UFC 154 fight card primer: Patrick Cote vs. Alessio Sakara

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

The Bloody Elbow team gives you a brief preview of all the night's action from UFC 154 in Montreal, Quebec, including this potential FOTN candidate between middleweights Patrick Cote and Alessio Sakara.

The headlining preliminary card fight at UFC 154 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada is a fan-friendly middleweight showdown between knockout artists Patrick Cote (17-8 MMA, 4-8 UFC) and Alessio Sakara (15-9, 1 NC MMA, 6-6 1 NC UFC). It's a must-win for both men as Cote has lost his last 4 UFC fights and Sakara hasn't won since 2010.

There isn't any reason to believe this will go to the ground unless someone is on the canvas after a knockdown. It's a great matchup for fans of striking and anyone who just loves a good brawl. You can catch this fight plus the three preceding contests live on FX at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT before the PPV broadcast at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.

How do these two stack up?

Cote: 32 years old | 5'11" | 75" reach
Sakara: 31 years old | 6'0" | 72" reach

What have these two done recently?

Cote: L - Cung Le (UD) | W - Gustavo Machado (KO) | W - Crafton Wallace (INJURY TKO)
Sakara: L - Brian Stann (KO) | L - Chris Weidman (UD) | W - James Irvin (TKO)

How did these two get here?

Cote's winning and losing streaks in the UFC have come in fours. He lost his first 4 fights, then won his next 4 to earn him a title shot against Anderson Silva, but he's lost his last 4 (including a loss to Silva) and that's where his record stands at 4-8. He's known to pack a good punch, as evidenced by his KOs of Kendall Grove and Drew McFedries, and he's never been knocked out in his career or even stopped on cuts. Injuries have taken off a good chunk of his peak years, and now it's just a matter of staying in the UFC instead of realistically contending for the title again.

Sakara, like Cote, has had trouble staying healthy, and tonight will mark the first time he's fought twice in a year since 2008 (which also represents Cote's last UFC win). He's on a two fight losing streak, and is coming off a violent KO loss at the hands of Brian Stann. For Sakara, it's generally either get knocked out, or be knocked out. Four of his six wins are by KO/TKO, and four of his six losses are by the same result. It's hard to suggest this will be any different.

Why should you care?

I really don't know what more I could tell you to make you watch. This will be an exciting fight and it's the perfect type of matchup to headline an FX prelims special.

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