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Around SBN: Maryland Fails First Test, Falls to Cincinnati

Martin Kampmann and Paul Daley Size Each Other Up Ahead of UFC 103

Poor Hitman. He turns down a T.J. Grant fight to stay in title contention only to get stuck with a dangerous (albeit flawed) striker who doesn't really do a great deal for title efforts. Still, Kampmann apparently takes the Daley challenge seriously:

Do you plan on watching a lot of tape on Daley leading up to the fight?
Yeah. I'm going to study a little bit of his stuff. They're similar in regards to they're both really good strikers and heavy-handed. So in that regard, they're similar. But of course, one guy is a tall guy, another guy is a short guy, and they do different stuff, different moves. Daley kicks a lot more than Swick does, but on the other hand, he probably has a bit of a weaker ground game than Swick does. So you know, the fight is a little different, so I'm going to switch it up.

In Daley's most famous fight against Jake Shields on CBS last October, Shields showed that he has some work to do on his ground game. Are you hoping to exploit that, as well?
If I get him down, I definitely feel like I got a big advantage. You know, people say that Paul Daley don't have a ground game; I think he has a ground game. You know, when you're fighting against Shields, he's a jiu-jitsu black belt with a great ground game. It's easy to make other guys look stupid because his ground game is really good. So I definitely expect Paul Daley to have a ground game, as well. I just think it's not as developed as his striking game is.

Daley, ever the brash competitor, chimes in with his assessment of matters:

Just because I'm entering the UFC doesn't mean I'm planning on changing my style dramatically or doing things differently. I'll now have longer to train in between events, and that will no doubt bring on my game massively.

However, I'm still planning on being the same old 'Semtex' that MMA fans have seen over the years. I'm entering the UFC with the intention of having stand-up wars with all the best welterweights in the world. I now have a far bigger pool of talent to play with and I'm looking to clean up.

There is not one welterweight in the UFC who can compete with me in a pure striking battle. I feel I have the beating of the lot of them.

...

It is a better fight for me than the Foster fight. I won't be fighting the best Kampmann, because with so much to lose he will be very nervous and unsettled at the start.

...

I've seen enough footage of him I know exactly how I am gonna to spark him out. His flaws are very exploitable for someone with my speed and power. I can KO him with one punch or kick.

My obvious flaw is my submission defence on the ground, I'm working on it but that's my weakness. He's got weaknesses, too, and like I said my strengths will combine with his weaknesses and result in a KO debut for me.

Either the Hitman is going to get bombed on (although I don't think it'll be from hesitation) or he's going to submit Daley. But I think Kampmann's analysis is correct: I'd caution against viewing Daley as some sort of Drew McFedries repeat. He's got stunning KO power, sure, but his sprawl is respectable and he doesn't tend to wilt as if he has a decomposing half-life. The odds are against Daley, but this is by no means a matter of procedure for the Denmark transplant.

The longer the fight goes the more it favors Kampmann, but one wonders if Shields' urgency in getting Daley to the floor was actually the more risk-managed approach. Shields openly showed Daley where he wanted the fight to go. I wonder if Kampmann's belief in his kickboxing skills won't force the same type of urgency until after he gets rocked. And at that point, it could be too late.

UFC 103

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It is too bad Daley is a late replacement.

I’d like to see him fight Anthony Johnson one day to determine his level of striking, as I enjoy Johnsons standup game.

All in all, I think Kampmann should get the fight to the ground in the first and second and then only strike in later parts of second or third round.

I see Kampmann winning this by submission or tko strikes from mounted position and I do not really give Daley much of a chance to employ his striking game.

by DirtyML on Sep 8, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Daley has not faced anyone with anything close to Kampmann's level of experience.

I think Semtex is grossly underestimating Kampmann and he’s liable to get embarrassed.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Sep 8, 2009 4:36 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I think Kampmann’s going to win, but Semtex has definitely faced guys with more experience than Hitman. Nick Thompson, for example. Alessio, Shields, The Goat, Bang…etc. Maybe not “level of skill” except for Shields, but he’s been in there with more experienced fighters for sure.

http://www.fourouncestofreedom.com

by Beer Monster on Sep 8, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Kampmann > Swick > Daley

by Nick Thomas on Sep 8, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

LOL… i actually think Kampmann is going to greet Daley with a welcome KO… Daley is really underestimating Kampmanns standup.

by DRExLOC on Sep 8, 2009 5:12 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Hitman doesn’t really hit that hard though. He has great technical standup, but he doesn’t exactly have one punch KO power like Daley does.

http://www.fourouncestofreedom.com

by Beer Monster on Sep 8, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Anyone count how many times Kampman said “ground game” in that passage?

by Krimson on Sep 8, 2009 5:25 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I like Daley's chances in this but...

There is not one welterweight in the UFC who can compete with me in a pure striking battle. I feel I have the beating of the lot of them.

I can think of one guy in particular who might have something to say about that. Also a good title eliminator down the road…

by Ahhhoki on Sep 8, 2009 6:37 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Can’t believe you even asked…….

by StevenGiles on Sep 8, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

straight right hand

and imma plant it in his kissuh

phil baroni ftw

"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"

by blubber_guard on Sep 8, 2009 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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