Guerilla warfare: Josh Koscheck earns jiu-jitsu brown belt before UFC 103 fight against Frank Trigg
by Jesse Holland on Sep 16, 2009 10:24 AM EDT
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Heading into UFC 103 against Frank Trigg on Sept. 19 from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, UFC welterweight contender Josh Koscheck will be making his fifteenth appearance inside the Octagon.
And on Saturday night versus "Twinkle Toes," he'll be doing it as a newly-minted jiu-jitsu brown belt.
"Kos" earned the honor last week after completing another chapter in his training under esteemed grappling mentor, Dave Camarillo.
In addition to being the head grappling coach at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), Camirillo is the founder of Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu, a unique and innovative approach that combines Jiu-Jitsu with Judo.
Camarillo is a black belt under Ralph Gracie and used his experience in Judo to create the hybrid "Guerilla" system, which emphasizes the use of throws that segue directly into submissions on the ground.
That style can be complemented by a wrestler, like Koscheck, who knows how to shoot and score big slams.
The former Ultimate Fighter is an impressive 10-4 inside the Octagon since his debut back in October 2005. Despite a rare misstep against Paulo Thiago at UFC 95 earlier this year, the former division number one contender continues to improve and take himself to the next level.
Frank Trigg may have picked a bad time to make his Octagon return.
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meh….another BJJ trainer handing out a belt right before his student’s big fight…that always seems a little self-motivated to me.
by introvert on Sep 16, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah bugs me a bit too. Dish em out like their nothing. Besides when has Kos ever been the no1 contender mania?
by Nick J on Sep 16, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he was in a No.1 contender fight vs GSP at UFC 74. I think that’s what Mania was referring to.
by Synyster on Sep 16, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm, think your letting them off a bit lightly Syn : )
A fight to become no1 contender is not the same as being. I know I am being picky!!! Long day.
by Nick J on Sep 16, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know about ‘Dish em out like their nothing’. Fitch has very good jits and his defense is amazing. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. It was only a few years ago I saw pics of him getting his blue and purple- so I’ll say congrats!
by DSmith on Sep 16, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah i get ya. its not like Kos being a brown belt is going to help or hinder him vs Trigg anyway. Kos wont be pulling guard or going for armbars any day soon, and I expect him to avoid the ground, and stand vs Trigg
by Synyster on Sep 16, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If fitch had really good jits he might be able to finish a fight now and then instead of just riding dudes’ backs to one lame decision after another.
by PW on Sep 16, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am being cynical I know but I wonder if Kos/Fitch were joe bloggs off the street would they have been Brown/Black respectivly.
I haven’t seen any half decent Jits from either.
by Nick J on Sep 16, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mick J: I can assure you that realistically, Koscheck does not have the skills of a legit bJJ brown belt. I see him make technical mistakes all the time left and right in his ground game but it is masked by his freakish wrestling ability. If Kos was a nobody, I promise he wouldnt have a brown belt…Fitch on the other hand, I feel deserves his belt!
by john G on Sep 16, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fitch has great BJJ, if he didn’t then he’d have been submitted countless times. The problem with his fights are that he just defends submissions and maintains control, like in the Diego and Paulo fights. I’d like to see him use his BJJ skills offensively instead of defensively.
As for Kos I don’t rate his BJJ that highly but it is smart for him to be training in GJJ, as too many BJJ specialists look like fish out of water in MMA because they can’t take the fight to the ground. This style is perfectly suited for a guy like Kos who has excellent takedowns but has never been known for being a deadly finisher on the ground, training in this new martial art could make him a much more dangerous and well rounded fighter. I like the idea of GJJ and it will hopefully produce more aggressive JJ specialists if it takes off, that way we see more Demian Maia’s and less Thales Leites’ in MMA.
by David W-S on Sep 16, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yo Camarillo is as legit as you get as a Black belt. Doesn’t compete anymore but the man has skills and talent. Hell when he started he got his blue belt in a few weeks from Ralph gracie. Also both him and his brother has ridiculous Judo. He’s one of first people to merge BJJ and judo into a full fledged system.
by NameNotRequired on Sep 16, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not to mention his flying submissions. Sick and intricate-way crazier than anything you’ll see aoki pull off.
by NameNotRequired on Sep 16, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
(first part of comment in mod)
by NameNotRequired on Sep 16, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know if they dish them out like they are nothing, and I won’t say a fighter deserves it or doesn’t…it just bothers me that they always seem to be handed out right before a fight…like there is something that the fighter always does a week before the fight but couldn’t do 2 months before…give me a break.
by introvert on Sep 16, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
introvert- Maybe so, but either way Trigg is in big trouble tonight!
by ducknow on Sep 16, 2009 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I bet Trigg doesn’t have a scratch on him after tonight.
by introvert on Sep 16, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Since Kos hasn’t submitted anyone since the venerable Ansar Chalangov more than three years ago, I think this sounds a bit meaningless.
by PW on Sep 16, 2009 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
KOS strength is always going to be his stand up and wrestling I think his JJ knowlege against the top guy’s may not be noticed by most fans as i believe the main reason he trains his JJ is for defence against JJ unless he fights a striker like semtex his offence of JJ will not be seen in most of his fights.
by Puck Head on Sep 16, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no offense to these fighters but most of the belts handed out in the mma world are no way legitimate… ive been going jits for 7 yrs and have my brown belt… if with a legit dojo generally takes about 2 yrs a color
by intellect on Sep 16, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’ve always disliked Kos. He looks like one of those hobo clowns with his scruff & blond/white assfro.
Hope twinkle toes surprises us & embarrasses Kos altho he’ll probs get out wrestled en route to a UD awarded to Kos
by Daniel worby on Sep 16, 2009 10:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Now that you mention it, you know who he reminds me of? Hollywood Hulk Hogan when he was a bad guy with the blond hair and mustache but with his beard dyed black.
by PW on Sep 16, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
why is kos still rocking that goofy blonde afro? we get it kos, ur trying to make an image for yourself, we know who you are already, just fing cut that mop off your head already
by brendan on Sep 16, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I think I might actually like him if he just got rid of the mop.
by LJ on Sep 16, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Koscheck is a joke – anyone who thinks this guy is a world class fighter needs a slap. he’s a little pussy that would get smashed in anyones town. He is NOTHING. Small dudes like Penn and Aoki would piss on his fire.
by Insain on Sep 16, 2009 10:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
are you serious? best shot in MMA.
His striking is improving rapidly and he is other than GSP the best wrestler in the sport.
by annon on Sep 16, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And does anyone know if its a dye job or if he’s actually cursed with that catastrophic dew? At least buzz it short.
Everytime I see him I sing that clown song in my head from the circus.
Wish Leben would have got hold of him on tuf 1 after he went incredible hulk on the house and doors. Would’ve made my life.
by Daniel worby on Sep 16, 2009 12:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
People here are a little hard on Kos for his figting abilities but I’m not a fan and heard his interview recently were he said GSP “isn’t an MMA fighter anymore just a wrestler” ??
MMA isn’t a boxing match throwing wild overhand rights only wanting a ko, or just ground fighting. Gsp fights guys against there weakness not there strengths, kos is a dumb fighter IMO. Yes his last fight against alves wasn’t his most exciting but he did what he had to do to get the W and wasn’t able to finish alves as alves sub defense was too good as well as ability to take and avoid a punch was too good also. Gsp tried like hell all 4 rounds until the fifth were he was hurt and he just kind of held alves down. Gsp mixes things up better than anyone I’ve ever seen before in MMA, the very definition of a true mixed martial artist. He is very well versed in all sorts of striking is a third degree black belt in karate, is a black belt in bjj and is a superb wrestler. IMO its sour grapes with kos and it must be embarassing because he tried to take alves down every round, and got beaten up on the feet and gsp took alves down almost at will and actually dropped alves once, almost finishing the fight.
In some ways kos is a lot like gsp, excellent explosive wrestling, just lacks the timing, is fast and athletic, but much behind in striking technique and behind in sub skills but the thing this guy lacks the most is a good game plan and fighting brains. He has potential but is a moron. Gsp is smart taking guys down does 3 things. It counts for points on the judges score cards, it gets the fight to the ground setting up a sub, and it makes your opponent afraid of your shot making there striking less effective……kos just doesn’t seem to get it.
by nathan on Sep 16, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yup! Kos is gunna get subbed just like Joe Daddy.
by Vulcano on Sep 16, 2009 1:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
koscheck will own triggs…IMO and I don’t like kos.
by nathan on Sep 16, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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