Bellator 260: Kyle Crutchmer and Paul Daley quotes
Bellator 260 goes down Friday, June 11th from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The event broadcasts on Showtime. I spoke with Kyle Crutchmer and Paul Daley ahead of their bouts at the Bellator 260 media day.
Kyle Crutchmer and Paul Daley
Kyle Crutchmer
Much has been made of your AKA training and understandably so, but just with like the deeper wrestling lineage you have there. I’m noticing with Cowboy Wrestling OSU, you have Daniel Cormier as has been mentioned but also Randy Couture, Johny Hendricks.
Does that compound the motivation level? Just wanting to be part of a similar lineage of MMA success?
“Yeah, I mean, man. I think I haven’t attained what those guys have attained. But I feel like I’ve been pretty successful so far. As far as stepping in and not just being a complete dud. So, you know, I feel like there’s not like an added pressure or anything from that. It’s just, it’s cool to be from that you know. It’s a blessing, it’s a privilege to wrestle at Oklahoma State you know. There there’s not one man that’s bigger than the program.”
“You see guys that that go on and win World Championships, Olympic titles. You’re training under the Greatest of All Time with John Smith. Once you’re able to see all these high-level guys and their mentalities, you know, get that kind of bestowed in you a little bit. There’s not much that’s going to sway my confidence from anything.”
“Like I said, Man, it’s been a blessing. I’ve trained with Johnny (Hendricks) before he fought GSP for about six weeks. I’ve been around Daniel Cormier’s camps. Never met Randy (Couture) but if we ever did meet, we would probably be able to share some very similar wrestling stories. It’s cool, man. It’s a blessing. Being with Cowboys for me was a lifelong dream.”
Paul Daley
With Bellator’s dynamic with Showtime here, I’m kind of curious. Could we see Paul Daley cross over into the world of boxing?
I feel like if people were to draft up a list of MMA fighters to do that, you would have pretty high prominence there.
“I would love to box. Initially probably against another MMA fighter who thinks that they can box. Because boxing is completely different. I said there’s preparing for an MMA fight and boxing and then there’s boxing-boxing. I’ve trained and sparred with WBC champions, undefeated up and comers, Commonwealth champions throughout my career, and boxing’s different. I’d love to box. I think I’m capable of holding my own against a decent level of boxing opponent. But give me a little warm-up fight first.”
