Josh Koscheck KO's Paulo Thiago

by nk on Feb 23, 2009 5:42 PM EST

Imagine if we saw they exact same fight but Kos KO'd Thiago. Kos was expected to win that fight, and when we get surprised like that we try and find an excuse as to why we were wrong.

If the referee had stepped in and saved Thiago we would be saying he did the right thing by protecting him from the superior fighter.

If the roles were reversed, this would be a non-issue. We all felt that Thiago was going to need to be mercifully saved in that fight. We also, naturally feel that Kos is so much better a fighter that had the ref not stepped in Kos would have recovered an beat Thiago.

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We also, naturally feel that Kos is so much better a fighter that had the ref not stepped in Kos would have recovered an beat Thiago.

We do?

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Feb 23, 2009 6:07 PM EST reply actions

Re-watch the fight.

If Thiago hadn’t held back when he first knocked him down Kos wouldn’t have recovered either. The stoppage was fair.

by Wookalarman on Feb 23, 2009 6:21 PM EST reply actions

I’ve rewatched the ending several times. Kos looks fit to defend himself.

by Michaelthebox on Feb 23, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions

Only several seconds after the blow landed did he prepare – had Thiago been smart and pounced during that intervening time, it wouldn’t be an issue – people might even be complaining it was a late stoppage. Kos got lucky.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Feb 23, 2009 9:06 PM EST up reply actions

He was in lala land.

by Bigperm on Feb 23, 2009 10:42 PM EST up reply actions

When he slammed his head on the mat, that is what woke him up. His brain was scrambled.

by J_Maddux on Feb 24, 2009 2:42 AM EST up reply actions

i’m not a doctor, but heads bouncing off mats don’t usually “wake people up”. they often knock people out. koschek was still to, although slightly dazed. after he went down, thiago was too slow to even react to kos’s fall, and didn’t even capitalize. kos had time to recover. being dazed doesn’t mean being knocked out. we’ve all see fights where the fighter gets dazed, recovers, and moves on to win the fight. i’m not even a kos fan, and i think the fight was definitely too early of a stoppage

by whitneyh on Feb 24, 2009 9:27 AM EST up reply actions

They can – see Ken Shamrock’s fights against Tito – he appeared fine after the elbows, even though he was clearly out during them, hence “flash KO”. The brain works in mysterious ways…

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Feb 24, 2009 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

I think Shamrock is always considered KO’d at this point in time.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Feb 24, 2009 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

Couldn’t this have been left in the comments in one of the articles written about it on the main page?

by ufc4 on Feb 23, 2009 7:13 PM EST reply actions

My exact thoughts.

"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry

by Blackout612 on Feb 23, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

Not the Kos I saw

Dude, Thiago pretty much just stood there because he knew he was out and the ref was on his way. If Thiago had jumped on him instead of hesitating, Kos would not have been ready for him anyway.

by Wookalarman on Feb 23, 2009 7:14 PM EST reply actions

Kos was out. Look at his eyes when he first fell. He had that dazed, unfocused look about him. If he were awake, he’d have a more urgent expression knowing Thiago was following up. Kos’ conditioning allowed him to recover quickly, but I still think it was a good (albeit, close) call.

What didn’t help was Thiago didn’t jump right in. Had he bounced Kos around a bit, it would’ve been more definitive. Nonetheless, he was merciful (good martial arts philosophy) and Kos stays healthy so he can fight again in a month (or whatever).

by INGO B on Feb 23, 2009 8:17 PM EST reply actions

agreed

personally i would rather see mercy opposed to kos’s head bouncing on the mat a few times

by Epy on Feb 23, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

Good Post

I think that you’re right. I expected Kos to win and I’m also a Kos fan so I think the stoppage was early. If Kos KOed Thiago I don’t think I would have that feeling.

You are absolutely correct – and yet I still feel that the fight shouldh ave continued :P

by rainmaker6 on Feb 23, 2009 11:12 PM EST reply actions