Former UFC middleweight contender Patrick “The Predator” Côté (13-6) will square off with Tom Lawlor (6-3) in the opening Spike TV “UFC Prelims” bout this coming Saturday, all part of the Anaheim UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez event.
Côté returned to the octagon after a long layoff, having suffered a serious knee injury against Anderson Silva at UFC 90, to face Alan Belcher at UFC 113 earlier this summer. Hoping to make a successful return, “The Predator” quickly realized that ‘Ring Rust’ was a real phenomenon and losing the bout to Belcher via submission.
“I wanted a big fight right away and that’s exactly what we had,” Cote said of Belcher. “But when the fight started, it just hit me in my face — ring rust does exist and it took me a minute, minute and a half to be very comfortable in the Octagon and start doing my thing.”
“(Lawlor)’s a gamer. He’s not a very technical striker but he likes to stay on his feet and stay in the pocket and exchange,” said Cote. “I always say I’m not scared of anyone in my weight class on my feet and I think I’ll be more powerful, more technical. . . . I’m pretty sure he’s going to try to put pressure on me and push me against the fence and try to wrestle me against the fence. If not, we’re going to stay in the middle of the Octagon and exchange and somebody’s going to sleep for sure.”
HT: Sportsnet.ca