News
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July 20, 2010
Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck Set for UFC 123 on December 11
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will defend the 170-pound title in a rematch against opposing Ultimate Fighter 12 coach Josh Koscheck on December 11, a pay-per-view event which is expected to be UFC 123.
“Can’t wait until TUF 12 airs in September, and oh yeah did you guys know that I am going to be the next welterweight champion come December 11th,” Koscheck announced on Twitter overnight.
MMAFrenzy.com previously reported that Toronto and Pittsburgh were under consideration to host the event, but now appear unlikely as Toronto has yet to legalize mixed martial arts, while Pittsburgh’s CONSOL Energy Center is booked with a pair of NCAA basketball games.
St-Pierre rebounded from an upset loss to Matt Serra with a unanimous decision over Koscheck in their first meeting in August 2007 and has since extended his win streak to seven-straight, reclaiming the title and defending it over the likes of BJ Penn, Thiago Alves, and Dan Hardy most-recently in March.
After being upset by newcomer Paulo Thiago for his second loss in three bouts, Koscheck has won three-straight over Frank Trigg, Anthony Johnson, and Paul Daley in May to earn a shot at the title.
The Ultimate Fighter 12 debuts on September 15 following UFC Fight Night 22 on Spike TV, while The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale is set for December 4 in Las Vegas.
Source: MMA Frenzy
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July 13, 2010
Josh Koscheck - TUF 12: Meet the Coaches
When UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre enters the Octagon against #1 contender and #1 UFC villain Josh Koscheck at the conclusion of Season 12 of "The Ultimate Fighter," be prepared for a technical chess match when the two find their rhythm and unleash their game plans.
GSP already beat Koscheck in a non-title fight with superior wrestling, however this time around Koscheck has more tools to work with than when the two first met at UFC 74 in August 2007. Back then, according to GSP, the champ had the element of surprise on his rival.
"He didn't know how my wrestling was," GSP said at a recent press conference. "This time I don't have this element of surprise, but I'm going to have to use another element of surprise you guys might find out in the fight."
Whatever GSP has in store, Koscheck says he's ready for the biggest fight of his career.
"I plan on making Georges stand toe-to-toe with me," Koscheck said. "This isn't going to be a wrestling match. I'm going to force him to stand-up with me because I believe he doesn't have knockout power," Kos said.
No matter how confident Koscheck is however, St. Pierre's already impressive skills inside the cage just keep getting better and better, and mentally, GSP has been stronger than ever after a surprise upset by Matt Serra in 2007. Since then, GSP has been on a tear, defeating the world's best welterweights in dominating fashion.
Koscheck, for his part, has not been as impressive. He eked out a "safe" win against Paul Daley in May and dropped two fights to Paulo Thiago and Thiago Alves along the way.
He has, however, improved his acting skills, with Oscar-worthy performances: wincing and shaking his head in agonizing pain after a glancing illegal knee from Daley, and another after he was poked in the eye by Anthony Johnson back at UFC 106.
The theatrics have not endeared Koscheck to the fans, who have made him the man they love to hate.
"I'm used to the boos," Koscheck said.
One thing both fighters do have in common is that they are both from excellent camps. GSP gets his strategy from Greg Jackson and trains primarily with Firas Zahabi at Tri-Star Gym in Montreal. Zahabi, a Muay Thai specialist, has a facility that caters to mixed martial arts. Add Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Renzo Gracie's guru John Danaher, Muay Thai champion and master gamer Phil Nurse, and you start to see why GSP's game keeps improving. Training partners include David Loiseau, Nate Marquardt, and Jon Jones.
Koscheck trains at the highly acclaimed American Kickboxing Academy, home to such fighters as Cung Le and Cain Velasquez. His trainers are Javier Mendez and Dave Camarillo, and his partners include Olympic wrestling great Daniel Cormier.
St. Pierre says the trash talking the two will inevitably do during the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter," where the two will coach 28 lightweights on opposing teams, will fuel even more of his desire to retain his belt.
As for Koscheck, well, it will be just business as usual.
"The Ultimate Fighter" Season 12 premieres in September.
Season 12 Coaches:
Georges St-Pierre
John Danaher (assistant coach)
Phil Nurse (assistant coach)
Jean-Charles Skarbowsky (assistant coach)
Shawn Williams (assistant coach)
Firas Zahabi (assistant coach)
Josh Koscheck
Dave Camarillo (assistant coach)
Daniel Cormier (assistant coach)
"Crazy" Bob Cook (assistant coach)
Teddy Lucio (assistant coach)
Javier Mendez (assistant coach)
Photo Source: UFC
Source: The Ultimate Fighter
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July 6, 2010
UFC Welterweight Josh Koscheck Hosts UFC 116 Viewing Party at Lagasse's Stadium
Saturday evening, Ultimate Fighter Season 1 star and top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, hosted a live UFC 116 viewing party inside Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo Las Vegas.
Koscheck kicked off the evening by welcoming the sold out crowd and sharing his feelings of there being a 50/50 chance on who would win the main event, Lesnar or Carwin. When asked who the fans should put their money on for the main event Koscheck evoked a loud cheer from the crowd when he answered, “Bet on me,” hinting at the outcome of his upcoming fight against welterweight champion George St. Pierre (GSP). He went on to predict that he would beat GSP in the second round by knockout.
Comfortably dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, Koscheck spent the evening signing autographs, posing for fan photos and dining on Emeril Lagasse’s renowned cuisine. Along with his group of 20 friends, Koscheck dined on filet minion, chicken Caesar salad, French fries and hummus and cocktails made with Cazadores tequila.
Source: Vegas News
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July 5, 2010
Josh Koscheck Talks: UFC 116, TUF 12, Jon Fitch, and being hated
UFC #1 welterweight contender Josh Koscheck joined X 107.5’s Dave and Mahoney Morning Show to talk:
UFC 116: Carwin vs. Lesnar
The Ultimate Fighter 12
Jon Fitch / AKA
Why he almost got eggedListen to the interview after the jump.
Source: MMA30
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July 2, 2010
Lagasse's Stadium at The Palazzo Welcomes UFC Fighter Josh Koscheck
The Palazzo welcomes Ultimate Fighter Season 1 star and top welterwight contender Josh Koscheck on Saturday, July 3, 2010 as he hosts the UFC 116 Lesnar v. Carwin Viewing Party inside Lagasse’s Stadium. Koscheck will welcome the crowd, discuss his favorite UFC moments and who he thinks will win UFC 116.
Fight fans can catch all the action on over 100 HD TV’s, while dining on renowned Chef Emeril Lagasse’s critically acclaimed kicked-up bar food. The venue offers flat screen television tableside, plush stadium seating, and an outdoor patio decked with billiards and flat screens. UFC 116 will be televised live inside Lagasse’s Stadium from 7:00pm-10:00pm.
There is no cost to attend this event. Food and beverage minimums apply for all seated areas. If you would like to make dinner or Stadium seating reservations, please call Lagasse’s Stadium at 702.607.2665.
WHEN: Saturday, July 3, 2010
Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm
WHERE: Lagasse’s Stadium
The Palazzo Las Vegas
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109Source: Vegas News
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June 12, 2010
The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale slated for Dec. 4 in Las Vegas
With the upcoming 12th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" now in production and its Sept. 15 Spike TV debut set, plans are also in motion for the show's live finale.
A source close to the competition-reality series told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the show's live finale takes place Dec. 4.
As with the past seven finales, The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale takes place at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and airs on Spike TV.
"TUF 12," a lightweights-only season of the show that features 28 fighters in a 32-slot tourney (with two "wild-card" picks), features UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and top contender Josh Koscheck as coaches. They and the 14 official cast members are currently in Las Vegas for production.
Two finalists will emerge from the show, and they'll fight for the coveted "six-figure UFC contract" at the Dec. 4 event.
The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale, which features Court McGee vs. Kris McCray and a non-"TUF" co-headliner of Matt Hamill vs. Keith Jardine, takes place next Saturday, June 19, at the Palms.
"TUF" debuted in 2005 and is often cited as one of the primary reasons for MMA's and the UFC's move into the mainstream. The reality series has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters and produced three future champions.Source: MMA Junkie
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June 8, 2010
The Ultimate Fighter 12 Begins Production in Las Vegas
The Ultimate Fighter 12 today began it’s six-week taping in Las Vegas, as 28 up-and-coming lightweights, coached by UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and upcoming challenger Josh Koscheck, will vie for the latest “Ultimate Fighter” title and a guaranteed contract with the UFC.
Like The Ultimate Fighter 11, TUF 12 will see 14 of the 28 lightweights advance to the house by winning elimination fights, and will also include a wild card bout that will allow one of the eliminated fighters to earn their way into the quarterfinals.
The Ultimate Fighter 12 debuts on Spike TV on Wednesday, September 15 at 10pm ET following UFC Fight Night 22.
Source: MMA Frenzy
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June 4, 2010
Josh Kocheck adds Teddy Lucio, Strikeforce's Daniel Cormier as "TUF 12" coaches
"The Ultimate Fighter 12" head coach Josh Koscheck has added two more names to his staff of assistant coaches, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned on Thursday.
According to sources close to the fighter, Koscheck has brought on Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier as a wrestling coach and Teddy Lucio as his boxing coach.
Cormier and Lucio join Bob Cook, Javier Mendez and Dave Camarillo as Koscheck's assistant coaches on the lightweights-only season of the UFC reality show, which debuts Sept. 15 on Spike TV.
The show, which also features UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre as a coach, recently began taping in Las Vegas.
Not surprisingly, all of Koscheck's picks come the gym he's long called home: the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.
Cormier, who's 2-0 in his young MMA career, is a former NCAA Division I runner-up at the famed wrestling powerhouse Oklahoma State University. In addition to his international experience and many accolades, he wrestled in the 2004 Olympic Games and just missed a medal after placing fourth. One year after he was forced to withdraw from the 2008 Olympic Games due to kidney failure, Cormier moved to MMA and took up residence with AKA.
Cormier made his MMA debut this past September at Strikeforce Challengers 3 and dispatched Gary Frazier via second-round TKO. He followed that with a first-round KO victory over John Devine at Strikeforce Challengers 7 in March and now awaits his next booking.
Lucio, meanwhile, served as a boxing coach for two years at AKA, where he worked closely with Koscheck during his pivotal transition from a simple wrestler to a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
As with past seasons of "TUF," which debuted more than five years ago on Spike TV, participants fight in a tournament-style competition, and the winner is guaranteed a UFC contract. The show has produced more than 100 fighters who eventually competed in the UFC, and three former champs (Matt Serra, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans) came from the "TUF" ranks.
A coaching staff can play a pivotal role in cast members' ability to advance in the 32-slot tournaments.
With Team Koscheck, fighters get decades of experience. As MMAjunkie.com recently reported, Mendez is a longtime martial artist and ISKA kickboxing champ who later founded AKA, Cook is a one-time UFC fighter who is now AKA's head MMA trainer, and Camarillo is an elite-level and longtime jiu-jitsu and judo competitor who founded "Guerrilla jiu jitsu."
That coaching corps goes head-to-head with St-Pierre's team of "TUF 12" coaches, which includes Firas Zahabi, John Danaher, Shawn Williams, Phil Nurse and Jean-Charles Skarbowsky.Source: MMA Junkie
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June 3, 2010
Josh Koscheck going to Vegas for TUF 12
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June 2, 2010
Josh Koscheck Responds To Dana White's Comments
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
UFC welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (15-4) has rubbed many fans the wrong way since he arrived on the MMA scene after appearing on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. His famous feuds with fellow UFC vets Paul Daley and Diego Sanchez are behind him. Now he's in a war of words with UFC president Dana White.After Koscheck defeated brash British striker Paul Daley at UFC 113 last month, White told Yahoo! Sports, "I'm no Josh Koscheck fan. Personally, I think he's [expletive]. We actually don't get along very well."
White did not elaborate on his distaste for Koscheck but it may have to do with his refusal to fight fellow welterweight Jon Fitch. Fitch and Koscheck are teammates at the esteemed American Kickboxing Academy and both have publicly refused to fight each other unless it was for a title and a ton of money. Many regard Fitch and Koscheck as the top two contenders behind St. Pierre and a fight between them would make sense. In fairness to Koscheck, several fighters including St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida have publicly declared they would not fight a fellow team member. White has often insisted that fighting is not a team sport.
"Dana White doesn't like me, apparently. That's what he says. I'm not a team player. I don't understand how he can say that. To go on record and say that, I think that's a bunch of (expletive)," Koscheck said in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm the type of fighter that steps up and fights anybody, anytime, anyplace. I've taken short-notice fights for him. I always do whatever I'm asked."
Click here to watch Kos' interview with Fight Magazine!
Koscheck earned the opportunity to coach against St. Pierre in the 12th season of TUF and then challenge GSP for the welterweight crown in a rematch of their 2007 fight where Koscheck lost a unanimous decision.
Koscheck continued, "I'm going to prove I'm a team player by winning the show and the welterweight title."
Throughout his career, Koscheck has often taunted booing crowds and appears to relish the role of playing the bad guy. After his last fight with Daley, he told a Montreal crowd that he would beat their hometown hero Georges St. Pierre.
"I always use this analogy because I respect Dennis Rodman and what he did. He was one of the best rebounders in the NBA, but he didn't really get noticed until he started acting like a crazy man," Koscheck said. "At the end of the day, I've got to do things for myself and my business to make money so I don't have to work. It's not like we're getting paid $50 million or $60 million a fight like (Floyd) Mayweather."
UFC fans will get to see a whole lot of Koscheck when the next season of TUF airs. Koscheck will have the opportunity to try to turn his many detractors into fans or cement his role as a villain in the UFC.
Source: Fight Line
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June 1, 2010
JOSH KOSCHECK NOT NEW TO COACHING, TUF OR GSP
Josh Koscheck transformed from collegiate wrestling champion to professional mixed martial artist and UFC fighter through “The Ultimate Fighter” debut season on Spike TV.
Eleven seasons later, he returns to “The Ultimate Fighter,” coaching opposite UFC welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre, and feels he offers his future team a unique perspective coming from a coaching background and having participated on the reality show.
A former wrestling coach for Penn State and the University of Buffalo, Koscheck’s used to the coaching role and all it entails.
“I’m a disciplinary when it comes to training and being structured when it comes to accomplishing a goal, and that‘s one of the things that I will instill in these guys being a good coach and motivator,” Koscheck told MMAWeekly.com.
He also knows you’re only as good of a coach as your assistant coaches and staff.
“I’m definitely going to be bringing in some good coaches. I’m going to have an all-star team there of coaches and training partners and friends so that we’ll be able to get this thing rockin.”
The American Kickboxing Academy trained fighter wouldn’t say who will be on his TUF 12 coaching staff except that jiu-jitsu instructor Dave Camarillo will be involved.
“Dave will be involved at some point,” said Koscheck. “He’s obviously got his own business, his own thing going, so he can’t get into the show the whole time, but he’ll be able to come in, that’s for sure.”
Possibly the biggest asset the 32-year-old brings to TUF 12 is the experience of having been there and done that.
“These young fighters will be able to look at me and say, hey, I’ve come from ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ where you’re at now to being the coach,” said Coach Koscheck. “Hopefully I can give them some inspiration and hopefully motivate them to fight their asses off and put on a good show for the UFC.”Source: MMA Weekly
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May 31, 2010
Team Kosheck "TUF 12" coaches include Bob Cook, Javier Mendez, Dave Camarillo
LAS VEGAS – "The Ultimate Fighter 12" coach Josh Koscheck has selected three of his trainers as assistant coaches for the upcoming reality show.
In an interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at UFC Fan Expo 2010, the top UFC welterweight contender and "TUF 1" cast member confirmed three mainstays from his gym, the famed American Kickboxing Academy.
The list includes former ISKA kickboxing world champ and AKA owner/head trainer Javier Mendez, one-time UFC fighter and AKA's head MMA trainer "Crazy" Bob Cook, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt/AKA trainer Dave Camarillo.
Koscheck and his assistant coaches begin taping "TUF 12" this week in Las Vegas. The show debuts on Spike TV on Sept. 15, and Koscheck coaches opposite UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. The duo meets in a season-ending title fight sometime in December.
Koscheck, who won his title shot and the "TUF 12" coaching gig with a win over Paul Daley earlier this month, said he'll give fans a reason to tune into the competition-reality series.
"It's going to be a great opportunity for me, my brand (and) the UFC," he said. "I think I bring something different to this show than the previous coaches because it's about personality. I bring a lot of personality with me (and) with my group. I'm super excited."
"TUF 12" is a lightweights-only season of the show. As with past seasons of "TUF," which debuted more than five years ago, the winner earns a UFC contract.
A coaching staff can play a pivotal role in cast members' ability to advance in the 32-slot tournaments.
With Team Koscheck, fighters get decades of experience.
Koscheck, one of the biggest stars to come out of the "TUF" series, was a four-time Division I All-American wrestler at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. In his junior year, he went 42-0 and won a national championship. His wrestling experience allowed him to find quick success in MMA, and in large part due to AKA, he's rounded out his game with strong standup skills. With 17 bouts in the UFC, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt is one of the organization's most experienced fighters. His current three-fight win streak includes wins over Frank Trigg, Anthony Johnson and Daley.
Mendez, who's been involved in martial arts for more than 30 years, opened AKA after winning two titles with ISKA, including the light-cruiserweight championship on his 18th birthday. His AKA gym, which opened in the 1980s, has become of combat-sports' most productive facilities and is now home to UFC mainstays such as Koscheck, Mike Swick, Cain Velasquez and Jon Fitch.
Cook, who's 5-0 pro MMA career includes a submission win over Tiki Ghosn at UFC 24, is now the head MMA trainer at AKA. He also manages many of the camp's top MMA fighters and is considered one of the sport's most powerful people.
Camarillo, an elite-level jiu-jitsu and judo competitor, began his training and competition before the term "mixed martial arts" had even been coined. The founder of "Guerrilla jiu jitsu," the Gracie black belt today is seen in many top fighters' corners, including those he trains at AKA.Source: MMA Junkie
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May 28, 2010
St-Pierre vs Koscheck to go down in Toronto or Pittsburgh in December
As we all know the upcoming twelfth season of The Ultimate Fighter will have UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre coaching against new number one contender Josh Koscheck as they will face off for the second time in their careers once the show is over in late December. But, the question is: where will their fight be taking place?
Following Tuesday’s press conference in Canada, UFC President Dana White tells MMAWeekly.com that he wants this fight to go down in the city of Toronto, Ontario. However, White may also consider having the fight go down in Koscheck’s hometown in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well.
“We want to do that fight here,” White said about Toronto. “We could do Pittsburgh too though, but we’d like to do it here.”
White along with other UFC officials have been in talks with the Ontario government counsel to help sanction the sport of MMA for about two years now and although they have been close, the situation is pretty much like with the recent situation in Vancouver, British Columbia as they were hesitant to officially sanction an MMA event due to safety concerns and other issues, but that deal is done as UFC 115 will be held at the GM Place in a few weeks on June 15. Still, White is optimistic that a deal will be done if not soon then eventually.
“I’ve been saying we were close (to getting Toronto sanctioning) for two years,” White said with a laugh. “As close as I thought we were before, who knows? I don’t know what that means. We’re here, we’re hammering it, it’s not one of those things like we have to get this done this year. We eventually have to get it done.”
But in the likelihood that St-Pierre vs Koscheck does not happen in Toronto then Pittsburgh would be the likely destination as UFC VP of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner has been holding discussions with city officials to bring a UFC event later this year at the new Consol Energy Center, which will serve as the new home of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
Source: urdirt.com
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May 26, 2010
KOSCHECK PLANS TO KO ST-PIERRE IN REMATCH
Josh Koscheck has been scratching and clawing his way into title contention since his arrival in the Ultimate Fighting Championship via “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show’s debut season.
He’s been on the cusp of a title shot on a few occasions, but untimely losses to Georges St-Pierre, Thiago Alves, and Paulo Thiago derailed his track to fighting for the championship.
The American Kickboxing Academy trained athlete knew for “a long time” before stepping in the Octagon with Paul Daley at UFC 113 on May 8 that a win would garner him a title bout and a rematch with St-Pierre, only this time it would be a five-round contest.
“This time it is everything. This is going to be it man,” Koscheck told MMAWeekly.com. “This is my run to the title and I’m going to get it. I’m close. I’ve got to be focused. I’ve got to train and I’m coming out of this fight with a victory.”
Following his win over Daley in Montreal, Koscheck let it be known that he’d like for the rematch to take place near his hometown of Waynesburg, Penn., in Pittsburgh.
“I think the city of Pittsburgh needs something like that. I’m from the area and it would be great to come home and have the support of all of my fans that have been backing me all the way since I was in college wrestling all the way up to now fighting for the title,” said Koscheck. “Pittsburgh would be a great, great city to have the UFC.”
Pittsburgh is just the 32-year-old fighter’s first choice, and anticipates a good event no matter what city plays host.
“Bringing the UFC to Pittsburgh would be awesome, but regardless where it is it’s going to be a great event and me and St-Pierre are going to put on a good show.”
St-Pierre was able to out-wrestle the four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler when they first met at UFC 74 in August of 2007, but Koscheck refuses to let that happen in the rematch.
“Georges, you better work on your power because I’m going to force you to stand up with me when we fight and I’m going to knock you out.”Source: MMA Weekly
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May 24, 2010
Josh Koscheck UFC 114 After Fight Party at Studio 54
Don't miss Josh Kosckeck in Las Vegas for UFC 114!
Meet Josh at the UFC 114 After Fight Party at Studio 54
Josh Koscheck will also be appearing at the UFC Expo at the following locations and times:
Thursday, May 27th:
Dethrone Signing: LX Fight Shop at The Luxor
Friday, May 28th:
Dethrone Booth: 12:00-2:00 pm
UFC Booth 3:00-6:00 pm
Saturday:
Dethrone Booth: 2:00-4:00
After Fight Party at MGM Studio 54
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May 20, 2010
Josh Koscheck relishes role of UFC bad boy, even if it is just a show
By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Polite and respectful, Georges St-Pierre is the type of mixed martial arts fighter you'd bring home to mother. Josh Koscheck, not so much.
But there's far more to Koscheck than a bad boy image, which the 32-year-old from Fresno, Calif., admits to carefully cultivating.
After manhandling English welterweight Paul (Semtex) Daley at UFC 113 recently to earn a shot at St-Pierre's title, Koscheck gleefully antagonized the Bell Centre crowd in Montreal by (incorrectly) picking the Pittsburgh Penguins to beat the Canadiens and then promising to take care of another hometown hero by dethroning GSP.
"Koscheck's so good at being a dick, he doesn't have to practise," UFC president Dana White, wearing a big smile, said at the post-fight news conference.
From the moment he turned a hose on a distraught Chris Leben in Season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV show, Koscheck has worn the black hat in the UFC. He is booed wherever he goes.
It's all part of the act.
"In the entertainment business whether it's fighting, whether it's movies, whether it's anything, you have to have a way to get people to remember you," Koscheck explained. "And that's one of the things that through my career I've really done a good job with. . . . I sit down, I brainstorm all the time about what do I have to say, what have I got to do to make myself stand out from everybody else? So everybody knows the name Josh Koscheck.
"The funny thing is yeah I play the villain, but if you came and hung out with me for the day, and we got on the boat and we went fishing or just hung out about my house and just kind of chilled, you would see a different side to me."
An avid angler, Koscheck likes to disappear and go fly-fishing after a fight. Or work on his clothing company (www.marclothing.com).
And in recent weeks, the UFC's bad boy has even looked to send out motivational tweets to his fans.
"I have learned alot about myself & life this past yr &1 thing i have learned through my Experience is ur only as good as ur WORD!," offers one such tweet.
"Sometimes Life can beat u down! But let's gooooooooooooo tomorrow is a new day! Get it done. If u want something fight for it! Gnighta," says another.
Koscheck credits a friend, Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte, for inspiring him on Twitter.
"Just a very motivational person. One of the things from hanging out with him that I have learned over the past year is having the opportunity to touch people's lives. If they're going to follow me (on Twitter), that means that they obviously care about me so I might as well help them and send out positive vibes."
After defeating Daley, Koscheck has a chance to influence a new crop on "The Ultimate Fighter," with St-Pierre as his rival coach.
While honoured to have graduated from alumnus to coach on the show, Koscheck acknowledges the new role will be a change. When he is training for a fight, he usually only thinks about himself.
"That's where I do best, when I have mindless training and I don't have to think about training, I don't have to think about when my workouts are. I get up in the morning and the coaches are there and they tell me exactly what, when, where and how I'm doing it."
Some past coaches have used the show to play mental games. One would think Koscheck would have a huge trash-talking edge, given his experience at it and St-Pierre's unwillingness to trade insults in his second language. But Koscheck says he is not looking to be the sandpaper on the show.
"I don't think I need to get in Georges St-Pierre's head. He knows what kind of fighter I've improved (to). . . . I'm going to have my wrestling so good that I'm going to force Georges St-Pierre into standing toe to toe with me and then I'm going to end up knocking him out, because I believe that Georges doesn't have knockout power and I do."
In the days since the Montreal win, Koscheck has been savouring some down time. He spent 12 weeks in San Jose preparing for Daley at the American Kickboxing Academy.
While Koscheck dominated the brash Brit, he was not satisfied with the performance.
"Yes, I fought a great conservative, smart fight. But I believe I could have finished Paul Daley. I should have finished Paul Daley."
He points to a roller-coaster training camp.
"You couldn't even imagine the things I went through to get to this fight," he said. "Some day if I do a book, it will all be in there, I can guarantee you that. This was a tough one."
"At one point my managers and coaches almost pulled me from the fight but I didn't let them," he added. "I said 'No, I'm going to make it through this and I'm going to keep fighting.' I dealt with a lot of personal issues, injuries. It was by far probably one of the worst training camps I've ever had in my entire life."
Asked to elaborate, Koscheck said: "I had tons of personal issues and I had several injuries going into this fight. But I still showed up and I tried to perform and put on the best show that I possibly could."
Koscheck (17-4) credited coach Bob Cook, manager DeWayne Zinkin and the rest of his support group for helping him make it through,.
"A lot of things can happen in life, certain circumstances that you've got to fight through. I'm thankful to God that I made it through this 12-week training camp because it was probably by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my entire life."
Koscheck pronounces himself "100 per cent better" these days.
"I'm on my way to becoming a champion and that's what I've been working for my whole career."
Still he put off plans to return to the gym at the start of the week, deciding instead to take the next two weeks off.
Koscheck expects filming on the show to start in June with the GSP fight at the end of the year.
The two met in August 2007, with St-Pierre outwrestling the former four-time NCAA all-American en route to a unanimous decision at UFC 74.
"I kind of just overlooked he was a good athlete and had the ability to learn wrestling so quick," Koscheck said. "I believe that I was young, naive and a little immature. I think now I'm wiser, older and a lot smarter when it comes to preparing and putting a game plan together."
The glib facade put aside, Koscheck admits he remains a work in progress.
"I strive every day to become a better person. I strive every day to become a better fighter," he said. "And I'm truly blessed with the opportunity that I have to become the coach on 'The Ultimate Fighter' and a chance to beat Georges St-Pierre."
Source: The Score
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May 18, 2010
Pat Barry, Kyle Noke, Mike Swick and Josh Koscheck
In what was one of the most action packed shows ever, Pat Barry starts off the show talking Cro Cop, Kyle Noke calls in about TUF 11, Mike Swick talks about his travels around the world and being at 170, and Koscheck talks all things Ultimate Fighter. Download now!Source: MMA Scraps Radio
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May 18, 2010
Revisiting the illegal knee
During the first round of the UFC 113 bout between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley at UFC 113, fans and media alike harped on Koscheck for what appeared to be a massively overacted reaction to an illegal knee thrown by Daley.
The replay that was shown over and over, in the arena and on the pay-per-view broadcast, showed the left knee thrown by Daley that maybe scraped Koscheck's hair. The reaction from Koscheck didn't seem to go hand in hand with what was being shown on the screen, and thus all were decrying Koscheck for trying to fake that the blow hit to perhaps get a point taken or simply to get some rest time, which he received.
Well, there's another replay of the sequence circulating that shows that Koscheck did, in fact, get ht with an illegal knee by Daley, it just wasn't the one that was being shown over and over again. Take a look at the .gif image below with the entire sequence slowed down.
Now, if you look closely, as referee Dan Miragliotta is stepping out of view, the right knee of Daley comes up and jars Koscheck's head back, and then he tries to throw a second knee, that being the one that completely missed. It even appears that the second knee misses because Koscheck is turning to make a complaint to Miragliotta.
Koscheck never backed off from his side of the story in interviews after the fight, swearing he got hit by something, and this look shows he was right. It was one of several instances in this fight, and after, in which Daley employed unsportsmanlike conduct, ending with the sucker punch after the fight that sent him out of the organization.
Penick's Analysis: As one of the people who was vociferously against Koscheck's reaction and behavior while watching the fight and then in comments afterward, I have no problem admitting I was wrong and making apologies to Koscheck for not giving him the benefit of the doubt in this case. While he's not a likable character, the fact is it was Paul Daley who threw two illegal knees here, tried to gouge his eyes in the third round and then hit him with a sucker punch after the bell.
It only drives home that Daley's release and subsequent banishment from the UFC was likely the correct call, even when made in the heat of the moment. As for the knee issue, because of how quickly this sequence happened and the fact that the wrong replay was being shown, Koscheck got a raw deal on fan and media reaction to that part of the fight. Still, he won and is now set up for the biggest fight of his career against Georges St. Pierre, likely in December.Source: MMA Torch
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May 15, 2010
ST-PIERRE: KOSCHECK IS THE PERFECT VILLAIN
Hero vs. Villain
It's the age-old story that's easiest to tell, and in the promoting business, it's easiest to sell. When Georges St-Pierre faces off against Josh Koscheck, first as coaches on Season 12 of “The Ultimate Fighter" and then in a fight for the UFC welterweight title, it's pretty clear that this is a case of MMA hero vs. villain.
St-Pierre is arguably the most popular and famed fighter in the sport today, while Koscheck has made no secrets that he's not concerned with what people think about him. So long as he's successful, they'll just have to get used to seeing his face.
The Canadian superstar was cageside for Koscheck's fight against Paul Daley last Saturday night, and when the American Kickboxing Academy fighter went for the proverbial throat to goad the Montreal crowd, St-Pierre says he'd didn't mind the comments at all. He actually liked them.
"I liked the comment that he made at the end. It was awesome. He's a perfect villain," St-Pierre told MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday. "I like him even more cause of this."
Playing the villain to GSP's hero will surely show in the ratings for the reality show set to start filming in June, and when they fight later this year the chatter heading into that will be epic as well. St-Pierre admits he likes Koscheck, and knows that all the talk will only help build for their eventual fight.
"I like Josh Koscheck, he's awesome. It's going to build up the fight better saying bad things to each other," St. Pierre said with a laugh.
The champion knows that Koscheck is a challenge, and that he wouldn't be in the position he's in without winning. He also understands it's not an easy place to be with 20,000 fans against you after a fight.
"It's normal. He's confident coming into that fight. He's a fighter. For sure if he doesn't think he's going to win the fight, he's not going to take the fight. It's going to be up to me to prove him wrong," said St-Pierre.
"I put myself in his shoes with the people booing him. It was just very funny what he said."
The fight between St-Pierre and Koscheck is set to go down later this year, most likely towards the end of 2010. At the UFC 113 post-fight press conference, Josh Koscheck declined to come back to Montreal for the title fight and instead implored UFC president Dana White to bring the fight to his hometown of Pittsburgh.
St-Pierre says wherever they fight is fine by him because ultimately they still have to fight to prove who's best, and that's not determined by location.
"As long as it's a fair fight and there is no biased judges, everything is fair. I'm agreed to do it wherever it is. I don't care," St-Pierre stated.
The last time St-Pierre and Koscheck met it was after the Canadian's stunning upset loss to Matt Serra. The reigning and defending welterweight champion has not lost since then, and Koscheck was the first fight where he was able to show the tremendous wrestling base that he hadn't really displayed before.
The result ended up being several takedowns from St-Pierre on Koscheck, who was an NCAA champion wrestler himself at Edinboro College in Pennsylvania. Knowing that the surprise factor worked well for him last time, St-Pierre understands that Koscheck probably knows now how good his wrestling is, but there's always new tricks to show off.
"He's a different fighter than when I fought him the first time. The first time I had the element of surprise. I was able to take him out of his comfort zone by using my wrestling skills. He didn’t know how my wrestling was," St-Pierre said.
"This time I don't have this element of surprise, but I'm going to have to use another element of surprise you guys might find out in the fight."
He'll have plenty of time to work up some new surprises for the fight, as St-Pierre will head out to Las Vegas in June to begin filming the new season of “The Ultimate Fighter" and then get ready to defend his title later this year against Koscheck.Source: MMA Weekly
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May 10, 2010
Daley loses to Koscheck, throws cheap shot after the bell
Josh Koscheck won in a unanimous decision -- 30-27 on all cards -- over Paul Daley, earning Koscheck a chance to challenge welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre for the title. But this bout will be remembered more for the controversy than the fighting.
Koscheck, a four-time Division I All-American wrestler, showed off his strong grappling base by starting the bout with a driving takedown and immediate control. Daley slipped his way out of from under Koscheck to bring the fight back to their feet.
As Daley stood up, he threw a knee when Koscheck was still on the ground. The replay showed that Koscheck was not hit. The crowd in Montreal was not pleased with the quick stoppage in action from the phantom eye poke, as they immediately chanted "[Expletive] you, Koscheck!"
Koscheck started the second round as he did the first, with a driving takedown and quick hop over to side control. Koscheck continued to control Daley, but didn't cause much damage. Koscheck took Daley's back and landed some body strikes to finish the round.
In the final round, the two stood for the first minute until Koscheck shot in for another takedown, and continued to control the fight on the ground. The fight continuyed like that until the round ended, and then things got interesting.
After the bell rang and Koscheck walked away with his arms raised, Daley came up behind Koscheck and threw a cheap shot. Referee Dan Miragliotta, a man much larger than Daley, grabbed a hold of Daley and said, "What are you doing, man?"Koscheck then showed that he didn't mind being hated by Canadians, as he, a native of Pennsylvania, said to the crowd in Montreal, "The Pittsburgh Penguins are gonna kick your [expletive]!" referring to the ongoing Stanley Cup playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Penguins. He relished the boos as he headed out of the cage, blowing kisses to the crowd.
Daley's cheap shot is not the norm in MMA, as fighters normally end fights when the final bell rings. UFC president Dana White was clearly upset with Daley for the punch that came several seconds after the fight ended, as he berated Daley in the corner of the cage. You can bet that Daley will face disciplinary action for the punch.
Source: Yahoo Sports
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May 7, 2010
Georges St-Pierre to Coach TUF 12 Against Koscheck-Daley Winner
As Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley prepared to face each other at UFC 113, speculation swirled that the winner would be next in line for a shot at UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, with the title fight happening sometime around the end of the year.As it turns out, however, whoever wins won't have to wait that long to face off against GSP.
It was announced on Friday, at the weigh-ins for UFC 113, that the winner of the Daley-Koscheck fight will coach against St-Pierre on Season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter. TUF 12, which will begin taping in June for a September 15 premiere, will feature some of the world's best unsigned fighters in the lightweight division.
It won't be the first go-round on TUF for GSP, who served as a trainer for TUF 4: The Comeback, but it will be his first time coaching a team, as the teams of UFC veterans didn't have coaches. The welterweight champ will certainly be able to draw on great coaching minds for guidance, though, as he trains with both Greg Jackson, the highly respected founder of Jackson's Submission Fighting who assisted protége Rashad Evans on TUF 10, and Firas Zahabi, whose expert training regimen was most recently documented on UFC Primetime: St-Pierre vs. Hardy.
As for his opposing coach, it could very well be a return to TUF for Koscheck, who would be the second member of the original TUF cast to return as a coach (Forrest Griffin being the first). A member of Team Liddell on the first season of the show, the former NCAA Champion wrestler has grown into a complete fighter through his training at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, under the likes of Javier Mendez, Bob Cook and Dave Camarillo. Koscheck's well-developed skills back-up his outsized personality, which was on display during his time on The Ultimate Fighter, as he delivered tough love to teammate Bobby Southworth while cutting weight, then teaming up with Southworth to wreak havoc on Chris Leben after a night of drinking.
Daley, meanwhile, has no previous TUF experience, and will be stepping into the Octagon for just the third time on Saturday night. However, fighting out of Team Rough House in Nottingham, England, "Semtex" has a wealth of TUF experience to draw on, as Rough House fighters Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, Nick Osipczak and Dean Amasinger all competed on TUF 9 as part of Team UK, under the guidance of TUF 3 winner Michael Bisping. Like his Saturday night rival, Daley is known as a big trash-talker, which promises plenty of coaching fireworks on TUF 12, whether it's Daley or Koscheck taking on GSP.
Source: Ultimate Fighter
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May 1, 2010
Josh Koscheck's UFC 113 Blog - Part II
By Josh Koscheck
By the time you read this, it will be one more week until my fight with Paul Daley at UFC 113. This past week, I pretty much focused on making sure I got no cuts or injuries, and I worked my cardio hard, because the other hard work is pretty much done.
There’s not much you can do in the last week of training, so I just pace myself, try to be safe, and work on every area that needs to be worked on. I touch everything up and make it all come together so that come fight time, I know that I’ve done everything, I’m prepared and it’s time to go have some fun.
May 8th is the payoff for all my hard work during this camp in more ways than one. Money’s a big motivation, and that’s one of the primary reasons why I fight. I have good skills and I love to win, but at the end of the day, it comes down to making that money and providing for myself and for my future, so I can just focus on training, getting better, and bringing new people in and paying them to help me become a champion. And everything I’ve been doing over the past couple years has been working up to this: getting some momentum to where I can put on a great show, win this fight, become the number one contender, fight for the title, and become the UFC welterweight champion by beating Georges St-Pierre.
I feel that my time is coming, and while I’ve been close a couple times to fighting a rematch with St-Pierre in the past, I haven’t gotten there yet. Things happen for a reason though, and when one door closes, another one opens. So now that I’m back here again, I believe that my time and my hard work will pay off.
Of course, with the fight getting closer, there are a lot more interviews and media obligations, and thank God I have Heidi (Seibert) and Zinkin Entertainment around me. They’re a great support system, and I have a lot of good people that back me up and really care about me. They make things a lot easier, and I’m very thankful for that, that’s for sure. But I enjoy doing interviews; it helps promote the sport and the fights, and I like to be a team player to the UFC and show them that I’m on their team. I want to get as many viewers as we possibly can to help grow this sport, and I just want to keep winning fights, putting on a good show, and choking people out.
In these interviews though, there are a lot of people speculating a lot of things out there and every one I’ve done, they’re saying ‘oh, you’re gonna be fighting St-Pierre next.’ But to be honest, I don’t look that far ahead. I believe that if I look past Paul Daley. I’m a fool, and by no means am I looking past him. My only focus is on Paul Daley and beating him. He’s been talking a lot of garbage and I like it. I like the fact that he’s so confident, and I like that he says that he’s ready to go, because that means that after I whip his ass, there are gonna be no excuses. And if he does make excuses, then we’re gonna see what kind of character he has and what type of person Paul Daley is.
And while every victory’s sweet for me, it’s gonna be an even sweeter victory over Paul Daley because like I said in my last blog, I’ve been through hell to get here. I’ve been through a war, I’ve had a lot of personal issues, I’ve had some injuries, I’ve won some fights, I’ve lost some fights, and I’ve made mistakes throughout my career, but it’s gonna be a sweet feeling to get a victory over Paul Daley.
The funny thing is, Paul Daley keeps saying ‘stand toe-to-toe with me.’ Well, how ‘bout we go out there and get in a wrestling stance? There’s a good chance of that. I’ve got 50 takedowns in me in 15 minutes, I can guarantee you that. And every time Paul Daley goes to bed at night, he’s gotta think “Oh $%^%, Josh Koscheck’s probably gonna take me down and throw me on my head.’ Every single time he throws a punch, he’s gonna have to worry about getting thrown on his head with a takedown, and that’s where I would be worried if I were Paul Daley.
So if you’re a betting man, you better go to Vegas right now, and put money on Josh Koscheck because now that the guy has pissed me off, I can guarantee you that I’m gonna go in there and wrestle his ass down and rear naked choke him in round one. There you have it. I’ll probably beat him up a little bit before I choke him out, but in round one, he’s getting choked out. And that’s what he’s gonna have to sleep with over the next week – ‘How the hell am I gonna stop from getting taken down and put on my ass?’
I’ll check back in next week from Montreal.
Read Part I of Josh Koscheck’s UFC 113 blog
Source: UFC
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April 30, 2010
UFC Undisputed 2010 playable demo download
The UFC Undisputed 2010 playable demo for PSN and Xbox Live is now available! Visit the Undisputed Community for all the details on how you can be the first to receive a free code to download it! [Link to: http://community.ufcundisputed.com/]
Source: UFC Undisputed 2010
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April 29, 2010
UFC 113 Conference Call
A cast member on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Koscheck (16-4) is coming off a controversial win over Anthony Johnson at UFC 106. The former NCAA wrestling champion earned “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” bonuses for his win over Johnson.
On Daley hyping the fight – “I don’t get on the internet. I don’t get on any MMA forums. I don’t read the newspaper. I am focused on Paul Daley on May 8.”
On the entertainment factor – “I would like to see guys go in there and try and finish the fight if they have the opportunity. Your job is to go in there and dominate. If you have the opportunity to finish the guy, you finish the guy.”
On taking the fight – “To be honest with you I figured I’d be fighting (UFC welterweight champion Georges) St-Pierre before this one. The UFC called and said you want to fight Paul Daley and I said absolutely.”
On Tito Ortiz – “I would definitely like to fight Tito Ortiz. I think Tito Ortiz has bigger problems right now than taking a challenge from me. It was disrespectful what he said to (Mark) Coleman after (UFC 109). “
On strategy – “I have a great game plan for this fight. I don’t see this fight going past the second round. This fight can end any way. I can knock his ass out.”
On Aldo-Faber at WEC 48 – “I thought it was a great fight. It showed what a great champion Jose Aldo is. He’s a big 145-pounder. He’s very explosive. I think he will be the champion for quite some time at 145.”
Source: Fight Magazine
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April 28, 2010
KOSCHECK, DALEY TALK TRASH AHEAD OF UFC 113 IN MONTREAL
The trash-talking has officially began for the UFC 113 co-main event in Montreal between Josh Koscheck and Paul (Semtex) Daley.
The two welterweight contenders offer up their views on the May 8 fight at the Bell Centre in new blogs on www.ufc.com.
Koscheck (16-4) dismisses Daley as a one-dimensional fighter with a big mouth. Daley (23-8-2) says Koscheck is overrated with a glass chin.
Both accuse the other of talking trash.
"He's gonna have to realize that come May 8, once we get into the cage, there is no more trash-talking," Koscheck wrote. "He's gotta shut his mouth and fight, and that's the difference between me and this guy. He's had a couple of good fights, but he hasn't fought anybody like me, that's for sure. I can guarantee that this fight won't go past the second round. It will probably end in the first, but I may carry him to the second round."
Daley predictably sees a different outcome.
"He's not that great a wrestler," he wrote. "His takedowns have been stuffed by almost every opponent he's faced. He can't kick-box for crap, not if his life depended on it. If he tries to stand with me for even a second, I fear for his well-being.
"His ground and pound is crap. If he grounded and pounded me in my sleep he'd barely have enough power in his punches to wake me up."
Daley also took a shot at Koscheck's fighting pedigree.
"I've been fighting top guys for years, in MMA and kickboxing. I was fighting top guys while you were doing your homework in college, hanging out with nerds, and wrestling."
Koscheck says the brash Brit can pick his poison.
"I can submit guys, I can knock guys out, I can head kick guys, and I'm not gonna have a problem standing toe-to-toe with Paul Daley. He's not gonna hit me with anything I haven't been hit with. . . . This guy has only one chance on May 8 and that's a puncher's chance."
Koscheck says he doesn't have time to read papers or check the Internet, which may be good ahead of this fight.
Daley has dubbed his curly-haired opponent Fraggle, a reference to the 1980s children's TV show "Fraggle Rock" from Muppets creator Jim Henson.
"He looks a little bit like a Fraggle," Daley told a media conference call Tuesday.
The Daily Star, an English tabloid, got into the spirit by running a photo of a fuzzy Fraggle with Koscheck's face.
Daley has urged fans to use Photoshop to give Koscheck a new hair look -- as one might imagine, the results are less than respectful. Daley plans to present the winning hairstyle to Koscheck at the pre-fight news conference.
Koscheck had other matters on his mind.
"I'm just focused on May 8, putting a beatdown on Paul Daley," Koscheck said.
Source: TSN
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April 25, 2010
Josh Koscheck's UFC 113 Blog - Part I
By Josh Koscheck
THE BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE
I’ve been through hell to get to where I’m at today.
I’ve been through a war the last 12 weeks and you probably wouldn’t understand, and my opponent at UFC 113 - Paul Daley - wouldn’t understand, and nobody really cares. But I know that the things I’ve sacrificed over the last 12 weeks have made me a better and stronger person, and I’m in a good place right now. I’m very happy with where I’m at, and I try to just focus on being positive, going out and putting on a good show, and getting a victory on May 8th.
In the last few weeks, people have been telling me that Daley has been talking a lot of trash about me, but to be honest, I have not even heard too much of what he’s talking about because I don’t get on the internet and I don’t pay very much attention to that stuff. I’ve had guys talk trash all the time and it’s nothing new to me.
I’m a smart fighter – I’ve had a lot of people talk before and I know what my gameplan is – my coaches gave me a strict game plan for this fight and if he wants to continue to talk, we’ll let him talk. I think he’s the type of fighter that needs to talk because he’s a one-dimensional fighter, and nobody really even knows who Paul Daley is. So he’s got to build himself up, and that’s pretty much what he’s been doing. We’ll let him keep building himself and keep building me by running his mouth; that’s fine, because when it comes down to it, I fought the best of the best. I fought the champion; I fought everybody in our division. So he can keep hyping the fight and stay focused on those things. I’ll keep focusing on training and becoming a better fighter and whipping the best.
And when I talk trash – guess what? I show up and I fight. And that’s what this guy’s gonna have to do. He’s gonna have to realize that come May 8th, once we get into the cage, there is no more trash talking. He’s gotta shut his mouth and fight, and that’s the difference between me and this guy. He’s had a couple of good fights, but he hasn’t fought anybody like me, that’s for sure. I can guarantee that this fight won’t go past the second round. It will probably end in the first, but I may carry him to the second round.
The way I see it, Paul Daley is just a guy that just likes to talk trash and he’s a one-dimensional fighter. Those guys are from the old days – like the one-dimensional wrestler or the one-dimensional striker. Those days are over, and you’ve got to become a complete mixed martial artist. But I was at that point once. I was a one-dimensional wrestler, and coming from The Ultimate Fighter days, if you look at the evolution of Josh Koscheck, I’ve changed and I’m excited about the transition I made and the sacrifices I made to get here. I can submit guys, I can knock guys out, I can head kick guys, and I’m not gonna have a problem standing toe-to-toe with Paul Daley. He’s not gonna hit me with anything I haven’t been hit with.
So it’s gonna be an exciting fight, and the fans are gonna be tuning in because they just never know what Josh Koscheck’s gonna do. Is he gonna strike? Is he gonna throw Paul Daley on his head and choke him out? Is he gonna ground and pound him? Or is he gonna mix it up and head kick him? There are so many ways that I can finish a fight, and I’m a fighter. I love to fight and the only time I’m ever happy is when I’m in the cage, and that’s why you see me fight so often – it’s because I love to fight. I want to be happy, so put me in the cage and let me fight.
As for Daley, this guy has only one chance on May 8th and that’s a puncher’s chance.
By the time you read this, we’ll be less than two weeks away from the fight and I feel it right now. I’ve been in training camp for so long and it’s finally coming to an end – this is what you work for and what you dream about. All those nights thinking about the fight and the struggles to get here, I call it the beautiful struggle. It’s a struggle getting through training camp, getting up every day and pushing yourself and motivating yourself, and at the end of the day, the beautiful thing is that I get to go and beat somebody up for 15 minutes in front of a packed house in Canada and millions of people on Pay-Per-View. How much sweeter does it get than that? When you walk out of that tunnel and you look up, you think ‘Yeah, I made it.’
Source: UFC
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April 24, 2010
Josh Koscheck: 'Paul Daley isn't gonna hit me with anything I haven't been hit with'
Props: UFC.com
Quoteworthy:
"The way I see it, Paul Daley is just a guy that just likes to talk trash and he’s a one-dimensional fighter. Those guys are from the old days – like the one-dimensional wrestler or the one-dimensional striker. Those days are over, and you’ve got to become a complete mixed martial artist. But I was at that point once. I was a one-dimensional wrestler, and coming from The Ultimate Fighter days, if you look at the evolution of Josh Koscheck, I’ve changed and I’m excited about the transition I made and the sacrifices I made to get here. I can submit guys, I can knock guys out, I can head kick guys, and I’m not gonna have a problem standing toe-to-toe with Paul Daley. He’s not gonna hit me with anything I haven’t been hit with."
Source: MMA Mania
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April 10, 2010
Remaining Bouts for UFC 113 Announced
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® CONFIRMS REMAINING BOUTS FOR UFC® 113: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN 2
MAIN EVENT
LYOTO “THE DRAGON” MACHIDA vs. MAURICIO “SHOGUN” RUACO-MAIN EVENT
JOSH KOSCHECK vs. PAUL DALEYSAM STOUT vs. JEREMY STEPHENS
KIMBO SLICE vs. MATT MITRIONE
PATRICK COTE vs. ALAN BELCHER
TIM CREDEUR vs. TOM LAWLOR
MARCUS DAVIS vs. JONATHAN GOULET
YOSHIYUKI YOSHIDA vs. MIKE GUYMON
JOEY BELTRAN vs. CHAD CORVIN
TJ GRANT vs. JOHNY HENDRICKS
NICK CATONE vs. JOHN SALTERSATURDAY, MAY 8, 2010
Live from the Bell Centre – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – Tickets on Sale Now
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The light-heavyweight title will be on the line on when the Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to the Bell Centre in Montreal. At UFC® 104 last October, light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua engaged in a back-and-forth five round battle resulting in the champion retaining his belt via a razor-thin unanimous decision. On Saturday, May 8, these two warriors will square off once again with the championship on the line for UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2, live from the Bell Centre.Now the remainder of this stellar card has been confirmed. UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2 will feature a full slate of action-packed matchups, including a welterweight showdown with title-shot implications when Josh Koscheck takes on British KO artist Paul Daley. The big time fight card consists of other memorable bouts such as Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens, Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione, Patrick Cote vs. Alan Belcher, Tim Credeur vs. Tom Lawlor, Marcus Davis vs. Jonathan Goulet, TJ Grant vs. Johny Hendricks, Joey Beltran vs. Chad Corvin, Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Mike Guymon and Nick Catone vs. John Salter.
UFC 113 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
Tickets for UFC 113 are on sale and are available at the Bell Centre box office, by phone at (514) 790-2525 / 1-877-668-8269 or at www.geg.ca.
A veteran of the UFC, welterweight Josh Koscheck (fighting out of Fresno, Calif. / professional record 16-4) has been involved in battles with some of the best the UFC has to offer. A winner of two straight over Frank Trigg and Anthony Johnson, the Waynesburg, Pennsylvania native looks for another epic battle when he puts his streak on the line against feared striker Paul Daley (fighting out of Nottingham, England / 23-8-2). Swarming onto the scene with an impressive TKO victory over Martin Kampmann, Daley followed up that performance with another vicious knockout, this time against Dustin Hazelett. Always looking to stand and exchange, Daley hopes to collect another impressive victory and cement himself as a top contender in the welterweight division.
Source: UFC
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April 5, 2010
UFC 113 Fight Card for 'MACHIDA vs SHOGUN 2'
UFC 113 ‘MACHIDA vs SHOGUN 2′ is scheduled for Saturday, April 10, 2010 at Concert Arena, Ferrari World, Yas Island In Abu Dhabi on April 10. The Main Event will feature UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida taking on Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, also on the fight card, Josh Koschek will battle Paul Daley.
At UFC 104 last October, UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua engaged in a five round war that divided the mixed martial arts world when the unanimous decision verdict was rendered in Machida’s favor.
On Saturday, May 8, these two warriors will have a chance to do it again and erase any doubt as to who is the best 205-pound fighter in the world, and both are vowing to take matters out of the judges’ hands and into their own when The Ultimate Fighting Championship heads back to Montreal for UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2, live from the Bell Centre and only on Pay-Per-View.
Main event:
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua
Main card (Televised):
Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley
Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens
Patrick Cote vs. Alan Belcher
Tim Credeur vs. Tom LawlorUnder card (May not be broadcast):
Marcus Davis vs. Jonathan Goulet
TJ Grant vs. Johny HendricksCheck out all you can handle UFC 113 news and rumors and Official UFC 113 Website.
Source: UFC Scene
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April 4, 2010
Josh Koscheck Gets A St. Pattys Day Surprise (VIDEO)
Josh Koscheck Gets A St. Pattys Day Surprise (VIDEO)
If you need a few laughs this afternoon take a look at ‘Mini-Koscheck’ which is a St. Patrick’s Day gift from the guys at Dethrone to top welterweight Josh ‘Kos’ Koscheck (16-4-0) who is set to face Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley (23-8-2) at UFC 113: Machida vs Shogun 2 on May 8th in Montreal, Canada. For those unwilling to wait the nine minutes, we also posted a photo of the end result below, but don’t scroll too far if you want to avoid the spoiler:
Mini-Koscheck
Source: Fight Scoops
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February 17, 2010
Koscheck-Daley Official for 'Machida vs. Shogun 2'
World-ranked welterweights will face off when Josh Koscheck meets Paul Daley in a featured matchup at UFC 113 “Machida vs. Shogun 2” on May 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Seven bouts have been greenlit for the UFC’s return north of the border.
Koscheck, a perennial contender at 170 pounds, has won consecutive fights since his surprising technical knockout loss to Paulo Thiago in early 2009. The 32-year-old American Kickboxing Academy product last appeared in November, when he submitted Anthony Johnson with a rear-naked choke at UFC 106. A semi-finalist on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Koscheck was a Div. I national champion and four-time All-American wrestler at Edinboro University. The Waynesburg, Pa., native holds wins against former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne, one-time Icon Sport titleholder Frank Trigg and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez.
Source: Sherdog
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January 31, 2010
Josh Koscheck Twitter
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January 19, 2010
UFC 113: Josh Koscheck vs Paul Daley co main event May 1
Here we go!
British brawler Paul Daley will get his shot at the big time when he collides with perennial welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, at the upcoming UFC 113 event from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on May 1, 2010.
"Kos" today confirmed the good news via Twitter.com, saying the electric 170-pound showdown will serve as the co main event of the major pay-per-view (PPV) event. And in all likelihood it will determine the next contender in a division stacked with talent.
Even before the stakes were raised with championship implications on the line, this one already had the ingredients for an explosive encounter inside the Octagon and out.
In fact, Daley has already insulted Koscheck, promising that he would "rock" the "Fraggle" if the pair ever touched 'em up, indicating that the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout resembles a 1980s-era Jim Henson character.
That's not a compliment.
Daley is as confident as they come and the heavy-handed welterweight striker has been able to back it up with two lethal performances since making his promotional debut.
He torched the title hopes of Martin Kampmann with a first round technical knockout at UFC 103: "Franklin vs. Belfort" and then brutalized grappling whiz Dustin Hazelett at UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" with a crushing knockout in hos most recent performance.
Koscheck, meanwhile, has been recovering for an injury that forced him out of a planned rematch against Paulo Thiago at UFC 109: "Relentless" next month.
He has gone on to score two impressive wins since the surprise loss to the Brazilian, stopping Frank Trigg via technical knockout at UFC 103: "Franklin vs. Belfort" back in September and then choking out Anthony Johnson just last month at UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2."
A third straight win could have him -- or "Semtex" --knocking on the door of the winner of Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy.
UFC 113 features the much-anticipated rematch between 205-pound division champion, Lyoto Machida, defending his belt against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of the evening.
Source: MMAMania
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January 12, 2010
UFC's best to visit
By Todd Stanford
The Daily Item
DANVILLE -- The UFC is coming to Danville.
No, not for a Pay Per View event, but for an appearance by two long-time UFC vets. Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch, both welterweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, will appear tonight at MATS, a youth recreation facility in Danville.
Bob Cook, a mixed martial arts manager and trainer, will also appear. The program begins at 9 p.m. and there is no charge to the public. Both fighters and Cook will be available for autographs.
With many of the American-based ultimate fighters drawing from a background in folkstyle wrestling, mixed martial arts has a particular appeal to many wrestling fans. Michael Sees, a state wrestling runner-up at Shikellamy who was later a standout at Bloomsburg University, teaches wrestling at MATS. His interest in the UFC has trickled down to his young charges.
"Since my brother got into it, the kids have been following it more and more," MATS manager Tonja Sees says. "(Koscheck and Fitch) are pretty prominent, and a lot of kids are excited to meet them."
Tonja Sees was able to put tonight's event together with the help of Shamokin District Judge John Gembic, whose family helps promote the UFC.
Both Fitch and Koscheck are well-known fighters. Fitch (24-3) fought for the UFC welterweight title in 2008, losing a unanimous decision to Georges St. Pierre. He's currently the second-ranked welterweight in the world behind St. Pierre, according to the popular MMA Web site Sherdog.com.
Born in Waynesburg, Pa., Koscheck (16-4) grew up in Fresno, Calif., but returned to the Keystone State to wrestle at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. While competing for the Fighting Scots, Koscheck won the 2001 NCAA Division I championship at 174 pounds. Sherdog.com has Koscheck ranked fifth in the world among welterweights.
From its beginnings as a fringe competition in the early 1990s, mixed martial arts has become one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with the UFC emerging as the richest and most viable MMA league. When Brock Lesnar beat Frank Mir to defend the UFC heavyweight title last July, the bout was the main news item on Sports Illustrated's Web site.
MMA fighters are beginning to find a niche on the cultural scene as well. Former light-heavyweight champion Chuck "Iceman" Liddell has appeared in a video by the rock band Nickelback, while another former light-heavyweight champ, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, will play Mr. T's role in the upcoming movie version of "The A Team."
"A lot of (the youth wrestlers) are into it," Tonja Sees says. "Especially since my brother got into it, the kids have been following it more and more."
MATS, founded last April, is located in the former Magic Rivers Skating Rink on Route 11 between Danville and Bloomsburg. The center has about 130 wrestlers -- from youth to college age -- who train there. A competitive cheerleading team and a group of gymnasts also work out at the center. Their Web site is seesmatsinc.com.
Source: TheDailyItem.com
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January 7, 2010
Koscheck vs. Daley in the Works for May
A welterweight contender bout between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley is under discussion for a UFC card in May.
The news was originally reported by ESPN's Jon Anik, who revealed the news during an online chat this afternoon. Heavy.com has confirmed with sources close to the UFC that the bout is currently being worked on but has not been finalized.
Koscheck is coming off the most high-profile victory of his career, a co-main event victory over Anthony Johnson at UFC 106 that earned "Fight of the Night" honors. Koscheck was originally scheduled to face Paulo Thiago in a rematch at UFC 109 next month, but suffered an injury while training and was forced to withdraw from the bout. He'll instead face Daley, a British striker who has scored a pair of dramatic knockouts during two bouts in the UFC.
Both men are considered top contenders for George St. Pierre's welterweight championship.Source: Heavy.com
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January 4, 2010
White says Fitch or Koscheck likely next for Daley; "Semtex" wants Alves
LAS VEGAS – British slugger Paul Daley (23-8-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) took more than six years to make his way to the UFC, but he's certainly not wasting any time now.
With his second striking-fueled finish in as many trips to the octagon, Daley's knockout win over Dustin Hazelett in the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 108 event in Las Vegas has helped him climb the welterweight rankings in meteoric fashion.
And following the event, UFC president Dana White said he believes Daley is now ready for the division's top contenders.
"[Daley] burst onto the scene here, obviously, and has taken out two very tough guys," White said. "But you know who we're talking about at the top of that division.
"[Daley] is going to have to fight one of the top two contenders before we think about him fighting [current champ Georges St-Pierre]."
While it's countryman and Team Rough House teammate Dan Hardy who will next face St-Pierre, Daley could certainly find himself in title contention with another win over a top contender. With victories over Hazelett and Martin Kampmann already to Daley's credit, White said he believes "Semtex" has earned a shot at one of the 170-pound divisions top fighters, namely Jon Fitch (21-3 MMA, 11-1 UFC) or Josh Koscheck (14-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC).
White actually admitted he'd prefer those two American Kickboxing Academy fighters face each other, but he'll settle for Daley jumping between them.
"My big problem in this division right now is the two best guys out there are probably Koscheck and Fitch, and trying to get them to fight each other is a nightmare," White said. "I'd really like to see that fight, but we can put Daley against one of them and see what happens."
As for Daley, he's constantly contended he has no desire in hand-picking opponents. A fighter in every sense of the word, Daley lives by the "anybody, any time, any place" edict.
"I really don't mind," Daley said. "I'd like to fight Fitch or Koscheck just to prove that I've got improved takedown defense, and I have a ground game. This is stuff that I'm continually working on. I just haven't had a chance to display it because I keep knocking people out standing up.
"Fitch would be great, or Koscheck, but there's a (Thiago) Alves fight, (too). I've been fighting and knocking guys standing up, but I really haven't displayed my full array of standup skills, and I think a fight with Alves would be entertaining for the fans and I could show a little bit more standing up."
Fitch and Alves are rumored to meet at UFC 111 in March in New Jersey, so the likely scenario appears to be Daley vs. Koscheck sometime in the near future. And while the Brit appears to be on the verge of consideration as one of the welterweight division's best fighters, he says the UFC is ultimately responsible for issuing his orders.
"I'm just here to fight," Daley said. "Whatever happens, whatever the UFC wants to do to me, they do. I'm just here to fight."
For more on UFC 108, check out the MMA Events section of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
John Morgan is the lead staff reporter for MMAjunkie.com.Source: MMA Junkie
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December 18, 2009
UFC rankings/MMA rankings featured in USA Today for December 2009
Our partners in crime over at BloodyElbow.com have once again published their divisional rankings for mixed martial arts in the nation’s largest daily newspaper, USA Today, for the month of December 2009.
For those of you unfamiliar with the process, here’s how it works:
“The rankings, which will offer a definitive perspective of top MMA fighters across all weight-classes, will be released monthly and published in the Sports section of USA TODAY, online at USATODAY.com and on SB Nation’s MMA commentary and community blog, BloodyElbow.com … The USA TODAY/SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings are compiled each month by Nate Wilcox and Richard Wade of BloodyElbow.com. The rankings utilize each of the top MMA rankings from multiple unique sources. A weighted-formula is applied to normalize and distill the various rankings into one consensus ranking per weight class.”
To check out the latest USAT/SBN rankings clickhere. We’ve also listed their top 10 in each class after the jump for your convenience.
What do you think? Share your ranking rants in the comments section below.
Heavyweight:
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
4. Frank Mir
5. Junior Dos Santos
6. Cain Velasquez
7. Josh Barnett
8. Shane Carwin
9. Brett Rogers
10. Alistair OvereemLight Heavyweight:
1. Lyoto Machida
2. Mauricio Rua
3. Rashad Evans
4. Quinton Jackson
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
7. Gegard Mousasi
8. Thiago Silva
9. Anderson Silva
10. Randy CoutureMiddleweight:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Nate Marquardt
3. Dan Henderson
4. Demian Maia
5. Vitor Belfort
6. Chael Sonnen
7. Jake Shields
8. Yushin Okami
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama
10. Mamed KhalidovWelterweight:
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
5. Dan Hardy
6. Mike Swick
7. Paulo Thiago
8. Matt Hughes
9. Carlos Condit
10. Paul DaleyLightweight:
1. B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Kenny Florian
5. Gray Maynard
6. Frank Edgar
7. Diego Sanchez
8. Tatsuya Kawajiri
9. Sean Sherk
10. Joachim HansenFeatherweight:
1. Jose Aldo
2. Mike Brown
3. Urijah Faber
4. Bibiano Fernandes
5. Hatsu Hioki
6. Rafael Assuncao
7. Manny Gamburyan
8. Wagnney Fabiano
9. Michihiro Omigawa
10. Mackens SemerzierOf course, nothing brings MMA fans closer together than a list of divisional rankings. Let’s hear it: Who belongs and who doesn’t? And be sure to say why. “He sucks” is not a valid argument.
Source: MMA Interplay
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December 13, 2009
UFC 109 Relentless
TWO LEGENDS COLLIDE AT UFC® 109 AS COUTURE TAKES ON COLEMAN
PLUS JOSH KOSCHECK vs. PAULO THIAGO II
ANTONIO ROGERIO NOGUEIRA vs. BRANDON VERA
NATE MARQUARDT vs. CHAEL SONNEN
MATT SERRA vs. FRANK TRIGGSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010
Live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center – Tickets on Sale Saturday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. PT
Las Vegas
, NV (USA) – In 1998, two of the United States’ greatest amateur wrestlers - Randy “The Natural” Couture and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman - were scheduled to meet in a relatively new proving ground called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. That mixed martial arts bout at UFC 17 never happened due to injury, but on Saturday, February 6th, nearly 12 years and six UFC championships later, Couture and Coleman finally square off at UFC 109: Relentless, presented by Bud Light and live on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev., for a colossal meeting of Hall of Famers over a decade in the making.Plus, red-hot welterweight contender Josh Koscheck gets a chance to avenge his lone knockout loss against Brazil’s Paulo Thiago in the co-main event, along with pivotal showdowns featuring Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Brandon Vera, Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen and Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg.
“Couture vs. Coleman is one of those dream matchups that fans have always talked about,” said UFC President Dana White. “And when you consider that these are two of the greatest wrestlers turned mixed martial artists ever, and it’s the first time that two guys who have already earned their way into the UFC Hall of Fame are fighting each other, this is not only an intriguing matchup, but a historic one.”
Tickets for UFC 109 are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges, and go on sale Saturday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. PT at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at UFC.com, www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. PT via www.UFC.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.UFC.com.
UFC 109 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 ($49.95/Canada) for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
A five-time UFC champion who has reached the top of the mountain in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions, the ageless Randy Couture (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over light heavyweight contender Brandon Vera at UFC 105 in November, and with 14 career UFC wins over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo and Tim Sylvia, “The Natural” is used to facing the best of the best. On February 6th, he will finally get his opportunity to take on “The Hammer”.
“Mark Coleman is another classic matchup for me,” said Couture. “Like (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, this is a fight that was supposed to happen a long time ago and is finally now a reality. Mark has a tremendous wrestling pedigree, and his collegiate and freestyle background has taken him a long way in MMA. I look forward to testing my skills and fighting spirit against another UFC Hall of Fame fighter.”
The Godfather of Ground and Pound, Mark Coleman (fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) used that strategy to earn the first UFC heavyweight championship and a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. A former NCAA Division I national champion wrestler at Ohio State now fighting at light heavyweight, “The Hammer” returned to the Octagon in 2009 after a successful career in Japan with a memorable battle against Mauricio Rua and a victory over Stephan Bonnar, and on February 6th, he will begin his quest for a title at 205 pounds as he takes on fellow legend Randy Couture.
“This is by far the biggest fight of my career,” Coleman said. “I have nothing but respect both inside and outside of the Octagon for Randy Couture. He is one of the greatest in the history of MMA. It’s an honor to accept this challenge to fight him and a win here would be one of the top highlights of my career. I expect to win, and will prepare for a war. I will do all I can to make this an exciting fight for the fans.”
A fighter willing to fight anyone at anytime, Josh Koscheck (fighting out of Fresno, Calif.) is coming off one of the biggest wins of his career, as he made a statement to the welterweight division by submitting rising star Anthony Johnson at UFC 106. But the 32-year-old former NCAA Division I national champion wrestler is not about to rest on his laurels; instead he will look for a dose of redemption against Paulo Thiago
as he continues on his road to a world title shot.“I am training super hard right now,” Koscheck said. “This is a big fight for me because I lost the first time. I fought him last February and I’m fighting him again this February but this time I am going to be the one knocking him out. I promise you this fight will not go out of the first round.”
A decorated grappler with knockout power, 28-year-old Paulo Thiago (fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) made his name on the international scene with his first round TKO of Koscheck in February 2009, and after a memorable battle with Jon Fitch and a victory over Jacob Volkmann last year, Thiago looks to kick off his 2010 campaign in style by repeating his spectacular win over “Kos”.
"Josh Koscheck is and will always be a dangerous fighter to be faced no matter what," said Thiago. "I'm pretty sure he's coming for this fight hungry for victory and more aware and focused than the first time we fought. That's what I'm expecting and prepared for. I've been building my own strategies and correcting mistakes as well. Do you know what that means? We both are not the same and don't fight like we used to. We've improved our games in such a way that this is going to be the turning point to make this fight one of the most exciting ones to be seen this year, so nobody should miss it!"
Source: UFC
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November 27, 2009
KOS IS QUICKLY BECOMING A MONSTER THAT NEEDS HIS DAY OF RECKONING
Nov-22-2009UFC 106 Musings
For years, Josh Koscheck has been on the cusp of a 170-lb title shot. I’d argue that there is no other welterweight in the UFC who has accomplished more without receiving a chance at the division’s ultimate prize. Kos should be next in line. His impressive victory over Anthony Johnson was a vivid reminder of his place on the food chain.
I know that Dan Hardy is next up by virtue of his win over Mike Swick at UFC 105. I’ll disagree with Kos for a moment. Hardy is a very credible opponent for GSP’s next title defense. Beating Swick gives him that credibility, since Swick was universally regarded as being one of the top contenders in the division.
None of that alters Kos’s standing in the division, though. For my money, Kos should be next up after Hardy. I’m quite sure that he would be willing to fight whomever else the UFC believes is deserving of that spot in a title eliminator on the televised undercard of GSP-Hardy. Kos has the confidence in his own skills to participate in such an eliminator.
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. Kos will hold the UFC Welterweight Championship at some point in his career. I know that GSP is one of the greatest fighters in the world, across all weight classes. But nobody is unbeatable. Kos has the right blend of skills to end GSP’s reign. I’m not suggesting that Kos should be a betting favorite against the champion. I’m suggesting that he has the best opportunity of anyone in the division to score an upset victory over GSP. I’m also suggesting that if GSP decides to vacate the division in favor of the land 15 lbs to the north, then Kos is my odds on favorite to assume GSP’s tyrannical rule over the division.
Source: UFC
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November 27, 2009
If no title shot, Josh Koscheck wants another fight soon
Unable to move past Dan Hardy, Koscheck wants another opportunity to prove himself
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 | 3:36 a.m.
Following his highlight-reel finish of Anthony Johnson by a second-round submission, Josh Koscheck got on the microphone and argued he should be next to receive the next title shot at welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.
Problem: The UFC had already announced that Dan Hardy would be the next challenge to St. Pierre’s throne.
Can’t blame a guy for trying.
“I had thought about doing it before I got out there,” said Koscheck, on his decision to call out Hardy who was sitting ringside. “But obviously the UFC has plans for him to fight St. Pierre and I’m not concerned with that.
“A title shot for me isn’t going to happen so I’m just going to keep fighting.”
Hardy was less than cordial in his responses to Koscheck’s outburst. Hardy dismissed the fighter as being inconsistent and made crying gestures towards the Octagon while he plead his case.
“The thing about Josh Koscheck is that he’s got a lot of potential but he’s inconsistent,” Hardy said. “He’s kind of like a (expletive) that won’t flush away. He’ll lose a fight and then come back. I guess I don’t mind, I never get sick of seeing that guy get punched in the face.”
Hardy, who has never been known to back down from a bit of trash-talk, was likely just defending what’s his — a title shot that he earned by defeating all four opponents he’s faced in the UFC.
While the Brit’s description of Koscheck was maybe a little harsh, he may have a point.
Prior to Saturday, Koscheck had lost two of his last four fights and has already lost to St. Pierre once in his career.
Koscheck actually is quick to admit this and says that his current focus is improving his striking skills while fighting as much as the UFC will allow him.
“Right now, I’m concerned with getting back into the gym and improving,” Koscheck said. “If I’m not fighting St. Pierre, then let’s line them up. I already told (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva I want 10-to-12 fights next year.
“I’d rather be out there entertaining than in the gym. Hopefully I can get on a five or six-fight win streak and they’ll think I’m ready for the title.”
With the kind of night Koscheck had on Saturday, it’s no wonder he’s ready to fight as much as possible.
Despite an unfortunate three breaks in the action due to inadvertent eye pokes, Koscheck’s fight with Johnson earned him $70,000 bonuses each with Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night honors.
UFC president Dana White, who has clashed with Koscheck on matters outside of the Octagon before, said he was most impressed with Koscheck’s willingness to continue fighting and push the tempo after getting poked in the eye the first time.
“There was clearly an eye poke. After Johnson threw the illegal knee you could see on the replay the knee missed but Johnson’s pinkie went into his eye,” White said. “When the doctor came out to look, Koscheck could barely keep his eye open but he said, ‘I want to fight.’
“He got his eye to where he could continue and as soon as the fight started, he went after it and started dominating the round.”
According to Koscheck, there are only about two or three welterweights that stand a decent chance at taking St. Pierre’s belt.
Although Koscheck admitted to liking to Hardy’s style of fighting and energetic approach, he didn’t include the Brit’s name as a likely threat to knock off the champion.
After watching Saturday’s fight, Hardy said that maybe it wasn’t a bad thing that Koscheck called for him.
It might just be a little bit too soon.
“Hopefully I’ll get to fight Koscheck in the future,” he said. “And it will be a title defense when I’m doing it.”
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.
Source: Las Vegas Sun
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October 28, 2009
KOSCHECK TO FACE JOHNSON IN UFC 106 CO-MAIN EVENT
The UFC has added a co-main event fight between welterweights Josh Koscheck and Anthony (Rumble) Johnson to UFC 106 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
The UFC was forced to move the previous co-main event between former light-heavyweight champions Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz and Forrest Griffin up to the headline bout after Brock Lesnar withdrew this week citing illness. Lesnar had been slated to defend his heavyweight title against unbeaten challenger Shane Carwin. That fight has been pushed back to early 2010.
Johnson (8-2) is fighting on short notice after knocking out Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 104 last Saturday in Los Angeles. The good news is he didn't work up much of a sweat in the 21 seconds it took to dispatch Yoshida.
The six-foot-two welterweight has good power but has had trouble making weight and tipped the scales in L.A. at 176 pounds, five over the limit.
"Koscheck versus Johnson is a great fight and I give credit to both guys for stepping up and making a fight like this happen," UFC president Dana White said in a statement. "The amazing thing about this fight is that both Koscheck and Johnson are world-class wrestlers, but they can also knock you out with one punch."
Koscheck (14-4) also knocked out Yoshida, in December.
Source: TSN
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September 19, 2009
Koscheck uses Trigg's southpaw stance for target practice
Read this awesome blog by Steve Cofield at Cagewriter
Koscheck uses Trigg's southpaw stance for target practice
Sometimes being a lefty is a disadvantage facing a conventional fighter especially one as right-hand heavy as Josh Koscheck. Frank Trigg got in a few shots on Koscheck early in the fight but dropped his jab hand for a second and that's all it took. Koscheck bounced a looping right off the top of Trigg's head. "Twinkletoes" froze in his tracks and took another straight right in his grill. Down he went. Trigg was on queer street. Koscheck forced referee Leon Roberts to jump in to save Trigg at 1:25 of the first round.
The win gets Koscheck back in the title hunt for Georges St. Pierre's welterweight title belt. Koscheck (13-4, 11-4 UFC) dropped a 2007 fight via decision against GSP. This win erases the shocking knockout loss at the hands of Paulo Thiago back in February.
This was Trigg's first fight in the UFC since 2005. Trigg, 37, twice challenged for Matt Hughes UFC welterweight title. He is now 2-4 in the UFC. Seconds afte the stoppage, it appeared Trigg was imploring matchmaker Joe Silva to give him another UFC fight. He signed a four-fight deal during the summer, but without a win in his next UFC fight, the book on his career with the promotion could be closed.
Source: Cagewriter
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September 19, 2009
UFC 103: KOSCHECK GIVES TRIGG A RUDE WELCOME BACK
Saturday, September 19, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com
It was a rude welcome back to the UFC for former top contender Frank Trigg on Saturday night as American Kickboxing Academy stand-out Josh Koscheck ended his night and return to the Octagon with a vicious TKO in the first round.
It was clear in the early going that the two former All-American wrestlers were going to test the stand-up and avoid much ground work. Trigg actually snapped the first solid punch of the night with a straight punch that put Koscheck on his heels after a brief exchange.
Trigg continued to move forward as Koscheck tried to get his distance and timing down, and once he did the end came quickly and violently.
The former Edinboro wrestler hit Trigg with a clubbing blow that staggered his opponent, and Koscheck quickly followed up with a powerful right hand that that sent Trigg crashing to the canvas.
Koscheck followed up with a few unanswered shots that sent referee Leon Roberts flying in for the save. Trigg bounced back to his feet quickly protesting the stoppage, but the replay showed little resistance from the Las Vegas based fighter after eating a few punches from Koscheck.
After an extended layoff due to a foot injury, Koscheck was happy to get back in action, and even happier following the TKO win.
"To get back on the winning ways is awesome," Koscheck said with excitement following the win. "This is what I've been training for, I'm super motivated right now, thank you Texas, 2-0 baby!"
Known as a fighter who never turns down an opponent, Koscheck for possibly the first time in his career asked for a particular opponent in his next bout if the UFC chooses to appease him.
"I know there's a guy that just signed a new contract his name's Matt Hughes, I've been asking for that for a long time. Joe, Dana?" Koscheck stated. "If not that I don't care who I fight to be honest. I'll fight anyone, anytime, any place, I'll fight every month."Source: MMAWeekly.com
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September 19, 2009
UFC 103 Results: Josh Koscheck Demolishes Frank Trigg Easily
Josh Koscheck is back ladies and gentleman.
While a war of words (mostly from Koscheck) seemed to indicate the battle could be heated, it wasn't in the cards for Twinkle Toes. This one was all Koscheck.
After an early feeling out period, Koscheck was able to connect with what appeared to be a shot that landed on the back on Trigg's head. From there, a dazed Trigg absorbed a straight right that dropped him to the canvas.The punch looked eerily similar to the punch Koscheck used to flatten Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC Fight Night: Fight for the Troops.
Koscheck followed up with punches from a borderline prostrate Trigg that eventually forced referee Leon Roberts to stop the contest at 1:25 of the first round.
Koscheck called out UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, which could be a highly entertaining bout and an interesting welterweight clash.
Source: Bloody Elbow
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September 19, 2009
(According to Josh Koscheck,) Josh Koscheck is Back
(According to Josh Koscheck,) Josh Koscheck is Back
Saturday, September 19th, 2009 at 11:00 am
by Neal TaflingerJosh Koscheck’s usual laid-back skate kid, beach-going style is nowhere to be found.
The welterweight’s training partner Matt Major, who stumbles to the ring floor at the American Kickboxing Academy multiple times thanks to Koscheck’s flurries. “We fight in here,” Koscheck says. “I’m fighting guys that are high level guys three days a week. I have a fifteen-minute fight every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”
It sure looks like a fight. And for every resonating head shot and chop-down body punch, there’s footwork and head movement that keeps Koscheck just an inch away from Major’s punches—a reminder fights can be more aesthetically pleasing than the violent slams that drive Major to the mat.
“For this camp, it’s been 15 hard weeks. I’ve been training since February. I didn’t really take too much time off,” says Koscheck. His last Octagon appearance was in February at UFC 95 when debuting Paulo Thiago, an unknown jiu-jitsu black belt, scored a technical knockout over the explosive wrestler. A camp nearly four months long is worth the payoff explains Koscheck on his last day of hard training.
“At times it was great, at times it was like, ‘Oh man, I have eight more weeks, or six more weeks or five more weeks. But today it came together in sparring,” he says. “I’m really happy with where I’m at. If I, if the Josh Koscheck that showed up for training today shows up on Saturday, its gonna be a quick fight.”
It’s been seven months since Koscheck was in a UFC bout. It’s a far cry from the five fights in under a year he battled in prior to losing to Thiago. He wants to return to such a high work rate inside the Octagon, however, the time away allowed him to open his own gym—American Kickboxing Academy in Koscheck’s home of Fresno, Calif. He also focused on his strength and conditioning, putting the loss to rest with a “that’s life” approach.
He was following the game plan because he wasn’t going to take a black belt to the ground. It was working too. He simply got caught, probably because he was “too relaxed.”
Koscheck will be alert and ready when he faces Frank Trigg at UFC 103 in Dallas, Tex., at the American Airlines Center. “Everything I’ve done up until now when I come into the cage on Saturday and put a beat down on Frank Trigg, they’re gonna be like ‘Wow, this kid’s back,’” he says.
Koscheck began making his name in the UFC in late 2005 just as Trigg was exiting the promotion. Despite Trigg’s time away, Koscheck expects a formidable opponent, but that doesn’t mean he’s not ready to smash him.
“I’m gonna come out and be fast, with the strength and conditioning that I’ve been doing over the time that I was a little injured,” he says. “I got a lot stronger. I got a lot faster. My punches are harder. My kicks are harder, my knees, everything is harder. I’m really, really excited to get in there and fight.”
Source: FIGHT! Magazine
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August 25, 2009
Q&A with Josh Kosckeck
Check out the Q&A with Josh about UFC 103 and more ...
What are your thoughts on your upcoming opponent, Frank Trigg?
I think Frank Trigg is a good fighter he always shows up to fight his ass off. He is a south paw and has good wrestling and boxing! Should be a fun fight for both of us. I am looking forward to getting a big win in Dallas, Texas over Frank.
Describe a typical day of training for this fight...
Training for this fight with Frank, I have been working on alot of bjj, strength, cardio and wrestling! I wake up and train at 8:30am with cardio and drills for 45 mins. Get some rest then come back to the gym at 11:45am to get ready to spar with guys like Mike Swick, Jon Fitch, Josh Thomson, Nate More, Nate James, Ron Kesler, and the other AKA fighters. So I have a 3 round fight every M-W-F with these guys. When it comes fight time, I have fought Frank Trigg 100's of times. After midday training, I get lunch and head over to score clinic to get adjusted and a massage. Then home for a napper... After napper I head back to the gym for my last workout around 7:30 pm. This workout is cardio or BJJ or some pad work with my Muay Thai coach or boxing coach. This training session lasts about 1 hour 30 mins. After that I am all done with training. I head home and get dinner and hottub and get into bed and sleep so I can do it all over again the next day!
Training team for this fight?
I train with the AKA fight team.
What are you doing on your free time in training camp?
My free time??? I am sleeping. Haha... with 3 workouts a day there is not much free time, but I watch movies and call my biz parther and bug the living shit out of him.
How's your new gym?
My new AKA Fresno gym is kicking ass... Fresno has been my home for the past 6 years. I love that place. My gym is the best place in Fresno to train MMA. I have 2 black belts in BJJ, 2 world class boxing coaches and a world class Muay Thai coach along with the best local fighters in Fresno. I have to thank everyone who helped out with opening the gym.... It came out sick - God I am truly happy about being AKA to Fresno.
What's next for you?
As of right now I am only focused on one thing that's fighting Frank Trigg Sept. 19 at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas. I can't look past him for one sec. I would like to just win this fight and go home and rest my body and fight again before the end of the year. But let's focus on Frank first.
Well anything you want to get across to your fans?
I would like to thank my fans for backing me up over the years. It's been a fun ride with highs and lows. Let’s tune in Sept. 19th for another page in the Kos book. I am fighting and training hard to put on a show and come time those cage doors close behind me, I am fighting for everyone that has been there for me!!!!!!
Xoxo KOS
Source: KosMMA.com
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August 2, 2009
Fresno Bee Reports on AKA Fresno's Grand Opening
Fresnobee.com Reports: "Fresno's fascination with mixed martial arts appears to be growing with the opening of American Kickboxing Academy Fresno, a new fitness gym specializing in the sport.
AKA Fresno, at 3069 W. Bullard Ave., is being launched by MMA fighter Josh Koscheck and Jason Craft, a Wall Street stockbroker and former collegiate wrestler.
The two men met through mutual friend DeWayne Zinkin, who manages Koscheck and other MMA fighters.
"This is something we have been talking about for some time, and as Josh's name grew in popularity, we knew this would be a good time to do this," Zinkin said.
The new 6,000-square-foot gym will provide training in specialities including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, kickboxing, muay thai, boxing and children's wrestling and mixed martial arts.
AKA Fresno is one of three AKA gyms in the U.S.; the original is in San Jose.Source: Fresno Bee
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July 15, 2009
Josh Koscheck's Next Fight
Josh "Kos" Koscheck will fight Frank Trigg in his next fight just announced: UFC 103 on September 19th in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center.
Purchase your tickets now on sale at ticketmaster.com.
Also scheduled to fight are:
Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca, Mike Swick vs. Martin Kampmann, Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Mille.Source: www.kosmma.com
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June 24, 2009
Koscheck's AKA American-Kickboxing-Academy Fresno
Come Train with the Best: Koscheck's AKA American-Kickboxing-Academy Fresno
3069 West Bullard Ave.
Fresno, CA 93711
Ph# 559-431-4290
Fax# 559-431-4638
aka@kosmma.com
AKA Fresno specializes in the following:
* Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
* Children’s Mixed Martial Arts
* Kickboxing and Muay Thai
* Adult Mixed Martial Arts
* Kids Wrestling Club
* Boxing
Each discipline is taught by world-class instructors in our professional-grade facility located in beautiful Fresno, California. AKA Fresno has a wide range of class offerings, including Saturday and Sunday classes, tailored to fit your schedule.Source: www.kosmma.com
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June 4, 2009
Kos in Talks to Take On Trigg or Hughes
From MMAMania.com, top-ranked welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck (12-4), and former number one division contender, Frank Trigg (19-6), are in talks to battle it out for 170-pound supremacy at UFC 103 on Sept. 26.
MMAmania.com learned about the likely match up; however, a venue is still unknown at this time (locations in the United Kingdom and Las Vegas are under consideration) for the event. In addition, nine-time division kingpin, Matt Hughes, is also lurking in the shadows as a possible opponent for Koscheck … albeit on the outside.
Stay tuned right here at kosmma.com for details as soon as they are available!Source: MMA Mania
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May 21, 2009
New Audio Blog and AKA Fresno Gym Info!
New Kos Audio Blog about his latest injury, as well as current training and fight in September. Also, new info on Koscheck's AKA Fresno Gym. Check it out.
Source: www.kosmma.com
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May 19, 2009
How to Get an Autographed Pic of Kos
Want an autographed 8 x10 photo of Kos? Just send an 8 x 10 self-addressed, pre-paid envelope to:
Kos Autograph c/o Zinkin Entertainment
5 River Park Place West, Suite 203
Fresno, CA 93720
Source: www.kosmma.com
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May 10, 2009
Josh Koscheck at Harley-Davidson in Lathrop, CA
Come meet Kos on Saturday, June 6, 2009 from 2:00pm-4:30pm at the Eagle's Nest Harley-Davidson in Lathrop, CA!
Eagle's Nest Harley-Davidson
13900 Harlan Road
Lathrop, CA 95330
Phone: 209-941-0420Source: www.kosmma.com
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April 12, 2009
Josh Koscheck Interview with the People's Defender
Josh Koscheck talked to the People's Defender about his career in the UFC, a typical night of playing blackjack for 12 hours, his thoughts on a few other fighters, his mentors, and more.
When asked what a typical night out is like for him, Koscheck answered, "It would be kind of boring. For the past two years or so I haven't partied, haven't drank or done anything. A typical night out would be to cruise over to Vegas and pretty much play blackjack for about 12 hours."
He also shared that he needs oatmeal in the morning to get ready to train, that the worst job he ever had was washing cars, and that he likes every kind of music except country.
Click "See More" to continue.
Source: The People's Defender
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April 12, 2009
Josh Koscheck to be Featured in "UFC 2009 Undisputed" Video Game
The full roster of fighters has been unveiled for the highly anticipated May release of "UFC 2009 Undisputed," a video game for XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 made by THQ.
More than 80 fighters will appear in the debut version of the game, which will be the most realistic MMA video game ever developed, according to THQ.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin is featured on the cover of the US version, and welterweight title-holder Georges St. Pierre is on the Canadian version.
The welterweight category includes fighters Josh Koscheck, Thiago Alves, Matt Arroyo, Kyle Bradley, Josh Burkman, Marcus Davis, Jon Fitch, Matt Hughes, Anthony Johnson, Chris Lytle, Karo Parisyan, Diego Sanchez, Ben Saunders, Matt Serra, Georges St. Pierre, and Mike Swick.
Source: KosMMA.com
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February 23, 2009
Kos's UFC 95 Thoughts
February 24, 2009
My thoughts on UFC 95...
First and foremost I would like to say thank you to all of my fans for their support, I really do appreciate it!
As for UFC 95...YES, I would have liked to see the ref let the fight go on a little bit more because we are all fighters and we fight until the end. Yes, I got hit hard, but felt as though I could have recovered if I had the chance. As for next time, my message to all the refs would be to please let the fight go until I'm put out to sleep...Just so I don't have the thought of "what if" going through my mind and probably the minds of all of you, my fans.
I took this fight just as if I was fighting the number one fighter in the weight class. I felt like I did everything right in the training camp to win this fight. I was in great shape, but sometimes you still come up short in life even when I have put my whole life on hold for a chance to put everything on the line in the cage for 15 minutes. I don't think I could have done anything different in training camp to make the outcome go my way, so I guess that's life.
Click "See More" to continue.
Source: KosMMA.com
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January 12, 2009
Top 30 Fights of 2008: #6
Josh Koscheck is arguably the most improved fighter to hail out of the now infamous Ultimate Fighter house. Sure, Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin have been and have become champions since their stints on the show, and few others have challenged for titles, but none have evolved as much as Koscheck.
At the end of the inaugural season of the Ultimate Fighter, Kos was for the most part a very one dimensional, limited wrestler. Don't be fooled, he was a highly skilled and highly decorated wrestler, but primarily a wrestler nonetheless. He was content with grinding out decisions, ripping people down to the canvas with his incredible shoot and holding them there, helpless until the bell rang.
Times have changed, however. The Josh Koscheck of old has passed away with the times, and we've seen the incredible adaptation of an ambitious, young fighter to the sport of mixed martial arts. Fans have been lucky enough to watch the development of a young martial artist into a highly skilled modern MMA competitor.
At UFC: Fight for the Troops, the culmination of three years worth of training and fighting were put on display, as we saw the best, most mature Josh Koscheck to date. After years of sub-par striking and three round lay and pray bouts, Kos rose to the occasion and produced what was probably the most brutal knockout of 2008.Click "See More" to continue.
Source: MMATorch.com
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January 12, 2009
Kos is back at UFC 95
Kos will be fighting on UFC 95 Feb. 21 at London's O2 Arena. Kos will be fighting newcomer Paulo Thiago (7-0).
"Koscheck will be fighting on the London, England card and is looking forward to his opponent," representatives of Zinkin Management told MMAWeekly.com on Monday.
Since his time on the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter," Koscheck has built himself into one of the top fighters in the welterweight division.
Stepping up on short notice, Koscheck dropped a decision to Thiago Alves in October. Never one to back out of a commitment, he returned in December for an already scheduled bout and knocked out Yoshida in their headliner.
His potential opponent, Paulo Thiago, is a tough Brazilian fighter who has spent his career working primarily with the Jungle Fight promotion.
Source: MMA Weekly
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December 16, 2008
UFC Fight for the Troops Raises More than 4 Million
Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced Tuesday that its "UFC Fight for the Troops" event last week in Fayetteville, NC in front of 15,000 Fort Bragg troops raised more than 4 million for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund's (IFHF) new medical center to be built in Bethesda.
According to Bill White, President of the IFHF, UFC and Spike TV should be applauded for their efforts.
"We are profoundly grateful to the UFC and Spike TV for their extraordinary support of our nation's Wounded Warriors," White said. "Their efforts have moved us that much closer to completing the traumatic brain injury center in Bethesda for the service members that are fighting for us overseas.
Click "See More" to continue.
Source: Spike TV
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December 11, 2008
Koscheck KO's Yoshida on UFC Fight Night
Perhaps more than in any prior fight, former All-America wrestler Josh Koscheck demonstrated how much he's added to his arsenal since taking up MMA just a few years ago by knocking Yoshiyuki Yoshida out cold with two successive right hands in North Carolina on Wednesday night.
The two welterweights faced off in the main event of the special "Fight for the Troops" fundraising UFC Fight Night card on Spike TV, and Koscheck punctuated a meaningful and exciting night with a first round knockout after landing a right cross to Yoshida's jaw that left Judoka out on his feet. A subsequent overhand right dropped him to the mat unconscious.
The stoppage came at 2:15 of the first round for Koscheck (13-3), who fought for the second time in just over forty days and for the fourth time in the past ten months. His prior bout was a decision loss to Thiago Alves in late October, which Koscheck took on short notice to replace fellow TUF1 alum Diego Sanchez.
Since beginning to train in MMA only months before his stint on the first "Ultimate Fighter" season back in 2005, Koscheck has steadily added dangerous submission and striking abilities to his game and the dramatic stoppage of Yoshida (10-2) may be the best demonstration of Koscheck's well-rounded skills yet.
Source: Fox Sports on MSN
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November 25, 2008
Five Ounces of Pain: Koscheck Eyes Added Significance vs. Yoshida
Despite having just competed on Oct. 25 in a unanimous decision loss to Thiago Alves at UFC 90, welterweight Josh Koscheck is all set to return to action on Dec. 10 during "UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fight for the Troops."
Koscheck will be headlining the show against Judo specialist Yoshiyuki Yoshida in a match that will have a great deal of ramifications involved pertaining to the former NCAA wrestling standout's standing in the welterweight division.
However, the event, which will air on Spike TV as a three-hour special, holds even greater significance as the event is being held to help raise funds for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The Intrepid Fund is a charity supporting the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families.
During a recent interview with CBSSports.com, Koscheck not only addressed his health coming out of the Alves fight but talked about what it means to him to be involved with an event such as UFN 16.
Click "See More" to continue.
Source: CBS Sports MMA
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October 28, 2008
UFC 90 results
In the co-main event, Thiago Alves (22-4) established himself as a welterweight contender with a unanimous decision over Josh Koscheck (13-3), who took the fight on short notice and was never able to take the fight to the ground.
Alves had Koscheck in trouble with an early knockdown and effectively jabbed and kicked through the first round, keeping the accomplished wrestler at bay. Alves again dropped Koscheck early in the third round.
Late in the third, a desperate Koscheck charged Alves but was beaten back by a barrage of punches. The crowd roared at the end, drowning out the horn for the end of the fight.
Koscheck replaced Diego Sanchez on the card after Sanchez suffered a rib injury two weeks ago. The "man you love to hate," in the words of UFC commentator Joe Rogan at the weigh-in, recovered well from the hard shots but couldn't find a way past Alves' fists. He's due to fight again in December on UFC's "Fight for the Troops" card near Fort Bragg.
"I plan on fighting in December," Koscheck said. "I'm injury-free and ready to fight."
"Josh looked awesome tonight," said UFC president Dana White. "People were actually cheering for Koscheck tonight if you can believe that one."Source: USAToday
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October 13, 2008
Diego Sanchez Injured, Kos to Face Thiago Alves at UFC 90
UFC announced tonight that Diego Sanchez tore cartilage in his ribs and has been pulled out of his Oct. 25 match with Thiago Alves at UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote. Luckily, they have a fellow 170-pounder who was willing to accept the challenge.
The UFC has announced a change to next weekend's UFC 90 card, with Josh Koscheck now scheduled to fight Thiago Alves in a very good welterweight match-up.
Alves was previously scheduled to fight Diego Sanchez, but Sanchez withdrew because he suffered torn rib cartilage in training.Click "See More" to continue.
Source: Bleacher Report
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October 9, 2008
Koscheck vs Yoshida Headlines
UFC FIGHT FOR THE TROOPS™ EVENT ON SPIKE TV
The special live UFC® fight card will raise funds to build a hospital for traumatic brain injuries for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces. Thousands of soldiers from nearby Fort Bragg, the proud home of the U.S. Airborne and Special Operations Forces, will be in attendance.
The Ultimate Fighter 1 standout Koscheck (13-2) has won seven of his last eight decisions, only tasting defeat at the hands of welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre in a three-round decision last August at UFC 74. Koscheck, fighting out of Fresno, CA, is among the top contenders in the welterweight division and needs a win to continue his ascent for a potential rematch with St. Pierre. His opponent, Tokyo native Yoshiyuki “Zenko” Yoshida (10-2), has won nine straight pro mixed martial arts fights including his UFC debut last May at UFC 84 with a victory via submission with Jon Koppenhaver.
Swick (12-2), fighting out of San Jose, CA, has also won seven of his last eight bouts in the Octagon™ including a three round decision over Josh Burkman this past January in a main on Spike TV’s UFC® Fight Night™. To continue his quest for a potential title shot, he must defeat fellow welterweight contender, Jonathan Goulet (22-9, 1 NC). The hard-kicking 29-year old Canadian recently scored a TKO victory at UFC 83 over Kuniyoshi Hironaka.Click "See More" to continue.
Source: UFC.com
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October 9, 2008
Koscheck gets headline spot on 'Fight For The Troops'
By Beau Dure, USA TODAY
Josh Koscheck knows what it's like to fight a UFC bout in front of people who are trained to fight. He fought at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar two years ago in San Diego.
"It was only about 3 to 4,000 people there, but it seemed like 20,000," Koscheck says. "The Marines were stomping their feet, and they were into every single fight. … It was really cool to be in that atmosphere and see how they really appreciate what we do for a living."
Koscheck gets another chance to fight in front of a military crowd for a military cause Dec. 10 in Fayetteville, N.C., near Fort Bragg, when he fights Yoshiyuki Yoshida in the main event of "UFC Fight For The Troops," a card broadcast live on Spike (9 p.m. ET).Source: USAToday
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October 1, 2008
Koscheck Wrestling Scholarship Fund
Former NCAA Champion and 4X All American, Josh Koscheck, and Mar Clothing, LLC have produced an Edinboro Wrestling Shirt. This unique shirt is for sale at marclththing.com. All proceeds from the sale of the shirt will go to the Josh Koscheck Wrestling Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will be awarded annually to an Edinboro Wrestler. Edinboro University is a small Division II school that has Division I wrestling. Edinboro competes in the prestigious Eastern Wrestling League and has matches against the likes of Ohio Stet, Penn state, West Virginia, Pitt etc. Buy a BORO Wrestling Shirt And Mar Clothing, LLC Will Donate $15.00 to the "Koscheck Wrestling Scholarship Fund."
BUY NOW by clicking on the marclothing online store link!! GO BORO!!!!!
This scholarship will help supplement the scholarship allotment at Edinboro University.
Tim Flynn
Head Coach
Edinboro WrestlingSource: KosMMA.com
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September 18, 2008
Where Does Josh Koscheck He End Up in All of This?
Josh "Kos" Koscheck is ranked No. 2 in the world among welterweight fighters. He should be fighting for the title, right? I mean, he was the first man to ever beat Diego Sanchez, who is ranked fourth in the world. Yet, nobody really knows the fate of the three-time PSAC Wrestler of The Year award winner.
Georges St. Pierre has already been asked to dance by B.J. Penn, and the fourth and fifth-ranked fighters in the world, Diego and Thiago Alves, will be fighting on Oct. 25, in a fight that may very well be for the No. 1 contender spot against the winner of GSP and Penn.
Where does this leave Koscheck?
Well, you may have noticed that I've only named four of the top five welterweights in the world. The other, No. 3, is Jon Fitch. Jon is coming off of a brutal beating at the hands of the champion and is also left without a dance partner.
Why not pit the top two fighters besides the champ against each other to determine which gets to fight the champ? Sounds reasonable, right?
Both of these guys have fought GSP, both went to the judges, and both lost unanimously. The difference is, Koscheck didn't look like he got hit by Mack Truck during the postfight interview. Both of these guys know what it's like to lose to GSP, and I'm sure both want another chance to prove they can beat him.Source: Bleacher Report
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August 31, 2008
The Ultimate Fighter reunion show in the works
MMAMania is reporting that Spike TV is currently working on a retrospective look at the hit show, “The Ultimate Fighter.” Several of the show’s fighters are currently in Las Vegas shooting for the show now.
The Ultimate Fighter has been a launching pad for some of MMA’s biggest stars including Forrest Griffin, Diego Sanchez, Josh Koscheck, Kenny Florian, Michael Bisping and Joe Stevenson.
At the time of its debut, the company was in severe financial trouble. Zuffa, LLC financed the first season in order to get exposure for the struggling company, and the reality show did just that. The season one finale fight between Griffin and Stephan Bonnar is often referred to as the most important fight in the history of the UFC. The bloody brawl made the UFC a household name and the promotion has continued to grow since then.Source: MMA Mania
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July 28, 2008
Koscheck Wants to Leave His Mar
by Danny Acosta
When Josh Koscheck wasn’t in a singlet pinning the NCAA wrestling ranks on their backs, he was longboarding and riding street bikes all over Pennsylvania. Even then, he was sporting California coastal gear, which would come to be the inspiration for his clothing line Mar.
The idea for Mar was born in 2006, and has become the fulfillment of the UFC fighter’s childhood dream: to own his own business. Hanging around with friends, the welterweight contender was struck with the idea to spearhead a clothing line. The logo and name, which in English means “to disfigure” and in Spanish means “ocean” soon followed. A lack of experience in business and fashion did not dim his outlook.
While developing a prominent mixed martial arts career, he approached his girlfriend about the idea. “You don’t know shit about clothing, what are you talking about?” she said. “Give me a year and I’ll know everything there is to know about clothing,’ he replied.
Koscheck voraciously researched licensing, screen-printing, and shipping, among other aspects of business. Looking to his manager DeWayne Zinkin Jr. as inspiration, Koscheck launched and maintained the brand through internet advertising, name-dropping in interviews, and sending free shirts to everyone from training partner Jon Fitch to former champion Chuck Liddell.
“My ultimate goal is to [sponsor] as many professional athletes as I possibly can, whether it’s surfing, snowboarding, BMX, it doesn’t matter,” he said.
Soliciting the services of a Mexican-style tattoo artist named Rudeboy keeps the styles fresh, but don’t be shocked if Koscheck gets involved in the designs--he oversees everything.
www.marclothing.comSource: KosMMA.com
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July 19, 2008
Boo-boys don't worry Koscheck
by Ben Blackmore
Josh Koscheck beat Chris Lytle at “UFC 86: JACKSON vs GRIFFIN” and then told UFC fans he does not mind being the boo-boy of the welterweight division…for now.
Koscheck was in dominant form against Lytle, opening up a huge cut in round two that nearly saw the fight stopped as blood gushed from above Lytle’s eye.
This wasn’t the first impressive performance the blond-haired Koscheck has produced in recent fights, yet he still got booed before and after the fight.
His confident, sometimes cocky, attitude probably does not help, but it is that same attitude that helps him to believe he will turn the crowd in his favour in the future.
“The boos I don’t mind. I don’t want to be the in-between guy, the guy that gets nothing,” he said, after taking a unanimous points decision.
“I know I’m not a well-rounded fighter yet, but I know I’m getting there.
“I don’t mind the boos right now, but eventually they’ll see the improvement I’m making and jump over to start cheering me.”Click "See More" to continue.
Source: KosMMA.com
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July 7, 2008
Koscheck Wins at UFC 86
UFC 86 Koscheck Wins!
The night's bloodiest battle — and one of the messiest on record — was waged by the American Kickboxing Academy's Josh Koscheck and veteran Chris Lytle.
Koscheck dominated the well-liked Indianan with clean wrestling and punishing ground-and-pound against the cage en route to a unanimous decision victory. He opened three cuts on Lytle's face, including a pair of gashes above his right eye. By the end of round two, Lytle (25-16-5, 4-8 UFC) was weary and bleeding profusely. Despite the blood loss, Lytle stayed in the fight, even threatening the physically superior Koscheck with Kimura and guillotine choke attempts in the third.
The 30-year-old Koscheck (11-2, 9-2 UFC) has won six of his last seven fights, a unanimous decision loss to reigning 170-pound champion Georges St. Pierre the only blemish.
"My coaches etched out a gameplan for me, and I executed it right," said Koscheck, his blonde hair stained red. "Chris Lytle's one of the classiest fighters in the UFC. I have a lot of respect for him as a fighter and as a person.Source: KosMMA.com
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July 7, 2008
Koscheck ready for next step
Waynesburg native Josh Koscheck will attempt to take another step toward becoming a champion in mixed martial arts fighting when he faces Chris Lytle Saturday in Las Vegas as part of UFC-86, which will be shown on pay per view.
Koscheck is coming off of a second-round TKO of Dustin Hazelett in Columbus, Ohio in March.
Lytle, who owns a 35-14-4 record, will be a big test for Koscheck. With more than 50 career MMA fights under his belt, he'll have a huge edge in ring experience over Koscheck, who has a 13-2 record.
"My goal isn't to get into a position to challenge for the title, my goal is to win the title - but right now my short-term goal is to beat Chris Lytle," Koscheck told UFC.com. "He's the next guy that I've got to fight, and I can't look past him because he's a tough guy. He's had almost 50 fights. So for me, I've got to win one fight at a time and, hopefully, get an opportunity in the future to get a chance to redeem a loss to Georges St-Pierre or whoever has that belt."
St-Pierre defeated Koscheck in a unanimous decision last August and has since gone on to claim the welterweight championship - a fact that is certainly not lost on the 30-year-old Koscheck.
Koscheck realizes that if he had beaten St-Pierre in that match, it could very well be him holding the title belt. And that remains his ultimate goal.
The fight is on the undercard of the main event, a light heavyweight title bout between Forrest Griffin and champion Quinton Jackson. But Koscheck's fight is the sixth on the 10-fight card, meaning it will definitely be part of the pay-per-view telecast.Source: KosMMA.com
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July 2, 2008
Changing Face, Koschek Ready For UFC 86
Growing up is hard to do. It’s even harder when you’re growing up in front of millions of people on television. But that’s exactly what Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Josh Koscheck did as a member of the cast for the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show.
Coming onto the show, Koscheck only had a handful of fights and an impressive resume that included an NCAA championship in wrestling at Edinboro University in 2001. What he learned on the show was a first hand lesson in the world of MMA and how reality shows can soon become a reality after the filming is finished.
During the show’s filming, Koscheck became everyone’s favorite bad guy, taunting and prodding at housemate Chris Leben, until the two finally fought on the show. When he won the fight, Koscheck’s intensity only seemed to grow while his protagonists kept at him before and after the season ended.
Now entering his 13th professional fight, facing veteran Chris Lytle at UFC 86 on Saturday night, Koscheck understands that how the fans perceive him could make or break his career as a successful mixed martial artist.
“TV can give you a false sense of who a person is,” Koscheck stated. “So for me it’s all about turning fans around and really showing these fans who I really am as a person. That’s one of the big things I’m trying to do.”Source: MMA Weekly
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June 27, 2008
Giving the Welterweight division "Kos" for concern
As Josh Koscheck prepares for his fight at UFC 86 against Chris Lytle, there’s no secret as to what is expected from him. Koscheck is already one of the top fighters in the world in the welterweight division despite only having 15 professional fights.
Kos made his debut in the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter: Season One. The show would share the very best and worst of Koscheck. He was shown as a dedicated friend and teammate in helping Bobby Southworth cut weight for a fight. Along with Southworth, Koscheck also showed his immaturity when the two ran a water hose on a sleeping Chris Leben that escalated into Leben busting up his hand and most of the house.
Since being on the show, Koscheck has amassed an 8-2 record in the Octagon. He holds wins over Diego Sanchez and Dustin Hazelett. The biggest fight of his career came last August when he faced Georges St-Pierre. GSP dominated Koscheck all three rounds. It was thought that GSP would have difficulty taking Koscheck to the ground due to Koscheck’s background as a four-time All-American wrestler. St-Pierre had no such problems and Koscheck realized just how far away he is from being the best.Click "See More" to continue.
Source: MVN.com
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May 30, 2008
MMA Mania Exclusive Chat with Josh Koscheck
UFC welterweight fighter Josh Koscheck recently signed a new multi-fight contract that ensures he will remain on the 170-pound roster for the near future.
It’s a deal more than three years in the making after the former NCAA wrestling champion recently satisfied his three-year, 10-fight contract following a stint on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 1 mixed martial arts reality series.
“I’m really happy to be with the UFC,” Koscheck recently told MMAmania.com. “It was an easy decision. There was no shopping around or anything like that. It was just a matter of getting a good deal that works out for me and for the organization.”
While fighting under his old contract, “Kos” compiled an impressive record (8-2) and could have earned serious consideration as a title challenger if he defeated Georges St. Pierre at UFC 74: “Respect” back in August 2007.
He didn’t, losing via unanimous decision to the Canadian. The defeat has now lit a fire under the Pennsylvania native and he’s eager to climb back up to the top of the ladder rung by rung.
“I feel I still have a lot to prove to the fans,” Koscheck said. “That’s my plan. I want to prove to everyone that I’m evolving as a fighter and work my way back up to that title shot.”Source: MMA Mania
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May 30, 2008
Koscheck has re-signed with the UFC
This was a good move for both the UFC and Koscheck. The UFC was wise to hold on to a blue-chipper like Koscheck, and they can always claim him as a member of the original Ultimate Fighter group. "Kos" has clearly shown hints of brilliance in his young career and I will be surprised if the AKA product doesn't fight for UFC Welterweight gold at some point in the next few years. Given his bright future, and that the golden-fro'd one just ended his initial contract, look for Koscheck to be fighting on UFC 86, July 5th.
Source: KosMMA.com
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April 27, 2008
Visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Top UFC welterweight contenders, Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, took time away from training and their busy schedules to visit with wounded war veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, last week.
Both fighters — American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) stablemates — are sponsored by Oak Grove Technologies, which set up the visit, meet-and-greet and autograph session.
“Jon and Josh signed t-shirts for the soldiers, chatted with them, joked around, posed for pictures and then after the job fair we all went to visit soldiers at the Malone House,” said Mariah Haworth, Marketing Coordinator at Oak Grove Technologies. “It was really nice to see all the smiles.”
We’ll have more on this outreach as soon as possible … it’s truly great stuff.
For now it’s back to training — Koscheck has a tough fight coming up against Chris Lytle at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” on July 5 and Fitch more than likely has a looming showdown with reigning UFC Welterweight Champion, Georges St. Pierre, later this year.Source: KosMMA.com
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April 1, 2008
Koscheck Signs New UFC Deal; Lytle Next
The MMA free agency pool got a bit shallower just recently after former “Ultimate Fighter” season one participant Josh Koscheck signed a new contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Koscheck was at the end of his previous deal after defeating Dustin Hazelett at UFC 82. The decision to re-sign was easy according to the fighter.
“Basically my decision to stay with the UFC is because I’ve been with them for the past three years. They’ve invested time and money in me, and for me it’s the best organization right now. It’s pretty much always been the best organization in the U.S. Now they’re the best in the world,” said Koscheck recently on MMAWeekly Radio. “So for me, it was a no-brainer. They have the best fighters; they have the best promotion and the best show. So that’s where I want to be.”Click "See More" to continue.
Source: MMA Weekly
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March 7, 2008
Kos looking for title shot in near future
by Jeff Cain - MMAWeekly.com
Following his UFC 82 victory over Dustin Hazelett, Josh Koscheck became a free agent; but the Top Ten ranked welterweight expects to re-sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and work his way into title contention.
"I'm pretty sure I'm going to be with the UFC," said The Ultimate Fighter season one alumnus. "I know my manager and the UFC are in talks right now, so that's up to them. If the UFC wants me, I want to be in the UFC. For me, it's my home. I started my career there and hopefully I'll end my career there. It's the place to be right now, and it's a good time to be a UFC fighter.
"I let my management do all of that. My job is to train. My job is to fight. Their job is to represent me."
The fight with Hazelett was his tenth fight in the UFC. Expecting to re-sign, Koscheck is focused on putting himself in a position to get a shot at the welterweight title.
"I honestly don't care who I fight. I want the fight to make sense in order for me to get back to getting a title shot. If I can get a good three wins in a row, hopefully I can be a contender again and get a chance to fight for that title and get that belt," he told MMAWeekly.com.
"That's the ultimate goal is to get that UFC title and that's like the Super Bowl right now... That's the belt to have right now and that's the belt I want."Click "See More" to continue.
Source: MMA Weekly
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March 7, 2008
A look back TUF # 1
The first season, which ran in early 2005, was a huge hit, for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that it aired at 11:05 p.m. on Monday nights, right after World Wrestling Entertainment’s “Raw” program. While most wrestling fans, in particular the kids and older people, weren’t that interested, Ultimate Fighter kept the vast majority of the WWE’s male 18-34 audience, which became the new core audience for the promotion.
The vast majority of the public envisioned “ultimate fighters” as thuggish bar room brawlers, devoid of the skills of boxers and wrestlers. But in airing the brutal training sessions and even more controversial weight-cutting, they became very real people, with real flaws and insecurities who worked incredibly hard. Instead of being unskilled, they actually had to be skilled to some degree at many fighting styles.
There were two nights from the first season which put UFC on the map: a two-week television grudge program that led to a match with Chris Leben vs. Josh Koscheck, still the highest rated episode in the history of the series, and the live championship match with Forrest Griffin winning a controversial decision over Stephan Bonnar, the almost perfect fight at the perfect moment.
The two coaches from the season, light heavyweight champion Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, fought with Liddell winning, and the match did record numbers for the sport on pay-per-view and it was established as a viable attraction.
Many of the fighters introduced that season, Griffin, Diego Sanchez, Koscheck, Leben, Mike Swick, Nate Quarry, Bonnar and Kenny Florian remain stars with the promotion.Source: Yahoo Sports
