Paul Daley removed from Bellator’s 170lbs tournament in January following alleged assault

Source: ESPN

English welterweight Paul Daley has been removed from Bellator MMA’s upcoming Season 8 170-pound tournament, according to a representative for the promotion.

Daley, 29, is barred from entering the U.S. after being charged with assault stemming from a bar fight, the promotion said. He faces up to two years in prison.

Daley’s manager, Wad Alameddine, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Controversy followed Daley (30-12) throughout his nine-year MMA career, which featured stints in the UFC, Strikeforce and, since July, Bellator. Most notably, he was released from UFC in 2010 after punching Josh Koscheck after the bell.

The colorful striker, who moved to MMA after a successful kickboxing stint, was set to fight War Machine (formerly Jon Koppenhaver) in January after fans voted the bout Bellator’s first match on SpikeTV in 2013. A fractured tibia and partially torn ACL sidelined War Machine, however, and the bout was postponed four to six months.

ESPN

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Paul has come out with a statement via his personal facebook, refuting the story by ESPN

“It seems as a mass press release has gone out to the MMA media stating I was involved bar brawl, arrested and cannot obtain a P-1 visa to compete in the USA,” Daley posted on his official Facebook page. “I am currently awaiting a decision on my visa, which is not expected until late April. Which means i am unable to compete in the Season 8 Bellator tournament, as it starts in January.

“I will be fighting in Europe in the coming months, so I am able to stay active while awaiting a decision on my visa status. I was not involved in a bar brawl. This is 100-percent a false statement.”