clear the most important jabs in MMA are not of the verbal variety. Koscheck left the event having lost all five rounds, sporting a broken orbital bone, and undoubtedly reflecting on how much more he needs to learn before he’s on the same level as the French-Candian champ. He was completely out-classed for twenty-four of the twenty-five minutes he spent in the ring, and though he may not have been rendered unconscious he most certainly exited Montreal the victim of a “beatdown”. Whether or not Team St. Pierre’s “male nurse”, i.e. Brad Tate, sent him a “Get Well Soon” card after the action concluded is still unknown…

— Most Meteoric Rise —

Anthony Pettis: Over 3.5 million. That’s how many times videos of Pettis delivering his amazing kick off the cage have been viewed on YouTube. It’s crazy to think that just one year ago Pettis was coming off the lone loss of his career against Bart Palaszewski, and now he’s one of the most popular fighters in the world. Pettis was able to rack up several impressive wins over the course of 2010, but none was bigger than his WEC Lightweight Championship win over Ben Henderson a few weeks ago. Not only did he deliver a kick that will be on MMA highlight reels for all of eternity, he also managed to showcase excellent skills in all areas of the sport. He’s next in line for the UFC Lightweight Championship, and after his star-making performance at WEC 53 he can be sure that everyone will be watching his next fight very closely in the hopes of seeing his next mind-bending maneuver.

Daley recently spoke to media about his upcoming fight against a man known for heart, a solid chin, and a willingness to let his hands go in hopes of wowing the crowd with a spectacular finish, as well as who he might like to face now that he’s signed to the Strikeforce roster.

“Scott is one of those guys that I used to watch back in the day, because of his game – he comes out and fights. He has that attitude that I admire and you know when he is in a fight it is going to be an exciting fight,” the 27-year old said of Smith. “The dude knocks people out…a man after my own heart. He likes to go in there and leave people lying on the floor, receiving oxygen. It is going to be a great fight. I have trained hard. I expect it to be a short but exciting fight.”

Daley also explained he isn’t overly concerned about Smith’s reputation for comeback wins. “It is something I have looked at in his past fights. He’s had some crazy fights where he comes back ‘Rocky’ style, but I am very good at finishing fights. When I hit people they stay hit.”

As far as whether or not he’s looked down the road at current Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz, Daley stated his focus was on “Hands of Steel” but he was also excited about the other opponents Strikeforce has to offer.

“Obviously first it’s Smith and to get him out of the picture real quick and then really I just want to take these names that Strikeforce has en route to the title or the people that I think are going to present me with the most challenge.”

The 25-9-2 knockout specialist also elaborated on specific individuals who intrigued him, as well as one he didn’t wasn’t particularly interested in fighting.

“Without being disrespectful to ‘Cyborg’ or (Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker), I don’t think that a fight with (Evangelista Santos) is something that I am looking for at the moment. I would rather fight K.J. Noons, Diaz straight away or Tyron Woodley, who is maybe not a bigger name but I respect him and I think a fight with him will not only be a challenge for me but it will be an exciting fight,” Daley expressed before continuing.

“But ideally I’d like to fight Noons after I knock out Smith. It makes it a more fun fight because I respect Smith, because I feel like I am familiar with them because I have watched a lot of their fights. I know how they operate and have a lot of knowledge on (them), rather than someone I don’t admire.”

The hard-hitting Daley has earned twenty of his twenty-five career wins by way of stand-up with his only TKO loss in 36 total fights being injury-related. He holds notable victories over Martin Kampmann and Duane Ludwig.

In addition to his bout with Smith, “Strikeforce – Henderson vs. Babalu” will also feature the headlining light heavyweights fighting over top contendership in the division, as well as middleweights Robbie Lawler and Matt Lindland offering a classic “striker vs. grappler” affair.

“I think we’re tailor made for each other,” said Smith during a media call on Tuesday. “I plan on this being a slugfest.”

Daley will likely welcome the slugfest but isn’t planning on charging out his corner and throwing wild haymakers. “There is going to be a little bit of caution because we’re both knockout punchers,” said Daley.

While Smith is known for his one punch comebacks where he looks to be defeated but snatches victory with his fight, Daley isn’t concerned about anything like that happening in this fight. “When I hit people, they stay hurt,” stated Daley.

Both fighters are looking for redemption following their previous bouts. Smith lost a rematch against Cung Le this past June where he was decimated by body kicks en route to a second round stoppage. Daley on the other hand picked up a controversial decision victory over Jorge Masvidal and was criticized for his performance against a much smaller competitor. Knowing that they both need a victory and an impressive one at that should make them even more willing to let it all hang out when the cage door shuts.

Although the bout has title implications, neither man seems too concerned with challenging Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce Welterweight Title should they be victorious. Daley stated, “I’d like to fight KJ Noons next after I knockout Scott Smith” while Smith said, “I just want to be in an exciting fight. That’s more important to me than a title fight.” Diaz holds a victory over Smith, defeating him in a catchweight fight of 180 pounds by third round submission just over a year ago. Meanwhile, Noons just lost a five round title fight against Diaz and it is unclear whether he’ll stay at welterweight, drop back down to lightweight, or continue to pursue his boxing career.

One thing is for sure, come December 4th when Daley and Smith finally trade leather; don’t blink.

The 5-foot-9, 27-year-old native of London who fights out of Nottingham, England, has won two straight and six of his last seven. Overall, the cocky, brash seven-year pro is 25-9-2.

Nicknamed “Semtex” after an explosive that British armed forces use to demolish large structures, Daley is coming off a unanimous three-round decision over recent Strikeforce signee, Jorge Masvidal, last Saturday, September 11th. It was the first time since July 1, 2006, that Daley had won a fight on points.

Daley is a freelance mixed martial artist whose style is an aggressive mix of striking, striking and more striking.

“I am a striker – there is no secret about that,’’ the exciting British bomber said. “I like to knock people out aggressively and quickly. That’s my game and no opponent’s going to change that. Almost all my fights are exciting and memorable with non-stop action.’’

Daley specializes in Muay Thai (Dutch style). He utilizes lead leg kicks often and possesses devastating knees and quick, heavy hands.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for Strikeforce and would really love to fight (current Strikeforce welterweight champ) Nick Diaz,’’ Daley said. “He’s a big name and a great fighter. Diaz would bring out the best in me and would be a great test.’’

Daley, who has compiled a highlight reel of impressive knockout victories, has competed against some of the best since turning professional in June 2003. Three of his most significant victories came against Masvidal, a 2:24, first-round KO (punches) over Dustin Hazelett on January 2nd, 2010, and a 2:31, first-round TKO (punches) over Martin Kampmann on September 19th, 2009.

A former Cage Rage champion, Daley appeared on a Strikeforce co-promoted card on June 22, 2007. On the undercard of Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni in San Jose, California, he registered a second-round TKO (punches) over Duane “Bang’’ Ludwig.

Daley was introduced to martial arts when he began taking karate at the age of 7. Besides England, he also trains in Holland. For a time several years ago, Daley was involved in a project with Mothers Against Guns in London.

Comparably, Masvidal weighed in at 168.75 pounds and will be looking for a second consecutive win by beating the powerful striker. He is 20-5 in his career and most recently won a split decision over Naoyuki Kotani last April.

The evening’s main event between Keith Jardine and Trevor Prangley had no such stumbling blocks with both fighters actually coming in below the “205″ mark. Jardine registered in at 204.5 pounds, while sometimes-middleweight Prangley came in at 202.75 pounds.

Here is a complete rundown of results from the Shark Fights 13 weigh-in:

Pete Spratt (170.25 lbs) vs. Eric Davila (176.5 lbs)*
Karen Darabedyan (155.75 lbs) vs. Daniel Straus (152.75 lbs)
Devin Cole (233.25 lbs) vs. Aaron Rosa (241.75 lbs)
Paul Bradley (170.5 lbs) vs. John Reese (169.25 lbs)
Douglas Evans (144.25 lbs) vs. Ronnie Mann (144.75 lbs)
Brock Larson (170.75 lbs) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (169.75 lbs)
Joey Villasenor (185.5 lbs) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.5 lbs)
Paul Daley (171.75 lbs) vs. Jorge Masvidal (168.75 lbs)**
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (204.5 lbs) vs. Houston Alexander (202.25 lbs)
Keith Jardine (204.5 lbs) vs. Trevor Prangley (202.75 lbs)

* – Spratt agreed to a catch-weight bout with Davila
** – Daley will forfeit 10% of his “show” pay to Masvidal for the infraction

It now looks like the temporary wound left by Condit’s removal from the card has found it’s tourniquet in the form of the submission wizard known to many as “McLovin”, who has apparently agreed to the UFC 108 contest according to a recent report over at MMAWeekly.

The pair will face off in a classic “striker vs. grappler” match-up on January 2 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Daley will be returning to the Octagon the heels of his impressive UFC debut where the heavy handed Brit knocked Martin Kampmann senseless with a whirlwind of strikes in the first round during UFC 103, while Hazelett will making his first return to the cage since a November 2008 submission victory over Tamdan McCrory at UFC 91.

A full list of the bouts expected for UFC 108 are listed below:

Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva

Paul Daley vs. Dustin Hazelett

Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout

Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller

Sean Sherk vs. Rafaello Oliveira

Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon

Martin Kampmann vs. Rory Markham

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Steve Cantwell

Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen

Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger

As it stands now, Daley has been left without an opponent for a fight he still intends to take one way or the other less than a month from now on January 2, and he’s not the least bit happy about the current situation he finds himself in according to a recent post on The Underground.

Step up!! You pussy…UFC 108 … You know me, I’d except any fight. I just wanna fight. Condit is a big pussy IMO, i have inside information on that dude….it’s all good as long as i fight. Koshcheck…is a tough motherfucker, but i accept the challange. Hazellet has sick subs, and is dangerous, but i except that fight too. Any top level figher in 170lbs with a winning record. Joe make it happen.

Although Josh Koscheck has recently been announced to be facing off with Paulo Thiago in a rematch set for UFC 109, Dustin Hazelett should be itching for a fight after an anticipated showdown with Karo Parisyan was recently scrapped.

Many experts rationalized that Kampmann would have a decisive edge in this match-up due to his considerably more dangerous ground attack. Surprisingly, outside of a single takedown attempt early on, Kampmann was more than willing to trade with Daley, and it was this willingness to trade that ended up costing him  the bout.

After stunning Kampmann with a big right hand, Daley swarmed the Xtreme Couture trained fighter with a vicious assault of punches that forced the referee to call a halt to the contest just midway throught the opening frame.

Initially scheduled to debut against Brian Foster at UFC 103, the former Cage Rage welterweight champion stepped in on short notice to face Kampmann in place of an injured Mike Swick. This move also placed Daley on the televised main card for the event instead of the undercard.

The Nottingham, England fighter recently sat down with Telegraph.co.uk and gave his reaction to the news that he would be facing Kampmann, explaining,”I got a text from my manager, and immediately I read it and thought ‘I am having it!’. I grabbed some of my coaches and watched some films of his fights. I’ve know of Kampmann for years, actually, I’ve emailed with him in the past and we’ve helped each other with advice on where to train.

“It is a better fight for me than the Foster fight. I won’t be fighting the best Kampmann, because with so much to lose he will be very nervous and unsettled at the start. This would have been a number one contender fight, but now he’s in a position that if he wins he kinda stays where he is. That’s tough psychologically for a fighter. I can exploit that in a hurry if that happens.

“I’ve got a lot on the line too. A lot of people have written on the forums that this is a win/win for me, that even a good showing on such short notice is going to be a good result for me. But I could never be happy with a loss, no way. I’d be disgusted with myself if I was ever happy that I lost.

Paul Daley has combined a 21-8-2 record and has shown incredible punching power, his takedown defense is questionable, but he seemingly has nothing to lose with the Kampmann fight. If he wins, he beat someone in line for a title shot. If he puts on a good effort and loses, he shows the UFC and fans alike that he belongs in the octagon.

Martin Kampmann 15-2, on the other hand, has a lot more to loss in this fight. If he loses to “Semtex”, he loses his current bid for a shot at Georges St. Pierre and has to start over again. If he wins, he probably stays idle for another fight, possibly facing the winner of Mike Swick’s next fight to determine who’s next in line for GSP.

However, a lot of credit is deserved for Kampmann taking on a newcomer in Daley, he knows he has more to lose and should be more than willing to fight for it.

According to Swick’s Twitter account, he suffered a “pretty bad” concussion while training when his legs were swept from under him and he landed on his head/neck. No timetable has been announced for his return to the Octagon.

In related news, British publication The Sun is reporting newly signed welterweight Paul Daley will step in for the injured Swick to face Kampmann. Daley, who was originally scheduled to face Brian Foster on the same card, is a respected striker who has compiled 16 TKOs in his 21 wins.

The news of the signing was first reported by MMA Fanhouse.

Hieron will be making his second appearance in Affliction. He fought on the promotion’s “Day of Reckoning” card where he knocked out Jason High in 64 seconds. It was Hieron’s fifth consecutive victory.

Daley is a veteran of Cage Rage and had posted six straight wins of his own before falling to Jake Shields in 2008. Daley rebounded from the loss to Shields with a victory over John Alessio but lost by unanimous decision to Nick Thompson earlier this year.

However, Daley remained busy and quickly got back into the cage, posting first-round knockouts over lower-level opponents on March 29 and April 18. This will mark his third fight in the last six months.

Affliction III is expected to take place in the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

This Friday night’s bout between Paul “Semtex” Daley and Nick “The Goat” Thompson is one that could just as well be taking place at Saturday night’s UFC card, but it will be taking place at Canada’s largest fight promotion instead. The two extremely dangerous and highly talented 170 pounders will lock horns at MFC 20: Destined for Greatness. An event appropriately titled as the winner of this bout may very well be headed in that direction.

Long known and feared as one of the game’s most lethal strikers, Daley has the kind of explosiveness, showmanship and stand up firepower that any organization would be glad to add to their roster, but according to Daley there is just one promotion that he has his sights set on for 2009, and it’s easy to see why.

The twenty five year old Nottingham, England fighter stated in an exclusive interview with FiveOuncesOfPain.com conducted just days before his showdown with Thompson, that he has every intention of making his way to the UFC in 2009.

First things first, he has a menacingly experienced and large welterweight in the form of Thompson that he has to deal with this Friday night before he can plan on fighting anywhere.

Cory Brady: Did you expect John Alessio to stand up with you as much as he did?

Paul Daley: I did anticipate for John to stand with me for a little while because he isn’t really a standout fighter in any area. I expected a bit of everything, as he showed with takedown attempts, boxing, etc.

Cory Brady: Where have you spent most of your time training for Nick Thompson and who are some of the key people that have been helping you out?

Paul Daley: I have split my camp between the UK and Holland for my fight with Nick. I have been training in the UK with Dan Hardy, Jim Wallhead and some others.

Cory Brady: I know you have been training with Melvin Manhoef recently. Have you had a chance to work with him at all for this one?

Paul Daley: This fight I did not train so much with Melvin himself, but have still been at the great Mike’s Gym, with all the other great fighters.

Cory Brady: Who has been the base of your training crew?

Paul Daley: The core of my training crew for this fight has been Joey Van Wanrooy, Mike Passenier from Mike’s Gym, Dan Hardy, Jim Wallhead and Lee Livingston.

Cory Brady: What are your thoughts on Nick Thompson and how do you feel you guys match up?

Paul Daley: Nick is a very tough guy. He’s big for a welterweight and well rounded. I don’t mind the height difference at all. I have always been the small guy in the ring or cage but I always find a way to blow away the height advantage.

Cory Brady: Do you feel that Nick is going to try to get you to the ground as soon as possible or do you anticipate for him to try to trade with you at all?

Paul Daley: I don’t think it is that obvious that he will take it to the ground. He has great stand up ability. He showed how good his stand up is in his fight with Eddie Alvarez, who is much the same as me in height and build.

Cory Brady: What do you think of Nick’s wrestling ability?

Paul Daley: I think his wrestling is OK, but he is no Jake Shields and I did pretty good at stuffing some of Jake’s takedowns.

Cory Brady: You don’t expect to have any problems stuffing his takedown attempts?

Paul Daley: His wrestling will not be a problem, I am better than that.

Cory Brady: What would be the absolute perfect ending to this fight for you?

Paul Daley: The perfect ending to this fight would be a victory via KO with a KO of the night bonus, after an exciting fight…of the night.

Cory Brady: Are you under contract with MFC right now or are you a free agent?

Paul Daley: I am not under contract with MFC but I am not a free agent…..Yet.

Cory Brady: I’m going to ask you about three different organizations and I would like to know your brief thoughts on each one and if you would ever consider fighting for any of the promotions in the future.

Cory Brady: Strikeforce?

Paul Daley: Strikeforce is a great organization and they put on great shows.

Cory Brady: Affliction?

Paul Daley: Affliction has great shows, great fight purses and really cool t-shirts.

Cory Brady: Then of course, the UFC?

Paul Daley: I would love to fight for the UFC, as the best fighters in the world in my weight category are there. I would love to fight for the UFC in 2009.

During EliteXC’s “Heat” event in South Florida on Oct. 4 that was televised as a part of CBS’ Saturday Night Fights franchise, Daley was forced to submit to an armbar at 3:47 of round two following an impressive showing in round 1.

However, it was a different story Friday night while competing for the Maximum Fighting Championships at the River Cree Resort Casino in Alberta, Canada, with Daley using three left hands to finish former UFC and WEC veteran John Alessio at 2:18 of round 2.

Daley, known for his striking prowess as opposed to his ground fighting ability, was able to defend Alessio’s frequent takedown attempts. The end came after Alessio failed to bring Daley down to the mat with an ankle pick, which left the veteran’s face wide open for punishment.

“I saw from his fight with Thiago Alves that leg kicks could work on him so I went with them right from the start — mostly low but I threw a few high ones as well,” the 25-year-old Daley said in a post-fight interview. “I knew he was going to strike for a bit to set up the takedown so I used that to my advantage.”

Daley won the contest despite missing the mandated 170 pound weight limit by four pounds the day prior. The failure to make weight forced him to have to sacrifice 25 percent of his contracted purse to Alessio in order to ensure the fight went off as scheduled.

The win improved Daley’s record to 18-7-2 and after the fight, he indicated that he expects to return to action in January and stated that he’ll likely be competing either for Alliction Entertainment in the U.S. or for the Japan-based Sengoku promotion.

Daley remains contracted to ProElite, the parent company o

f EliteXC, and still is waiting to be granted unrestricted free agency while the company attempts to secure new financing so that it can restructure. The promotion suspended operations in mid-October amid financial woes. Daley will be allowed to compete outside of his contract since he has a non-exclusive agreement with ProElite.

In addition to Daley’s victory, Emanuel Newton claimed the MFC light heavyweight title from Roger Hollett following a unanimous decision victory. The win marked the one-time IFL veteran’s eighth victory in a row and improved his record to 10-3-1.