Strikeforce press conference highlights: Daley brings the laughs
ST. LOUIS -- Paul Daley became the star of the Strikeforce post-fight press conference on Saturday night. The welterweight, who knocked out Scott Smith, said he didn't pay attention to Smith's underdog comparisons.
"He isn't Rocky, and this wasn't a movie. I hit him to stay hit," Daley said.
Daley also didn't seem to mind that his knockout came too late to be included in consideration for the World MMA Awards, which took place in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
"I think MMA awards are a joke. I don't collect awards. I collect paychecks."
Daley wants to face KJ Noons next because Noons is a big name, and he thinks he could knock Noons out. When Strkeforce CEO Scott Coker was asked about the fight, Daley answered for him.
"Scott doesn't like that fight because he likes KJ."
-- Mike Kyle's hand was wrapped up at the press conference, and he said that he wasn't sure exactly when he broke it, but it was in the first round. He knew it was broken, kept punching Antonio Silva and then felt it break again. The second break also broke him mentally, leading to the loss, but Kyle was proud of how he left it all in the cage. He said that owes that to the UFC heavyweight champion.
"Cain Velasquez beat that quit out of me. I wanted to leave it all in the cage," Kyle said.
Velasquez and Kyle train together at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.
-- Despite the fact that he fought Antwain Britt on Nov. 19, then decisioned Benji Radach tonight, Ovince St. Preux said that he wants to fight again as soon as possible, as early as Strikeforce's Challengers event on Jan. 7.
-- Speaking of that Jan. 7 card in Nashville, Strikeforce announced that welterweights Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine will face off as the card's main event. Two-time Olympian Daniel Cormier will also be on that card, fighting Devin Cole.
If that card can be half as exciting as the card that Strikeforce put together tonight, they will have a very merry beginning to 2011.
