Paul Daley: “Semtex” Ready for Jenkins
Prep for Jenkins & future bouts
Pedro Wrobel Apr 29, 2005
Sherdog.com: Let's talk about your training because you've been a
bit of a jetsetter recently. You've trained already with the
American Top Team and this time you've been over in the U.S. again,
training with Eddie Bravo at the Bomb Squad Gym.
Daley: Yeah, and I want to start by giving props to Eddie, and to Chris Riley who owns the gym where we were training. I wanted to thank Chris for his help with my stand-up game and with my boxing.
As for Eddie, well, he's the original ninja. That guy can do stuff
I've never even seen before, it's crazy. But in the middle of all
that crazy shit there's some techniques that are perfect for MMA.
Eddie showed me the London guard; we drilled the Twister, but I'll
be amazed if I can pull that one off! The point is that after
training with him I can feel that my guard game has improved
tremendously.
Sherdog.com: Was that the main gain from this trip?
Sherdog.com: Great, then let's talk about the future. What else have you got lined up after Cage Rage?
Daley: I'll be fighting at the Sportfight event on May 28, which is the event that Randy Couture and Matt Lindland promote. It's not 100 percent confirmed but it is almost there. My American agent is putting that deal together as we speak. Before that I should be fighting at the Rough House: Nemesis show on 21 May, where I will be fighting a Muay Thai bout.
Sherdog.com: Will the Nemesis bout go ahead even if the Sportfight appearance is confirmed? It's only the week before.
Daley: It is only the week before but this fight will go ahead regardless. I'm a fighter and this is what I do.
Sherdog.com: Good stuff. OK, well, you've been fighting pretty much exclusively in the UK so far. What does it mean for you to potentially fight in the U.S., in Couture and Lindland's show?
Daley: Well, Sportfight is a prestigious show quite apart from the quality of the card, just because of the people promoting it. As for fighting in the U.S., my trips there have been about more than just training, it's been about scouting, you know? It was about seeing what level the fighters were at in the U.S. and I think I'm on that level too. I think I can knock the Americans out as easily as I can knock the UK guys out.
Sherdog.com: How about the EVT (European Vale Tudo) event? I know you've been confirmed to fight over in Sweden in October.
Daley: Yeah, I am. That's going to be a very tough tournament.
Sherdog.com: Yes, I was going to ask you about the tournament. Why don't you explain what that event will involve?
Daley: Sure, well the idea is that the EVT selected a bunch of the top guys from across Europe, from as many countries and weight categories as they could afford. The idea was to get real "top of the food chain" guys and put together four-man tournaments in each weight category to determine a champion. All the tournaments are going to be decided on the same night, so if I win I'll have to win twice.
Sherdog.com: You've never done that before, have you? Fight twice in one night, I mean.
Daley: Not as a pro, no. I've done it as an amateur but not since I turned pro. But I'm good to go, you know? I'm ready. I'm young, my cardio is good and I'm strong. And none of those bouts will go the distance anyway, not if I can help it.
Sherdog.com: Well good luck with that one, Paul. Let's talk about another event you'll be fighting in, the FX3 show in Reading, on June 18. There's been some bad blood between you and …
Daley: (loudly) An idiot called Sami Berik! The guy has done well out of fighting me. Nobody knew who this guy was until this fight was announced and now, because of all that shit talking [on the CageWarriors forum], he's suddenly got a name. I'm the one who's taking the risk here, fighting this nobody, but I'm taking the fight because I'm a fighter and this is what I do.
Daley: Yeah, and I want to start by giving props to Eddie, and to Chris Riley who owns the gym where we were training. I wanted to thank Chris for his help with my stand-up game and with my boxing.
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Sherdog.com: Was that the main gain from this trip?
Daley: I think the main thing was that I was
and am looking to improve on the areas of my game that I felt were
weak, you know? In my case, I'm a big believer in going back to the
source. If I need to improve my Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the best
place to do that is in Brazil then that's where I'll go. If I want
to learn Muay Thai then I'll go to Thailand. Go to the source,
that's my plan. I needed to sort out my guard game so I went to see
the man, Eddie Bravo.
Sherdog.com: Great, then let's talk about the future. What else have you got lined up after Cage Rage?
Daley: I'll be fighting at the Sportfight event on May 28, which is the event that Randy Couture and Matt Lindland promote. It's not 100 percent confirmed but it is almost there. My American agent is putting that deal together as we speak. Before that I should be fighting at the Rough House: Nemesis show on 21 May, where I will be fighting a Muay Thai bout.
Sherdog.com: Will the Nemesis bout go ahead even if the Sportfight appearance is confirmed? It's only the week before.
Daley: It is only the week before but this fight will go ahead regardless. I'm a fighter and this is what I do.
Sherdog.com: Good stuff. OK, well, you've been fighting pretty much exclusively in the UK so far. What does it mean for you to potentially fight in the U.S., in Couture and Lindland's show?
Daley: Well, Sportfight is a prestigious show quite apart from the quality of the card, just because of the people promoting it. As for fighting in the U.S., my trips there have been about more than just training, it's been about scouting, you know? It was about seeing what level the fighters were at in the U.S. and I think I'm on that level too. I think I can knock the Americans out as easily as I can knock the UK guys out.
Sherdog.com: How about the EVT (European Vale Tudo) event? I know you've been confirmed to fight over in Sweden in October.
Daley: Yeah, I am. That's going to be a very tough tournament.
Sherdog.com: Yes, I was going to ask you about the tournament. Why don't you explain what that event will involve?
Daley: Sure, well the idea is that the EVT selected a bunch of the top guys from across Europe, from as many countries and weight categories as they could afford. The idea was to get real "top of the food chain" guys and put together four-man tournaments in each weight category to determine a champion. All the tournaments are going to be decided on the same night, so if I win I'll have to win twice.
Sherdog.com: You've never done that before, have you? Fight twice in one night, I mean.
Daley: Not as a pro, no. I've done it as an amateur but not since I turned pro. But I'm good to go, you know? I'm ready. I'm young, my cardio is good and I'm strong. And none of those bouts will go the distance anyway, not if I can help it.
Sherdog.com: Well good luck with that one, Paul. Let's talk about another event you'll be fighting in, the FX3 show in Reading, on June 18. There's been some bad blood between you and …
Daley: (loudly) An idiot called Sami Berik! The guy has done well out of fighting me. Nobody knew who this guy was until this fight was announced and now, because of all that shit talking [on the CageWarriors forum], he's suddenly got a name. I'm the one who's taking the risk here, fighting this nobody, but I'm taking the fight because I'm a fighter and this is what I do.
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