UFC boss confirms he’s ‘fired’ Kimbo Slice and welterweight Paul Daley
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Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White confirmed to The Times on Sunday that he had fired popular heavyweight Kimbo Slice, citing ineffectiveness, and welterweight Paul Daley, because of a post-fight sucker punch Daley delivered to Saturday-night winner Josh Koscheck.
Slice was overwhelmed by former NFL lineman Matt Mitrione, losing by second-round TKO in UFC 113 at Montreal’s Bell Centre. Slice landed in the UFC as a competitor on the organization’s reality television series, ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and defeated light-heavyweight Houston Alexander on a Las Vegas card in December.
White was far kinder to Slice than Daley in announcing the cuts at a post-fight news conference late Saturday night.
Daley was defeated by Koscheck in a fight that sent the winner to a title shot against gifted champion Georges St-Pierre later this year.
Koscheck reportedly whispered something offensive in Daley’s ear toward the end of the fight, and Daley delivered the sucker punch after the bell.
White, who was embarrassed by the post-fight ruckus after a Strikeforce event last month, responded forcefully after the Daley display, announcing, ‘He’s done.’
The events nearly overshadowed the moment of the night, when Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua knocked out Lyoto Machida in the first round to win the UFC light-heavyweight title. It was Machida’s first loss in 17 fights and allowed Rua to avenge a bad decision that went against him versus Machida in October at Staples Center.
-- Lance Pugmire
