Koscheck making his mark in UFC
With his win over Frank Trigg on Sept. 19 at UFC 103, Josh Koscheck is back in contention for the welterweight championship. The Waynesburg native, who was a Division I wrestling champion at Edinboro University, has turned himself into a complete mixed martial artist as he trains in Fresno, Calif., with Team AKA (American Kickboxing Academy).
“I was primarily known as a wrestler when I got started in MMA,” Koscheck said. “To succeed in this sport, you have to become a complete fighter.”
Koscheck secured a technical knockout over Trigg in 1:25 after landing a right that sent Trigg to the canvas and followed up with punches that forced the referee to stop the contest. The victory improved his professional MMA record to 15-4.
“The win over Frank was important because a loss would have hurt my career,” Koscheck said. “I hope to fight in January or February against a Top 5 opponent.”
Koscheck is anticipating a rematch with UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who won a unanimous decision over Koscheck at UFC 74.
“Georges St. Pierre is a good champion, but I think I could be a better champion,” Koscheck said. “I think I’m the only guy in that division that could beat him. I need to get another big win, and hopefully get a title shot.”
With his knowledge of wrestling, Koscheck has not needed to work extensively on that aspect of MMA, but credits his training partners with him making a smooth transition into the sport.
“For the last three to four years I have not done too much with my wrestling,” Koscheck said. “I focus on staying out of submissions and other aspects in my training.
“I love wrestling, but it didn’t complete what I wanted in life. The closest thing to wrestling is MMA.”
The UFC has grown since its inception in 1993 to a top-tier league with the evolution of a new generation that Koscheck is proud to be a part of.
Pay-per-view buys rival boxing’s best draws. The sport has received attention from ESPN without the luxury of a major sports network broadcasting the fights. Sellouts in 18,000-seat arenas are nothing new to the UFC.
“I don’t think people realize that the UFC is huge,” Koscheck said. “This is a real sport, and you can’t compare it to anything else.
“It is new, exciting and people are hungry to see it. We sell out any venue that we go to. It is so much more than a cult following.”
The sport has received criticism for its brutal nature and the amount of trash talk has critics comparing it to the WWE. UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is a former pro wrestler.
“You can’t compare this to WWE because pro wrestling is scripted,” Koscheck said. “This is as real as fighting gets. We train many hours in preparation, and there is a lot of discipline and self-respect.
“There is a lot of smack talk leading up to any fight. Boxers do it and nobody seems to have a problem with that. We may fight in a cage, but it’s still a fight. Boxers do their fighting in a ring. What’s the difference?”
For someone who grew up in Greene County, Fresno, Calif., can seem far away, but Koscheck still keeps in touch with his family and friends back home.
“I have a lot of support back home and that’s really cool,” Koscheck said. “You can follow me on Twitter.
“I would like to have a fight in Pittsburgh or at the Bryce Jordan Center. The closest fight I’ve had to home was in Columbus. To fight near my home would be an honor and a dream come true.”
Koscheck’s next fight will be at UFC Fight Night 20 on Jan. 11 against Mike Pierce.