Paul Daley responds to Michael Page, says Page’s ‘whole world is going to unravel’ when they fight

Paul Daley’s change of heart with Bellator could mean the Michael Page fight is back on the table.

After publicly feuding with Bellator officials for months, Daley revealed Monday on The MMA Hour that his relationship with the promotion has shifted to a “very promising” place following a conversation Daley had with Bellator president Scott Coker prior to Bellator 199. Daley said he expects to have a follow-up meeting with Coker this week in London ahead of Bellator 200, where Page is scheduled to meet David Rickels in a co-headlining battle. And considering the long and tempestuous rivalry that has developed between the two Englishmen, Daley expects the much-anticipated grudge match between he and “MVP” to be one of the primary topics of his discussion with Coker.

“That’s a fight that’s going to be made, definitely,” Daley said Monday on The MMA Hour. “That’ll probably be one of the main points that me and Scott talk about. [Page] says he doesn’t want to fight because I’ve done him a favor and let the fight grow, and allow him to make more money than he’s probably ever made [in his career]. He says he doesn’t want to fight me now, but I think when we hash this deal out with Scott Coker, that the fight will be made and ‘MVP’ will get an ass-whooping.

“He’ll probably do very well this weekend against the 155er, predominantly wrestler that they’ve given him to allow him to look good,” Daley added, “as they’ve done with all of his fights, in fact. But when he does eventually step in there with me, the first genuine test of his career, he will get switched off within the first round, I’m pretty sure of that. If he can’t beat a fat, tubby (Fernando) Gonzalez — he got a split decision against him — then he’s got no chance against me.”

The animosity between Daley and Page is nothing new. The two rivals have continuously feuded for the past several years, with both men trading various callouts and insults in interviews and on social media. But despite several false starts, the fight has never come to fruition. And now Page appears to be over it.

Page told MMA Fighting ahead of Bellator 200 that he is “not interested” in the Daley fight anymore. Page said that Daley was “trying to sabotage” his relationship with Bellator and speculated whether “jealously” and disappointment over recent losses was playing a part in Daley’s disgruntlement with Bellator officials. “He’s falling short and it’s easier to kinda sabotage yourself and give yourself an excuse that that’s the reason as to why you couldn’t make it to the top,” Page said. “You automatically give yourself an excuse and a way out, and it seems like he’s that type of person.”

Daley, unsurprisingly, did not mince words in his response.

“This guy is obviously deluded,” Daley said. “He doesn’t know how to conduct himself in business. He doesn’t even realize that he’s been given his career. He’s been given his career, he’s been given fights, and he hasn’t fought anybody. So obviously his self-belief is going to be at an all-time high, but he cannot walk in my shoes on any given day. He’s not made of the same sh*t that I’m made of, so when we get in the cage, his whole world is going to unravel. He’s probably going to be crying at the end of the fight, I’ll say that.

“So hopefully we’ll make the fight, we get to see ‘MVP’ in tears, I get to run home with a bunch of money, and my fans are all happy.”

Daley reiterated that he is going to be seated cageside on Friday when Page takes on Rickels at Bellator 200, so the opportunity will be ripe for some post-fight theatrics if “MVP” is victorious and Bellator officials want to push forward with the Daley vs. Page narrative.

So regardless of Page’s stated disinterest, Daley is confident that the grudge match between the two countrymen is inevitable, especially considering the fact that it’s one of the biggest fights Bellator could make with its current welterweight division.

“It’s going to happen,” Daley said. “If it doesn’t happen, it’s not on my behalf. Me and my team, me and (manager) Ali (Abdel-Aziz) now, Dominance fight management, we’re ready to make the fight. And like I said, I’m meeting with Scott on Friday. I’m going to be cageside on Friday to see Mike, to see him win. I’m pretty sure, he should win, he should beat a guy like Rickels. He should do it pretty easily as well. I’m interested to see the fight and then hopefully we can get the contract signed and we can have a big date announced.”