Confident contender: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Patrick Cote

photo courtesy of Glenn Dextras: www.dextrasphotography.com

Patrick Cote is coming off two big stoppage wins over heavy-handed fighters, Drew McFedries and Kendall Grove.

"The Predator" was recently in town to promote UFC 81: "Breaking Point," hosting a viewing party put on by my friends from The Substance Entertainment Group at the Diesel Playhouse in Toronto, Canada.

Patrick had time to take pictures and sign some autographs for his fans during the action-packed night of fights. As soon as UFC 81 concluded, we wrapped things up with the media and headed over to a local club to continue the celebration. At the new location, I had the chance to relax with Patrick well into the night and he took the time to talk to all the Maniacs out there.

Patrick was asked repeatedly about being on the UFC 83 fight card in Montreal and he is obviously itching to fight –- he stated numerous times that he is ready to go as long as the UFC can find him an opponent.

That search is currently underway.

He's eager to prove that his most recent decisive and dominant performances are indicative of the real Patrick Cote and not the fighter who failed to capture a win inside the Octagon in his first four attempts.

Put simply, he is a much better fighter than his early UFC record indicated.

After sharing a few beverages, we were talking about everything other than fighting. Patrick is as big a Green Bay Packers fan as you can find, telling me:

"Two things besides fighting that are my dream – go to a Green Bay Packers game and go to the Superbowl."

It was then that that I reminded him back in December to go to a Packers game because I had an extra ticket for our now annual road trip to Green Bay. Apparently, he didn't put two and two together and was visibly distraught that he didn't get to go with us.

Nonetheless, I promised him that I'd take him next season to which he told me:

"I'm in for sure – you call and we're going."

Now I just have to figure out who's losing their ticket for next year.

Of course, we did find time to discuss mixed martial arts and shoot the breeze about his arduous journey from four-time loser to possible contender and a lot more. Here's that conversation:

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Patrick thanks for taking the time to sit down and speak with us – how are things?

Patrick Cote: Things are good, thanks.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Good to hear – congrats on your big win over a tough Miletich fighter in Drew McFedries. It was a great fight to watch as a fan, and it proved to everyone that you belong with the heavy hitters of the middleweight division.

Patrick Cote: Thanks, I've always known I belong here and it's good to hear.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Now you've had some pretty impressive fights as of late, and you've stopped some tough guys. Where do you feel you stand in the middleweight mix right now?

Patrick Cote: You know I'm very confident right now. I'm three wins in a row in the UFC and I just want to fight a top five fighter who will give me a competitive fight.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Good. So how far off do you feel you are from a title shot?

Patrick Cote: I don't know, maybe a fight or two fights away. But I don't want to think about that – you know I'll fight whoever is in front of me. My job is to be in shape and fight ... that's it. So if the title fight comes, I'll take it for sure.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): You started your UFC career with some consecutive losses, but not all fans know that you beat some pretty tough opponents between those losses in smaller shows like Jason MacDonald and Bill Mahood as examples. What do the smaller organizations offer to a fighter, like you, who seemingly needed to regroup and come back stronger?

Patrick Cote: You know, you don't want to go back into the small shows, that's the thing. But sometimes you have to. You know, even after my fight with Scott Smith, the UFC asked me to go into a small show to have an impressive win to get back into the big show. It's a good thing to go back to the small shows to prove yourself against tough guys like MacDonald and Mahood, but when you're in the UFC you definitely want to stay there. When you are on top, you don't want to go any lower than that.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Ok, now that your UFC career is on track fans are eagerly anticipating seeing you on the fight card in Montreal for UFC 83 in April, but rumor has it that you aren't going to be on that card. Can you set us straight?

Patrick Cote: I don't know, I want to tell you that I'll be on the card but I don't know, I want to fight for sure – I'm ready to go, it's just having to find an opponent right now. But if I'm not on the card, I want to be involved somehow. (Note: UFC President Dana White announced yesterday that Cote would indeed compete on the card. No opponent has been made official at this time.)

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Along those lines, rumor also has it that you will be a guest commentator for this card.

Patrick Cote: Yeah, the UFC asked me to do that, but you know I'm not a commentator. I'm a fighter so I want to fight – especially since this is the UFC's first fight in Montreal so I want to fight for sure.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): I'm sure all of your fans, especially your hometown crowd, would love to see you on this card. Now Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson are set to square off in March at UFC 82 for the middleweight belt. What are your thoughts on this fight and do you have any predictions?

Patrick Cote: I can't really choose a winner, I just really hope that, actually, I don't hope, I know that will be a crazy fight and I think that either fighter could win this fight.

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Do you have anyone in mind as an opponent for your next fight?

Patrick Cote: You know I'm looking forward to getting the winner of Yushin Okami and Evan Tanner because I think this kind of fight will give me a title shot after that you know?

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): For sure. Now, is there anyone you'd like to thank up to this point in your career?

Patrick Cote: I'd like to thank everybody who takes care of me when I come to Toronto. I'm enjoying my life right now. I'd like to thank all of my sponsors, especially Full Contact Fighter – they've been with me since the beginning and my manager, Stephane Patry, and of course all of my fans out there. Before I forget, I'd like to say a special thank you to Johnny Rourke who put together a crazy fight song for me. I want everyone to check it out on my MySpace page!

Sean McManus (MMAmania.com): Alright Patrick, speaking of taking care of you while you're here, I think they've got the Grey Goose on ice for us upstairs. Thanks for taking the time to speak to us at MMAMania.com. We wish you the best of luck in your bid to get on the Montreal card, but either way we're looking forward to seeing you in the Octagon again soon my man.

Patrick Cote: Thank you for the support guys.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.