Former UFC and Bellator welterweight, Josh Koscheck, has decided to call it a career. On Thursday, “Kos” officially shared the news that he’s retiring from mixed martial arts while calling into The Luke Thomas Show on Sirius XM.
UFC And Bellator Veteran, Josh Koscheck Retires
Well, Josh Koscheck just told me he's officially retired on #TLTS.
— Luke Thomas🏋️♀️ (@lthomasnews) June 28, 2018
Koscheck’s Rise
Josh Koscheck rose to prominence while appearing on The Ultimate Fighter Season 2, where he engaged in spirited rivalries with the likes of Chris Leben and Diego Sanchez. Following TUF, Koscheck won seven of his first eight contests under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner and overall he secured 15 victories during his tenure with the promotion. Koscheck holds notable triumphs over Matt Hughes, Frank Trigg, Anthony Johnson, Paul Daley and the aforementioned Diego Sanchez, among others.
Hard-Times At The End
Like so many of his contemporaries, the conclusion of Koscheck’s career was filled with setbacks. The Dethrone Base Camp representative suffered defeats in seven his last ten matches, five of which were by stoppage. Included in this tally was his lone fight in Bellator, where he was finished via 2nd Round TKO by Brazil’s Mauricio Alonso. The series of losses began with his unsuccessful UFC title shot against the welterweight legend, Georges St-Pierre. “Rush” earned a clear unanimous decision win over Koscheck in the main event of their UFC 124 affair.
A Lasting Legacy
Josh Koscheck will be remembered as one of the top wrestle-boxers of his time and as a mixed martial artist who could spark emotion out of his adversaries. He was notorious for his quick-witted trash talk and his ability to get under the skin of his opponents. Evidenced by his goading of Paul Daley to strike him after the bell following their UFC 113 encounter. This act led to “Semtex’s” banishment from the UFC.
Koscheck exits the sport with a record of 17-11. Here’s to hoping he finds as much success in the next chapter of his career as he did while competing in the cage.
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