Image via Esther Lin of MMA Fighting
Josh Koscheck used timely takedowns and some solid clinch work to take a very close split decision over Mike Pierce in the third main card fight at UFC 143. Pierce arguably landed more strikes and looked to be the more effective fighter for large portions of the fight, but Kos showed off his octagon experience by picking his spots well in his 20th trip to the cage. The crowd booed the decision, which led to Koscheck flipping them off in his post-fight interview.
Pierce took approximately 10 seconds before he shot in for a takedown. He was unsuccessful, but managed to rough Koscheck up against the cage for a while. As the finally separated, Pierce landed an uppercut and right. Pierce looked for a takedown again, but the two battled in the clinch instead. They finally opened up with 90 seconds left in the round, with both fighters landing bombs. Pierce managed to scoop a leg late, but was again unable to get Kos to the ground.
Pierce started the second where he ended the first, with a single leg. Koscheck escaped, but ate a Pierce combination in the clinch. Pierce landed consistently with his jab, but ended up with a cut up in his hairline from an accidental headbutt. Pierce continued to bully Koscheck in the clinch, and Kos didn't really have an answer. Finally it's Koscheck's turn to shoot in for a takedown, and he was successful the very first time. Pierce got up quickly though. The round ended uneventfully.
Both fighters were more than happy to exchange early in the third, with neither guy gaining much of an advantage. Pierce finally got a trip takedown, but Kos got up immediately. They spent an extended amount of time in the clinch, exchanging knees while referee Herb Dean asked them to work. Koscheck attempted another takedown halfway through the round, but Pierce fought him off until Dean separated them. Koscheck inadvertantly poked Pierce in the eye, but Dean didn't take a point. Kos finally found a bit of success with his hands late, and managed to get a double leg takedown with 30 seconds to go. Pierce popped up and landed a spinning elbow to close out the fight.
This was Koscheck's twentieth bout in the UFC, and he was coming off a knockout win over UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. Pierce was 5-2 in the UFC entering this fight, with his last win coming over Paul Bradley at UFC on Fox.
0 recs | 20 comments
Bullshit. Utter bullshit.
Pierce landed the better shots, landed his jab at will, and took no damage on those two takedowns.
Koscheck vs. Hendricks for #1 contender. Sure why not?
SSreporters - February 4, 2012
Develop a jab and TDD, or lose to a late and meaningless double leg.
Worst Robbery since Garcia Phan I
Snatchl - February 5, 2012
They aren't kidding when they say "Hard- Nosed Wrestlers"
Koscheck’s face is a jab magnet
ElliotMatheny - February 5, 2012
Terrible decision. Not sure how the judges gave Kos that second round (assuming that was the one they gave him).
Pantherhare - February 4, 2012
Horseshit. Smelly horseshit.
MMA needs better judges, only a SPLIT for my man Koscheck. All Pierce did was scrape off Kos’s bacne through the fence. He’d sit on him forever and Herb said nothing, Kos rest for 3 seconds and he’s in his ass like the dude from Curb Your Enthusiasm (sp?).
For real though, fight was lame.
cager - February 4, 2012
Close fight,
But I don’t see how Kos won it.
The Armchair Juggernaut - February 4, 2012 via mobile
the second round could have gone either way really….unfortunately it went the way of Kos.
Sean Bakhtiar - February 4, 2012
BS decision, Pierce should have won. Kos stealing the rounds with late and meaningless takedowns was so lame.
Also, Herb Dean has been pretty terrible as of late.
ddevil - February 4, 2012
The fact that the rds were even enough to be legitimately determined by a late td speaks more about the fight than anything else…
Ryjo - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Not sure how so many ppl are pissed at the decision. Neither fighter looked great tonight, and both seemed too tentative. The fight was very, very even and although people dont like Kos, that isnt a valid reason to think he lost.
Ryjo - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Koscheck inadvertantly poked Pierce in the eye, but Dean didn’t take a point. Kos finally found a bit of success with his hands late …
Coincidence?
jebmak - February 5, 2012
He took two points away from Caceres after a hard warning
But didn’t do anything to Koscheck.
discoandherpes - February 5, 2012
Its the winslow effect.
Make a bad call earlier in the night, even out with the the complete opposite later in the night.
cager - February 5, 2012
Kos lost in my eyes but then again I dont get paid to judge these fights. They go for the bigger name it seems.
OXYGENgone - February 5, 2012
for those complaining that it was a robbery, and Pierce clearly won, check the stats
http://blog.fightmetric.com/2012/02/koscheck-vs-pierce-official-ufc.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
it was a close fight, it could have gone either way, a split decision was the right call. Get over it
darkotto23 - February 5, 2012
btw i gave the 1st to pierce, the 3rd to Kos, and i thought the 2nd could have gone either way
darkotto23 - February 5, 2012
I thought pierce won 29-28 easy, but iwouldn't have been crying about robbery otherwise.
Snatchl - February 5, 2012
You seem mighty aggressive there ...
and Fightmetric doesn’t take the eye poke into effect.
jebmak - February 5, 2012
*account
jebmak - February 5, 2012
I myself had it 29-28 for Pierce
Shocbomb - February 5, 2012
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