Although he competes at 170 pounds, Josh Koscheck is always looking for bigger challenges elsewhere.During a media scrum at UFC 143 open workouts, Koscheck expressed interest at competing in the middleweight division, eyeing potential matchups wit…
Although he competes at 170 pounds, Josh Koscheck is always looking for bigger challenges elsewhere.
During a media scrum at UFC 143 open workouts, Koscheck expressed interest at competing in the middleweight division, eyeing potential matchups with some of the division’s prominent fighters.
“I think Vitor Belfort would be a great fight for me. I think Wanderlei (Silva) would be a fun fight for me,” Koscheck said.
Koscheck is set to meet rising welterweight prospect, Mike Pierce, which will be featured on the main card of the evening’s event. The 34-year-old is looking to remain in contention, after recently coming off knockout victory over Matt Hughes at UFC 135.
While he might not be looking at his upcoming bout as a difficult one to prepare for, Koscheck understands the consequences should he lose.
“This guy isn’t a big fight for me, but I accepted the challenge,” he said. ” I have got to motivate myself to put him as a big fight because if I lose to him, where does that put me in the division?”
“I might as well retire if I lose to this guy,” he added.
Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit’s skills could not be any more identical.Possessing both aggression and resiliency, the two welterweight contenders are set to square off in a pivotal bout to determine the UFC interim welterweight champion at UFC 143, while…
Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit‘s skills could not be any more identical.
Possessing both aggression and resiliency, the two welterweight contenders are set to square off in a pivotal bout to determine the UFC interim welterweight champion at UFC 143, while current titleholder Georges St-Pierre rehabilitates a knee injury.
Diaz impressed fans with his three-round affair with B.J. Penn at UFC 137, where fans caught a glimpse of just how technical and effective the Stockton, Calif. native’s style can be against his opponents. The victory has earned him a title shot, not against St-Pierre, but he was lined up with Condit instead.
Meanwhile, Condit has proved to carry the same killer instinct as Diaz, boasting a more diverse display of striking, and he owns two Knockout of the Night honors in his past three bouts.
Both competitors’ skill sets and urgency will likely set the tone for an exciting, competitive matchup, but the real challenge lies ahead in facing St-Pierre.
The champion has openly admitted his desire to face Diaz, as he feels it is a more marketable fight that will draw a lot of fans, but it doesn’t necessarily deem the former Strikeforce welterweight champion the rightful challenger.
Diaz’s high volume of strikes and superior cardio certainly break down his opponents, but his style is too one-dimensional and easy to adapt to for the cerebral champion. The key for Diaz lies in whether he’d be able to efficiently defend off of his back while St-Pierre successfully lands takedowns and is consistently in top position. And considering how dominant and strategic the champion is, the bout would be fairly one-sided.
However, Condit is a more versatile fighter and is much less predictable than Diaz.
Condit certainly likes to maintain distance so that he is able to find openings and land leg kicks, as well as a variety of strikes, to damage his opponent and end the bout. Again, Condit would have to remain active from his guard to avoid St-Pierre’s top control and superior grappling, but he brings more tools to the potential bout.
Diaz’s style might be just as effective as Condit’s, but Condit possesses a more well-rounded game that presents more of a challenge for St-Pierre. It might not be as marketable, but it is a better matchup stylistically and one that St-Pierre desperately needs—especially when he has essentially cleaned out the welterweight division.
Comedian and reality television host, Joe Rogan, has become synonymous with the UFC, however, little is known about how he became employed with the company.Rogan made a recent appearance on “The Rosie Show” to discuss how he became a part of the broadc…
Comedian and reality television host, Joe Rogan, has become synonymous with the UFC, however, little is known about how he became employed with the company.
Rogan made a recent appearance on “The Rosie Show” to discuss how he became a part of the broadcast team as a color-commentator.
“I started out in 1997 with them. I was the post-fight interviewer,” Rogan said. “This is what they did: they brought me there, they gave me a microphone, they put an ear-piece in me and they go, ‘Okay, ready, Joe? We’re going to come to you in three seconds.'”
“Nobody explained to me what I was going to do, how to interview people; it was a weird organization back then,” he added.
Since 2002, Rogan has stood alongside UFC play-by-play commentator Mike Goldberg and called numerous events. The pair are often considered the best commentating team in the sport.
In addition to being a color-commentator, Rogan is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian Jiu-Jiu, which helps credit his knowledge and in-depth analysis of fighters and other martial arts backgrounds.
Rogan will be featured, along with Goldberg, this weekend at UFC 143, live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Rashad Evans will now look to settle the score with Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145.”Suga” earned the opportunity after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. While the oddsmakers favor Jones to retain the lig…
Rashad Evans will now look to settle the score with Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145.
“Suga” earned the opportunity after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2.
While the oddsmakers favor Jones to retain the light heavyweight title, listing him as a 6-1 favorite, Evans isn’t phased at all.
“I’m sure I’ll go into this fight and Jon Jones will be the big favorite, and the stage will be set for once again another surprise knockout,” Evans said.
Of course, Evans is referring to his last appearance at the Phillips Arena, in 2008. The 32-year-old Evans entered his bout against Chuck Liddell as a considerable underdog, but he shocked the world after he unseated the UFC Hall of Famer with a vicious knockout. This resulted in a title shot against then-UFC light heavyweight champion, Forrest Griffin, in 2008.
Evans and Jones’ history dates back to their time spent at Greg Jackson’s MMA as training partners, making their upcoming title bout one of the more personal fights in recent memory.
While no official event has been announced, it is expected that Evans and Jones will headline UFC 145, scheduled for April 21 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rashad Evans might finally been rewarded with a title bout with Jon Jones following his victory over Phil Davis last weekend, but Jones doesn’t feel like Evans’ performance granted him a title shot.The UFC light heavyweight champion appeared on “The MM…
Rashad Evans might finally been rewarded with a title bout with Jon Jones following his victory over Phil Davis last weekend, but Jones doesn’t feel like Evans’ performance granted him a title shot.
The UFC light heavyweight champion appeared on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani earlier this week and discussed his thoughts on the main event, and he wasn’t impressed with Evans.
Jones said he saw glimpses of improvement in some areas, but most of all, the 24-year-old was critical of Evans’ overall performance.
“I think his top control looked a little tighter, I think his guard passes looked pretty decent,” Jones said.
“I definitely didn’t see any progressions. I feel like he’s coming down the other side of the hill. Even his body looked softer.”
Jones and Evans have shared a mutual disliking since “Bones” replaced the 32-year-old and captured the 205-pound crown last year. Jones’ victory immediately caused a rift between the two former teammates, forcing Evans to switch camps shortly after.
Since transitioning camps, Evans has earned two consecutive victories to his name, but Jones doesn’t believe it serve much purpose when the two light heavyweights are scheduled to meet at UFC 145 in April.
“I think that’s going to be the biggest difference in the fight, is my youth, my ambition, my drive, my creativity,” he said.
But despite their differences, Jones hopes to put an end to their feud following their future bout and maintain their relationship on good terms.
“I’d love to have a respectful relationship with him, because actually, deep down, I kind of just liked hanging with the guy,” he said. “After this fight, I just hope that the respect can be restored. Friendship is not necessary, but the respect should be restored.”
Georges St-Pierre will be sitting cageside this weekend to observe the interim title bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit at UFC 143.And while he’ll be awaiting for the next challenger at the UFC welterweight title, St-Pierre expects Diaz to e…
Georges St-Pierre will be sitting cageside this weekend to observe the interim title bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit at UFC 143.
And while he’ll be awaiting for the next challenger at the UFC welterweight title, St-Pierre expects Diaz to emerge victorious in order to set up a long-awaited title bout between two of the sport’s top competitors.
As the champion opened up his thoughts on the upcoming bout, he said it will feel odd to be rooting for Diaz over Condit.
“I feel bad, it is weird that I want him to lose, but I have never wanted to fight anyone as much as I want to fight Diaz,” St-Pierre said. “I don’t truly hate him as a person. I don’t know that he is a bad guy, but I hate what he brings to the sport with the disrespect and the unprofessional things he says and does. It is sort of a professional hatred.”
It is that same professional hatred that has been hiding inside of the champion ever since UFC 137 when he suffered an injury that would force him out of a bout with Diaz. But it was the Stockton, California native’s harsh words directed at St-Pierre that has motivated the champion like never before.
Out of the opponents he has faced throughout his career, St-Pierre said he has never encountered a fighter like Diaz. And he intends to get his retribution.
“I am used to hearing (smack) talk from opponents. Matt Serra did it, Dan Hardy did it, and Josh Koscheck did it, but with Diaz he has taken it to another level. He and his coach (Cesar Gracie) have called me a coward and tried to disrespect my accomplishments,” he said. “All that has done though is make me determined to beat him up.”
St-Pierre has already been preparing for a summer return later this year, and all that’s left is Diaz can live up to his end of the deal and beat Condit, setting up one of the biggest welterweight title fights in UFC history.
Nick Diaz and