LONDON – Paul Daley lived up to his “Semtex” nickname with an explosive performance in the Bellator 223 headliner at The SSE Arena, as he claimed a thrilling unanimous decision victory over fellow veteran Erick Silva . Daley (41-17-2 MMA, 7-4 BMMA) started out as advertised, looking to strike with Silva (20-11 MMA, 0-2 BMMA), and connected with some sharp shots before the Brazilian eventually closed the distance and dragged the Brit to the canvas. But while Silva was able to transition to Daley’s back and get both hooks in, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt was unable to secure a submission, with the bell sounding to end the round just as he looked set to lock up a rear-naked choke. Daley came storming out for the second round and connected with a powerful three-piece combination that sparked a wild 90 seconds of action that had the Wembley crowd on their feet. Sensing Silva was hurt, Daley threw everything he had at the Brazilian, connecting with a succession of huge strikes with hands, feet and knees. Despite the relentless barrage heading his way, Silva took the shots well but started to wilt as Daley ripped the Brazilian to the body and head, with the Wembley crowd greeting every shot with loud gasps from The SSE Arena stands.
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Bellator 223 results: Paul Daley wins wild three-round slugfest over Erick Silva – MMA Junkie