Paul Daley celebrates after beating Lorenz Larkin (Picture: Bellator)

Paul Daley is happy to fight Michael Venom Page, but has insisted it is the fans who do not want the British blockbuster to happen.

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The Bellator welterweight is fresh off another stunning stoppage against former title challenger, Lorenz Larkin and called out his British rival straight after the win inside the cage.

The call-out reignited hopes that the two British fighters will finally clash in the Bellator cage after months of back and forth between the two.

But, Daley then backtracked on the comments, insisting MVP was nowhere near his level.


Paul 'Semtex' Daley Fights 58 Wins 40 By KO 30 Losses 16 Draws 2 Share

Michael Page (Picture: Getty)

And speaking to Metro.co.uk, Daley explained his thinking when it comes to fighting the younger challenger.



‘As a fighter, I’ve got to try and line up potential next opponents and MVP will always be a potential next opponent,’ he said.

‘Much to my disgust, I’ve got to keep mentioning him. It’s a fight people are interested in seeing and it’s a fight I would love to make happen.

Michael 'Venom' Page Wins 13 Fights 13 By KO 8 By Submission 3 Losses 0 Share

‘Saying that, Lorenz is a massive, massive win and MVP hasn’t fought anywhere near the caliber of opponent I have fought throughout my career.

‘And he hasn’t beaten anyone of note. The only guy he has beaten is Cyborg Santos, which was a great stoppage, but he is way over the hill.

‘He’s got a cool name, that’s it.’

Despite his reservations, Daley insisted it was a bout he would be willing to make, but believes that after a bit of research, it is not one the fans want.

‘The reason I put it out on my Facebook is because I wanted to gauge everybody’s opinions,’ he continued.

‘I put a little poll thing out on Facebook to see the responses I would get. And there are some people that are saying MVP would be a cool fight, but the general consensus is that he doesn’t deserve it.

‘It’s a fight that people want to see, but they don’t feel like he’s earned it.

‘And that’s kind of how I feel. It’s nothing to do with me fearing anybody, because I’ll fight anybody.

‘It’s to do with does he deserve the fight? He thinks he is such a big shot.

‘But, the fans say he doesn’t deserve it. He hasn’t earned his place among the hardcore MMA fans.

‘Social media love him, but the hardcore fans and people who really know fighting speak the truth, what has this guy done?

‘He’s 12-0 against bums, so why should he be given me?

‘I’d love to make it happen, it’s definitely a fight the social media era of fans want to see, but the hardcore fans say Paul, you deserve to be going for a title.’

Page is getting ready for his boxing debut (Picture: Hayemaker)

Daley’s brutal knockout of Larkin fires him straight back into the welterweight title picture after a damaging second-round loss to Rory MacDonald in London in May.



The 33-year-old turned down the chance to headline London alongside MVP and then passed over the chance to fight him again in favour of facing Larkin.

Daley’s decision-making has infuriated MVP who feels his rival is running from him, but Daley disputed this.

He countered: ‘I am just going to see how it pans out. I’ll listen to everybody – the fans, my team, Bellator, hear what crap MVP has to say and most importantly myself.

‘Then we’ll see what happens because it will be a long process (agreeing MVP fight).

‘It’s a fight that has to be in the summer. Has to be in the UK, so that’s a long time away and I am not going to sit out that long.

‘Summer 2018 MVP is possible, but that’s a long way away.’

Daley seems open to penciling in a 2018 summer clash with MVP, but has several demands for Bellator if he is to agree to the British blockbuster.

‘I like to keep busy and for me, I would love to do a kickboxing match,’ said Daley.

‘That would be ideal – with Bellator kickboxing.

‘And if the MVP fight is the fight they (Bellator) want and the fight they are, more importantly, going to pay for. They’ve got to give me what I want, that’s for sure if I am going to fight MVP.

‘I’ve been asking for a long time for kickboxing and they’ve not given me any. So if they don’t do that, then the MVP fight ain’t going to happen.


‘Not because I’m spitting my dummy out or anything like that, it’s just because I refuse to sit out between now and the summer just to beat up MVP.

‘There’s a lot of people that can be smashed in between. That’s all.

‘For the MVP to have the maximum affect, the time has to be right, the venue has to be right with a big enough of a build-up and I need to be kept to be busy.’

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