Josh Koscheck: Signing with Bellator means 'I get to take off my handcuffs'

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to Sign Up today.
Sign up

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331


When discussing his recent signing with Bellator, welterweight Josh Koscheck had a certain pep in his voice that he admitted was missing for a long time.

Koscheck (17-10 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) said he’s more excited to compete in MMA than in “three or four” years. He doesn’t fault the UFC entirely for his waning interest in the sport. However, now that he’s no longer with the organization, he said he feels “free” to air his grievances regarding the company’s operations.

“Finally, I get to take off my handcuffs and I don’t have to be tied to the UFC rules, restrictions and underground rules,” Koscheck told MMAjunkie. “Like, ‘Oh, we’ll take care of you if you do what we say.’ Yeah, I went along with the game just like all these fighters are now. I got some good bonuses, absolutely, but some fights I thought I deserved a bigger bonus, or a better bonus for stepping up on short notice. Sometimes those bonuses were sh-t. I can finally just say what I want and not have any repercussions because they don’t own me anymore.

“It’s kind of nice to have that feeling and that weight lifted off my shoulders.”

After 25 UFC fights spanning from his April 2005 debut to his departure, Koscheck completed his UFC contract in March following a first-round submission loss to Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 62. The defeat marked Koscheck’s fifth loss in a row, which for most fighters would fade the UFC’s interest in a contract renewal.

Koscheck said he was offered a new deal by the organization. However, he said the terms did not stack up with what Bellator presented soon after. In fact, Koscheck joked he would have made more money working as a bartender than re-signing with the UFC.

“I spoke with them briefly, for like two seconds on the phone; they offered something and I said, ‘No thanks,'” Koscheck said. “I could make more money being a bartender somewhere basically. At the end of the day it’s a business. Bellator and (President) Scott Coker put an offer together that I couldn’t resist, and we sent it over to the UFC to match and they couldn’t match it, so here I am – signed with Bellator, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

The 37-year-old said there were multiple layers behind his decision aside from fight purse. The UFC’s fighter apparel and sponsorship partnership with Reebok, which was largely unveiled at a media event today in New York City, influenced Koscheck to go with Bellator, he said. He feels the deal is unfair to fighters and prevents them from learning their true value in the sport.

Koscheck said he got a firm grasp on his worth as an athlete during his free agency period. He encouraged other fighters to do the same nearing the end of their contracts to do the same.

“Reebok deal had a big part to do with it; this Reebok deal is not good for the fighters and the media knows it, the fans know it, and the fighters know it,” Koscheck said. “The only thing this Reebok deal is good for, in my opinion, is the UFC. I don’t even know if it’s going to be good for them. I saw them posting stuff today regarding the Reebok deal and showing some of the designs. I left at the right time, that’s for sure, because those designs are hideous. That Reebok deal, in my opinion, is bad.

“I don’t think it supports the fighters and the fighters need to stand up and say, ‘Sorry, we’re out. We’re going to fight our contracts out and get the hell out of this.’ Or at least be able to negotiate. My suggestion for all fighters, all these UFC fighters out there and all fighters in general – fight your fights out, fight your contracts out, because you’re never going to know your market value until you fight your fights out and become a free agent.”

Another aspect of Koscheck’s decision, he said, was the opportunity to work closely with Coker. Coker has been at the helm of Bellator for a little more than a year, and during that time he’s made significant changes to the organization’s image and promotional tactics.

Koscheck had notable run-ins with UFC President Dana White over the course of his career. He said he better relates to Coker’s image for the future and holds tremendous faith in the potential of the Viacom-owned company.

“I couldn’t be more excited to get the opportunity to have a boss like Scott Coker,” Koscheck said. “The guy is a guy that you can work with, pick up the phone and call and have a good conversation with, a guy that isn’t going to cuss you out, a guy that’s going to treat you with respect. Scott Coker, I’ve always had a great relationship with him. Finally I get an awesome boss that’s going to be a fun time to work for.

“The major factor is, Scott Coker and I have become friends over the years. I started my career on Spike TV, and what a better way to end it. I’m going to end fighting on Spike TV with Josh Koscheck and having a cool boss like Scott Coker. I haven’t been this excited for a long time about mixed martial arts. Twenty-seven fights, 12 years, is a long time of fighting and training. I haven’t been excited for the past three or four years about fighting. I got that hunger back and I’m pretty excited about it.”

One of the key aspects to the way in which Coker and Bellator promote fights is to focus on major events. Koscheck said UFC is unable to properly promote events because of the amount of shows it runs every year. Koscheck feels it’s the responsibility of the promoter to make the public aware of fights and said the UFC’s broadcast partnership with FOX prevents it from doing that.

“With their contract they have with FOX TV, it’s a circus; they don’t promote fights anymore –there’s not enough time,” Koscheck said. “They have four or five fights a month, so there’s not enough time to promote fighters. They’re just time slots. They’re only filling time slots. Now this opportunity with Bellator you’re going to know when guys are fighting because they’ll have time to build the fight cards and get fans excited.

“It’s not just a corporate scale of putting fights on week after week. Get the corporate sh-t out of here and go back to the grass roots of MMA when it was cool. Back in the days of big, big fights. That’s what Scott Coker is going to do. He’s going to put on big fights and this is only the beginning of what he’s going to do with mixed martial arts.”

Koscheck made it clear when discussing his decision to sign with Bellator that’s he’s not bitter toward the UFC. However, he has strong feelings about certain subjects he felt could only be broached after he signed elsewhere.

Koscheck said he doesn’t know when his Bellator debut will take place, but he’s “excited” for the fresh start to his career. Despite not earning a victory since February 2012, Koscheck said he looks at the situation as a new chapter, and while he appreciates what the UFC did for him, he now feels “free.”

“I’ve had my fair share of good days in the UFC, and I’ve had my fair share of bad days in the UFC; that’s just part of it,” Koscheck said. “I appreciate the UFC and what they did for me. It was time for me to move on. It was time for me to grow as a fighter, grow more into business and by no means am I going to talk sh-t about them. They were good at times, they were bad at times. There were times where I had to bite my tongue and just eat it. At this point in my career I’m happy I get a new chance in life with Bellator, Spike TV and Scott Coker.

LINK to full story here: Josh Koscheck: Signing with Bellator means ‘I get to take off my handcuffs’ | MMAjunkie
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
It would be nice to see him get a few wins before he's finally done. Hopefully he looks good and makes some money.
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331
“I don’t think it supports the fighters and the fighters need to stand up and say, ‘Sorry, we’re out. We’re going to fight our contracts out and get the hell out of this.’ Or at least be able to negotiate. My suggestion for all fighters, all these UFC fighters out there and all fighters in general – fight your fights out, fight your contracts out, because you’re never going to know your market value until you fight your fights out and become a free agent.

“I couldn’t be more excited to get the opportunity to have a boss like Scott Coker,” Koscheck said. “The guy is a guy that you can work with, pick up the phone and call and have a good conversation with, a guy that isn’t going to cuss you out, a guy that’s going to treat you with respect. Scott Coker, I’ve always had a great relationship with him. Finally I get an awesome boss that’s going to be a fun time to work for."

Right there is reality, spoken in it truest form.
 

ECC170

Monster's 11,ATM 2,Parlay Challenge,Hero GP Champ
Pro Fighter
Jan 23, 2015
14,376
23,677
Great write up..
 

kneeblock

Drapetomaniac
Apr 18, 2015
12,435
23,026
I don't buy it from Kos for some reason. His complaints sound almost scripted, and poorly so. If the number had been higher on that phone call, I wonder if he'd still be keen to join the rebel alliance.
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331
I don't buy it from Kos for some reason. His complaints sound almost scripted, and poorly so. If the number had been higher on that phone call, I wonder if he'd still be keen to join the rebel alliance.
He even says that they gave it to Zuffa to match...so apparently he wasn't that unhappy there.
 

Tiiimmmaaayyy

First 100 ish
Jan 19, 2015
7,990
9,940
Great move for Kos. I love watching him fight, but it's clear he don't have enough for the top level UFC guys anymore. Bellator will promote the shit out of him and he can compete with the guys they have now. Win for him and Bellator. More guys are definitely going over there when they can. I just hope they don't give people the same gigantic contracts they gave Rampage or they won't be around long.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ChaosOverkill

Conor is ushering in the Chomochiq fashion era.
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
6,230
4,845
He even says that they gave it to Zuffa to match...so apparently he wasn't that unhappy there.

Or he sends them an offer he knows they won't match in a million years so there's no one left saying "Well how do you know Zuffa wouldn't pay better than what Bellator offered?"

He fights for the money, can't fault him for that, I want them to fight for the money and get paid like they should. I'm not gonna be a fan of his particularly but he is echoing all the criticisms of the deal and he's a fighter, what else can there really asked of one in the proof department?
 

OhWhopDaChamp

TMMAC Addict
Apr 20, 2015
6,222
8,814
He even says that they gave it to Zuffa to match...so apparently he wasn't that unhappy there.
To be fair, he HAD to send it to Zuffa per the matching clause in the contract. They get the chance to match & if a fighter wants to avoid that they would have to wait out the time length before fishing.
 

OhWhopDaChamp

TMMAC Addict
Apr 20, 2015
6,222
8,814
Who? Koscheck said that? I have nothing against the kid, he was here a long time and I like him. But he's done. Hadn't won a fucking fight since 2012. Not one. We don't want him. - Nice Dana.
 

Jonny Quest

Adventurer
Feb 12, 2015
2,917
3,546
I agree pretty much with everything that Kos said. Everything Zuffa has done in the past few years has watered down and made the UFC bland imo. I think the Reebok and FOX deal was a mistake. I hardly ever get excited for cards anymore, it is individual fights that get me to even tune in.
 

dacofty

Yea..Ok..Whatever
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
9,485
9,454
Who? Koscheck said that? I have nothing against the kid, he was here a long time and I like him. But he's done. Hadn't won a fucking fight since 2012. Not one. We don't want him. - Nice Dana.
i love how dana tries to act tough but h wouldnt say that to is face, he talks big shit when around his company. Alley fight i got kos by KO, either that or egg passes out from fear.
 

OhWhopDaChamp

TMMAC Addict
Apr 20, 2015
6,222
8,814
i love how dana tries to act tough but h wouldnt say that to is face, he talks big shit when around his company. Alley fight i got kos by KO, either that or egg passes out from fear.
:) I made that up. I like Dana, he's very sweet and generous personally and his work ethic is astonishing. But yeah, his public comments can be grating af.
 

dacofty

Yea..Ok..Whatever
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
9,485
9,454
:) I made that up. I like Dana, he's very sweet and generous personally and his work ethic is astonishing. But yeah, his public comments can be grating af.
still an Alley fight he is KOd 30 sec in unless his boxercise music is turned up and his channeling richard simons
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331
To be fair, he HAD to send it to Zuffa per the matching clause in the contract. They get the chance to match & if a fighter wants to avoid that they would have to wait out the time length before fishing.
Ahhh ok. Thank you for pointing that out ya sexy thang!
 

Darqnezz

Merkin' fools since pre-school
Apr 25, 2015
4,653
7,214
Oh he was handcuffed. That's why he got choked into oblivion by Jake Ellenberger. I didn't realize the UFC was into handicap matches.
 

Kinosis

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2015
483
596
“I don’t think it supports the fighters and the fighters need to stand up and say, ‘Sorry, we’re out. We’re going to fight our contracts out and get the hell out of this.’ Or at least be able to negotiate. My suggestion for all fighters, all these UFC fighters out there and all fighters in general – fight your fights out, fight your contracts out, because you’re never going to know your market value until you fight your fights out and become a free agent.

“I couldn’t be more excited to get the opportunity to have a boss like Scott Coker,” Koscheck said. “The guy is a guy that you can work with, pick up the phone and call and have a good conversation with, a guy that isn’t going to cuss you out, a guy that’s going to treat you with respect. Scott Coker, I’ve always had a great relationship with him. Finally I get an awesome boss that’s going to be a fun time to work for."

Right there is reality, spoken in it truest form.
Fighters need to realize they have all of the power. Without them the ufc is nothing. If they all left and went to Bellator the ufc would crumble overnight.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
I don't buy it from Kos for some reason. His complaints sound almost scripted, and poorly so. If the number had been higher on that phone call, I wonder if he'd still be keen to join the rebel alliance.
I buy it. Dana publicly took jabs at Josh accusuing him if not being a team player and called him a dick. I'm sure Josh is happy to move on.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
"Dana White doesn't like me, apparently. That's what he says. I'm not a team player. I don't understand how he can say that. To go on record and say that, I think that's a bunch of (expletive)," Koscheck said. "I'm the type of fighter that steps up and fights anybody, anytime, anyplace. I've taken short-notice fights for him. I always do whatever I'm asked."

"I'm going to prove I'm a team player by winning the show and the welterweight title."

"I always use this analogy because I respect Dennis Rodman and what he did. He was one of the best rebounders in the NBA, but he didn't really get noticed until he started acting like a crazy man," Koscheck said. "At the end of the day, I've got to do things for myself and my business to make money so I don't have to work. It's not like we're getting paid $50 million or $60 million a fight like (Floyd) Mayweather."
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
At yesterday’s pre-UFC 115 press conference, UFC president Dana White pulled no punches while expressing his opinion of Josh Koscheck‘s recent suggestion that Olympic-style drug testing should be used in the weeks leading up to his end of year showdown with Georges St-Pierre.

"I think that’s what an athletic commission is for. The athletic commissions have been around for a long time. When fighters start talking about other guys being drug tested? Shut up. Worry about you. It’s been a long time since somebody [on our roster] tested positive for steroids. When we first took over, guys were popping here and there and I said, ‘You have to be a moron to do steroids in this sport.’ It’s just dumb."
 

Wild

Zi Nazi
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
85,004
123,331
Lol at "it's been a long time since someone tested positive for steroids here".

I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I were that full of shit.