(CUUUUURSSSSEE YOOOOUUUU JOOOOEEEE SILLLVVVVAA!!!)
Far be it from us to accuse UFC matchmaker and noted “mean little f*cker” Joe Silva of phoning it in, but when rumors started to circulate that former middleweight title challenger and reborn welterweight Demian Maia would be facing former welterweight title challenger Josh Koscheck, we balked at the idea. Balked I tell you! Sure, Koscheck’s a seasoned veteran, perennial contender, and world-renowned motorboater, but in what universe does it make sense to have a guy on a two-fight losing skid fight a guy on a three-fight winning streak? This one, apparently.
Brazilian outlet NewsMMA was the first to report the matchup, which has since been confirmed by both fighters Sherdog pages.
Like we said, we were quick to dismiss the notion of this pairing…at first. But then we got to thinking: What possible motivation could the UFC have for booking this fight? And then, it all became so clear. The UFC is severing its ties with Josh Koscheck.
Don’t buy it? Well, let’s just take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?
As we all know, the UFC’s current roster is about 100 fighters heavy — this is according to none other than UFC President Dana White. In an attempt to right the ship, the promotion has resorted to several mass firings over the past few months, mass firings that have left half the lot of TUF 17 contestants, unofficial Zuffa political advisor Jacob Volkmann, and the likes of Terry Etim and Paul Sass (among others) in the dust.
Also claimed by the great deluge of 2013 was former welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch, who was seemingly tossed out like yesterday’s trash after spending upwards of seven years with the promotion. Here’s what Dana White had to say about the “super f*cking expensive” AKA product when attempting to explain the reasoning behind his departure:
Jon Fitch was ranked number nine, OK, however you want to look at that, he’s ranked number nine, whether it’s right or wrong or the rankings are bullshit or whatever. Ranked number nine right now. Now, this isn’t a case where Jon Fitch was ranked No. 9, No. 7, No. 6, No. 4, No. 2 and then we cut him. He was ranked No. 1, fought for the title and then he was ranked No. 2. He was ranked No. 3, 6, 7, and now he’s 9. That’s called the downside of your career. He’s on the downside… He’s super f—ing expensive.
If a #9 ranked, former welterweight title challenger with a 2-2-1 record in his past 5 fights who makes $66,000 to show is “too expensive” and on the “downside” of his career, then how do you think DW will view Koscheck — the #10 ranked welterweight who makes $78,000 to show and is 2-3 in his last 5 — should he drop a third straight fight to Maia? And why, for that matter, would the UFC set up what is essentially a lose-lose matchup for Maia at this point?
The answer is simple; this is Koscheck’s sink-or-swim fight. It would appear that the UFC wants him to sink. He’s just come off the second TKO loss of his career — to a pretty hefty underdog, no less — and has next to no chance of fighting for the title as long as GSP is still around. According to our chart, Koscheck is simply too fucking expensive to continue fighting for the UFC, and the Zuffa Gods have realized this.
Watch your back, Crippler. There is a Judas in your midst.