Josh Koscheck vs Michael Pierce

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Mike Pierce asked for this fight, so obviously Josh Koscheck is totally cheesed off about it. Both are great wrestlers, but Koscheck also knows how to punch. Koscheck shows up shredded as per usual. Mike Pierce is looking pretty soft.

Round 1-Pierce shoots for the single and pushes Koscheck against the fence. Koscheck doesn’t look bothered since Pierce isn’t doing a lot of damage. The fans are booing. Pierce lands a few shots as they disengage. I don’t think Koscheck has bothered to throw a punch yet.

Koshcheck pushes Pierce against the fence. The fans are still booing. Koscheck lands a knee and starts moving forward. Koscheck has started to get aggressive. Koscheck just caught Pierce. They’re swinging like crazy. It’s hard to tell who got the better of that exchange, but it looked like Koscheck did. 

Mike Pierce landed a nice punch right there.  Koscheck looks like he landed a big right, but it was hard to tell because they switched the camera angle. Pierce goes for the takedown, but fails. That was a really close round, but Pierce was more aggressive.

Round 2-Koscheck eats a right. Pierce shoots for the single. Koscheck needs to get some offense going. He’s defending just fine, but you’re not going to win the fight by defending. Koscheck pushes Pierce back against the fence and the crowd is booing again. Pierce lands a slight combo as they disgenage. Koscheck needs to let his hands go. He’s too tentative.

Pierce has a major cut on the top of his head. It came from a headbutt, according to Joe Rogan. Koscheck lands a right. Koscheck is starting to find his range. Koscheck just misses a big knee. Pierce pushes Koscheck against the fence again. Koscheck lands some shots in the clinch. Koscheck lands a big right. Koscheck lands a left.

Herb Dean stops the action because of an accidental poke. Koshckeck shoots and gets the takedown. About time. He’s got Pierce’s back against the fence. Herb Dean is telling them to work. Koscheck gets Pierce’s back and lands a shot as Pierce gets back up.

Koscheck 10-9. Herb Dean tells him to watch his fingers. Rogan and Goldberg appear to have access to statistics that they previously did not have access to.

Round 3-The fans are booing one more because there’s not a lot of action. Pierce gets a single and scores the takedown, but Koscheck gets right back up and pushes Pierce against the cage. Herb Dean and the fans are not appreciating this wrestler-v-wrestler matchup.

The fans are still voicing their displeasure and Herb Dean is telling them to work. Pierce lands a few shots in the clinch. Koshckeck lands an uppercut. This fight is probably even right now. Pierce’s face is starting to show damage. Koscheck shoots, but Pierce sprawls effectively. Herb Dean tells them to work, but they’re already working hard at the moment.

Herb Dean breaks them up. Probably a good call because this fight is really close. Pierce just caught a finger in Kosheck’s eye. He was warned about that, so he’s lucky Herb Dean didn’t take a point. Herb Dean has been pretty aggressive with the point deductions, having already deducted two points from Alex Caceres.

The fighters exchange and Koscheck gets the better of it. Koscheck gets the takedown, but Pierce pops up and throws a spinning elbow as the round ends. Lusty boos from the crowd  Not a lot of offense in that fight.

I have it 29-28 Koscheck. Pierce is really good at making a close fight by pushing people against the fence, but I don’t think it was enough.

Judges score it 29-28 Pierce and 29-28 Koscheck (twice). The right call, but that was a close one for Koscheck. Not a crowd-pleaser.

Joe Rogan’s mic goes out, but he’s able to fix it by whacking it with his hand. He seems to have retained some skills from his role on News Radio.