The winner of the tilt would lay undeniable claim to the No. 1 contender title, become one of the coaches for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter , AND receive a guaranteed shot at pound-for-pound king Georges "Rush" St-Pierre.
In other words, when the sun rose in Montreal, it found Daley sitting on top of the mixed martial arts world. Well, maybe very close to the top.
When our central star emerges Sunday morning, it will find an MMA landscape from which Semtex has been banished. At least from its choicest real estate.
That's pretty hard to imagine, but easy to believe after he sucker-punched Kos.
The 27-year-old got himself cut from the organization and—if we are to believe Dana White's emotional post-fight proclamation, which is an admittedly dicey proposition—permanently kicked to the curb by delivering a cowardly left hook to Koscheck after the horn had ended the final stanza of the three-round contest.
The punishment is neither surprising nor inappropriate.
As many have and will say, there's absolutely zero room for antics such as that in the world of professional combat sports.
If you can't trust a guy to keep his wits about him and anger in check once the official unpleasantries have ended, he's simply too much of a liability.
Period—these physical specimens are that dangerous.
Luckily for the new No. 1 welterweight contender, the dastardly deed left him no worse for the wear. Nevertheless, Semtex's best impression of LeGarrette Blount definitely connected with Koscheck's face, even if it didn't look like it did too much damage.
Make no mistake, however, a blow like that from a heavy-handed PAID striker to an unsuspecting target could've done irreparable harm. Actually, there's no reason the striker has to be paid for the art.
Ask Kermit Washington or Rudy Tomjanovich—I'd wager both men would take a do-over on that infamous haymaker.
If any number of variables shakes down even slightly different, neither Koscheck nor Daley would've escaped so easily.
Consequently, White stuck the landing when he came down with both feet on the promising young fighter. Still, it's a pretty astounding turn of events given Semtex's last year, his first in the UFC.
Describing his rise as "meteoric" would be perfectly accurate.
In Daley's debut, he was supposed to ease into the deeper organizational waters via the preliminary portion of the UFC 103 card. Instead, an injury to Mike "Quick" Swick created an opening in the main card and Semtex walked right through it. What's more, he won that bout, stopping Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann via technical knockout due to strikes in less than three minutes.
Four months later, the British export graduated all the way to the co-main event at UFC 108 where he was schedule to square off against Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit. However, the injury bug bit once again and forced Condit from the event. Dustin "McLovin" Hazelett would be opposite Daley in the Octagon.
Semtex earned Knockout of the Night honors with his first-round detonation of McLovin's chin in, again, less than three minutes.
However, the occasion was not a pure triumph as Daley had missed the 170-pound limit. The match was contested at the catchweight of 172 pounds because of the heavier fighter's failure of discipline, a subtle and dismissed harbinger of things to come.
The Hitman and McLovin aren't world-beaters, but they're far from tomato cans. To hang both their pelts on his wall in impressive fashion was quite an accomplishment for Semtex.
Which makes his absurdly self-destructive meltdown at UFC 113 an incredible waste.
Daley spent 15 minutes trying and failing to connect with his devastating left hook and take the next step on his way to MMA immortality. Josh Koscheck's superior wrestling and defense just wouldn't cooperate, frustrating him at every junction.
Sadly, it turns out the vanquished wasn't going to leave the cage without landing at least one of those hooks.
Well, Paul Daley succeeded.
Except this time, it was Semtex who was devastated.
Preliminary Bouts:
Joe Doerksen def. Tom Lawlor via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 2, 2:10
Lawlor, who came out dressed as "Apollo Creed" from Rocky, controlled the first round with strikes. Doerksen relaxed in the second round, took Lawlor down and eventually submitted him via rear-naked choke.
Marcus Davis def. Jonathan Goulet via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 1:23
Davis connected with a right hook, followed by a left uppercut, which knocked out the hometown favorite, Goulet.
Johny Hendricks def. TJ Grant via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
Hendricks dominated the last two rounds of the fight with his wrestling. He scored a couple solid takedowns and avoided getting caught in Grant's guard. Grant also lost a point in the third round due to a second kick below the belt. Hendricks improves to 8-0.
Joey Beltran def. Tim Hague via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
MMA Fighting scored the first and second rounds for Beltran. His speed and crisper striking skills were the difference. Hague won the third round, though, with a nice takedown and strikes from the mount. His slow start cost him the fight.
Mike Guymon def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Guymon dominated all three rounds. He almost submitted Yoshida via rear-naked choke in the second round. In the third round, he dominated more on the ground. Guymon was very emotional after the fight.
John Salter def. Jason MacDonald via TKO (injury) -- 1st round, 2:42
MacDonald severely fractured his ankle defending a takedown. It looks like his foot got caught in the mat, similar to what happened to Duane Ludwig in March. He was unable to continue due to the injury and needed to be helped out of the Octagon.
Joe Doerksen vs. Tom Lawlor
Round 1
The fighters trade evenly with Doerksen looking much more aggressive than he normally does to start a bout. Lawlor catches him with a crisp left hook and drops the Canadian, but he gets right back up. Lawlor catches Doerksen with a right and a left and Doerksen is looking wobbly. Lawlor is teeing off then things even off. Doerksen is bloody around his left eye and Lawlor is marked up too. Good right hand by Doerksen and Lawlor misses with a right of his own and falls down to the cavas off balanced. Doerksen is on top with his back against the cage. 10-9 Lawlor.
Round 2
The pair trade, with nothing substantial landing. Nice combo by Doerksen, as he lands a left kick and a left punch. Lawlor catches Doerksens left leg and takes him down, but Doerksen immediately jumped to his back, and with only one hook in, elicits a fight-ending tapout by rear-naked choke at the 2:10 mark.
Patrick Cote vs. Alan Belcher
Round 1
Belcher starts with a left kick to the body and Cote counters it with a right hand. Neither man lands flush. Belcher goes back to Cote’s body with three more kicks. Make it seven. Belcher then kicks Cote directly on the groin protector. Referee Mario Yamasaki gives Cote time to recover and we’re back on. Cote lands a right hand and Belcher goes to the legs. Belcher lands a clean left hook. Cote opens up and Belcher connects with a right-handed jab. Cote kicks a low kick. Belcher connects again to the body and Cote trips him to the canvas. Cote hits the body and head with his right hand. Belcher holds on with double underhooks and a butterfly guard from the bottom. Cote passes to half guard and goes to work on the right arm with a kimura. Cote passes the head with his right leg and Belcher winces. Belcher fights to get of danger and Cote gives up position and finds himself on the bottom in half guard. Belcher passes to side control and sets up an arm-triangle choke. He lets go elbows the head with his left arm. The blow opens a cut above Cote’s right eye. Cote scrambles from the bottom at the end of the round, but he can’t get to his feet.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Belcher
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Belcher
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Belcher
Round 2
Belcher kicks the body to start round two. Yamasaki calls time: Belcher began the period without his mouthpiece. He’s fitted with his protection and Belcher gets right back to work with a right kick to the body. Cote opens up with his hands and lands a right and a left hook. Belcher gets to the clinch, where he pushes his opponent against the fence. Belcher knees the body. Belcher steps back and both fighters land power punches in a flurry. Cote got the best of the exchange with a right hook. Belcher knees the body and Cote gets a single leg. Belcher hops to his feet and Cote works a double against the fencing. Belcher picks Cote up and powerbombs Cote right on his face. Belcher transitions to the back and locks on a rear-naked choke with both hooks. Cote taps and complains that his head was spiked on the floor. The throw looks clean on the TV replay. The official time is 3:25 of round two.
Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione
Round 1
Mitrione kicks Kimbo in the head with his left foot. Kimbo shakes it off and throws a right hook that connects. Mitrione throws another head kick and Kimbo catches it and throws him to the floor, only to end up on the bottom. Kimbo scrambles to take the top and Mitrione latches on a triangle choke. It looks deep at first, but a patient Slice works through it and escapes. Kimbo punches the head and body from the top until Mitrione uses a kimura to stand. Little happens on the feet, and Kimbo drags his prey to the canvas with a single leg. Mitrione works for another triangle and Kimbo gets out. Kimbo stands and Mitrione follows. Mitrione roughs up Kimbo’s legs with low kicks. A kick knocks Kimbo’s legs right out from under him. Mitrione engages and rolls for an anaconda choke. Slice holds on and survives the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Round 2
Mitrione goes back to the leg. A fatigued Kimbo clinches and Mitrione defends. Mitrrione gets space and absolutely brutalizes the left leg of Kimbo with an outside and inside low kick. Kimbo takes a deep breath and tries to shoot. Mitrione defends and tries another anaconda. Mitrione gives it up to knee the body and left thigh. Kimbo looks very frustrated as Mitrione is having his way with him. Mitrione hops to the mount and pounds away with both hands. Kimbo does nothing but cover as referee Mirigliotta watches closely. Mitrione then works on the left arm with a keylock. He stretches the arm, but he can’t finish it with his high position in the mount. He gives it up to return firing on the head. Referee Mirigliotta has seen enough. He pulls Mitrione off at the 4:24 mark of round two, giving him the former NFL player the TKO win.
Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens
Round 1
Stephens lands a low kick and a hard right hand before tripping Stout to the canvas. Stout kicks Stephens off and stands to throw his hands. He gets hit by a hard right hand for his effort. And another; Stout’s knees buckle from a clean blow on the temple. Stout recovers and attacks the left leg of Stephens with a hard low kick. Stout starts to get some momentum going with three hard lefts to the body. Stephens ends said momentum with a right hand that drops his foe. It’s a slug fest, and Stephens is getting the better of it. Stout throws a low kick that is caught; Stephens clips him with a left hook. Stout is undettered. He keeps coming forward with clean strikes to the right side of Stephens’ body and left leg. Stout continues to lunge in to hit the body, and he’s playing with fire. Stephen’s is countering it every time with a right hook and he’s landed it a few times in the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Stephens
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Stephens
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Stephens
Round 2
Stout kicks the left leg twice in the opening seconds of round two. Stout works his other leg with an inside low kick. Stephens explodes with a jumping knee that falls short. He transitions beautifully to a takedown as he realized Stout was off balanced. Stout works a kimura on the left arm of Stephens from the guard. Stout creats anough distance to stand and Stephens welcomes it. The velocity on Stephens’ punches has tailed off at the midway point of the round. Stout sneaks in a hard left to the body that makes Stephens wince. Stout stays patient and works the left leg and pumps his jab. Stephens shoots and Stout shrugs it off. Stephens has lost all of his rhythm from the first round as fatigue sets in. Stephens cracks Stout with a left-hook counter. Stephens finds somewhat of a second wind as he swings for the fences in the round’s final seconds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Stephens
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Stout
Round 3
Stout kicks Stephens in the groin. Yamasaki calls time and the wounded fighter is ready to go. Stout hits the body and kicks the leg. Stephens jumps into the air for a knee that just misses. Stout lands a left hook and gets hit with a right-hand counter shortly after. Stephens connects with another counter right as Stout tries to set up a low kick. Stephens connects with a sharp jab and a knee to the chin. Stout lands a low kick and it folds Stephens over. Stout pounces on the sore fighter and Stephens flops to the canvas. Stout enters the guard and lands two hard right elbows. Stephens stands and it seems he’s recovered from the low kicks. He resumes swinging for the fences and even takes to the air for a flying knee. Unfortunately for him, none of it lands. A right hook does connect for Stephens. Stephens drops levels for a single and he gets it with 20 seconds remaining. He lets Stout up to look for a knockout, but Stout comes up swinging. Time expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Stout (29-28 Stephens)
TJ De Santis scores the round [technical difficulties – will return for the next bout]
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Stout (29-28 Stout)
Official scores: 30-27, 29-28 and 28-29 for Jeremy Stephens, who takes the split decision.
Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley
Round 1
Daley storms out with a flying knee and Koscheck easily gets out of the way. Daley slips a straight left into the midsection of his opponent. And another. Koscheck drops levels for a single and he takes Daley down. Daley tries to scramble to his feet and he’s rewarded by a big slam from Koscheck. Koscheck is hitting the face with his right hand from side control. Koscheck has Daley pinned against the fence. Koscheck knees the body and ends up in half guard as he fails trying to advance to the mount. Daley is defending well from the bottom, but Koscheck is able to sneak an elbow in. Daley gets back to guard, but he loses it with a blocked upkick. Koscheck weaves around the legs and returns to side control. Daley gives up his back and Koscheck engages with a single hook. Koscheck sneaks his arm under the chin and starts to work a rear-naked choke. Daley explodes and reverses the position. Daley stands and grazes Koscheck with an illegal knee. Koscheck falls. A point is taken and Koscheck says he wants to continue. The fight is resumed and Koscheck works for a single at the horn. It is then said that a point was not taken for the foul.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
Round 2
The pair trade right hands, with Koscheck landing better. Koscheck drops levels, driving Daley into the fence before ripping him away and powering him back down to the mat. Koscheck instantly gains side control, but gets sucked into half guard quickly. Koscheck postures up and throws elbows, but can't land cleanly. Koscheck pushes down Daley's far knee to take mount, and nearly gets there, but "Semtex" regains. Koscheck hits the right side of Daley’s body with his left hand. He mixes in his right hand to the left side of the body and head. Koscheck again nearly gets the mount, but Daley is game. Koscheck drags Daley to the fencing and starts to work for Daley’s back. Daley has one hook in as he pounds the head with his left hand. He pulls Daley back and secures his second hook. Koscheck punches with his left hand while Dlaey holds the right arm to defend a submission.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Koscheck
Round 3
Daley comes out swinging and he clips Koscheck with a right hand and an uppercut. Koscheck circles away and Daley chases him. Daley sneaks in a right hook and a knee to the chin as Koschecks works for a single on the left leg. He switches to a double and pulls Daley to the floor. Koscheck punches the jaw from half guard with his left hand. He then ties up the head and punches with his right. Koscheck, in complete control, looks to his corner for advice. He then gets an elbow in before passing to side control and mount. Daley is bucking to reverse, but the former wrestling champion is having none of it. Daley gives up his back briefly but rolls back over. Daley shows nice leg work in getting to half guard. Koscheck is resting and the fighters trade barbs with 25 seconds left. Koscheck puts the stamp on his win with shots to the body. Time expires and Daley stands and throws a left hook well after the bell. Referee Dan Miragliotta restrains Daley and says “Are you kidding me?” The punch connected with Koscheck’s right eye and opened a small cut.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Koscheck (30-27 Koscheck)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Koscheck (30-27 Koscheck)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Koscheck (30-27 Koscheck)
Josh Koscheck takes the unanimous decision with scores of 30-27 across the board.
Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
Round 1
Shogun picked up where he left off in the last bout, with a low kick to the front leg of Machida. The champion is alternating between southpaw and orthodox early. Machida checks a low kick and lands a right hand. Machida trips Rua to the canvas and starts to work from half guard. Shogun sweeps and stands, where he pushes Machida against the fence. Rua charges forward and gets clipped with a right hand. At the end of the flurry, Rua connects with a right hand that forces Machida to retreat. Again Machida trips Rua to the floor. Machida lands a knee to the body and backs away. Shogun lands a hard right hook on the temple and Machida collapses. Rua pounces with punches until Machida is out. Referee Yves Lavigne pulls him off at 3:35 of the first round. "Shogun" is the new champion. Machida stands and his left eye is busted up something serious.
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