I give Joe Silva, the UFC’s matchmaker, a lot of credit for the great fights that he has set up over the past several years. His job is quite a bit more difficult than it looks, and it takes a lot of work to arrange match-ups that both fighters agree to, which fit the vision that the UFC has for each weight class.
Dana White also has a say in deciding what fights happen or don’t happen. And I recognize the complications that can arise when preparing a bout. But there are a couple of match-ups on the UFC 86 card that really have me scratching my head.
The two fights that I am referring to are Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida and Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle. I want to examine the careers of these fighters and explain why these might not be the wisest fights to set up at this time (though there may have been extraneous circumstances that pushed the UFC to create such match-ups).
Patrick Cote began his UFC career with four straight losses (not counting his exhibition victories on The Ultimate Fighter 4). He won his first pay-per-view fight at UFC 67 against Scott Smith, which was over two years after making his debut at UFC 50 against Tito Ortiz.
Cote was quite literally fighting for his UFC career against Scott Smith, as he could not afford a fifth straight loss. It was a conservative match, as Cote picked up the decision victory in a less-than-exciting affair. The Quebec-born fighter was not living up to the hype that hailed him as the next great combatant to come from Canada.
Cote finally showed flashes of his potential with back-to-back knockout victories over Kendall Grove and Drew McFedries. With the UFC middleweight division in dire need of viable contenders, it seemed that Cote needed only one more victory to earn a title shot. I figured that the UFC would give him a striker for another highlight reel knockout.
But the UFC gave him Ricardo Almeida, a fighter with amazing jiu-jitsu and good wrestling. He holds wins over Nate Marquardt, Kazuo Misaki, and Ryo Chonan. Almeida, a veteran of the now defunct PRIDE FC organization, stopped competing four years ago in order to focus on the jiu-jitsu school that he runs. His comeback victory occurred at UFC 81 over Rob Yundt.
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Almeida poses a stylistic problem for Cote, whose strength never was the ground game. Many MMA pundits believe this fight might resemble Cote’s fight with Travis Lutter, when the former was submitted in two minutes. Current UFC 86 commercials say that the winner will receive a title fight against the champion Anderson Silva.
But if Almeida beats Cote, will he be ready to take on the middleweight champion after only two fights back from his lengthy hiatus? And what will happen to Cote’s career if he loses? It was thought that Yushin Okami would get the next title shot. Does the UFC fear that Okami and his occasionally “boring” style pose a threat to Silva, and this is why they are reluctant to give him a title shot?
Of course, I want to see the best fighters against each other, and I’m not very fond of the idea of protecting champions or certain prospects. But if the UFC wanted to push Cote, I thought they would have matched him up with someone like Kampmann, MacDonald, or Bisping, who are dangerous fighters but less of a threat to Cote than Almeida is, from a stylistic point of view.
And that brings me to the second really bizarre match-up on the card: Chris Lytle vs. Josh Koscheck. Now, I like both of these fighters, and they are especially tough with plenty of heart. But one of them will suffer a seemingly unnecessary loss that will really hamper his career. I thought that the UFC would want both of these guys to win their next fight.
Chris Lytle has had a lot of decision fights in his long career (including a snooze-fest to Matt Serra, which cost Lytle a shot at GSP), and he is perceived to be less than exciting by many fans. After his loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 68, Lytle vowed to be more aggressive and work on finishing fights, since he really needed to pick up a few victories in electrifying fashion.
After a high-paced fight with Thiago Alves which he lost by cut stoppage (and was winning in my opinion), Lytle knocked out Kyle Bradley in 33 seconds at UFC 81 in a tremendous showing of aggressiveness and urgency. Just when it seemed like Lytle had changed his style to make himself a more exciting fighter, they put him against Josh Koscheck, another fighter who needs a win to stay afloat in the welterweight division.
Koscheck was viewed as a dominant but sometimes boring wrestler early on his career. He has been working hard on his striking and recently scored a t.k.o. victory over Dustin Hazelett at UFC 82. But I don’t think his striking ability is up to par with Lytle’s, and he may resort to using his wrestling skills to grind out a decision, since Lytle is very difficult to stop on the ground or on the feet.
Koscheck is vying for a title shot in the welterweight division, and could be one or two more victories away from receiving one. However, he maybe should have been given someone who isn’t so difficult to finish or a much better striker than himself for his next fight, especially since he wants some more flashy victories under his belt.
Neither Koscheck nor Lytle can really afford a loss at this point, much like Cote. I wonder if other match-ups weren’t considered first, or if the UFC has a certain reason for setting up these fights that I don’t know about.
Like I said, I want to see the top guys in each weight class fight to decide who's the best, but there also needs to be some logic behind each match-up. With the current careers of these four fighters and what they have at stake, I can’t quite understand why these specific opponents were chosen for each fighter.
Am I perhaps missing something in the UFC’s grand scheme of things? I think that Lytle against someone like Chris Wilson and Koscheck versus Akihiro Gono or Roan Carneiro would have been more appropriate match-ups, and just as competitive.
As MMA fans, I think we have a certain right to critique the UFC, provided we have justified reasons for doing so. But we should be supportive too. I don’t know if creating these match-ups was the most sagacious decision the UFC has ever made, but I will watch them anyways, even though I don’t want to see any of these four fighters lose a seemingly unnecessary match-up.
But then again, who am I to judge the decisions of Joe Silva and Dana White? I’m just an aspiring writer and university student who would be very grateful if either of them bothered to read my work.
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2 months ago
This is kind of like how the Praying Mantis eat their young, isn't it. More than anything, I would like to see Patrick Cote as a title contender, the sooner the better. It is like Dana and Joe Silva are making matches to cut the roster down to 180 like Dana has said he wants it. Each casuality will hurt somebody, but leave the list of fighters more manageable (Dana mentioned that at that time he had almost 280, if I remember correctly, as this was months ago before Kalib Starnes and Travis Lutter were let go). When two fighters fight the same way then hopefully the better practitioner will win.
2 months ago
I like the Cote' vs. Almeida bout. Cote' has to prove his jits is good enough to be a contender. In the evolving world of MMA, fighters can't have area's where everyone knows they can be beat. Cote' is known as a weak BJJ guy, he has to prove he can hang with the big dogs. Almeida will have his chin tested and we will see how effective his takedowns are. If he can get Cote' on the ground the fight is over.
from 2 months ago
I fully agree with both of your comments. Middleweight contenders will have a difficult time knocking out Anderson Silva due to his striking ability and chin; and they will be hard-pressed to keep him down for five rounds for a decision victory. Somebody with good wrestling and great jiu-jitsu will have to take Silva down and sub him quickly.
Almeida, Maia, Palhares, and Jacare all fit the bill, and given some more time, these guys could become a real threat to the champ (I know Jacare isn't in the UFC right now). Lutter had Silva mounted, and showed what you have to do to beat him. A striker like Cote would need to pull out something big to defeat Silva, because the champ outclasses Cote in every facet of the game. Perhaps Cote has been working on his head kicks?
I'm glad to see Almeida back in action. Who knows where he would be now if he didn't take four years off. His fight with Akira Shoji at PRIDE 12 was awesome. It's too bad that either he or Cote will have to lose.
2 months ago
I like your reasoning... I don't really like seeing top guys kill each other off early either. Yeah, "it's the 'big leagues', you fight who's in front of you" but just from a fan's perspective you have your favorites and wasting tough stylistic matchups before they're necessary kinda sucks.
from 2 months ago
The thing with Cote vs. Almeida is that they both are moving up the ladder towards a shot. I think it's a popular opinion that NO ONE can strike with Silva. But their is a chance he can be beaten on the ground. If Cote can't get past Almeida he would get crushed by Silva. If Almeida can beat Cote' he may have a shot(minimal) at beating Silva. If anyone is going to beat Anderson at 185 it's going to be a BJJ guy like Almedia or Maia.
I really like Cote but I feel that Silva would carve him up, bad.
2 months ago
Nice, well-written article. I've thought this was an ongoing step down for Koscheck in competition. At 170, obviously GSP is head and shoulders above everyone else. From there, I think Fitch, Kos, Hughes, and Diego Sanchez are also a tier above the others in the UFC. There's a lot of buzz about Alves right now too. I just think he needs to make weight and make it the right way.
Timing isn't perfect, but I would have liked to see Kos take on Hughes, and then Sanchez take on Alvez ... something like that. MMA isn't all about perfect matchmaking though. As you state, it's a tough job. Hughes and Serra need to have their grudge match, and Hughes will likely retire shortly after that. Well, lots of possibilities and timing constraints ... I wouldn't want to be the Joe Silva for this weight class.
2 months ago
I really don't think either has a chance nor does anybody in the division on their best day. I'm of the belief that they're all simply waiting for his permanent move to 205 so they can have careers again. Personally, I don't see this glaring "ground weakness" like a lot of skeptics, but perhaps the skeptics are just trying to point to ANYTHING that would lead us to believe the guy's human. And that's sensible enough... but I'm curious to know just how many people truly in their heart of hearts think Almeida can succeed where Lutter and Henderson failed (I'll admit in 2 seconds that Cote would get executed in this stylistic matchup), or if people are just trying to grab at any straw possible.
from 2 months ago
What I'm trying to say is that if Silva does lose in the future at 185, it will probably be against a ground fighter. Silva has great defensive jiu-jitsu, but if someone gets mount or side control on him, then he could be in serious trouble. Marquardt almost passes his guard, but didn't do anything else on the ground. If Lutter had gone for an armbar earlier, he could have finished him (I know Silva had knee surgery 11 weeks before that fight).
At 205, there aren't as many jiu-jitsu fighters/wrestlers than there is at 185. Light-heavyweight if filled with strikers who can brawl or wrestle. Of course, a lot of the brazilian guys at 205 have great jiu-jitsu, but they prefer to win by knockout. That is why I think Anderson can definitely win the 205 belt, because his precision striking, chin, Muay Thai, footwork, agility, punching power, and sheer variety on the feet may be enough to beat those guys standing up.
Silva doesn't have a "ground weakness," but he's too dangerous on the feet for someone at 185 to knock him out or last five rounds without getting caught. That's why if he loses, it will most likely be by sub early in the fight, and this has a better chance of happening at middleweight than light-heavyweight. Of course, the guys at 205 have serious striking power, and would really test his chin. But I don't think the UFC would let him be champ in two weight classes, so he'd have to relinquish the 185 belt if he stays at 205.
2 months ago
I think I have seen two variations of the UFC 86 preview now. One says that the cote/almeida winner will get a title shot and one says that they will "move up the middleweight ladder." I would tend to agree with the winner moving up the ladder. There is no way in hell that whoever wins that fight deserves a title shot. I would expect the winner to have to go through roughly 2-3 more guys before he gets a shot, especially with guys like bisping, kampmann, hendo, franklin, okami, and leites sitting out there.
I think it is just a case of bad timing for koscheck. GSP and fitch are tied up, hughes, alves, swick, and diego just recently fought. Parisyan doesn't make sense either. Really who else is left that makes sense? Nobody really. Lytle is just a fill in until koscheck's next fight and it will give him a chance to continue to challenge himself against a guy with great boxing skills. As for lytle, he should be thanking his lucky stars they keep giving him quality opponents because he has lost the majority of his fights against top level guys in his career (serra, lawler, alves, hughes, diaz, parisyan).
from 2 months ago
Yes, I've seen both of those commercials also, so I don't know what the deal is. But I thought Okami was going to get the next title shot anyway? I don't think Cote or Almeida deserve a title shot, but the UFC doesn't always think that way, and quite frankly they can give a title shot to whoever they want (which is why their matchmaking is questionable at times, and that was the point of my article). And if Cote or Almeida fights Silva, I believe it would be the first time there is a title fight without at least one American fighter (I could be wrong though).
Koscheck wants to display his striking skills, but against Lytle, he will have to resort to his wrestling to win a decision victory. So there is a strong possibility of a boring match, which neither of these guys really want right now. But Kos cannot afford to lose, so what else can he do? I agree it's a case of bad timing, but couldn't they find someone else, so he and Lytle could both win their next fight in exciting fashion? It's really a no-win situation for both guys. I'm not sure how many years Lytle has left, but he is still a good gatekeeper for mid-level fighters, so he should stick around even if he loses.
2 months ago
It is the UFC, it doesn't matter if your being set up to fight somebody that is supposidly better than you. It isn't about picking and choosing your next victory, its about winning against whoever.
Thats how you get title shots.
from 2 months ago
Yes, I know it's a sport and you fight who is put in front of you. But I am also interested in matches from a promotional point of view, because the UFC wants exciting champions who can finish fights and sell tickets for them. And not everybody who is deserving of a title shot gets one. The UFC needs to look at the long-term ramifications of each fight and what it means for the division.
Sometimes, eliminating a top contender is not a good thing, because then there are less people who can receive a legitimate title shot (eg. if Alves lost to Hughes). We all want to see the best face-off against each other, but unless there is an official ranking system or tournaments are brought back, there will always be questions as to who really should get the next title shot, especially in stacked divisions.
The UFC certainly favors some fighters over others, but it is in their best business interest to ensure that certain fighters win. And they can be ruthless when it comes to cutting fighters. MMA is a promotional sport, and they can set up whatever matches they want. That is why every match needs a bit of logic behind it, so there is some sort of parity. But the UFC also wants to look after the careers of their top fighters (their moneymakers) and a costly loss for one of them might not be what's best for all parties involved.
Because in the end, it's about the promoters making money, and putting on great fights is a means to that end. It would be naive to think otherwise. And while I support fighters first and foremost, I understand that professional sports are a business, and there is a lot of thought and effort that goes into the matchmaking process. So I try to look at every fight from all points of view, including the perspective from the fans, the promoters, the fighters themselves, and what each fight means for its respective weight class, including any title shot consequences.
Or they could just draw lots, and decide match-ups that way :)
2 months ago
well well well, looks like the chad has a point and the jad must reply.......anyways.
the 185 division is totally f'ed up. there are some of the best pound for pound fighters in that division, franklin, henderson, marquart, and of course Silva. there are a couple people coming very close to a title shot, but it is everyone that has already been beaten by silva. there is obviously no competition for Silva anymore, hence the move to lhw. i would like to see Silva taken out of the UFC and frozen in carbonite for generations to see. THEN, the 185 division would actually have somewhere to go, because cote, alimeda, leban, bisping, leites, kampmann, does anyone see ANY of these people beating Silva, neither do I. although i will say, if anyone could do it, its Jorge Rivera. Thats right, I said it.
2 months ago
Hahaha, lots of good comments. I must say Jad, as a college journalism major myself, I think that article was not only well written, but well argued. I see all of your points, and I do agree with a few myself. To kind of answer any questions you have in your article, the reason why Cote and Almeida are matched up in this one is because of a guy like Anderson Silva and his skill. I am a fan of Cote big time, and thought ever since his fight with Tito, he's shone through pretty well (except for the Lutter Fight). As for Almeida, I think a win over Cote will give him the ring rust solution, and it will validate him at 185. Remember, everyone has two fists, and Almeida isn't just a BJJ guy. He can throw, not like Cote, but he can throw. And this would give Cote a chance to see either A) if he's learned from the Lutter submission, and B) If he's ready for a guy like Anderson Silva. Listen, you take Silva down, you have a better shot. That's why as much of a fan I am for Cote and Almeida, I'm rooting for Almeida. Good article, and good sensible freakin info. I could use a guy like you to talk MMA with.
from 2 months ago
Yeah, thanks. I get lots of writing practice as a history major, because all we do is read textbooks and write essays (unless we're attending lecture, but most of us don't bother going :)
I like Cote because he brings it every time, and is not afraid of losing. His slugfest with Chris Leben is a perfect example. I think Cote should've gotten the decision in that fight. I actually wouldn't mind seeing a rematch between those two down the road.
Almeida is scary on the ground, and has great wrestling to help him get the fight there. If I were Cote, I would be training nothing but my sprawl for this bout, because he won't stop Almeida's jiu-jitsu if the fight hits the mat. And Almedia should be practicing how to set up his takedowns with feints and strikes, because if he shoots from the outside it will be easier for Cote to stop the takedown.
I guess this is a classic striker vs grappler match-up. It ought to be a good one (while it lasts).
2 months ago
Oh, and Almeida can throw down if need be, but he won't stand with Cote if he can help it. Look for him to shoot for a takedown early. If Cote is too worried about stuffing the takedown, he could be less aggressive and have his offense suffer. That could open the door for Almeida's striking to really make a difference. And this is what makes MMA so great, because you never know what's gonna happen in the cage, no matter what the match-up is on paper.
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