Paul Daley at Bellator 216 – Feb. 16, 2019
The matchup that seemed like a can’t-miss firecracker for Bellator proved to be a disappointingly damp squib as the “Battle of Britain” turned out to be an unexpected dud.
For starters, Bellator’s decision to hold the welterweight grand prix quarterfinal fight not in England, but in Uncasville, Conn., immediately robbed the matchup of the big-fight atmosphere that had been marinating slowly in the U.K. ever since the rivalry between the pair started to build. Then, when the fight began, things weren’t quite right, as the striking battle between the concussive, power-punching knockout artist (Daley) and the spectacular long-range sniper (Page) failed to materialize.
Instead, what we saw was a dour, tactical affair in which Daley abandoned his usual aggressive approach for a more circumspect, wrestle-heavy game plan while Page stayed on the outside looking to counter striking blitzes from Daley that never came. In the end, it was Page whose hand was raised after a disappointing matchup, and left the question hanging in the air of what might have been if only the fight had been held in England, with both men applying their usual fighting styles.
The fight at the Mohegan Sun Arena left the fans wondering if all the pre-fight hype had been worth it. On the basis of that fight, it wasn’t, but given a little lead time and a guaranteed main event spot in the U.K., Bellator might just be tempted to run it back in 2020. Watch this space…