The trash-talking has officially began for the UFC 113 co-main event in Montreal between Josh Koscheck and Paul (Semtex) Daley.
The two welterweight contenders offer up their views on the May 8 fight at the Bell Centre in new blogs on www.ufc.com. Koscheck (16-4) dismisses Daley as a one-dimensional fighter with a big mouth. Daley (23-8-2) says Koscheck is overrated with a glass chin.
Both accuse the other of talking trash.
“He’s gonna have to realize that come May 8, once we get into the cage, there is no more trash-talking,” Koscheck wrote. “He’s gotta shut his mouth and fight, and that’s the difference between me and this guy. He’s had a couple of good fights, but he hasn’t fought anybody like me, that’s for sure. I can guarantee that this fight won’t go past the second round. It will probably end in the first, but I may carry him to the second round.”
Daley predictably sees a different outcome.
“He’s not that great a wrestler,” he wrote. “His takedowns have been stuffed by almost every opponent he’s faced. He can’t kick-box for crap, not if his life depended on it. If he tries to stand with me for even a second, I fear for his well-being.
“His ground and pound is crap. If he grounded and pounded me in my sleep he’d barely have enough power in his punches to wake me up.”
Daley also took a shot at Koscheck’s fighting pedigree.
“I’ve been fighting top guys for years, in MMA and kickboxing. I was fighting top guys while you were doing your homework in college, hanging out with nerds, and wrestling.”
Koscheck says the brash Brit can pick his poison.
“I can submit guys, I can knock guys out, I can head kick guys, and I’m not gonna have a problem standing toe-to-toe with Paul Daley. He’s not gonna hit me with anything I haven’t been hit with. . . . This guy has only one chance on May 8 and that’s a puncher’s chance.”
Koscheck says he doesn’t have time to read papers or check the Internet, which may be good ahead of this fight.
Daley has dubbed his curly-haired opponent Fraggle, a reference to the 1980s children’s TV show “Fraggle Rock” from Muppets creator Jim Henson.
“He looks a little bit like a Fraggle,” Daley told a media conference call Tuesday.
The Daily Star, an English tabloid, got into the spirit by running a photo of a fuzzy Fraggle with Koscheck’s face.
Daley has urged fans to use Photoshop to give Koscheck a new hair look – as one might imagine, the results are less than respectful. Daley plans to present the winning hairstyle to Koscheck at the pre-fight news conference.
Koscheck had other matters on his mind.
“I’m just focused on May 8, putting a beatdown on Paul Daley,” Koscheck said.
NOTES – Asked about rumblings that the winner of the fight might earn a spot as coach on “The Ultimate Fighter” against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Daley said:”I haven’t really heard anything about it, just the same rumours that people have heard on the Internet.” But he said if he was given the opportunity to coach, “it’s such a great opportunity I’d have to accept, and I’d enjoy it. It’s great exposure and a chance to get my face out there a bit more.”
