Disaster nearly struck last week when Diego Sanchez suffered torn rib cartilage while training for his co-main event fight against Thiago Alves at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on October 25, forcing him off the card with less than two weeks until showtime.
“The Nightmare,” fortunately, was short lived.
With one quick phone call to the management team of Josh Koscheck, the promotion had secured a worthy replacement — a top contender who could keep the 170-pound title implications intact and would no doubt present another stiff test for the powerful Brazilian Muay Thai specialist.
Alves has been on a tear, leveling — not just winning against — the opponents put in front of him, including division stalwart Karo Parisyan and former welterweight champion Matt Hughes. In fact, “The Pitbull” has not tasted defeat in more than two years and is riding a six-fight win streak, finishing all but one of the bouts during that span.
Not the caliber of fighter anyone wants to take on with just 12 days notice. Unless, of course, your name is Josh Koscheck.
The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout, however, jumped at the chance. He views it as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to accelerate his journey to the top of the division and emerge as the clearcut number one welterweight contender.
But his journey will not stop there.
Should he defeat Alves on Saturday he does not intend to sit and wait around to see how the division sorts itself out in the coming months. Instead, he plans to be ready to headline UFC Fight Night 16: “Fight for the Troops” against Yoshiyuki Yoshida on December 10.
Say what you want about Koscheck, but he is certainly not taking the easy route to a future title shot. He wants to earn it the hard way … and he’s ready to start this Saturday.
We just recently caught up with “Kos,” who is fresh off a unanimous decision blood-soaked drubbing of Chris Lytle at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” back in July, to find out more about what went into his decision to take the fight with Alves on such short notice, how he intends to approach the showdown, what it will mean for his career and much more.
For what it’s worth, we have interviewed Koscheck numerous times and he never sounded this determined and focused. He’s on a mission.
Let’s get to it:
MMAmania.com: Josh thanks for taking the time to speak with us — we know right now things are probably crazy with the fight against Thiago Alves literally right around the corner. How are you feeling and what’s going on as we speak?
Josh Koscheck: I’m good. Let’s get this started. I’m not really training right now just resting.
MMAmania.com: You agreed to take this fight on incredibly short notice, considering the caliber of the opponent and the implications it will have on your bid to become the number one contender in the division. Tell us how it all went down.
Josh Koscheck: I got the phone call on Monday (October 14), saying Diego Sanchez got hurt and that the UFC was looking for someone to step up and take his place. My manager Bob Cook approached me about it — he handles all that stuff. I told him let’s talk about it after training because I wanted to think about it and also I didn’t want to ruin my upcoming session. Training went real well and as soon as it was over I told Bob let’s take the fight.
MMAmania.com: Was there any hesitation outside of not wanting to ruin your training session?
Josh Koscheck: No, not really. Fighting Thiago Alves is a fantastic opportunity for me to prove that I am the number one contender in the 170 pound weight class. I’m the type of guy who is willing to step up and fight anybody, anywhere and anytime. Me taking this fight just proves that. Two weeks notice doesn’t really matter to me — I’m a professional and this is what I do. I’m always training year-round. Now I just have to be ready to come out and perform and put on a good show for the fans.
MMAmania.com: From a conditioning, as well as a preparation standpoint, will you be as ready for this fight with Thiago if you had say two months to prepare instead of just two weeks?
Josh Koscheck: I’m a fighter. I’m going to step up and fight anybody. This is what I do. It doesn’t really matter. I’m treating this as a street fight. If I’m walking out of a club and a fight breaks out I can’t say, ‘Stop, let me go train.’ You have to be ready to fight at the drop of a dime with no notice. That’s pretty much my mindset going into this. I can guarantee you that I will be in great shape on October 25 … that’s for sure.
MMAmania.com: In the past, Thiago has actually had a difficult time with conditioning — he often has a hard time making weight because he’s such a big welterweight fighter. He also does not push a frantic pace like let’s say a Diego Sanchez … he likes to take his time. Is this an area or weakness that you can exploit?
Josh Koscheck: History proves that Thiago definitely has had a hard time making weight in the past. That could be because of a lack of discipline on his part and not being prepared 100 percent. Making weight is an important part of the sport and competition so hopefully he does have a hard time making weight again. That’s certainly an advantage for me. He’s a big guy and I know he cuts a lot of weight and that can definitely affect his performance inside the Octagon. But I can’t worry about that. I have to prepare for the best Thiago Alves imaginable. I have to fight my ass off and prove that I am the number one contender. That’s what it comes down to.
MMAmania.com: While we’re on this issue of weight, prior to accepting the fight did you step on a scale to ensure that you would have no problems yourself making the 170-pound limit?
Josh Koscheck: Not at all. Weight is never an issue for me. It never has been. And my weight would never be a deciding factor in me taking or not taking a fight. Neither would training, money, or anything else. This is about me proving to the UFC and the fans that I can win this fight. That’s why I took this fight. To prove to myself, all the fans and the UFC that I can deliver on short notice when called upon and prove that I am a top welterweight contender who accepts all challenges and challengers. I’m coming into this fight to win … that’s the bottom line.
MMAmania.com: Given the collapsed window to prepare for Thiago Alves what are you doing to get ready … is there any cramming or sense of urgency or is it just business as usual?
Josh Koscheck: I haven’t really changed anything in my routine to be totally honest. The biggest difference would be my eating habits and diet. I cleaned that up real quick to be ready to make 170. But that’s not really a big change because I already lead a clean lifestyle. Like I said, this is what I do. Being a fighter is who I am and I take that very seriously. So I’m always ready. Nothing really changed besides that. I’m getting plenty of rest. I moved into the hotel already. I’m in fight mode, man, just like that.
MMAmania.com: That may sound like the understatement of the century, considering you’re still scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida on December 10 in the main event at UFC Fight Night 16: “Fight for the Troops.”
Josh Koscheck: Yep, I’m looking forward to fighting him on December 10. That’s a big fight for sure. But I can’t think about him right now. Fighting Thiago Alves this Saturday is all I’m really thinking about and all I have been thinking about since we got that call from the UFC.
MMAmania.com: Why on Earth would you want that fight when UFC President Dana White has essentially said that you will earn a title shot with a win over Thiago. “Zenko” is one bad dude. Is it necessary to take such a big risk with the title shot so close?
Josh Koscheck: I just want to fight, man. I wish I had eight or night fights per year. This is a rare opportunity to do what I love to do and stay busy. I’d rather be fighting in the main event on December 10 on Spike TV than being inside the gym training. No one sees that. I want to compete. I want to put on a good show for the fans so I would never turn down that opportunity even if it’s considered dangerous. I could go from five to eight fights per year if the UFC would let me. One thing people may not realize is that I’m used to the wrestling grind — it was a way of life for me for a very long time. I’d often wrestle 40 matches in three months back in the day. So fighting up to eight times per year would really be no big deal.
MMAmania.com: I know you didn’t take the call, but did the UFC dangle any carrots or mention the possibility of a title shot in the near future if you took this fight? I’m sure Dana White and Joe Silva breathed huge sighs of relief when you accepted because the promotion was able to come up with what many people feel to be a better match up than the original.
Josh Koscheck: I didn’t ask that question and it never came up so I don’t know. Bob handles all that stuff and he works directly with the UFC … not me. There wasn’t any negotiating, if that’s what you are asking. I was asked if I wanted the fight and I said yes. That’s pretty much it. But it would be hard to argue that if I win these next two fights that I wouldn’t be the number one contender. There are certainly no guarantees but I’m putting myself in the best position possible and want to eliminate any doubt about who deserves the next title shot. I know that I will be the number one contender if I win these next two fights hands down. And I’m going to do everything possible to ensure that I make that happen.
MMAmania.com: Okay, let’s talk about Thiago for a little bit. I’m sure you saw him cream Matt Hughes at UFC 85 and before that he stopped the very durable and resilient Karo Parisyan. I mean these are two very respected and talented fighters in the division and Thiago handled them. What does he bring to the table that might give you some problems?
Josh Koscheck: He definitely comes to fight. Thiago is a very dangerous opponent who has really powerful striking. Good knees, good kicks, solid punches. I haven’t really seen him use his hands too much because he is so effective with those knees and kicks. We have a good gameplan for this fight. I went back to my roots after that loss to Georges St. Pierre and have really polished my wrestling. I kind of lost sight of that aspect of my game while I improved in all the other areas. So I’m ready to fight wherever it goes.
MMAmania.com: So does that mean we will see an approach similar to your most recent fight with Chris Lytle: Stand, trade, shoot and then work the ground and pound?
Josh Koscheck: Listen, this is a fight. It doesn’t matter who has the better stand up or the better wrestling. This is a fight. I have to be prepared to strike, wrestle, use my jiu-jitsu — everything. He’s a tough kid and I have to be prepared for anything and everything.
MMAmania.com: You mentioned he has good knees, which are pretty much what set up the recent wins over Hughes and Parisyan. How are you going to deal with that as to not get caught like you did against Drew Fickett?
Josh Koscheck: We have a strategy, like I said. We always put together gameplans that give me the best chance of winning. Let’s just say that I don’t intend to put myself in too many dangerous situations and we are well aware of the damage that he can do with those knees.
MMAmania.com: How do you plan to handle his size and strength?
Josh Koscheck: Well, my good friend, Jon Fitch, who I train with every day pretty much kicked his ass not too long ago. And Jon is not the only big guy who I work with at AKA. Trevor Prangley is a huge 185 pounder who walks around at like 220 and I’m in the gym working with him everyday, too. Phil Baroni, Mike Swick and all of my other training partners are big guys. So competing against someone who may be bigger, faster or more powerful than me is really not that much of a concern. I’ve also already fought the best 170-pound fighter in the world, Georges St. Pierre, so nothing really worries me at this stage of my career.
MMAmania.com: If he comes in several pounds over the division limit like he did against Hughes do you intend to still take the fight? It seemed to be a big advantage for him in that one.
Josh Koscheck: Absolutely, Thiago can weigh 190 and I’ll still fight him. I don’t care about that. It isn’t about him making or losing weight. He can weigh whatever he wants and I’ll still fight him.
MMAmania.com: Since Fitch fought him in 2006 Thiago has clearly evolved in more ways than one. He’s certainly a better fighter and he is clearly much bigger. I know you joked about his physical transformation a little bit in a video that MMAmania.com passed along not too long ago, but do you ever seriously wonder what’s in the juice this guy is drinking?
Josh Koscheck: Well, for someone who has tested positive for illegal substances in the past (diuretics) there might be something going on there or some concerns. But who am I to say what he does or what he may have done. He’ll be tested just like every other fighter on the card. I can’t worry about stuff like that. I just know that I’m ready to fight and perform. The rest will take care of itself.
MMAmania.com: Does training with Fitch give you any competitive or psychological advantage heading into this fight? On the flip side Fitch is in Thailand right now — is it a disadvantage not having him around or in your corner for this one?
Josh Koscheck: I’ve been training with Jon Fitch for years and months. Every time I’m preparing to step into the cage he helps me out. And I do the same for him. We talk on the phone all the time and he has helped put together this gameplan for Thiago even though he is not around right now. We’re ready to go. It’s really just been one week that he hasn’t been in town and we have been talking about fighters, fight strategies and everything else for years. I’m the one who has to step in the cage on Saturday night — not Jon Fitch or anyone else. I’m going to win with what I have. That’s my plan.
MMAmania.com: Is there any bad blood between you and Thiago or AKA and American Top Team (ATT) where he trains?
Josh Koscheck: There’s no hard feelings between me and Thiago. We’re both professionals and we know what’s at stake with this fight. I respect him and everyone else at his gym. People don’t realize that for him to take this fight with me on two weeks notice is pretty ballsy — he could have said no just like me. But he didn’t. That’s the way I look at it. He stepped up and took the fight with me on short notice … not the other way around. May the best man win.
MMAmania.com: Ideally, how would you like to see this fight end?
Josh Koscheck: I’d like to knock him out in the first round like Seth Petruzelli did to Kimbo Slice the other night. If I had my way that would be the ultimate. If I get the quick knockout then I don’t have to deal with him for 15 minutes. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. I see this as a dog fight. We’re both going to come in and do our thing. He’s probably been training his ass off. Thiago was supposed to fight Diego Sanchez so I’m sure he’s been working his ass off to get ready for him.
MMAmania.com: Let’s say you get this fight to the ground … can you keep him there? He appears to be able to get back to his feet real well.
Josh Koscheck: We’ll find out on October 25. If I take him down and he gets up that’s just part of the sport. It won’t be anything new if he does. I’ll just have to take him down again if that’s how the fight goes. I’ve been in this situation before. I just have to go in and fight my fight.
MMAmania.com: Well we wish you the best of luck against Thiago on Saturday night. It should be a hell of a fight. Thanks for speaking with us and for stepping up.
Josh Koscheck: Thank you very much.
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