Lorenz Larkin Wants Paul Daley Rematch More Than Another Title Shot

Lorenz Larkin isn’t one to live with regret but four months after his last loss he just can’t seem to let it go.

Back in September 2017, Larkin lost by knockout to heavy-handed British slugger Paul Daley in one of the most highly anticipated bouts of the year in Bellator MMA. Larkin and Daley spared no language when verbally sparring before the contest and that ultimately led to a heated showdown inside the cage.

While losses are just an accepted consequence of combat sports, Larkin admits that the defeat suffered to Daley is still eating away at him but as much as he may not like his outspoken former opponent, he gives him credit for getting the job done in the fight.

“That fight to me wasn’t a back and forth. I messed up. I made a mistake, which is the fight game. It cost me the fight,” Larkin said in an exclusive interview ahead of his next fight at Bellator 193. “Before that, I didn’t feel in danger in that fight at all. But that’s the fight game. All it takes is a little mistake to happen for the opponent to capitalize on, which he did and which he should have. That’s how that fight ended. I got a loss but it sucks because I did everything right in that fight. I wasn’t worried about nothing and I made a mistake.

“It sucks but it’s just time for me to rectify all that with this win and get back to where I need to be.”

This weekend Larkin will have the chance to get back on the winning track when he faces Fernando Gonzalez in the main event in Bellator 193. While his focus remains on the task at hand, Larkin can’t deny that all he really wants is another shot at Daley at some point down the road.

In fact, Larkin is so determined to erase that loss from his record that he’d rather get a second shot at Daley than receive a title fight against new champion Rory MacDonald if that’s what Bellator offered him.

“That’s all I want. If I was offered a title fight after this one, I wouldn’t even take it. I want the rematch after this fight for sure,” Larkin said.

Now Larkin will probably never be Daley’s biggest fan but after their first fight when the two exchanged words backstage, he admitted that the veteran welterweight said he would gladly rematch him one day in the future.

Daley has even gone on record since then saying that he would happily offer Larkin a rematch before his time with Bellator is finished.

Without hesitation, Larkin was happy to accept the offer and now he just hopes that the promotion will give him the chance to right that wrong and face Daley a second time.

“After the fight, I went backstage to his room and congratulated him. I gave him his props on the win but when I was back there talking to him, he gave me his word that we can run it back when the time is right,” Larkin said.

“It makes me respect him a lot more that he’s keeping his word cause he told me that backstage. He’s keeping his word.”