Banana on Mocco: This is MMA, not wrestling
Juliano Coutinho on fighting Steve Mocco at Word Series of Fighting 20: I’m feeling very confident because this is MMA and not wrestling.”
While the UFC remains the dominant league in mixed martial arts, there are other promotions, like Bellator and World Series of Fighting that are putting on excellent cards by anyone’s standards.
Main card (NBC Sports at 9 p.m. ET)
David Branch vs. Jesse McElligott
Nick Newell vs. Joe Condon
Phoenix Jones vs. Emmanuel Walo
Steve Mocco vs. Juliano Cuitanho
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Lucas Montoya
Undercard (UG at 7 p.m. ET)
Islam Mamedov vs. Leon Davis
Saul Almeida vs. Chris Foster
Matt Secor vs. Chip Moraza-Pollard
Darren Mima vs. Johnny Campbell
There is a good reason to watch every fight on that card.
Steve Mocco is a beast. Of the eight male UFC champions, five are former folkstyle wrestlers, but none of them won the Dan Hodge Trophy for best collegiate wrestler in the US. Mocco did, and he went on to represent the US in freestyle in the 2008 Olympics and switched to MMA in 2012, training out of ATT in Coconut Creek, FL. Mocco is coming off a decision loss to Smealinho Rama at WSoF Canada 1 on Feb, and he will looking to erase that memory.
Facing Mocco is long, long time favorite on the New England scene Juliano ‘Banana’ Coutinho. In an interview with Brent Brookhouse and Christian Stein for MMAJunkie, Coutinho reminds that the sport is MMA, not wrestling.
Fighting Steve Mocco is a great opportunity, said Coutinho. He’s a known fighter but he’s also early in his MMA career. He has less professional fights than I. But since he’s a talented wrestler, he has a great history in that sport. Everyone knows him. He has Olympic caliber. But that doesn’t bother me.
“I’ve been getting ready for him. I always train with great partners like Gabriel Gonzaga and Daniel Gracie. We also spent a week with Tim Boetsch. I’ve also been working with Brandon Battles, a very talented wrestler. I’m feeling very confident because this is MMA and not wrestling.
“I had reached a point where local fights only no longer sufficed. Plus I wasn’t getting any younger. I think now is my time to see how far I can go in MMA. I’m injury-free. I’ve been training hard and mentally I’m also feeling great. A victory over a name like Steve Mocco would give my career a great boost. I’m very confident.
My strategy against Mocco consists of takedown defense, and quick counterstrikes. I’m aiming for a knockout. I’d like to keep it standing. If it hits the ground, I’m also confident there. I have sharp ground skills. But since this is Steve Mocco, it’s best to keep it standing.