Photo by Esther Lin for MMA Fighting.
About 26 months ago an unheralded welterweight named Mike Pierce gave American Kickboxing Academy fighter Jon Fitch -- a long-time top 3 fighter and UFC title challenger -- a scare at UFC 107. Last night at UFC 143 he did it again to Fitch's AKA teammate Josh Koscheck
Koscheck was able to ride out the storm and take a split decision win over Pierce, but it might be an indicator that Koscheck's time near the top of the division is coming to an end. After all, getting tagged and hurt by Pierce in the third round of their bout was the first sign of the questionable chin that cost Fitch in his most recent bout, a KO loss to Johny Hendricks.
Koscheck is 34-years-old and sat out most of 2011 after having his orbital bone shattered in his title fight loss to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 124. It was his second loss to the champion and as long as GSP has the title, Koscheck will likely be out of the hunt.
"I went out there and put a beating on him," said Koscheck after the fight. "He did bring some good, not great, tools to the table. He is an ok wrestler. I knew he was a tough kid going into the fight. I didn't have the urge to fight him but I'm down for a challenge and I found a way to win. It feels good to get back in the octagon and gain more experience. It wasn't my best performance, but it wasn't my worst. I'm ready for my next challenge now. I may talk a lot but I can back it up."
"Josh is a tough guy. I'm disappointed. I came at him and tried to put the pressure on and get inside his head. It was an extremely close fight," said Pierce after the bout.
While interim champ Carlos Condit decides whether or not to wait until possibly November for GSP to recover from ACL surgery, Koscheck will likely be thrown to the wolves. The division is full of young, hungry and dangerous wrestlers just like Mike Pierce, except faster, stronger and even more skilled.
Does Josh Koscheck still have what it takes to fend off comers like Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger, Rick Story and Erick Silva? Only time will tell.
0 recs | 32 comments
I said last night that Kos looked like he just stopped evolving.
He certainly peaked. Last night I thought he dodged a bullet with that decision. I had Pierce winning it. I’ll have to watch it again today. At least he should have had a point deducted for that eye poke after he was sternly warned not to do that.
pud333 - February 5, 2012
I thought Pierce busted him up & landed the cleaner strikes throughout.
Kos was very lucky to walk away with that decision.
ElliotMatheny - February 5, 2012
The old guard of WW is fading
Koscheck, Fitch, Hughes, maybe GSP, etc. are all going to go away and making for more exciting, dynamic wrestleboxers in addition to well-rounded athletes. Story and Pierce will improve. Ellenberger and Hendricks are legitimate contenders. Those four wrestleboxers are the future at WW along with Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit.
God welterweight is such an exciting division filled with young, promising talent compared to the dearth of talent at HW and MW.
Also, Pierce totally won that fight. I can’t see a single argument for Koscheck winning.
SSreporters - February 5, 2012
Rory and Ellenberger have the most future potential. Hendricks and Pierce arent the future, but are very tough current contenders. And neither are more exciting or dynamic as Kos, nor are they near the athlete Kos is. Kos is getting older, but mostly his striking won’t recover from the broken orbital. And GSP isn’t giving way to anyone of those guys. Hrs better than them in all areas. I think Rory will ne a champ in 2 years though. He’s got amazing skills and a perfect frame for 170.
Hardcharger - February 5, 2012 via mobile
dynamic wrestleboxers?
I really don’t see why people bust a nut over WW. They’re all the same nameless, faceless wrestleboxer to me. Almost no interesting stylistic matchups at the top. Different strokes, I guess.
The Lethal Haze - February 5, 2012
Everyone I mentioned will contend or will have already contended by the start of 2013
Look at middleweight. Who is the best prospect after Chris Weidman? It’s an awful division only held up by Silva and Sonnen.
Heavyweight? It’s Travis Browne and then no one else.
The best prospects in MMA are all coming from LW, WW, and LHW.
SSreporters - February 5, 2012
I'd throw Kampmann into that list as well,
I mean, he did beat Condit and Story, and he’s still only 29.
sun yue - February 5, 2012
I'd like to see Kos vs Hendricks now
dedstrk316 - February 5, 2012
fuck that
kos v fitch
Cunny - February 5, 2012
I couldn't see how he won that fight at all
got soundly outstruck and bullied in the clinch and did nothing with his very brief 2 or 3 takedowns
didn’t see him winning a single round
kos was even unconvincing in his postfight heel role
i think gsp broke him and took his heart
Cunny - February 5, 2012
any more details on Kos leaving AKA?
Our Bovine Public - February 5, 2012
Yeah I was interested in that as well.
Sabate - February 5, 2012
mma weekly has the details
I’ll add link to main post but here you go for now:
Josh Koscheck Parts Ways with AKA, Open to Fights with Diaz or Condit
Nate Wilcox - February 5, 2012
I honestly think
This is the beginning of the end of Kos’ career
IRodC - February 5, 2012
I agree
But not because he has left AKA. Just reached his ceiling
Our Bovine Public - February 6, 2012
AKA Fresno
I think people are making too much of this AKA “split”
Josh has set up his own AKA gym in Fresno. He’s still got a relationship with AKA.
AKA Fresno website
TamF - February 5, 2012
White mentioned Koscheck going in with Diaz once Nicks 48 hour retirement ends. Could be a horrible night for Josh, but it would probably make for an exciting fight anyway.
sheikybaby - February 5, 2012
Kinda presumptuous
Not saying you’re wrong to speculate on Kos being done but I don’t see how one bad fight is a pattern.
rocket8188 - February 5, 2012
Well
He got destroyed by GSP and didn’t look great against Hughes up until the very end.
Patrick Wyman - February 5, 2012
Kos jus y doesnt seem to be tightening up his striking. If he closed his left hand and used the jab the right hand would have landed more. He has the tools to have good striking he just chooses to bomb right hands for whatever reason.
traydawg - February 5, 2012 via Android app
“The division is full of young, hungry and dangerous wrestlers just like Mike Pierce, except faster, stronger and even more skilled.”
I think you are sort of underselling Pierce here. He arguably beat Hendricks (one of the guys you listed later) not too long ago. Koscheck has had actual losses to worse opponents in the past .
Gracchus - February 5, 2012
Koscheck did not put a beating on Pierce
He got outboxed for two rounds and barely won the third.
Lets give Pierce credit, there are very few welterweights that are going to blow his doors off.
discoandherpes - February 5, 2012
Fightmetric actually has the fight for Pierce.
Here. But it was very close.
I actually had the fight scored for Koscheck, but it was so even that I can see giving it the second round to Pierce.
Sabate - February 5, 2012
I still think that Pierce won that fight. Either way, Kos looked bad. I think he's actually regressing as a fighter
mthom - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Whats up with Kos constantly touching and pulling on his shorts for the entire fight?
He did it in the GSP fight too. Its such a weird tick he seems to have built into his standup. He’s begging to get KTFO’d while he’s touching his thighs.
The Lethal Haze - February 5, 2012
I used to see that a lot in point karate
I competed against one dude that tugged his gi pants exactly three times each time he threw a kick. Really weird.
Tedd Welch - February 5, 2012
maybe Mike Pierce is just a lot better than he gets credit for?
I think that he’s better than Story on account of Story’s terrible defensive wrestling and he’s right there with Hendricks- their fight was razor close as well.
John Danaher's Hair - February 5, 2012
He's having some trouble beating the top guys in the division,
but I think Pierce/Story would be an excellent match-up.
sun yue - February 5, 2012
WIth Koscheck training at Fresno and doing his own thing, I think that solidifies that he has peaked. I just have a feeling that wherever he’s training, he’ll most likely be the best guy there and have no one to push him. There are fighters like Mike Pierce that are young and hungry up-and-comers, and I just don’t see that hunger from Koscheck anymore.
chrisbboy82 - February 5, 2012
It's really frustrating watching guys like Kos and Riddle,
who are really good at wrestling, choose to ignore their strengths until they’re down two rounds in favor horrible stand-up. And it’s even more frustrating seeing the judges validate their poor choices by gifting them wins.
sun yue - February 5, 2012
Feel bad for pierce.
I thought he won both the hendricks and kos fights.
the mexicutioners #1 fan - February 6, 2012 via mobile
Pierce reminds me or Couture
Hold’em against the cage all night long type of non-fighting.
Mesonto - February 6, 2012
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