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Koscheck talks Lytle fight; future

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KOSCHECK TALKS UFC 86 WIN AND FIGHTING FUTURE

Coming off an impressive, dominating performance over Chris "Lights Out" Lytle at UFC 86, Josh Koscheck sets his sights on his next challenge and addresses rumors of him possibly going down to the lightweight division to fight BJ Penn.

"My goal was to come in and finish this fight," Koscheck told MMAWeekly. "Chris Lytle's never been finished. And he's still never been finished in a fight."

"I think this fight showed I'm right there in the top of the division," added the American Kickboxing Academy trained fighter. "I'm just looking for my next fight."

The fight with Lylte was one of the bloodiest MMA bouts in recent memory. Koscheck, as well as many viewers, were surprised the fight wasn't stopped due to the multiple cuts suffered by Lytle.

"I was pretty surprised (that the referee didn't stop the fight). At the end of the second round I was pounding on him pretty good," said Koscheck. "They were pretty bad cuts."

"After the second round I was like, this guy's dead. And then he recovered. He must have been in great shape."

Rumors have been swirling that Koscheck and the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder BJ Penn could square off in the future in the lightweight division. Addressing those rumors, Koscheck commented, "That's just chatter."

"BJ Penn is a good friend of mine. I've trained with him for a long time," said the 30 year old welterweight fighter. "If the fight made sense and me and BJ could make a lot of money off of it, of course we would do it."

"It is what it is. Me being a wrestler, I can cut the weight. I'm sure I can cut the weight, said Koscheck. "I've wrestled at 163 before. It's a miserable life, but I'd be willing if it was for a title shot and that belt. That's the ultimate goal."

Koscheck has not plans to move down to the lightweight division and believes the welterweight division is where he'll make his mark in mixed martial arts.

"I think that 170 is my weight class," stated The Ultimate Fighter season one cast member. "I'm going to win the 170 pound belt. As soon as (Jon) Fitch fights Georges St-Pierre and beats him, maybe me and Fitch will have a showoff at AKA."

Source

I, like most hardcore MMA fans, used to despise Josh Koscheck, but I have to give him his props now. At least as a fighter, if not as a human being. He's become much more well rounded as a fighter and tries very hard to finish guys now instead of just take them down and lay on him.

He's still not going to be one of my favorite fighters for the foreseeable future, but I'll no longer cringe when he's on the main card.

He's wrong about two points in this article - 1) Chris Lytle has been stopped before, albeit both times by cut (and 3rd time could have been a charm at UFC 86), and 2) Jon Fitch won't beat GSP.

I see Koscheck as being in a similar position relative to GSP that Franklin is relative to Silva. Franklin can beat - and in fact stop - basically all comers (with possible exception of Hendo) but isn't likely to ever take the strap from Silva. Similarly, I do have Koscheck as my world #4 WW, and he could in future move to 3 or 2, but I don't see him being champ as long as the title runs through GSP.

I have a couple points on this article, and though I admittedly am not a fan of Koscheck I will say he is a great fighter. Now, on that same note, I think that right now the champions of pretty much every division (save light heavyweight, and possibly heavyweight, but that's more debatable) are really just a step ahead of pretty much everyone else. So for koscheck to think he can defeat gsp, or penn is somewhat laughable to me. Everyone Penn has been in the cage with since his re-emergence in the lightweight division he's pretty much walked through. He toyed with pulver, his fight with Stevenson looked like a crime scene, and the Sherk fight he just made sherk look like an amateur. Sherk being a guy that up until this point had walked (or layed) through the lightweight division.

GSP has had a slightly different road. He seemed to be on the way to owning his division, the only questionable win had been the penn fight, which I personally thought he lost. Then came Matt Serra, Serra shocked the world making GSP tap out due to strikes early in the fight. GSP then went on to show Koscheck how to wrestle in a decision victory, and then walked through Matt Hughes. Then on to destroy Matt Serra to get his revenge.

So GSP vs. Fitch? I think it will be a good fight, and I'd give Fitch a better chance than I would Koscheck, but I think that there will be a better chance that we see GSP's hand raised at the end of that fight, simply because of what I said earlier. He's just on a different level.

So should koscheck get another shot in the future, I think the fight would have the same victor, I just wouldn't be surprised if GSP were to stop him this time.

The UFC is extremely interested in putting on exciting fights. The kind of fights that get people talking the next Monday at work. So far, Koscheck hasn't been able to produce that kind of fight. The Lytle fight was a step in the right direction, but he couldn't get the finish he was looking for. I thought Kos' fight was the most entertaining fight of the night, with the main event being a close second. Those elbows to Lytle were brutal, and I too was surprised they didn't stop the fight.

I don't know what Kos is so pumped about? Maybe, another GSP ass kicking. We already seen that Kos couldn't take down GSP, so basically he has no chance.

I for one still despise Josh Koscheck!:grinsmile1:

Leben was just trying to sleep outside!!!!!

:)

Well if it's any consolation to Leben, he's a lot more well regarded among hardcore fans now than Koscheck is. Not as highly ranked, but more well regarded.

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Originally Posted by jhell (Post 500345)

I don't know what Kos is so pumped about? Maybe, another GSP ass kicking. We already seen that Kos couldn't take down GSP, so basically he has no chance.

Actually Kos did manage to get a takedown on GSP. With that being said, I think a rematch would go pretty much the same way.

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Originally Posted by kalebarker (Post 500374)

Actually Kos did manage to get a takedown on GSP. With that being said, I think a rematch would go pretty much the same way.

I think so too, however...

Maybe not everyone was surprised that GSP outwrestled Koscheck so clearly, but I for one was.

I would actually like to see a rematch, because now that Koscheck knows that GSP is not only not going to fear his wrestling (which is an assumption that he reasonably made in their first fight) but is going to actually try to engage Koscheck's wrestling, Kos will keep that in mind and actually work on specific contingencies.

I still think GSP would beat Koscheck in a rematch, because he's just too well rounded of a fighter and so damn powerful, but I wouldn't mind to see it, because I put enough credence into Kos' wrestling that if he actually feels he needs to prepare that, he can make it at least interesting.

Penn beats Kos at LW or WW, no question. Almost zero chance he'd beat GSP either...hopefully they'll give Kos a top ten WW for his next fight, so we can REALLY see how well-rounded he is.