UFC on Fox 3: Why Josh Koscheck Will Defeat Johny Hendricks

While all eyes will be on UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann and Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rouse this weekend, UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller is fast approaching and perhaps the most interesting story line to emerge from the upcoming broadcast television even…

While all eyes will be on UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann and Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rouse this weekend, UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller is fast approaching and perhaps the most interesting story line to emerge from the upcoming broadcast television event, besides Nate Diaz and Jim Miller squaring off in a possible No. 1 contender bout, is who will come out on top in the co-main event between former No. 1 contender Josh Koscheck and fast-rising star Johny Hendricks.

Both fighters will be looking to prove they belong at the top of the division. Koscheck is coming off a less than stellar performance against welterweight division staple Mike Pierce, and this fight is his opportunity at redemption, and a chance to climb back to the No. 1 contender position after falling short in a five-round affair against current UFC Welterweight Champion Gorges St-Pierre at UFC 124.

Hendricks, like Koscheck, also holds a split-decision victory over the aforementioned Pierce in one of his more recent bouts. However few people remember it, as Hendricks was able to silence the critics after he quickly disposed of Koscheck training partner, and close friend, Jon Fitch at UFC 141, earning his second Knockout of the Night honors, and the disclosed 75-thousand dollar bonus that came with it.

Koscheck is not without his own stellar performances, however. Just two fights ago he put former-UFC Champion, and Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes to sleep in the closing seconds of the first round at UFC 135, earning a KOTN himself, also garnering a disclosed 75-thousand dollar bonus.

While Hendricks has earned KOTN twice, as well as Fight of the Night, he has yet to get the full hat trick, unlike Koscheck who has done so with FOTN performance against GSP, and his Submission of the Night against Anthony Johnson at UFC 106.

 

There is no doubt Hendricks is on a course to do even greater things, but Koscheck is in his own search for greatness, and to him, Hendricks is the roadblock, not the trophy, on that path.

If Koscheck defeats Hendricks in convincing fashion on May 5th, then there is little doubt he will become the de facto No. 1 contender, even before Jake Ellenberger, to face current interim-Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit, because everyone loves a comeback.

For Hendricks the loss will not set him back, but steer him on the correct path. Every great fighter’s legacy is marred by stories of falling down, and getting right back up. The Hendricks we will see merge from this fight will be motivated, and determined like no other.

While some might say Hendricks has Koscheck’s number now, and now is his time to shine based on his performance against Fitch, his overconfidence coming into this fight will be exactly what makes him lose it.

Koscheck is no stranger to getting knocked out, and as such has learned what not to do against a heavy handed hitter. He’s also not one to get taken down easily, and more than capable of neutralizing Hendrick’s wrestling with his own skill and expertise.

Once Hendricks realizes that putting his hands on Koscheck is harder than he though, he’ll go for the take down. It won’t take long for him to realize getting the fight to the ground isn’t so easy, and he’ll start head hunting in desperation.

This is where Koscheck will smell blood in the water, and after having learned from his own failures that banking on the take down and one-shot knockout is never a smart move, he will use razor-sharp combos and footwork to dismantle Hendricks before choosing to take the fight to the ground in the third round and hopefully finishing it there.

That is how a true professional and veteran of the sport approaches a fight where he has little to gain and everything to lose.

Hendricks will become a better fighter from the experience, but his age and determination will drive him to work his way right back to the lime light, but that day is not today, and that winning knockout to earn a title-shot will not happen this time.

And that’s the bottom line.

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Follow Justin Fuller on Twitter @JustinFullerMMA or like him on Facebook for the latest and greatest in…well…whatever, that’s what. Just do it, he’s hilarious.

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UFC News: Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza Says Sonnen Won’t Touch Silva in Their Rematch

As any fight fan is well aware, the UFC’s favorite bad boy, Chael Sonnen, will rematch his arch-nemesis, UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva this summer with “The Spider’s” belt once again on the line.While the first fight saw “Uncle Chael” land s…

As any fight fan is well aware, the UFC’s favorite bad boy, Chael Sonnen, will rematch his arch-nemesis, UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva this summer with “The Spider’s” belt once again on the line.

While the first fight saw “Uncle Chael” land some crisp shots on his feet before scoring on takedowns and utilizing active ground-and-pound, Silva’s Black House teammate Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza told Tatame that he expects a completely different fight this time around. 

“But I believe that next time he won’t let Sonnen take him down. He has excellent takedown defense. Sonnen won’t even touch him,” the former Strikeforce middleweight champion boldly proclaimed. 

“I believe that if he’s in good shape no one can beat him, especially Sonnen,” Jacare added.

Fans, analysts and fighters alike seem torn on how this fight will play out. Sonnen dominated Silva for four-and-a-half rounds in their UFC 117 bout, but Silva’s camp revealed afterwards that he entered the fight with a rib injury. 

Additionally, Sonnen tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in the post-fight drug test, further adding questions to the former All-American Division I wrestler’s impressive, albeit losing, performance.

Silva once again successfully defended his title when he locked up a triangle choke halfway through the fifth and final round. 

The rematch is tentatively scheduled to take place on June 16 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, but the venue has not been officially named yet.

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5 Most Physically Unimposing UFC Fighters

The UFC is rampant with testosterone-laden musclemen who appear to live, eat and sleep in the weight room.  Fighters like Phil Davis, Cheick Kongo and Georges St-Pierre look like they breast-fed on Muscle Milk, but there are some fighters who look…

The UFC is rampant with testosterone-laden musclemen who appear to live, eat and sleep in the weight room.  

Fighters like Phil Davis, Cheick Kongo and Georges St-Pierre look like they breast-fed on Muscle Milk, but there are some fighters who look better suited for a Sunday at the Golden Corral than a Saturday in the Octagon.  

For these modern-day UFC fighters who definitely do not look the part, I dedicate the following slides. Eat up! 

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Quinton Jackson: 5 Things We Learned About Rampage After UFC 144

Quinton Jackson’s career is steeped in Japan to the point where it could be argued that his UFC career is an afterthought. In the lead-up to UFC 144 and the events that followed, fans saw a different side of “Rampage” Jackson.It was a side that was sof…

Quinton Jackson‘s career is steeped in Japan to the point where it could be argued that his UFC career is an afterthought. In the lead-up to UFC 144 and the events that followed, fans saw a different side of “Rampage” Jackson.

It was a side that was softer and seemed to enjoy more of what he was doing and where he was.

The fight spoke volumes of where Jackson is mentally as a fighter, but the interviews and interactions he had with fans and media in the days surrounding it made more of an impact.

He resonated on a level that hadn’t been seen by many fans.

Here are some of those moments.

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UFC: Zuffa Takes Yet Another Shot at Fedor Emelianenko

Zuffa has finally acknowledged Fedor Emelianenko—in trading card form. And it’s not even a card of him; it’s a card of Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva beating him up.The card is part of a recent series of Topps cards that also promote Strikeforce fighter…

Zuffa has finally acknowledged Fedor Emelianenko—in trading card form. And it’s not even a card of him; it’s a card of Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva beating him up.

The card is part of a recent series of Topps cards that also promote Strikeforce fighters along with their UFC counterparts. 

Zuffa (the company that owns the UFC) and Fedor Emelianenko have a long history of never getting along. 

After the fall of Pride in 2007, Emelianenko and his management couldn’t come to terms with Zuffa. This helped earn the ire of UFC president Dana White

Emelianenko, therefore, went to the emerging Affliction promotion, left after it became defunct and then wound up in Strikeforce, where he went 1-3.

The loss to Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva was particularly devastating to fans because they thought that Fedor’s previous loss to Fabricio Werdum was a fluke and that the Russian would destroy Silva. They were wrong. 

Silva dominated the smaller Fedor and forced a doctor stoppage between the second and third rounds. 

Now, thanks to Zuffa, the moment where “Bigfoot” got mount on Emelianenko and pounded his face in is immortalized forever on a playing card. 

Thus, it seems that Zuffa has never gotten over Fedor not signing with them and are still seeking to bury the man even though the evolving MMA game and his terrible management team have already done that. 

At best, the card is a bit distasteful. At worst, it’s kicking a man while he’s down.

 

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Rampage Jackson Not Considering Retirement, Still Sees a Future in the UFC

Following his disappointing performance against Ryan Bader at UFC 144, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s future was uncertain.The former PRIDE FC star was eager to fight in Japan but he came up short in the process against Bader, who outwrestled Jackson for …

Following his disappointing performance against Ryan Bader at UFC 144, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s future was uncertain.

The former PRIDE FC star was eager to fight in Japan but he came up short in the process against Bader, who outwrestled Jackson for a majority of the bout. Jackson also entered his bout overweight, as he missed the weight cut the day before.

But despite the loss, Jackson is still adamant on fighting in the UFC.

“See, I know I’m getting to the end of my career, because I say I don’t want to fight past 35, but, honestly, before I hurt my knee you guys should have seen how I was training,” Jackson told reporters during a UFC 144 post-fight press conference. 

“I think I’ve got a lot of years (left). I’m ready to put on more shows. I heal up fast, I’m like a werewolf. I wasn’t even supposed to fight here, so I’ll be back really soon.”

In regards to a future opponent for Jackson, names have ranged from Dan Henderson to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Rua was an opponent that Jackson had originally intended on facing in Japan, prior to facing Bader in the co-main event.

The loss to Bader gives Jackson the first back-to-back losses in his career and is now 7-4 inside the Octagon, and holds a professional record of 32-10 overall.

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