Long-time UFC fighter Josh Koscheck has been unveiled as Bellator’s latest high-profile signing.
Koscheck, who had been with the UFC for 10 days since rising to prominence on the very first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show back in 2005, has signed a multi-year deal with the promotions biggest rivals, following in the footsteps of Phil Davis who also moved over toe Bellator earlier this year.
“Started my career on #SpikeTV & I’m going to finish my career here!!!” Koscheck wrote on Twitter. “Thank you @ScottCoker for believing in me!”
The 37 year-old was seen as part of the furniture in the UFC with 25 fights under his belt in the Octagon, but despite once being a leading welterweight contender who fought for the title against George St. Pierre back in 2010, he’s looked a shadow of his former self in recent years.
That’s clearly evident in the fact that he’s lost his last five fights in a row, spanning a three year period, with four of them being stopped well inside the distance.
Retirement had looked a real possibility for him, but clearly Bellator think there’s still life in the old dog yet, and if nothing else what Koscheck still brings to the table is an ability to attract attention to his fights as he’s happy to embrace his role as someone that fans love to hate, a persona that’s stuck with him throughout his career due to his antics on TUF season 1.
Koscheck is already up to his old tricks as last night he was engaging in some trash-talking as he brought up the possibility of rematching an old rival in the Bellator cage.
“Only thing I want to do next… is bitch slap Paul Daley one more time!!” Koscheck stated on Twitter. “Remember the ass kickin I gave you?!!”
He is of course referring to an infamous 2010 encounter with Daley in the Octagon in which Koscheck easily outgrappled Daley over the course of three rounds, only for the British fighter to then sucker punch him moments after the final bell.
The highly controversial moment led to Daley being banned for life from the UFC by Dana White who’s since resisted calls to reverse that decision. Needless to say bad blood still runs between the two fighters and with Daley currently signed to Bellator perhaps there is a chance the two can now fight again to settle their differences once and for all.
It remains to be seen whether Koscheck can discover a new lease of life at Bellator, but if nothing else he’ll certainly get people talking.
