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Koscheck claims the UFC is protecting Matt Hughes

3K views 83 replies 41 participants last post by  kilik 
#1 ·
In a new interview with Adam Morgan of FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Josh Koscheck expresses his desire for a fight with former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes while at the same time claiming that the UFC protects Hughes:

Adam Morgan: In our last interview you mentioned not liking Matt Hughes. Would you be interested in a fight against him down the line?

Josh Koscheck: Yeah, you know, I think that’s a fight that fans would want to see. He’s supposed to be the best wrestler and on paper I have better credentials, he’s won more championships than me and he’s been a hell of a fighter and it’s a fight that the fans should see. I fought Georges St. Pierre for the number one contender and he beat me and now he just beat Matt Hughes so now that fight makes sense.

Matt Hughes is probably saying “why would I want to fight him, I have nothing to gain,” but he would have a lot to gain from the fight because it would be to see who’s the best wrestler in the welterweight division. I just think it’s a fight that the fans would like to see. I think he’s on his way out and I’m on my way up so I don’t even think he’s going to give me the time of day to step up. The UFC kind of protects him a little bit because he is a nine time champion and they don’t want to see a guy like myself who’s coming off The Ultimate Fighter, who’s been in there, won a couple fights and lost a couple fights beating one of their more well known guys.
http://samcaplan.proelite.com/97587
 
#18 ·
Have you seen how Hughes looks when hes on his back?? God AWFUL!! He has no idea what hes doing when he isnt the stronger wrestler. He gets taken totally out of his element. When GSP put him on his back he looked terrible. And Kos would do the same.
 
#11 ·
Some people are saying that GSP is the best wrestler in the welterweight division, and if thta's based on wrestling as it relates to MMA - that may be true. But in a straight wrestling match, Hughes or Koscheck would likely tool GSP.

That's no discredit to Georges. He never had to pin someone or get back points. There's no need for him to practice or develop those skills.

Best wrestler? Depends on how you look at it: MMA or amateur wrestling?
 
#12 ·
Well, I think that means we have to look at it in the context it's being said, which I would presume is MMA, seeing as the UFC isn't an amateur wrestling league.

But what does it matter if you have better wrestling credentials than someone else, if you can't apply it in an MMA fight? Koscheck needs to realize that this is not college wrestling, he needs to improve everything in his game if he wants to be a contender.
 
#22 ·
MY guess is Kos would be able to grind out a decision victory. He's younger, a better striker and is probably even with Hughes as a wrestler. Also, GSP couldn't finish him (and Kos even got GSP down at one point) while GSP finished Matt Hughes twice in the past year.
 
#23 ·
Koscheck could beat Hughes, but I'm not really getting the, "He'll smash Hughes" comments. Hughes is one of the greatest fighters ever, and he is resilient, plus he has a pretty good sub game. If he really tried, he could probably get Koscheck down. It'd be tough, but he could do it. Hughes' top game is really, really solid, and if he gets Kos down, then Kos would be in trouble.
 
#29 ·
I dont think this makes sense for Hughes. He isnt going to be making another run at the title so why fight contenders? I say he needs to fight Serra and beat him and then retire. He has had a great career.
 
#33 ·
If you loof at my mmaplayground stats you will see I picked GSP over Kos.

Kos is a better athlete, striker, and is the better wrestler than Hughes. Koscheck put up a much better fight against GSP and is a better overall fighter than Hughes.
 
#34 ·
You may have picked GSP when it came to fight time because you saw the light, but I could swear I saw you post in the fight announcement topic saying Kos is a bad match-up for GSP because of his wrestling credentials. I just remember it was you because of your sig pic having Kos with his arms outstretched after the Diego fight.

Everyone seems to forget that Matt Hughes beat GSP, something Koscheck wouldn't be able to do, despite being a great athlete.

Being a better athlete doesn't necessarily mean you have a better chance of winning. I wouldn't say Kenny Florian is the most athletic guy at LW, but he still whomps fools.

I just think you're forgetting what Matt Hughes is capable of and putting too much weight into Koscheck's wrestling ability.

Like I said, GSP on paper isn't a better wrestler than Kos and he outwrestled him big time. The technical ability between Koscheck and Hughes isn't that huge either, as Koscheck may have been an NCAA champ, but Hughes was an AA division I wrestler too, finishing 5th and 8th, in his two years.
 
#41 ·
I orignially picked Kos to beat GSP. But I think that was the nuthugger in me talking. After seriously thinking about the matchup I did see the light. But he did look alot better against GSP than Hughes. GSP might have did to Hughes, what Franklin did to The Crow. Since UFC 65, Matt Hughes hasnt looked the same.
 
#44 ·
Yeah hughes has been different since his first loss to gsp.
Hmm.. to be fair Matt Hughes did fight Chris Lytle who is nearly impossible to finish and he pulled off the UD. Then he fought GSP again, instead of fighting Matt Serra who he would have whomped IMO.

Matt Hughes has had nothing but tough guys to face lately, I really don't see why Koscheck would say that Hughes is being protected.:dunno:
 
#47 ·
Yo Damone, whats the deal with everyone stealing your words and phrases. I feel like there are 10 little Damones running around this forum. I think you need to have them get their own material or you should just copyright that shit :laugh:
 
#48 ·
Heh, they can use my phrases, it's cool.

Yeah hughes has been different since his first loss to gsp.
Meh, I don't know, I thought Hughes looked solid against Lytle, who's an excellent defensive fighter and a seriously solid measuring stick. Hughes did what he needed to do in order to win, and he did so by beating a really solid guy. GSP is just a horrible match-up for him, but then again, GSP is a terrible match-up for almost everybody. I still would bet points on Hughes if he were to face Koscheck.
 
#52 ·
I still think koscheck is the best wrestler in the division. He admitted that he just doesnt practice wrestling anymore because he thought he was to good and no1 was even close to him. Now he realises that he needs to practice it again (after gsp outwrestled him), and he will.
 
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