Daley On Bellator 247 Withdrawal: It Took “20 Minutes For People To Take Me Seriously”
Paul Daley and Derek Anderson were supposed to headline Bellator 247, but Daley fell ill due to a bad weight cut and the bout was called off.
Daley, in a video post on Instagram, gave a lengthy explanation as to what went down behind-the-scenes during his withdrawal and it isn’t a pretty story:
Simon Head of MMA Junkie provided the following transcript of what Daley said in the Instagram video:
“I went back to lie down in the medical room, because they have those beds. (I) started to get some cramps. They’re not your ‘pull up on the football field’ cramps. (They were) severe cramps in my hip, and abdominal cramps, which I’m used to, and has happened before previously when cutting weight. But usually, all of this is all taking place upstairs in my bedroom with my team, out of the way, while I’m getting re-hydrated and getting my body where it needed to be.
“Unfortunately, because of the restrictions, this had to take place downstairs in full view of other fighters, the Bellator staff, etc., so I understand why everyone was taken aback a bit by this. I wasn’t allowed to leave. So then I’m calling for assistance from the Bellator staff. I need to lower my body temperature, keep getting fluids on board, and if someone could massage my legs – as stupid as it sounds – that would be a big help.
“It took about 15, 20 minutes for people to take me seriously. Everyone kept giving me countdowns to get up to do the fake weigh-ins. I’m on the bed, not doing too good. I’m saying, ‘Look, I need some help.’ Give credit to one or two of the Bellator staff that could see the situation and came and helped. This escalated and led to me saying, ‘You know what, get me an ambulance. Cancel the fight, get me an ambulance. I’ll just have an IV – the IV being the key, because I know if you have an IV, the fight’s off, anyway.
“Ambulance came, got wheeled off, got to the hospital and was there for an hour and a half, and I slept. Obviously, my case wasn’t a priority because there were elderly people coming in for whatever reason… So I just slept in the waiting area, on the bed, for an hour and a half. When I woke up, I was there with my cornerman, I felt great, I hadn’t seen a doctor, no one even knew I was there. Jumped off the bed, jumped in an Uber and came back to the hotel. I just ate, feel fresh, feel 100 percent. Then I realize because I didn’t have the IV that there’s a possibility I can get this fight back on.
“This is not unusual for professional fighters. It just normally takes place in a room with my team. It’s just unfortunate it took place downstairs and Bellator, CBS and Sky Sports – even though I’m fit, I’m healthy, I’m 100 percent, no hospital treatment, ready to go right now – don’t want to put the fight on, so I apologize.”
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