The Greatest MMA Column: 10.18.08: Koscheck Steps In & Anderson Silva
Posted by Dan Plunkett on 10.18.2008
Josh Koscheck stepping in to take Diego Sanchez's place is a win for the fans, but is it a win for Thiago Alves? Plus, Anderson Silva and the newest MMA column on 411mania becomes the most appropriately titled one.
When the news broke on Monday of Diego Sanchez's injury, UFC 90 was left without its likely fight of the night, and a welterweight number one contender fight, but not for long. Josh Koscheck, a top 5 welterweight is stepping in on less than two weeks notice to take on Alves.
Koscheck, who's hair is as big a mystery as Kimbo's chest hair, is one of the best wrestlers in the welterweight division. In the two fights since his loss to Georges St. Pierre last August, Kos has shown much improved stand up and a better all around game. In his last fight against Chris Lytle, Koscheck dominated, earning a unanimous decision, and earning Chris Lytle a trip to the hospital.
Chris Lytle while fighting Josh Koscheck
On the other side of the Octagon, stands Thiago Alves, who is possibly the biggest welterweight in the sport and coming off of the biggest win of his career over Matt Hughes at UFC 85. Alves is a very good strriker, maybe the best in the division, who displayed a good sprawl against another strong wrestler in Matt Hughes. But Alves is at a disadvantage in this fight. Alves was not training for as strong of a wrestler as Josh Koscheck, which may cost him the fight. Diego Sanchez is a small welterweight, Alves would have had a huge size and strength advantage against him, to the point where Diego may have not been able to take him down to the ground, a place where he would likely hold the advantage. If anybody can take Alves down, it is Josh Koscheck. His wrestling at this point in his career is considerably better than Matt Hughes', who had trouble getting Alves down. Alves, who probably wasn't preparing to be on his back much against Sanchez, may be on his back for 3 rounds, with a strong wrestler on top of him who has experience and is no longer one dimensional.
This fight will be a great test for both men, it will test Alves' abilities on the bottom, where he is likely to be if he fights St. Pierre for the title, and it will test Koscheck's stand up, strength, and conditioning. If Koscheck wants to avenge his loss to St. Pierre, he needs to keep improving his stand up, be able to take St. Pierre down, and be able to take him down repeatedly. Alves will make Koscheck earn every take down, which could tire Koscheck out, but Alves may be drained from cutting so much weight and defending the take downs. The outcome of the fight would be a toss up had Alves been given the proper time to train for Koscheck, but I give the slight advantage to Josh, even though he's had less than two weeks to prepare.
Will we see this again?
The main event of UFC 90 is middleweight champion Anderson Silva against Patrick Cote. Nobody is giving Cote a chance to win this fight, and they are exactly right. The Dodgers have a better chance at winning the World Series this year than Cote beating Silva. It's not that Cote isn't good, after a streak of UFC losses he has come back strong and has been looking like he's improving in every fight. But Anderson Silva is just on another level, his striking is some of the best in the world. His strikes are extremely accurate and along with his speed and power it makes it nearly impossible for a guy like Cote to beat him. While Cote has good stand up, great punching power, and a great chin, Silva has beaten guys like that before in convincing fashion. Cote really just has a punchers chance, but he would have to connect with a clean shot on Silva, which is highly unlikely do to his great head movement. If Cote actually does end up beating Anderson Silva, it will be the second most incredible victory in the history of mixed martial arts, behind Petruzelli over Slice obviously.
If you've missed Anderson Silva's UFC career, this is pretty much how it's went.
Anderson Silva has recently created a scare in the mma world by stating that he may retire soon, which has gotten more publicity than his upcoming fight with Cote. With so many potential big money super fights for Silva, he could take a step up into competition, most likely in the light-heavyweight division in the near future. This would both please Silva and the UFC. After the ratings success of his bout with James Irvin, Silva has become a much bigger name in the sport, if he moves up to fight guys like Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell, the UFC's ppv buys would go through the roof. And if Georges St. Pierre can get past BJ Penn in January, a clash of epic proportions could happen between 2 of the top 3 fighters in the world. Super fights are not out of the realm of possibility, since UFC President Dana White has said that they put on fights people want to see, ignoring things like ranking systems. Fights like these should keep Anderson fighting for at least the end of his UFC contract, which has 6 fights remaining on it.
But one cannot blame Silva for thinking about retirement, it would give him a kind of mystique that only could be matched by Barry Sanders. Plus, his highlight reel is going to get out of control soon, even though his fights in the UFC only add up to under thirty minutes, everything but most of the first round against Henderson and some of the Lutter fight are highlight worthy. Anderson just isn't a big fan of Inna Gadda Da Vida, which will inevitably become the only song long enough to accommodate all of his highlights.
And this is only part one.
How will the lack of preparation effect Josh Koscheck? Is Thiago Alves adequately prepared to go up against a wrestler on the level of Josh Koscheck? How long will it take for Anderson Silva to beat Patrick Cote? We'll find out October 25.
Latest Edition of MMA Live, featuring Gina Carano.
