Koscheck’s antics leave Pierce cold

Pierce was not involved in mixed martial arts at the time, but he tuned into the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and instantly gravitated to Koscheck, a breakout character on the Ultimate Fighting Championship reality show.

Like Pierce, Koscheck was a former college wrestler and Pierce admits an immediate connection with other competitors from his sport.

“I kind of have a thing for wrestlers,” he said. “The further the show went on, the less I liked him because of his personality. It kind of hurt me not to be able to root for him.”

Seven years later, the guy Pierce used to watch on television is expressing his mutual dislike as the two prepare to fight in a key welterweight battle in UFC 143 on Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“I’ve got this loudmouth Mike Pierce fighting me on Saturday night. It’s going to be a fun fight because I’m actually excited about this one,” Koscheck said. “If he fought as well as he ran his mouth, he would probably be the UFC champion right now.”

The statement is a bit shocking coming from the ultra-polarizing Koscheck, who UFC president Dana White recently said was clearly the most hated fighter in the organization.

“Hey, I got a record. That’s a title, right?” Koscheck said of White’s claim before channeling Adam Sandler’s title character “Happy Gilmore.” “I’ve actually got two. I’m the only guy who has ever tried to take his skate off and stab somebody while ice skating.”

Koscheck, 34, couldn’t get any more despised by fans even if he did try to pull such a stunt. From the outset of his career, he has been booed pretty much every time he has walked into the octagon.

He has embraced the heel role more enthusiastically in recent fights, playing the part to perfection and marketing himself in that manner.

Pierce, 31, doesn’t think it’s an act.

“I tend to believe that’s the real Josh Koscheck. That’s what he does. He likes to antagonize people. That’s just his thing. It will come to bite him in the butt later,” Pierce said. “I honestly don’t know him personally. I’ve never met him. From what I gather from people who know him, that’s kind of just who he is.”

He also is a very good fighter.

Koscheck, a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Pennsylvania’s Edinboro University, is a perennial contender. By winning this fight, he could get back in the mix for the interim title that will be awarded in the main event Saturday, depending on the rehab schedule of champion Georges St. Pierre, who is out after surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz will fight for the interim belt.

Koscheck says he wants to fight the winner. He had a shot at St. Pierre in December 2010, but lost a fairly one-sided decision.

The fight against Pierce, who has won four of five to work his way to the fringe of contender status but hasn’t been on the main portion of a pay-per-view card in more than two years, doesn’t seem like the type Koscheck would want to further his championship resume.

In fact, he said he had never heard of Pierce when he was told who he would be fighting. Pierce scoffs at that dig, pointing out he fought Koscheck’s friend and teammate Jon Fitch just two years ago.

“Either he’s lying or he’s just dumb,” Pierce said. “One of the two. I don’t know which.”

Koscheck says the fight makes sense for the most important reason to him.

“I’m a gold-digger, homey,” he said. “I have that saying, ‘Anytime, anywhere, anyplace, anybody.’ That’s my slogan about fighting. I’m getting paid the same whether I fight Mike Pierce or Carlos Condit, so it really doesn’t matter to me. I’m just trying to make that money and win fights and get a crack at that interim title.”

Koscheck was due to fight Condit on this card, with Diaz taking on St. Pierre in the main event. St. Pierre’s injury changed everything and left Koscheck with no opponent. Pierce called into an MMA radio show and offered himself up as an opponent, then followed up with a call to the UFC proposing the same.

Koscheck was evidently irritated by the call-out and comments Pierce has made about fans hating Kocheck.

“This kid’s been talking a lot,” he said. “He’s a confident young man, and I’ve got to put a stop to that.”

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.