Daley wants to beat Misaki, get title, back to UFC

IT might have shocked some people to read in the Post recently that my fight with Kazuo Misaki, in Ohio, tomorrow, will be my last under the Team Rough House banner.

It is a shame, but it's no big deal, really. It is just a natural progression. It was always going to happen sooner rather than later. It is just a logical step at this stage of my career.

When Dan (Hardy) and I started Rough House about nine years ago, we had a dream of becoming champions. We haven't done too badly for two little lads from Nottingham have we? But the time has come to move on.

It is amazing how the Rough House took off. After a while the top lads from Leicester started to come over to train with us, then fighters from Liverpool and Manchester and it just went on from there.

Now, when people mention mixed martial arts in England, they talk of Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy and Paul Daley and the Rough House.

But Dan trains in America a lot of the time, even though he keeps saying he's coming back to Nottingham, and so does Ross Pearson.

My training is moving in other directions too, and I'm starting to plan for the future.

You never know in this sport. I could have more two years left at the top – or two fights.
Plus, I am fed up of all the travelling and that's why I'm opening my own gym in Nottingham.

I'm flying people in to train with me rather then me spending hours in airports and on planes; wasting energy driving up and down motorways. It's a pain and, quite frankly, I'm fed up with it.

Don't get me wrong. I still plan to go back to Thailand this month. It's brilliant, an amazing place to train.

But from now on I'm going to be based at my own gym, Spirit Dojo, in Nottingham. I'm busy with that as well as organising my Thai boxing show at The Forum in Nottingham on March 10.

It was always my plan to have my own gym. Hopefully, I can have it open in April, once we get planning permission sorted out.

Once we open, I'll be using contacts that I've made on my trips around the world to places like Russia, Brazil and Thailand, to bring top coaches over to Nottingham.

Everything is going to plan. Now I just have to get past this tough Japanese guy on Saturday.

Misaki is a good guy, an old warrior. I've just been watching him fight my old training partner, Melvin Manhoef.

I'm not underestimating him and I know it's going to be a tough fight, But I've not seen anything to cause me too much concern.

It is an important fight. It is one I have to win because it is being billed as an unofficial eliminator to meet Strikeforce champion Tyron Woodley.

I'm looking forward to beating Misaki and Woodley and bringing that belt back to Nottingham.

After that, who knows? It would be great to get back in the UFC with Dan again before I do retire . .

source: thisisnottingham.co.uk