170 lbs. Josh “Kos” Koscheck vs. Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg
Odds: (-500 Koscheck / +300 Trigg) at Sportsbook.com
In a compelling Welterweight fight, Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg makes his UFC return against powerful wrestler Josh Koscheck. Trigg, once a top contender in UFC’s 170 pound division, was released from the company following consecutive losses to Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre. A successful run outside of the Octagon, though, has brought him right back to the big show, where he will look to avoid being defeated by yet another top amateur wrestler. Koscheck, for his part, will be looking to get back on track after a shocking upset loss to unheralded Paulo Thiago.
Trigg is probably one of the most underrated welterweights in the world. He is extremely well-rounded, with good wrestling, good standup, and good submissions. Also, he has fought in all of the top organizations against all of the best fighters in the world. That said, he still is not going to outwrestle Josh Koscheck, so he is going to need to keep his distance, work his striking game, and try to stuff Koscheck’s powerful, driving double legs.
What makes this fight so compelling is that Koscheck has also grown into a very well-rounded fighter. Once considered a boring lay and pray specialist, Koscheck’s kickboxing has improved by leaps and bounds over his UFC career to the point that he is now a formidable striker. Still, after being knocked out by a relative nobody in his last fight, Koscheck is going to want to go back to his bread and butter, wrestling, if he wants to conquer Trigg.
In the end, that’s exactly what I see happening. Koscheck is a hyper competitive guy, and I think that, to come back from an embarrassing loss and re-establish himself as a winner, he will go back to the strategy that got him to the table.
I think Trigg will prove slippery and give Koscheck some trouble, but ultimately Koscheck’s wrestling is going to be too much for the long-time veteran, garnering him a unanimous decision win.
