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UFC Quick Quote: Josh Koscheck is done with being nice to MMA boo birds, vows to keep being a dick after UFC 143 win
02/05/2012
Mike Pierce, I knew he was a tough kid coming into the fight, but to be honest, I really didn’t have the urge to fight him because he is down there on the ladder. It was a lose-lose for me you know, but I am down for challenges and I found a way to win. It’s not the prettiest thing but you can’t have knock out everytime. To the crowd out there and everybody who hates me, ***k yourselves. I’m sick of being nice you know, I’m sick of it. You know, I go out of my way to be nice to fans, I go out of my way to let them get to know me, but, you want to keep booing? I’ll keep being a dick. You want to come at me, I’ll come at you. Don’t come up to me and get an autograph from me then. Stay away, don’t come up to me. You know, I know I got fans out there, but all these pricks out there at the Mandalay Bay tonight, I’ll walk down the street and they will all be like, Oh Koscheck! F*** you! I’m definitely ready to take on the winner of tonight’s fight. I think it will be a different matchup than tonight with Pierce. I think I’ll be able to let my hands go and use a lot of wrestling and just go at it you know. I think the winner is going to fight again, so why not let Josh Koscheck have that fight?

– You don’t like Josh Koscheck? Well, guess what, he doesn’t like you, either. After his split decision win over a very game Mike Pierce last night (Feb. 4, 2012) at UFC 143 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kos tells UFC.com that he is sick of being nice to fans and there will be no more Mr. Nice Guy. Koscheck, who has always had a love-hate relationship with fans, had never really vented on the boos he often receives, but after the Sin City crowd showered the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product with boos after a very close split decision win, he didn’t hold back any punches. And, apparently, it was the straw the broke the camel’s back. So a word of advice to you autograph seekers out there, if you aren’t a true Kos fan, do not come up and ask for an autograph and expect get one if you recently booed him. It just ain’t happening. Anyone think Josh is going too far with his comments? Or do you actually side with his harsh sentiments?

UFC 143 results recap: Carlos Condit vs Nick Diaz fight review and analysis
02/05/2012
The anticipation from hardcore MMA fans could not have been higher for the UFC 143 main event last night (February 4, 2012) between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz with the interim UFC welterweight title on the line. Even more people were already getting hyped up for a super-fight between Nick Diaz and Georges St. Pierre.
But someone forgot to tell Carlos Condit that he was supposed to lose.
With both men’s incredibly aggressive fighting styles, this fight was hyped up as one of the best of the year, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t nearly what many expected.
So how did The Natural Born Killer frustrate Diaz and score a unanimous decision and claim UFC gold? More importantly, where do both elite welterweights go next?
Follow me after the jump for our Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz UFC 143 post-fight review and analysis:

There was a large outpouring of anger from many who thought Diaz won, but I’ll explain why Condit was the rightful victor. Just follow along.
Diaz has a reputation for being a slow starter and Condit took advantage, peppering the Stockton slugger’s legs with repeated kicks while circling away from danger. While Diaz didn’t throw many strikes in the first round, he kept a constant pressure on The Natural Born Killer by repeatedly channeling him towards the fence with terrific footwork. Condit, though, was not going to let himself be bullied, instead, quickly exploding away from being cornered and resetting again in the center of the cage.
This was a cycle which would repeat itself time and time again throughout the fight. Diaz thrives on cornering opponents along the fence and then unleashing huge flurries of strikes to overwhelm his opponents, but Condit was having none of it. On top of escaping danger, he would make sure to sneak in a big punch to the body or a leg kick in on the exit to make sure he was staying active while retreating.
Condit stuck to the gameplan in round two, although he began to mix in push kicks, front kicks, flying knees and spinning back fists/elbows. Diaz was not happy about this and began to taunt him, dropping his hands to his sides, even slapping the Greg Jackson-trained fighter in the face, but he couldn’t get the Arizona native to deviate.
At one point, Diaz finally cornered Condit along the fence, throwing combinations of strikes to the body, but instead of panicking, the former WEC welterweight champion grabbed Diaz behind the head, threw a knee and again circled away from danger.
Rounds three and four were more of the same, except the big difference was Condit became much more fluid and comfortable near the end of the third. From that point on, not only was Condit clearly getting the better of the striking exchanges, he was starting to make infuriate the former Strikeforce standout. Diaz even began shooting in for takedowns, but wrestling is not his forte and he couldn’t secure anything significant.
In the final round, Condit was once again well on his way to clearly outstriking Diaz, but he made a mistake and allowed his back to be taken with a minute left in the fight. Diaz tried to secure a choke and then an armbar, but Condit defended well, forcing a scramble at the final horn.
In the end, the judges awarded Carlos Condit a unanimous decision with scores of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46. Here’s why I think they made the correct call.
Nick Diaz was never able to find a rhythm – Diaz is at his best when unloading a huge volume of punches at his opponent along the fence. He can sneak in the power strikes to both the head and body because he’s overloading his opponent’s ability to defend and it’s a terrific strategy but Carlos Condit never let him do it. Every time Diaz finally trapped Condit along the fence, The Natural Born Killer would escape and reset in the center.
Condit did not pull a Kalib Starnes – Yes, Carlos Condit was on his bicycle for much of the fight, circling away so much he gave the referee a huge workout but he was not running. While backing away, Condit would randomly explode forward with flying knees, punches, elbows and spinning back attacks as well as constantly throwing kicks both to the legs and body. Also, whenever he exploded away from danger when cornered along the fence, he almost always threw a huge punch to the body or a kick before doing so.
Forward movement doesn’t mean you win – We’ve seen this with elusive fighters like Lyoto Machida and he’s praised for it, but just because Carlos Condit wasn’t moving forwards, doesn’t mean he didn’t win those rounds. Sure Nick Diaz was constantly moving forward, but he was not outstriking Condit. Check out the Fightmetric report if you don’t believe me. The only round Diaz landed more than Condit was the second, and even that was only by three more significant strikes.
Condit never lost his composure – Despite Diaz’s best efforts to talk trash, drop his hands, toy with him after the horn and even slap him in the face, Carlos Condit never deviated from his gameplan. He was instructed with a specific method for defeating Diaz and he kept at it despite the Stockton scrapper’s best efforts to distract him and force him into a brawl, which is a fight Diaz would have had a much better shot at winning.
Nick Diaz never had a sense of urgency – In the final round, Nick Diaz received some horrible advice from his corner, telling him that they thought he was up 3-1. I don’t care how biased you are with him being your brother, you can’t do that to a fighter and make him believe he’s ahead that badly when the fight is that close. (I actually scored the first four rounds for Condit, although the second round could have gone either way). By giving Nick a false sense of security, he wasn’t nearly as aggressive in spending his energy as he could have been. He had plenty left in the tank when it was over. If he had been more active in pursuing Condit, it would have exaggerated his opponent’s backward movement to a degree where the judges may have actually given him a few more rounds.
My final thought for those that are disappointed with the result is this. Stop being angry at Carlos Condit for not fighting the exact same way that the last 11 people have when they lost to Nick Diaz. If he had fought his normal style of crazy-aggressive forward action, Nick Diaz would have beat him. Plain and simple, he forced Nick Diaz to fight his fight instead, which was something that no one has done to Diaz in four years. He deserves some credit for that, not vilification.
Okay, back to the fallout of the fights:
For Nick Diaz, he truly only has himself to blame. He did not make adjustments to Condit’s gameplan. He didn’t pick up the pace despite clearly having plenty left in the tank at the end of the fight and he only checked about 10 percent of the leg kicks thrown his way, if that. Moving forward constantly doesn’t automatically give you a win. Sure it looks better, but you have to land strikes too, and he didn’t land nearly as many strikes as Condit did.
Diaz said he was quitting MMA in his post-fight speech. We don’t know if that’s all bluster or raw emotion from disappointment right now. Hopefully he’s not actually going to step away because he’s still one of the best in the world. There are still several great fights for Nick Diaz which practically promise excitement. One possibility is the upcoming loser of Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger. The other is the winner of Martin Kampmann vs. Thiago Alves and the last one could be a rematch with Carlos Condit depending on whether or not the fans demand it.
For Carlos Condit, that was the picture perfect use of a gameplan to defeat a very tricky fighter. He never allowed Diaz to get into any sort of rhythm, he took advantage of a defensive liability and battered Diaz with leg kicks and eventually got comfortable enough to start mixing in combinations of his own. He earned this victory and no one should take it away from him simply because they wanted a Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre fight more or they wanted the fight to be more action-packed.
Next up for Condit will most likely be Georges St. Pierre depending on whether or not the champ is recovering as quickly as we’ve heard. Another possibility could be the winner of Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger for one defense of the interim title or, while it’s a long shot, a rematch with Nick Diaz. It all depends on how Georges St. Pierre’s recovery is going. Either way, there’s plenty of opportunity for interesting fights in a suddenly very wide open division.
So what did you think, Maniacs?
Despite my best efforts to persuade you otherwise, do you still think Nick Diaz won last night? Will Diaz stay retired? How will Carlos Condit fare against Georges St. Pierre if he indeed faces the reigning champion next?
Sound off!
For complete UFC 143 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

UFC 143 fight card: Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce prediction, preview and breakdown
02/04/2012
Josh Koscheck is stuck in what I call Rich Franklin Territory.
It’s an inhospitable, limbo-like state where talented mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters can find themselves after losing to reigning champions twice in one-sided bouts, yet are clearly among the top five in the division, and will probably be favored against almost anyone but the top dog.
That makes for a different kind of matchmaking altogether.
Koscheck is still too talented to be risked against a red-hot prospect such as a Rory MacDonald at this point, because he might win and yet there’s little to no buzz for him to fight for the title again (albeit the UFC 143 main event of Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, and George St. Pierre’s uncertain return, may change that).
That being said, Mike Pierce — who he fights tonight (Feb. 4, 2012) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada — is a hard-nosed, honest performer who is exceptionally durable. He closes fights hard, and nearly knocked out Jon Fitch in the final round of their bout. Pierce’s wrestling chops are good, just not nearly as high-level as Koscheck’s.
Simply put, he’s got his work cut out for him this evening in Sin City.
Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 143 fight between Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce:

The Breakdown
Koscheck’s hands are the best addition to his game in recent years, as he’s become increasingly comfortable (and dangerous) standing with opponents and daring them to exchange. He packs big-time power in his right hand, and can deliver solid kicks, as well.
Pierce really isn’t on his level standing, but he is a willing plugger when forced to trade, and at times Koscheck can be caught in exchanges. Koscheck will be exceptionally difficult to take down, as he has amazing balance and agility, something you’d expect from a four-time NCAA All-American and champ. Pierce has to create something and exploit it, be it a trade of big punches, or a scramble where he can grab a submission.
The Pick
Styles make fights, and this one tilts entirely Koscheck’s way.
Pierce’s durability — he’s never been stopped in four decision losses — and hard-nosed approach make him a threat throughout. Koscheck has the luxury of being able to test the stand up waters first, and then shoot for a takedown, which he will get pretty much at will. That’s a big advantage, and Josh will mix in both strikes and ground work to shut down Pierce en route to a comfortable decision win.
Koscheck via unanimous decision
Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 143 results of all the Diaz vs. Condit pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX Prelims bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We’ll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Saturday morning.
See you later!
Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or Jason@jasonprobst.com

UFC 143 predictions with Randy Couture: Nick Diaz over Carlos Condit in main event (Video)
02/04/2012
UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit is all set to pop off from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, tonight (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) and will feature former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz taking on former WEC champion Carlos Condit in the main event of the evening.
And, of course, we’ve got UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture’s prediction for the exciting welterweight scrap:

I think, again, the veteran in Diaz. I think both guys are amazing. A little more refined striking from Diaz but he only uses his hands, typically. Condit has a tendency to use more of his other tools, his kicking and he’s long, which is unusual for Diaz to be against a guy who’s longer and taller than he is. I would give Diaz the nod on the ground. His jiu-jitsu, I think, is better than Condit’s, he’s a better submission guy. Who knows where the fight is going to go? With Diaz, especially, they have a tendency to want to bang and be on their feet most of the time, unless he’s dealing with a guy like Diego Sanchez who forced him to fight on the ground. I think Diaz is going to pull it off.

The Natural thinks Diaz takes it but what do you Maniacs think? Anyone want to give some love to The Natural Born Killer?

UFC 143 fight card: Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen prediction, preview and breakdown
02/04/2012
With Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber scheduled for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and a rubber match, the 135-pound division is in dire need of fresh faces.
Enter Renan Barao, a talented Brazilian with a gaudy record of 27-1, and four wins under the Zuffa banner. With good stand up and a savvy ground game, the Nova Uniao product is a rare combination of an exceptionally athletic young fighter with a boatload of experience.
Scott Jorgensen, meanwhile — who Barao will battle on the UFC 143 pay-per-view (PPV) main card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, later this evening (Feb. 4, 2012) is a no-frills, exceptionally consistent wrestler with good conditioning and a ton of pluck and persistence. He’s never been beaten inside the distance and relies on outworking opponents, along with dictating the pace of a fight.
While vastly outclassed in his decision loss to champ Cruz, Jorgensen still remains one of the better fighters in the bantamweight division, and this should be a revealing test for both.
Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 143 fight between Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen:

The Breakdown
Barao looked fantastic in dismantling Brad Pickett in his last fight, displaying a wonderful sense of timing and an ability to control the range. On the flip side, Jorgensen has a quick right hands he’ll use in tie-ups and to set up takedown attempts, typically popping foes with it before changing levels to shoot.
Barao needs to stick, move and pick his spots while stuffing takedown attempts, as that’s where Jorgensen will look to score points, break his confidence and run him out of gas. Jorgensen shouldn’t have any illusions about a kickboxing-style match, as that clearly favors Barao, who is the rangier and more diverse striker.
The Pick
This fight is a very deliberate piece of matchmaking to provide a viable opponent for whomever wins the third Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz match. And there are no accidents it’s the red-hot Barao against a proven commodity in Jorgensen, who’s never been stopped and is a durable type guaranteed to give an honest effort.
Barao will score points early, perhaps knocking Jorgensen down and softening him up on the ground. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to submit Jorgensen early, but he’ll push ahead with his athleticism and multidimensional attack, mixing in kicks and strikes as well as a stifling ground game should Jorgensen hit takedowns.
Add it up over three rounds, and Barao is primed for a breakout performance, by late stoppage or one-sided decision.
Barao via late stoppage or decision
Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 143 results of all the Diaz vs. Condit pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX Prelims bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We’ll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:00 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Saturday morning.
See you later!

Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or Jason@jasonprobst.com

UFC 143 weigh-ins full video for 'Diaz vs Condit' in Las Vegas
02/04/2012
UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit weigh-in event went down today (Feb. 3, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada, where all 22 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow night’s event.
In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 12-minute mark.
Nick Diaz will look to earn his first UFC championship belt in the main event of the evening, as he takes on fellow 170-pound badass Carlos Condit for the interim welterweight title.
The co-featured fight of the night will see Fabricio Werdum make his return to the Octagon to square off against Roy Nelson while Josh Koscheck will sling leather against Mike Pierce.
For complete UFC 143 weigh in results click here and for staredowns click here.
Ready to rumble yet or what, Maniacs?

UFC 143 weigh in photos gallery for 'Diaz vs Condit' on Feb. 3 in Las Vegas
02/04/2012
UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit is all set to pop off tomorrow night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a welterweight interim title bout pitting Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit.
That’s not to mention Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight attraction and the suddenly contentious match-up between Josh Koscheck and rising 170-pound contender Mike Pierce.
Before we can get to the good stuff, though, every one of the competitors on tomorrow night’s fight card had to hit the scales in Sin City to make sure they aren’t carrying any extra baggage. Thankfully, none of them are and all 11 bouts are now official.
After the jump, you can check out photos (via UFC.com) from today’s UFC 143 weigh-in event. For complete results click here, for staredowns click here and to watch the full UFC 143 weigh-in video click here.

Nick Diaz:

Carlos Condit:

Roy Neslon:

Fabricio Werdum:

Josh Koscheck:

Mike Pierce:

UFC 143 'Primetime' episode three on FX discussion thread for 'Diaz vs Condit'
02/04/2012
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its Primetime preview for UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit, a three-part series featuring a behind-the-scenes look as former Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz prepares to fight fellow division number one contender Carlos Condit for the Interim title on Feb. 4, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Episode three premieres TONIGHT (Fri., Feb. 3) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel. If you missed the first and second installments, click here and here to watch them in their entirety.
Diaz vs. Condit was booked after UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre suffered a devastating knee injury, one that was severe enough to require surgery and several months of rehab.
His ACL tear marked the second time St. Pierre has been forced to withdraw from a headlining title defense against Diaz, which will no doubt do little to convince the fiery Stockton slugger that he ain’t scared.

Rush pulled out of their UFC 137 main event back in October after spraining his medial collateral ligament (MCL). It was not torn and St. Pierre was quickly re-booked to face Diaz, who bumped Carlos Condit from the number one contender spot after retiring B.J. Penn back on Oct. 29.
Now both Condit and Diaz get the opportunity they’ve wanted since day one: To fight for the UFC welterweight title. In fact, PPV buys notwithstanding, this 170-pound war could meet and perhaps even exceed the fireworks expected in the original billing.
Time will tell.
For more on UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit be sure to hit up our event archive right here. See the current fight card and rumors here.