Archive for June, 2006

Paul "Semtex" Daley

“I Hope He Stands and Trades With Me.”

 ©Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com
 Photos ©Cage Rage

Fighting out of Nottingham, England, Paul “Semtex” Daley was carded to fight Paul Jenkins for the welterweight title at Cage Rage 17: Ultimate Challenge. But due to Jenkins sustaining a hand injury, Daley is now carded to go to war with Ross “The Boss” Mason for the belt.

A veteran of 16 ultimate fights, Daley had his last outing in the Wembley Convention Centre, at Cage Rage 16: Critical Condition, where he defeated the respected Dave Strasser by decision on April 22, 2006. However, due to the huge growth of the sport – both internationally and in the UK – Paul’s bout against Mason on July 1, 2006, will be held at the new Wembley Arena.

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Randy Couture victorious at UFC 54

Retirement’s No Joke for The Natural

 © Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

It’s June 2, 2006, and Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture is taking time out from his many business calls to answer yet another phone for this interview.

Fortunately, Randy has his offsider, a shiba inu, to share the burden.  And how is Sake bearing up to the brunt of this massive workload?  ”He’s good.  He’s seven months old and sitting right here, looking at me,” says Couture from his home in Las Vegas.

After UFC 57, Randy announced his retirement, but as with many retirees, this just signalled a time to crank things up a notch, rather than an opportunity to put the feet up.  So what exactly has The Natural been doing since placing his MMA career in mothballs?

“What haven’t I been doing? Holy moly, it’s crazy.  It’s been good, though. At this rate, I think I’ll be praying for a ten-week training camp so I can just eat, sleep and train.  I’ve been doing a lot of appearances, stuff for sponsors, and for the USO (United Service Organisation), working for the UFC…

“And I’m probably going to be joining forces with Marc Ratner, working on the sanctioning process in all 50 states.  The sport is currently sanctioned in twenty states, and we’d like to knock the other thirty states down – get everybody on the same page.  Kinda close any loopholes for anybody who might want to throw on an unregulated show and get somebody hurt.”

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