Paul Daley is preparing to headline Bellator 179, where he will be welcoming fellow UFC veteran Rory MacDonald to the promotion.
While preparing for MacDonald, Daley has been verbally sparring with Michael Page, whom he compares to Justin Bieber.
“Look, it annoys me that this guy has Justin Bieb-ed himself into the same ... sentence as me,” Daley said on The MMA Hour. “He [talked] about me not being undefeated. No, I’m not an undefeated fighter, but I’ve achieved way more than this guy has. This guy, he’s a very talented fighter, let’s not get it twisted, but he has forced himself upon MMA fans. He hasn’t done the hard prep that I have. He’s paid for his social views and hits. He’s clicked that sponsor button that always comes up on his Facebook and has traded hundreds of pounds to get his views extended. I haven’t. I did it the hard way. Let’s forget Michael Page. Michael Page is Justin Bieber. And he said something about how he sat on the same stage as me. You can put Justin Bieber on the stage with Michael Jackson, but they ain’t in the same league. You know what I mean? Justin Bieber has achieved some great sh*t, he can be on the stage with Michael Jackson, but he ain’t Michael Jackson. So it is what it is. Let’s forget MVP. I’ve got Rory MacDonald. I’ve got to deal with that psycho. I need to focus on this crazy guy I’ve got coming after me.”
Page will be competing on the same card as Daley, but will take on Derek Anderson. Daley has seen some of the social media attacks Page made, but it doesn’t bother him much.
“It doesn’t (bother me), because it’s pathetic,” Daley said. “It’s childish. I thought he was younger than he was. It shows his level of maturity. I thought Michael Page was like, maybe 23, 26, the way he acts and carries himself. The guy is 30 year old. What 30-year-old acts like that, apart from Adrien Broner? Let’s grow up and sort your sh*t out, man.”
Bellator 179 takes place on Friday, May 19 from the SSE Arena in London, England with Paul Daley and Rory MacDonald headlining.