Strikeforce: Nick Diaz Vs. Paul Daley Off? Daley Threatening to Back out

Former UFC and current Strikeforce welterweight contender Paul Daley has drawn his line in the sand.

After the news broke that the UFC's parent company, Zuffa, had purchased Strikeforce, questions immediately arose around how it would affect fighters who may have bad relationships with Zuffa and Dana White in specific.

Paul Daley may be the man who has the worst relationship with his former employer.

Daley was fired after a tough fight against Josh Koscheck in which he eventually lost a unanimous decision. But it wasn't the loss that stirred up all the controversy.

Immediately after the fight, when Koscheck was walking away back to his corner, Daley stood up and sucker-punched him way after the bell. 

The flagrant attack was not met with understanding by anyone within the UFC, especially not President Dana White.

In a post-fight press conference, White condemned the attack, adding that Paul Daley would, "never fight in the UFC again."

White stood his ground, and Daley was gone immediately after the fight. He went on to sign with Strikeforce, making his debut at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu. He won his fight against Scott Smith in just over two minutes, knocking Smith out with a big punch.

The fight earned Daley a title shot in a very thin Strikeforce welterweight division, where he will face champion Nick Diaz on Apr. 9.

All was beginning to look right again in Daley's world. That is, until the news broke today that the same company that had fired him less than a year ago was now his employer yet again.

Though Dana White specifically mentioned Paul Daley as being a "Strikeforce" fighter still, Daley didn't seem convinced. In a message on his Facebook page, Daley responded to the news:

Business as usual, what if i dont wanna fight for DANA WHITE/ZUFFA?...Dana white bans me for life from the UFC, Then buys STRIKEFORCE, and thinks im still gonna be EASY and fight on one of the most anticipated fights of the year (vs Diaz)? Which will no doubt make ZUFFA/Dana White money.

Daley vs. Diaz still on?...Someone better holla at my manager real quick.

The hostility Daley showed in this comment has to be of serious concern to Strikeforce and Zuffa.

With less than a month until the fight is supposed to take place, Strikeforce may need to seriously explore the possibility of another opponent for Diaz, who has already torn through their welterweight division.

Dana White said that we wouldn't see fighters going back and forth from the UFC to Strikeforce and vice versa. But with the Strikeforce welterweight division as depleted as it is, we may see that promise broken very quickly as Zuffa scrambles to find an opponent for their next big event on Showtime.