Battle of Britain: Michael 'Venom' Page and Paul 'Semtex' Daley ready for war at Bellator 216
It's the hottest rivalry in Bellator MMA and the biggest fight in British MMA history. And after a two-year build-up, Michael 'Venom' Page and Paul 'Semtex' Daley will finally do battle at Bellator 216 on Saturday night.
On Saturday night in Uncasville, Connecticut, the two biggest rivals in Bellator MMA will go head to head in a hotly-anticipated bout that has been two years in the making.
British welterweight stars Paul 'Semtex' Daley and Michael 'Venom' Page have been on a collision course ever since they were both on the same Bellator MMA roster, but it has taken two years for the fight to finally come to fruition.
Now, after a long wait, the two duelling Brits will throw down in the quarter-finals of the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix tournament main event of Bellator 216.
It's an intriguing clash of fighting styles with the added spice of genuine bad blood between the pair.
DALEY'S ADVANTAGES: EXPERIENCE AND POWER
Paul Daley is a true veteran of the sport, and will be competing in his 59th professional contest against Page, who is comparatively early in his career, with just 13 bouts to his name.
Nottingham man Daley has shown a remarkable ability to finish opponents throughout his career, and seems to be getting better with age.
Former Army veteran Daley's 'Semtex' nickname comes from the plastic explosive used by armed forces, and the moniker is well chosen. Daley has finished 32 of his 40 career wins, with 30 of them coming via knockout or TKO.
His ability to turn the lights out on opponents has kept him right at the top of the sport, though he hasn't quite been able to win himself a world title with a leading MMA organization.
If he wins the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix, he'll capture the world title in the process, but to achieve that he has to eliminate his big rival from the tournament and claim bragging rights as the best British welterweight in Bellator MMA.
PAGE'S ADVANTAGES: MOVEMENT AND SPEED
Page is a mixed martial arts one-off. His style evokes memories of Anderson Silva in his pomp, but in truth he's a very different fighter to the great former UFC middleweight champ.
Page's background is in point-fighting, and his control of range is outstanding as a result. His ability to bounce in and out of range, peppering his opponents with strikes, then sliding out of range of counters, is not only effective, it's also incredibly frustrating for his opponents.
And that ability to annoy and frustrate the opposition has helped Page secure spectacular finishes during his career as he baits his opponent to open themselves up with a wild attack, then he counters with force.
It's a strategy that has seen him rack up a 13-0 professional record and move towards the top of the Bellator welterweight division. But Daley will undoubtedly be the best fighter he has faced in his career.
If he puts him away in the same style he's dispensed with his other opponents, the doubters will have to concede that 'MVP' is the real deal.
LOOK OUT FOR: FLYING KNEES
Daley and Page have two of the best flying-knee knockouts in Bellator MMA history from their recent fights against Brennan Ward and Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos respectively.
Their stunning flying knockouts showed their ability to finish opponents in the blink of an eye, and highlighted their penchant for the spectacular.
Will we see a similar technique finish the fight on Saturday night?
