BIO

From training for the Olympics in freestyle wrestling to becoming a mixed martial artist in the UFC, Josh Koscheck has had a decorated career. He trains out of Fresno, CA, with Team AKA (American Kickboxing Academy), Javier Mendez, and “Crazy” Bob Cook, and is managed by DeWayne Zinkin. Since joining the MMA community, Josh has compiled a record of 14-4 and hopes to be the next UFC welterweight champion.

Josh Koscheck was born on November 30, 1977, in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. He was involved in many sports when he was growing up, mainly football and wrestling. As a senior at Waynesburg Central High School, Koscheck finished second in the 1997 Pennsylvania State Wrestling Championships. He was also a highlighted football player and was given several offers for college football scholarships. He ended up accepting a wrestling scholarship to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where he excelled in both athletics and academics.

In 2001, he went 42-0 and was the NCAA Division I National Champion in the 174-pound weight class. Koscheck was also a four-time Division I All-American (4th, 2nd, 1st, and 3rd) and the 11th four-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champion. He was honored as the PSAC Wrestler of the Year three times and was twice named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year. He was also a four-time Academic Achievement Award winner. Koscheck earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Edinboro in 2001, and is currently working on his master’s degree in secondary counseling.

After college, Koscheck spent some time at Penn State University as the Administrator for the wrestling team before accepting the position of Head Assistant Coach for the Bulls at the University at Buffalo. As a coach, Koscheck played a huge role in getting the Bulls wrestling team to a new level.

Koscheck now resides in Fresno, CA, trains full-time with Team AKA, and fights for the UFC. In 2005, he was featured on Spike TV’s reality show “The Ultimate Fighter: Season 1,” which provided a behind-the-scenes look at the hardcore training of the new-wave Ultimate Fighter. When Koscheck isn’t training, he can be found fly-fishing, working on his clothing line (www.marclothing.com), and riding street bikes.

“Some things in life come easy to talented people. But you can have all the talent in the world and never amount to anything great without the will and work ethic.” –Josh Koscheck