Every aspiring MMA fighter strives to make it to the UFC to showcase their talents. If they are fortunate enough to have the Big Show knock on their door, they know that a loss or poor showing could result in never getting another invitation back. This certainly has not been the case for Patrick Cote, who has compiled an embarrassing 1-4 record in his UFC career.
"You have to understand that if you're a fighter in the UFC, you're lucky to be there because the UFC is like the NHL, and you can't go higher. So you have to perform well and enjoy your moment here. And if you want to stay here, you have to put on a good show and win your fights," Cote stated.
So how can a fighter that has performed so poorly for the largest MMA organization on the planet manage to get opportunity after opportunity? Well, outside of the Octagon, Cote has managed to fight his way to a respectable 10-4 record, beating the likes of Jason MacDonald, a highly regarded up and coming UFC Middleweight.
"The Octagon was like a big monster for me in this sport. Everywhere else I could beat everybody and I don't have any problems," admitted Cote. The Canadian added, "Even if I beat a very good guy in the organization like Jason MacDonald outside of the UFC, I beat a very good guy, but if I can't win in the UFC, why would they invite me back again?"
Cote was finally able to crack the UFC win column, beating Scott Smith at UFC 67. He now takes his one fight UFC win streak against The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 Middleweight Champion, Kendall Grove at UFC 74. Cote, a former Ultimate Fighter cast member himself, seems confident heading into this weekend's bout.
"He's a very tall guy, but I already fought a guy that tall before at 205 (Ricardeau Francois), so it's not a big deal for me, and I'm pretty sure I'll be stronger and more powerful than him," said Cote of Grove. "I can't see him being strong at 185 being 6-6. The most difficult thing is the height and to find a hole to go inside and do your stuff. But I have good training partners. I have a guy who is 6-5 to train with, a very good Muay Thai guy, so I'll be ready for this fight."
Cote will be entering this fight as a 2-1 underdog, but he has had his back against the wall before.
"My last fight against Scott Smith was do or die for me, and I think this fight with Kendall Grove is the same thing," he said. "I can't lose this fight, I just can't. Losing is never an option for me, but I'm still borderline with the UFC, so I have to keep focused to win my fight."
The 27-year old is very focused and confident heading into the fight, and he credits that to his mental state. "My mental game is my number one skill, and nobody can break me mentally," said Cote. "I know that I have a lot of skills, and in the past I've had bad luck and I made mistakes too during the fights. I'm very confident. I'm always very confident in my skills, but now I have to put all my skills together to win my next fight. I've worked a lot on that, and I'm going to fight not only to win but to get some respect."
His road to gaining respect resumes August 25th at the Mandalay Bay Event Center. The UFC and their fans will be looking on anxiously as Cote continues to prove his worthiness to fight in front of them.
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