Paul Daley: UFC should ban McGregor too, but 'they need him'

Few people have been booted out of the UFC for disciplinary reasons like current Bellator welterweight Paul Daley was in 2010, but many were calling for Conor McGregor to receive that same punishment after he attacked a bus carrying fighters during UFC 223 media day in Brooklyn, N.Y., last month.

While Dana White and the UFC are waiting for the legal process to unfold before possibly punishing McGregor, Daley said the outcome will surely be different from his own based on the Irishman's status in the promotion.

"The whole situation it was very similar and Dana could come across as being a little hypocritical, but for me, it's a different ballgame," Daley said on "The MMA Hour" on Monday. "The UFC was in a different place (when I was released) and it's in a different place now.

"A lot of where they are now is (due) to Conor McGregor. So if you've got someone bringing in money and raising the sport and your promotion to greater heights, then you can't ban him for life because business is going to go bad for you."

Daley briefly fought in the UFC in 2009 and 2010, but infamously ended his tenure with the promotion when he punched Josh Koscheck after the fight was over at UFC 113. White quickly banned Daley from the promotion for life - a punishment the fighter thinks McGregor deserves, but rightfully won't receive.

"Really, he should be treated the same as I was. He should be banned for life for what he did," said Daley, who faces Jon Fitch this Saturday at Bellator 199. "As a guy with his profile in the sport and for the company of the UFC, he should be banned for life, if what I did, I got banned for life. But business is business and they need him. I like Conor McGregor and I respect him.

"And I respect Dana's choice. It's a smart move."

Daley has two fights left on this contract with Bellator and said he'd be open to returning to the UFC after his deal is up, though he's not holding his breath waiting for White's call.