Paul 'Semtex' Daley vs Nick 'The Goat' Thompson MFC fight set Feb. 20

by James Iannotti on Jan 16, 2009 4:24 PM EST

A fantastic match up between two former Elite XC welterweight number one contenders has been announced for the Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) 20: "Destined For Greatness" card, which takes place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 20.

British striker Paul "Semtex" Daley (19-7-2) will square off against Minnesota Martial Arts Academy trainee Nick "The Goat" Thompson (36-10-1).

Both Daley and Thompson lost division title fights to Jake Shields under the Elite XC banner in 2008. Daley lost in the second round by armbar at Elite XC: "Heat" in October and Thompson was overwhelmed in the first round with a guillotine at Elite XC: "Unfinished Business" back in July of that same year.

Despite the quick loss to Shields, Thompson is sill considered a very dangerous and well rounded opponent. In just less than six years of professional competition, he's had 47 fights with 21 wins by submission and another 10 by (technical) knockout.

He was the last reigning BoDog Fight welterweight champion before the promotion went under last year, winning the title by stopping Philadelphia standout Eddie Alvarez in the second round in April of 2007. "The Goat" also has notable career wins over Josh Neer (submission), Mark Weir (technical knockout), Chris Wilson (submission) and others.

"Semtex" was also the last man to hold a the 170-pound title in a now defunct organization -- he was the division kingpin under the British-based Pro Elite-owned promotion, Cage Rage. During his time there he built a solid reputation as one of the most feared strikers in the welterweight division.

His last three fights on U.S. soil were all Elite XC-promoted events. He dropped Duane Ludwig in the second round in June of 2007 on a co-promoted Strikeforce card and then destroyed Sam Morgan in highlight reel fashion with a standing elbow at a Sho XC: Challenger Series event last January.

Daley also fought on the MFC 19: "Long Time Coming," recording a second round technical knockout victory over journeyman John Alessio.

MFC 20: "Destined For Greatness" will feature a main event rematch between welterweights Ryan "The Real Deal" Ford (8-1) and Pat "Bam Bam" Healy (19-13). Bam Bam handed Ford his only career loss with a third round win by armbar at MFC 17: "Hostile Takeover." Ex-UFC fighters Derrick Noble and Rory Singer are expected to be in action on the card as well.

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solid! that should be a great fight

by brendan on Jan 16, 2009 4:26 PM EST reply actions

Agreed, really like this matchup, i got semtex KO followed by nod to UFC.

by NameNotRequired on Jan 16, 2009 4:31 PM EST up reply actions

I have been screaming for Semtex for years now! I absolutely LOVE this kid!

I would love to see him and alves in a Muy tai WAR!!!! Standing up, Daley can hang with any UFC welterweight!

I dont see the GOAT defeating Daley! Daley is one of my favorite young prospects.

How did Daley get out of his ElitexC contract, while everyone else is stuck in Limbo?

Great match ups for Daley in the UFC:
Lytle
Davis
Swick
Rumble
Alves

Great 1st fight for Daley would be Ben Saunders!

by john on Jan 16, 2009 4:35 PM EST up reply actions

I dont think Daley will be going to the UFC anytime soon… quote “once you sign that contract, youre their bi**h, and i aint nobody’s bi**h” guess he doesnt want dana riding him the rest of his career, cant say i blame him

by brendan on Jan 16, 2009 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

u r right! I forgot about that quote! good call

by john on Jan 16, 2009 5:11 PM EST up reply actions

John: I think Daley might have been out of contract anyways? Do you remember his retiring episode that lasted about 2 weeks? Elite made him fight the last couple of fights on his contract then he was free.

I think he had a fairly flexible contract anyway.

by MoonUK on Jan 16, 2009 5:16 PM EST up reply actions

yeah, u r right moon! Alvarez was in the same boat, I believe!

by john on Jan 16, 2009 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

I agree I would love to see Saunders take out Daley.

by the spyder on Jan 16, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

i think fighting outside the states is also an option for the trapped zombie elite fighters.(bigfoot and hermann in japan). i dont remember daley saying that about fighting in the ufc, if so, he fcked himself. that sounds like something ignorant warmachine would say. any up and coming young fighter should be striving to get into the ufc, just ask jake shields.

by b.w. on Jan 16, 2009 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

I believe EliteXC fighters are allowed to fight overseas. Which kind of makes me mad that we havent gotten to see Diaz vs. Sakurai yet in Japan.

Also, the UFC needs to sign Fejao! I think the world of that young Animal!

by john on Jan 16, 2009 8:25 PM EST up reply actions

JOHN. i agree. Fejao should be near or at the top of their list along with shields.

by b.w. on Jan 16, 2009 9:05 PM EST up reply actions

I know, but when Dana talks about the EliteXC fighters that he wants to sigh like Jake and Robbie, he never mentions Fejao…and that worries me. THe kid is UFC Ready! Not to mention he trains with Nog, Anderson, Machida!

If they do sign Fejao, I would let him destroy Matt Hammil in his 1st UFC fight!

by john on Jan 17, 2009 6:43 AM EST up reply actions

Smoke and Mirrors John. Dana’s clever and talks a lot of bull, Fejao must be top of his hit list.

by MoonUK on Jan 17, 2009 8:24 AM EST up reply actions

Feijao is the truth and he is on the top of Dana’s list. Him and Ed Soares have hinted in interviews that as soon as this elite crap is over with he’s got a zuffa contract. Can’t wait for it seeing how A. Silva and Rogerio camoes say they’ve built him as the new prototype for MMA fighters.

by NameNotRequired on Jan 17, 2009 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

Anytime I see MFC I think Dane Cooks monkey fucking a coconut joke. Anyway, this sounds like a good scrap. I’d go with Nick Thompson by submission, since Daley doesn’t know it exists yet.

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Jan 16, 2009 4:30 PM EST reply actions

Dane Cook isn’t funny unless you’re as retarded as he is…

by Dredg XI on Jan 16, 2009 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

yeah dane cook only appeals to drunk audiences

by brendan on Jan 16, 2009 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

Im not retarded or drunk when I watch him. I just think his stuff is funny.

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Jan 16, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions

Dane Cook also steals most of his jokes from other comedians. Joe Rogan is the most outspoken critic of Cook’s joke theft.

by DB on Jan 16, 2009 6:41 PM EST up reply actions

I’ll take Daley

by El_Mexicutioner, formerly The_Mexicutioner on Jan 16, 2009 4:46 PM EST reply actions

Awesome match. Could go either way. Both guys should go to the UFC.

by EazyEismydad on Jan 16, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions

Thompson has already been bounced from the UFC at least once.

by DDT on Jan 16, 2009 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

wow great match!

by Jared on Jan 16, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions

great, we’ll get to see thompson take daley down and lay on him for 15 minutes. Yay!

by jj on Jan 16, 2009 4:56 PM EST reply actions

you know you love it loverboy

by brendan on Jan 16, 2009 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

well of course I do, I was just being sarcastic. I LOVE to watch two grown men, wearing nothing but skimpy shorts, dry hump each other under bright lights. sexy time.

by jj on Jan 16, 2009 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

another amazing contribution by JJ, voted Least Valuable Player in the MMamaniacs Hall of Shame! lol

by john on Jan 16, 2009 8:26 PM EST up reply actions

I LOVE that I bother people like you. it’s too easy.

by jj on Jan 16, 2009 8:38 PM EST up reply actions

Daley and Jake Shields both need to get their asses into the UFC. That way we’d see whether either of them can hang with all the WW’s there. I have a feeling Shields would quickly fall down the rankings.

by Hero-Of-Time on Jan 16, 2009 5:02 PM EST reply actions