Issue 087
April 2012
A top member of the renowned AKA gym, Josh Koscheck has become one of the UFC’s most well-rounded fighters. FO takes you through his evolution
NEED TO KNOW
NAME: Josh Koscheck
AGE: 34
STARTED: 2004
DIVISION: Welterweight
STYLE: Wrestling
Based San Jose, California
RECORD 17-5
5 (T)KOs (29.41%)
5 Subs (29.41%)
7 Decisions (41.18%)
For as long as he has been competing, Josh Koscheck has been ruffling feathers and causing controversy, building an extensive list of dangerous enemies along the way. For the average human being, getting under the skin of some of the UFC’s best men would mean an almost certain ass whooping, but Koscheck is a man who can walk the walk just as well as he talks the talk.
When Josh was just four years old his grandparents got him started in wrestling. A competitive football player and standout wrestler, it seemed he had natural athletic ability, eventually earning a scholarship for Edinboro University. He graduated with a criminal justice degree and, in his third year, won the Division 1 national wrestling championship.
After amassing a pro MMA record of 2-0, Koscheck was selected to compete on the first season of what would become the UFC’s breakout TV show, The Ultimate Fighter. He competed in the middleweight division, but was eliminated in the semi-finals via split decision to Diego Sanchez.
After his title eliminator win over Paul Daley at UFC 113, Koscheck returned to TUF for its 12th season, this time coaching a team of lightweights against opposing coach and UFC welterweight champion, Georges St Pierre. Koscheck repeatedly jibed and taunted GSP leading the Canadian to say: “I didn’t like to be in the same room as Koscheck but I had to do it for the TV show.”
Koscheck showed incredible heart at UFC 124, when GSP broke his orbital bone and he was given the chance to quit by doctors after his eye became seriously swollen. Instead Koscheck opted to fight to the end before losing a unanimous decision. His injury sidelined him for nine months, but, after the longest break of his career, he made a triumphant return at UFC 135 in September, KO’ing UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.
Though he does not have the most affable personality, Koscheck does have one of the most impressive work rates in all of MMA. Long considered to be one of the top 10 best 170lb fighters in the world, the UFC bad boy has even considered a move up to middleweight to further test himself in competition.
BAD BOY
Chris Leben, Diego Sanchez, Paul Daley, Georges St Pierre; all men who have had issues with Josh Koscheck at some point. Even UFC president Dana White has made clear his not-so-fond feelings for the welterweight contender: “Koscheck’s a d**k. I don’t get along with him at all.” He might not be a fan favorite, but Koscheck has used his unlikable character to his advantage, getting an enormous amount of media attention through his feuds with other fighters.
WORK HORSE
Love him or hate him, you can’t deny the heart of the national wrestling champion. Koscheck is one of the hungriest competitors in the UFC, always on the lookout for his next opponent, and his willingness to fight with one eye against the best 170lb’er in the world in Georges St Pierre shows the strength of his spirit as fighter. Even when he’s not scheduled to fight, the bleach-blond bad boy continues to train hard and is always in top condition.
GAME CHANGER
When he was given his big break in the MMA world as a middleweight on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Josh was little more than a one-dimensional wrestler. When he was beaten on the show, Koscheck’s competitive drive shone through and he has since made vast improvements to his game, particularly his striking, earning five knockout victories including his 2008 win over Yoshiyuki Yoshida which won him the ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonus.
Career Snapshot
2004
Koscheck wins two straight in the debut year of his pro MMA career, including a neck crank submission victory in his first fight.
2005
Makes his official UFC debut at the The Ultimate Fighter season one finale and gets his first ever KO win. Wins two that year, but suffers his first loss in October, getting choked out by Drew Fickett.
2007
Avenges his TUF 1 loss to Diego Sanchez, winning a unanimous decision. Koscheck is shockingly out-wrestled and defeated by Georges St Pierre four months later at UFC 74.
2010
Koscheck defeats Paul Daley earning a shot at the welterweight championship. Loses to champ GSP via unanimous decision for the second time at UFC 124.
2011
After recovering from a broken orbital inflicted by St Pierre’s stiff jab in their last meeting, Koscheck returns to take on UFC legend Matt Hughes and wins by KO in round one.
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