Jon Fitch believes he’s a better overall fighter than Paul Daley.
This Saturday night (May 12), welterweights Fitch and Daley will collide. The bout will serve as the Bellator 199 co-main event. This will be Fitch’s Bellator debut, while Daley is going into his ninth fight under the promotion.
There was a time when a match-up between these two appeared inevitable under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner. Both men were surging 170-pounders, but couldn’t quite reach the brass ring. Daley had an early exit from the UFC after being fired for punching Josh Koscheck well after the final horn of their bout.
Speaking to MMAMania.com, Fitch said he feels he has the upper hand going into his bout with “Semtex:”
“You know he comes to fight and I respect what he does, but I think I’ve got him outclassed as a fighter. I mean that’s generally what I do with everybody (in a fight), that’s what I try to do — see if they can sink or swim. Yeah I think it’s a good strategy to get in his face and put some Big Ten wrestling on him.”
Fitch has been victorious in his last four outings. He’s beaten Yushin Okami, Joao Zeferino, Jake Shields, and Brian Foster in that span. Fitch captured World Series of Fighting gold along the way.
Daley wants to start a winning streak of his own. He’s coming off a second-round knockout victory over Lorenz Larkin. In his Bellator run, “Semtex” has only lost to Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima. MacDonald is the reigning welterweight champion, while Lima is the former 170-pound title holder.
The main event of Bellator 199 will be a Heavyweight Grand Prix bout between Ryan Bader and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. The action will be held inside the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Check in with MMANews.com for live coverage of Bellator 199.
Let’s see your predictions. Who takes it, Jon Fitch or Paul Daley?
