Thiago Alves (22-11) turned back the clock with a solid performance against Patrick Cote (23-11). The second bout on the main card of UFC 210 featured a welterweight tilt. Former title challengers Alves and Cote went one-on-one inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Cote went for a leg kick, but got hit with a
Thiago Alves (22-11) turned back the clock with a solid performance against Patrick Cote (23-11).
The second bout on the main card of UFC 210 featured a welterweight tilt. Former title challengers Alves and Cote went one-on-one inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY.
Cote went for a leg kick, but got hit with a punch. Alves had his own leg kick. Cote was clipped with a knee to the head. “The Predator” got in a right hand. Cote had his kick caught and got hit with a left hook that dropped him. Alves landed some elbows and hammerfists as the round ended.
“The Predator” moved forward early in the second stanza. A short elbow landed for Alves. The “Pitbull” connected with a leg kick followed by a right hand. Cote landed a right hand. A high kick from Alves was blocked. Cote fell to his knees from a huge shot. “The Predator” got back up and the two met at the center of the Octagon. The round ended about 30 seconds later.
Time was called quickly for an inadvertent low blow from Alves. The action resumed shortly after. Cote landed a body shot followed by a punch upstairs. He went for a takedown, but Alves stuffed it. The “Pitbull” ended up securing a takedown. The two men returned standing. Cote threw some uppercuts and played a bit to the crowd. Alves landed a flying knee before the final horn sounded.
When the score totals were read, all three judges gave the nod to Alves. After the fight, Cote put his gloves on the canvas and announced his retirement.
Final Result: Thiago Alves def. Patrick Cote via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
The elder statesman label looks pretty natural on the lapel of Patrick Cote.
He’s 37 years old. He’s been a professional MMA fighter since 2002. He once fought Anderson Silva for the middleweight title (but let’s not speak of tha…
The elder statesman label looks pretty natural on the lapel of Patrick Cote.
He’s 37 years old. He’s been a professional MMA fighter since 2002. He once fought Anderson Silva for the middleweight title (but let’s not speak of that again). He has a 23-10 pro record. He has some mileage on him.
Pump the brakes, though, on another “old guy still has gas in the tank” story. Cote knows he’s old. But is it possible that he may be using that age to his advantage?
Who has ever heard of such a thing? I don’t know, but Cote calls it “experience,” and he’s cashing in on that, almost quite literally, as his pro MMA career rolls on. Saturday, he faces fellow welterweight ThiagoAlves on the main card of UFC 210.
Like most of the fighters with the unusual quality of UFC longevity, Cote, who entered the UFC in 2004 on a short-notice bout with Tito Ortiz, has taken certain steps to lengthen his career. In Cote’s case, those steps—entertaining aggression and personal care-taking—have been at odds.
So how does he balance them? There are several ways.
“I don’t need to do sparring five times a week,” Cote said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. “I don’t need to receive punches in my head. If I’m not in camp, I don’t receive any punches in my head. If I’m in camp I spar only two times a week. I do technique drills, I do jiu-jitsu. You have to be realistic. You learn from experience. I don’t feel too scared or guilty to take a day off.”
Cote has plenty of advice to offer. That’s actually kind of his thing, it seems.
For instance, he discusses weight cutting, a potentially dangerous and increasingly controversial practice that pervades MMA and other combat sports. Cote estimated he cuts 20-22 pounds for each fight (Cote is a very large welterweight) but also pointed out that he had never missed a mark in his career. And it’s part of why he lacks sympathy for those who do miss weight.
“That’s stupid,” he said of those who struggle to make required weight limits. “Weight cutting is dangerous if you don’t do it well. It’s hard to do it, but there’s a process. I always make it and I feel awesome the day after. But I’m working with professionals who know what they’re doing. I don’t know how you don’t know what you’re doing at this level. It’s part of your job.”
Cote, who said he is taking it one fight at a time career-wise, has plenty of other irons in the fire. Plenty of UFC fans north of the border know him as the French-language color commentator for Canadian broadcasts.
“I’m like a French Joe Rogan,” Cote said. “We do every UFC fight. I think it’s helping me a lot as a fighter because I see a lot of different situations.”
There’s that experience theme again. Cote is outspoken about an athlete’s need to prepare for life after competition. He’s definitely trying to lead by example. He has a real estate company and works as a mentor with Canadian Olympic athletes and the Canadian Army. Contrary to what you might assume, though, there’s no direct combat angle in either case.
“I mentor new athletes on how to sell themselves,” Cote explained. “They are thinking they are invincible. Sometimes a big injury can happen, or a bad performance. You don’t want to think about it, but you have to. Sometimes we have no organization to back us, no pension. One day [retirement] is going to happen.”
The 33-year-old Alves (21-11) has plenty of time under his own belt, but not as much as Cote. Cote seems to believe that—plus a more well-rounded skill set—will win him the day. Either way, though, he still seems to have his ducks in a row.
“We’re both veterans,” Cote said of himself and Alves. “I don’t think he’ll bring anything that will surprise me. His striking is excellent, he has heavy leg kicks. But at the end of the day, I’m the better fighter. I’m the better wrestler, I’m the better boxer, I have the better fight IQ. I’m going to meet him in the middle of the Octagon. …I’m 500 percent confident I’m gonna win that fight. …If it gets to the ground, it’s not getting back up. He’s going to be a little bit panicky. …But now I’m not fighting because I need to fight. I’m fighting because I want to fight. And that’s awesome.”
Patrick Cote has his sights set on victory and a finish this Saturday night (April 8). Cote returns to action against Thiago Alves inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY on the main card of UFC 210. This will be the first time Cote has competed on the main card of a pay-per-view (PPV) event […]
Patrick Cote has his sights set on victory and a finish this Saturday night (April 8). Cote returns to action against Thiago Alves inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY on the main card of UFC 210. This will be the first time Cote has competed on the main card of a pay-per-view (PPV) event […]
So UFC 210 is just days away and despite a card filled with many unfamiliar faces, there are two veterans of the game smack in the middle of the main card as former middleweight title challenger Patrick Cote faces off against former welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves. Both men have seen brighter days during their mixed martial arts careers and despite some tough losses in their recent outings, are still two dangerous welterweights.
So UFC 210 is just days away and despite a card filled with many unfamiliar faces, there are two veterans of the game smack in the middle of the main card as former middleweight title challenger Patrick Cote faces off against former welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves. Both men have seen brighter days during their mixed martial arts careers and despite some tough losses in their recent outings, are still two dangerous welterweights.
Patrick Cote has had a reputation for two things: being extremely durable and hitting like a mack truck. Both qualities can be supremely beneficial for a fighter, but when mixed together in one package can spell doom. Why do I say that? Well, if you consider the fact that you know you have a durable chin and bricks for hands, the likelihood that you’re willing to wade through the fire to land one good shot rises exponentially. It’s not a proven science, but all you need to do is to watch the fall of Chuck Liddell and understand how dangerous the combination can be. That said, Patrick Cote has chosen to round out his game as he’s gotten older. Rather than relying on power punches to win fights, Cote now utilizes his jab more often as a range finder as well as with some pop. He also uses his wrestling pretty effectively and will do well to use that tool in this fight. Sure, he could possibly win in a striking battle against Alves if he’s on his game, but why risk that when you can at least make the Brazilian striker hesitant on the feet. If a clean takedown isn’t available then Cote is better off pushing the smaller Alves against the fence and smothering his offense.
On the flip side, Thiago Alves may not be starching opponents as he once did, but he’s managed to keep the dream alive with some competitive performances against Jim Miller and Carlos Condit. Alves isn’t using his kicking game as much as he used to, but when he does, his opponents would do well to get out of dodge at all costs (just ask Jordan Mein). Alves’ game is no longer as aggressive as it once was, choosing rather to wait on counter opportunities more often. The days of flying knees and blindingly fast low kicks seem to be in the past. That said, Alves should be using his longest weapons in this fight. He’s the smaller man in this fight in general size and height. To get inside and rattle off striking combinations he’ll want to blast low kicks into his opponent’s thighs to land damage, take away power from Cote’s punches, and get the bigger man slowing down where Alves can use his superior speed to his advantage. His takedown defense has always been sharp, but if he isn’t mindful he could fall prey to Cote who could use a takedown attempt to push Alves against the cage.
This fight should be a pretty exciting one. I wonder if this is a win or go home kind of match, which is unfortunate as both fighters are still pretty highly skilled.
Who do you think wins at UFC 210?
Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.
In this week’s show of the MMANews Podcast, presented by Pony Keg Sports, hosts Tim Thompson (@MMANews_Tim) and Josh Stephens (@PonyKegSports) kick-off the show talking all the best cards and fights from this past weekend. There were A LOT of fights and A LOT of controversy. Bad streams, bad decisions to someone being choked unconscious and still winning the fight!? Safe to say some crazy stuff went down.
The guys also preview the cards coming up this weekend. No UFC? No problem. Combate America’s, LFA 2, Titan FC 43, and Bellator 170 are all great cards going down this week! The guys are here to tell you who they like and what to watch for.
The featured guest on this week’s show is UFC Welterweight and longtime veteran Patrick “The Predator” Cote.
Listen to the guys talk to Patrick about his journey over the last 15 years from a Light Heavyweight to a Welterweight, what it’s like training with a new baby at home, and why he thinks his former opponent Tito Ortiz will come out on top this weekend.
Cote also shows a sign not often seen from “The Predator”. Sounding off on the UFC’s rankings, criticizing the fact that fighters like Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown were in the Top 15. Also, calling out Ellenberger after a long time twitter feud.
All that and of course the most up to date breaking news stories in the world of MMA today!
On the next episode of the MMANews Podcast, which drops next week here at MMANews.com, Tim and Josh will be back recapping all the happenings of another busy MMA weekend.
Got a question or comment for the show? Contact us at [email protected].
In this week’s show of the MMANews Podcast, presented by Pony Keg Sports, hosts Tim Thompson (@MMANews_Tim) and Josh Stephens (@PonyKegSports) kick-off the show talking all the best cards and fights from this past weekend. There were A LOT of fights and A LOT of controversy. Bad streams, bad decisions to someone being choked unconscious and still winning the fight!? Safe to say some crazy stuff went down.
The guys also preview the cards coming up this weekend. No UFC? No problem. Combate America’s, LFA 2, Titan FC 43, and Bellator 170 are all great cards going down this week! The guys are here to tell you who they like and what to watch for.
The featured guest on this week’s show is UFC Welterweight and longtime veteran Patrick “The Predator” Cote.
Listen to the guys talk to Patrick about his journey over the last 15 years from a Light Heavyweight to a Welterweight, what it’s like training with a new baby at home, and why he thinks his former opponent Tito Ortiz will come out on top this weekend.
Cote also shows a sign not often seen from “The Predator”. Sounding off on the UFC’s rankings, criticizing the fact that fighters like Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown were in the Top 15. Also, calling out Ellenberger after a long time twitter feud.
All that and of course the most up to date breaking news stories in the world of MMA today!
On the next episode of the MMANews Podcast, which drops next week here at MMANews.com, Tim and Josh will be back recapping all the happenings of another busy MMA weekend.
Got a question or comment for the show? Contact us at [email protected].
Decorated former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has been rumored to finally be making his UFC return at December 10’s UFC 206 from Toronto in his native Canada, and tonight (Fri., October 7, 2016) another potential opponent for that proposed fight has surfaced. And this time, it’s one MMA fans have wanted to see “Rush”
Decorated former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has been rumored to finally be making his UFC return at December 10’s UFC 206 from Toronto in his native Canada, and tonight (Fri., October 7, 2016) another potential opponent for that proposed fight has surfaced.
And this time, it’s one MMA fans have wanted to see “Rush” meet in the Octagon for many years.
Welterweight Patrick Cote tweeted he heard the rumor about St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva at UFC 206, comparing the fight to last year’s boxing ‘Fight of the Century’ between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao that most believe happened far too late:
Rumor GSP vs Silva UFC206. .. this is just 7 years to late …. #MayweatherVsPAC
It’s hard to argue with Cote’s statement there, as the formerly dominant Silva has certainly seen better days. The MMA great has lost his last four official bouts to Daniel Cormier, Michael Bisping, and Chris Weidman, while having his only win, a UFC 183 decision over Nick Diaz, overturned due to multiple failed drug tests for anabolic steroids and other banned substances.
Still, the once-revered Silva nearly knocked out Bisping back in February, and he almost did the same to Cormier when he rocked him with a body kick at the end of their UFC 200 meeting, a fight “The Spider” filled in for Jon Jones on an incredible three days’ notice.
St-Pierre, meanwhile, as been out of fighting for almost three years, vacating his long-held title after beating Johny Hendricks with a controversial split decision at UFC 167 in November 2013. The nine-time defending champion had been rumored to be returning to face Bisping at UFC 206, and was even linked to a possible bout with Conor McGregor. “Rush” reportedly asked for the hefty price tag of $10 million for the bout, however, and was balked at by UFC brass.
But St-Pierre vs. Silva is a champion vs. champion bout that MMA fans have wanted to see for years, and even though Cote was right in saying it’s taking place years out of both men’s respective primes, there would be no bigger splash (other than a fight against McGregor) for St-Pierre to return to in his backyard.
A blockbuster light heavyweight title bout between Daniel Cormier and Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson was scheduled for the event this week, but the card was still left without a big-name main event to bring mainstream MMA back to Canada in a big way. Obviously St-Pierre was and still is by far the top name to fit the bill.
Will the UFC finally be able to put together the fight that has evaded them for years?
The elder statesman label looks pretty natural on the lapel of Patrick Cote. 
