Paul Kelly moving to lightweight for UFC 99 battle with Roli Delgado on June 13

by Jesse Holland on Mar 16, 2009 12:03 AM EDT

Former welterweight and current Wolfslair product Paul Kelly (8-1) is finally making the drop to 155-pounds to lock horns with The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 contestant Roli Delgado (6-3-1) at UFC 99 from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany on June 13, according to a MySpace bulletin from Delgado.

"Tellys" told the UFC following his thrilling three-round victory over Troy Mandaloniz at UFC 95 "Sanchez vs. Stevenson" that his next fight would be in the lightweight division for the simple fact that it would only require a ten pound cut — mere child’s play by today’s standards.

Here's a snip:

"I’m definitely dropping to 155-pounds now, it makes sense. I was eating a big breakfast on the morning of the weigh-in (for UFC 95). While everyone else is dying to make weight, I’m sitting there with a big bowl of muesli and a glass of orange juice.

Kelly has made a home fighting on the UFC cards overseas — each of his other three fights for the promotion have also taken place across the pond.

He may need every ounce of that experience to overcome "McBlack-Belt."

Delgado made a very underwhelming impression during his time on TUF 8. After losing in the show's opening elimination round, he was granted a second chance to join the squad after Brian McLaughlin got scratched due to injury.

"The Crazy Cuban" came up on the wrong end of a split-decision loss to resident bad-boy Junie Browning later in the show, but managed to capitalize on one last opportunity at the TUF 8 Finale by submitting John Polakowski via guillotine choke.

If he can string together back-to-back wins, especially over a competitor like Kelly, he may secure himself a future on the UFC lightweight roster.

UFC 99 is expected to be headlined by former middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin taking on ex-PRIDE smashing machine Wanderlei Silva in his middleweight debut. Heath Herring and Cain Velasquez as well as Mike Swick and Ben Saunders are also expected to hook ‘em up.

For more on UFC 99 click here.

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Comments

the guy with two first names vs the guy who got his blackbelt under gary busey.. does anyone know if crop cop will be on the 100 card?

by tuffguy01 on Mar 16, 2009 12:20 AM EDT reply actions

he signed a 3 fight deal with FEG. 2 mma fights and 1 k-1 fight. He wants to fight overeem in the k1 and then wants to fight Fedor for a NYE bout

by ehoglund on Mar 16, 2009 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions

black belt under Gary Busey! LMFAO! Funniest thing I read all week!

you must have watched the comedy central roast of Larry the cable guy last night! hahaha

All I know is that I am betting my CAR on Kelly in this one.

by john on Mar 16, 2009 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions

lol yea it was on while i was reading this

by tuffguy01 on Mar 16, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

it was really funny roast. Warren sapp and that Country singer had me cracking up. Busey was actually pretty funny as well.

I dont care what the odds are, bet BIG MONEY on kelly in this one!

by john on Mar 16, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Jesse Holland: I see that you are still saying that Herring will fight Cain. Do you know for a fact that Herring isnt injured and is still set to fight Cain?

by john on Mar 16, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe you are already referring to Busey’s show that used to be on but that dude looks like Busey’s assistant, Beaterman

by McArthur on Mar 16, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Herring will fight him injured and claim that he wasn’t 100% when he loses. Seriously though, Herring is a great gatekeeper.

by NameNotRequired on Mar 16, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Whoa! That’s is going to be a lot for Delgado to handle. I remember him being a tough little bastard but I have to go with Kelly by tko.

by DSmith on Mar 16, 2009 12:38 AM EDT reply actions

Kelly 1st rd. KO

by Jizzo on Mar 16, 2009 12:45 AM EDT reply actions

Agree at 100%!

by JonnyBoy on Mar 16, 2009 4:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Good move for Kelly. You’d think they would have given him a tougher opponent than Delgado. That kid is a joke! Well, now that I’ve said that, watch Kelly get his @ss beat(doubt it, but that’s my luck!)

by allamerican on Mar 16, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

agreed but who knows maybe kelly will be as skinny as roli he is making the cut after all

by Jared on Mar 16, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

they keep people like roli but cut clementi …i dont get it

by tuffguy01 on Mar 16, 2009 12:51 AM EDT reply actions

i second that. and it’s not even like he was really popular on the show or anything. everyone was saying how terrible he looked after his fight with junie. his only win under the ufc banner is over sir hugs a lot. no logical reason for him having a contract with the ufc.

by ActionJackson on Mar 16, 2009 2:43 AM EDT up reply actions

yea agreed, but i hate clementi either way so i don’t really care. kelly first round tko

by ufcfanatic23 on Mar 16, 2009 3:15 AM EDT up reply actions

He’ll get cut when he loses this fight. That’s the whole point of it.

by DSmith on Mar 16, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Roli Delgado showed heart against Browning, but he also showed that he has no business being in a cage. He throws punches and kicks like a little girl. I half-expect Kelly to actually murder him.

by zulu9812 on Mar 16, 2009 2:35 AM EDT reply actions

this will be the biggest ass whipping of the year. Roli looks like he should be in a ballet recital not an mma match.

by kukuxumusu on Mar 16, 2009 2:38 AM EDT reply actions

Roli does have heart but he needs to hit the weights’ HARD…

by DAVE A on Mar 16, 2009 3:15 AM EDT reply actions

What a pointless fight. Kelly should be fighting tougher opponents than Delgado who didnt even win on TUF. Kell KO in first

by bispingmwchamp on Mar 16, 2009 6:43 AM EDT reply actions

Rolando should be playing football, nobody with a great name like Rolando Delgado should be in MMA..

by RoB on Mar 16, 2009 7:50 AM EDT reply actions

Great move for Kelly I think he’ll be very strong at 155… He’s young too with a lot of potential

by Oskarbravo on Mar 16, 2009 8:04 AM EDT reply actions

I’m calling th upset. Delgado by submission. I have no reasoning behind this, I just have a gut feeling. I’m probibly wrong, but why the hell not.

by DB on Mar 16, 2009 8:55 AM EDT reply actions

Hey guys if only one contract is given to the UF winner, then why do we see the rest of the cast always on UFC cards? I mean you can win the show but get released if you lose 2 in row so what’s the point of winner a contract? You can also lose and sill fight on multiple cards…..

by Robert(1) on Mar 16, 2009 9:14 AM EDT reply actions

the difference is that the winner makes like $20,000 to show, and $20,000 win bonus. While the other cast members get $8,000 to show, and another $8,000 if they win.

c the difference now?

by john on Mar 16, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Got it…thanks

by Robert(1) on Mar 16, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

no problem man. If I remember correctly, I think both the winner and the other cAST MEMBERS sign 6 fight contracts. The length is the same, but the money is much better as a winner.

by john on Mar 16, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

also about the getting cut or still fighting after consecutive losses: in all UFC contracts, they reserve the right to tear up your contract after any loss. Its up to the UFC. I actually think that when the UFc wants to cut someone that is locked into a contract, they just match him up against someone he will lose to, and cut him after a loss. I really dont like that, but it is what it is. Its kind of like an nfl contract where it is only 100% binding to the athlete, but the employer can pretty much get out of it any time that they want. I hope that it changes.

question: can anyone remember how the UFC was able to cut babalu after the comments he made in the post fight interview of the heath fight? Babalu won that fight so the “u can be cut after any loss clause” didnt apply. what was in the contract that allowed the UFC to cut Babalu because of what he said?

by john on Mar 16, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

i think he got cut due to not letting the fighter out of the choke and it was like negligence on his part and they thought it was bad. Dont quote me.

by ehoglund on Mar 16, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

ehoglund i think your right he felt david heath tap and he continued to choke him and they cant let people do that. it would be different if he said he didnt feel him tap but he said he did it on purpose.

by tuffguy01 on Mar 16, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

i know thats why he got cut, I was asking what is the clause in the contract that allows them to cut him after such actions? for example: ehoglund mentioned Negligence on his part…thats a good guess. Anyone know for sure?

by john on Mar 16, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Delgado is gonna get killed ! I remember him as being weak and Paul Kelly will teach him the real life now with is new speed. Don’t forget the ambulance.

by Daddy Lupo on Mar 16, 2009 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

no doubt. This is going to get ugly/ Kelly is just gonna smash and Maul this wimp!

by john on Mar 16, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I cant believe this is even a fight, I guess Dana wants to satisfy those that just watch to see people get hurt!!! This is like me fighting my next door neighbors 3 year old, what a joke!!!

by the spyder on Mar 16, 2009 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

I was thinking the same thing. My sister can slap harder than him. and that’s exactly what it looked looked when he fought, like he was slapping the other guy. I never thought that we would see him in the ufc ever again! I can’t see him beating anyone ever!!!

by BOW on Mar 16, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

WIMP!!!!

by john on Mar 16, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions

Well Junie sure had a hard time with him, after all the lip service and Junie disrespecting him by spitting on his black belt (which I thought was dispicable). So Junie while your out there talking about how not good Cole is remember not being able to put ROLI away.

by Spyder on Mar 16, 2009 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

Great point!

by griffinfan05 on Mar 16, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

waste of time bullshit match up…even mike goldberg could see this is clearly going to be a piss easy win for kelly.

extremely suprised delgado is considered UFC material. dont believe he has half the talent it takes even though he seems a nice guy dont think he belongs in there with elite level athletes esp considering the quality of fighters who have been cut form the UFC in recent times!