Paul Daley signs three-fight deal with BAMMA

After a very brief free agency, Paul Daley is back with BAMMA.

Daley recently signed a three-fight, 12-month deal with the promotion that’s exclusive to the U.K., his manager Wad Alameddine told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). MMAFighting.com first reported the deal.

It’s unclear when Daley (33-12-2) will debut for the promotion, which holds its next event, BAMMA 13, on Sept. 14 in Birmingham, England. The hard-slugging welterweight is next scheduled to fight in November for Russian promotion LEGEND.

“Right now my focus is on my next fight in November, but expect me to fight for BAMMA this year at a U.K. arena show in December … possibly,” Daley wrote today on his Facebook page.

Daley fought twice for BAMMA in 2011, defeating Yuya Shirai and Jordan Radev by KO and decision, respectively.

This past month, Bellator released Daley after learning of his conviction on an assault charge stemming from an incident this past December in the U.K., which nixed his appearance in the promotion’s Season 8 welterweight tournament.

Daley then lobbied for a return to the UFC, where he thrice fought before being released for sucker-punching Josh Koscheck at UFC 113. UFC President Dana White, however, said he wasn’t anxious to promote the fighter.

“Sounds fun,” he joked when informed of Daley’s assault charge. “Sounds like something I want to deal with.”

Despite his troubles legal and otherwise, Daley has won four straight bouts, including one with Bellator.

“To be honest, I’m disappointed to have Paul leave Bellator,” Alameddine said. “Under the circumstances, [BAMMA] is one of the top organizations in the world, and I was very hopeful that he’d find a good home there. It’s a good place to be. It’s got good TV deals on a global basis, so he’s going to be televised [in the U.K.], he’s going to be televised in the U.S., and all around the world.

“I hope, and I think, we’ve made the the right decision with BAMMA, and the agreement has kept it nice and non-restrictive on Paul on his ability to fight anywhere else in the world.”