Seriously, what the hell? Why do Koscheck vs. Thiago II a year later (other than to try to "right a wrong" in someone's eyes)? And WTF is with this hardass schedule?
First fight: Koscheck
Second Fight: Fitch
Third Fight: Thiago Alves (switched to Volkman)
Fourth Fight: Koscheck again
Why not try to build the guy up? It almost appears like they want to punish the dude for doing something wrong. Hmmmm.
There are plenty of other exciting matches for him and Koscheck. Total BS to do this one again.
I think you have it backwards. They aren't trying to punish him. They are trying to reward him. Beating Kos probably gets him a title shot. Beating a non-contender does not.
Why Koscheck? Why not a former top guy like Swick? Or former champ? This has revenge written all over it.
I agree with OP. If they want to reward him give him one of the upper guys he hasn't already beaten.
Swick - he would have to wait 9 months for him to get a rebound win.
Former champ - who? Hughes? Serra? BJ? None set him up as much as a win over Kos would.
Don't get me wrong: the rematch can wait, but this is the fight that makes the most sense right now. 6 months from now? No. But now? Yes.
How about the idea of building Thiago as a contender against guys like Swick, Saunders, or Dong?
Zedlepln - I think you have it backwards. They aren't trying to punish him. They are trying to reward him. Beating Kos probably gets him a title shot. Beating a non-contender does not.
i really don't see what beating Kos twice does for him that beating him once didn't.
It's abvious Dana was very impressed with Kos against AJ and now wnats to give him a chance to avenge his loss....
Paulo has had a tough road no doubt, considering Hardy is already getting a title shot....lol
Zedlepln - Swick - he would have to wait 9 months for him to get a rebound win.
He was just in a no. 1 contenders match so if Paulo is working his way up the ladder, Paulo vs. Swick would make sense right now.
D_S_A -If you take the view that fights are about "proving something" then, yeah, it doesn't do anything for him. However, from the point of view of his next fight after this one, a win over a top 5 WW gets him GSP, assuming Dan doesn't upset him.Zedlepln - I think you have it backwards. They aren't trying to punish him. They are trying to reward him. Beating Kos probably gets him a title shot. Beating a non-contender does not.
i really don't see what beating Kos twice does for him that beating him once didn't.
epwar -As mentioned earlier, Paulo would have to wait for 6 months for Swick to get and win his rebound fight. I guess I could ask your question to the UFC to you: why do you hate Paulo?Zedlepln - Swick - he would have to wait 9 months for him to get a rebound win.
He was just in a no. 1 contenders match so if Paulo is working his way up the ladder, Paulo vs. Swick would make sense right now.
I think they hate him because his name reminds them of Paulo Filho. :-)
Agreed, poor guy.. solid fighter but Kos will take him out this time.
BOPE > all
They're doing this fight so Koscheck can avenge his loss and be reestablished as a credible contender for GSP. It's really that simple.
LOL at getting a shot against a top fighter (rematch or no), after already beating a top fighter previously, as being a bad thing. You don't KO a top fighter (contraversial or no) and get sent back to the undercard for easy fights. It's not like we're talking about a guy fresh off TUF with no signature wins.
Besides that Kos is 2-0 since their fight, Thiago is 1-1. Throw in the contraversial stoppage and it's a no brainer. Winner (partially depending on the method) probably gets a title shot, or at least close (especially if it's Kos).
If Kos wins he will get the next title shot after Hardy, no doubt.
LOL @ questionable stoppage.
This is a simple case of them wanting NOTHING to do with Paulo Thiago being a legit contender in the WW division.
All signs point to this fight being a favorable style macthup for Kos, so it made sense for Kos' run for a title shot at the time... but to make a second fight because you didn't get the outcome you wanted the first time? Fuck that noise.
Tons of guys in the UFC got there because at some point they got a win they shouldn't have. Yet how often are they forced to rematch the guy they beat? It's almost unheard of.
Funny thing about this thread is that 18 months ago there were almost identical thread titles for exactly the opposite reason for Jon Fitch. He wasn't getting opponents of his caliber and people were rightfully complaining. Now, Paulo gets the one obvious opponent currently available that would put him next for a title shot, and people complain.
Unfuckingbelievable.
he's the keith jardine of the WW division