UFC 121 Preview: Patrick Cote vs Tom Lawlor
Before the main card of the Ultimate Fighting Championships’ UFC 121 event kicks off, two fights will be broadcast on Spike TV, a free cable channel to dry and hook last-minute buyers for the PPV. In one
of the fights, the UFC has a potential slugfest brewing as former title challenger Patrick “The Predator” Cote takes on American Tom“Filthy” Lawlor.
Recent form
Currently 13-6 in his career, the Cote fought for Canadian organisations until in only his sixth fight he got his UFC debut in the main event of UFC 50 as an injury replacement, and was beaten by Tito Ortiz.
After that, he fought sporadically for the UFC while picking up wins in smaller organisations, and lost all his next three UFC fights, giving him a record of 0-4 in the promotion.
After that though he won five fights in a row, with four in the UFC, and earned a title shot against Anderson Silva. He blew out his knee in the third round, was out for 19 months, and then returned to lose
to Alan Belcher in May 2010. That means he hasn’t had a win in around 25 months.
Lawlor on the hand has struggled recently. His first two fights in the UFC were wins, moving him to 6-1, before he dropped a controversial split decision over Aaron Simpson. But then he took on Cote’s countryman
Joe Doerksen in May in what was supposed to be an easy fight, and instead was choked out in the second round. With two straight losses and a 6-3 record, another loss should see him cut from the promotion.
Style, odds, prediction
Cote is known for having fast hands and legitimate knockout power, as well as pretty good technical boxing. Also, with arguably the best chin in the middleweight division, he can take a punch easily.
Lawlor, loved by fans for his colourful personality and ring entrances (he imitates other “fighters” like Hulk Hogan and Apollo Creed), comes from a wrestling background but loves to mix it up as much as
anybody with strikes. He has legitimate power, but probably not the technical acumen of Cote. He also is pretty quick with submissions, as he proved against C.B Dollaway at UFC 100.
Cote is ever improving with his wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is overall a very good fighter, but still doesn’t necessarily have the mental maturity he needs in the cage. He’s still relatively young
at 30, but is too eager. That eagerness both makes him a threat to anybody in the division, but also makes him vulnerable to lower-level fighters like Lawlor. He was doing well against Belcher before he overcommitted on a takedown and got slammed on his head,
leading to his submission loss.
Still, at around a 3/5 favourite on betting lines, he should still have what it takes, and makes more sense as a bet than the 7/5 Lawlor, whose cardio issues see him flag late in fights. Expect a gritty decision
victory for the French Canadian, or a knockout if his hands are fast enough to catch the American.
UFC 121 Preview: Patrick Cote vs Tom Lawlor
Before the main card of the Ultimate Fighting Championships’ UFC 121 event kicks off, two fights will be broadcast on Spike TV, a free cable channel to dry and hook last minute buyers for the PPV. In one of the fights, the UFC has a potential slugfest brewing
as former title challenger Patrick “The Predator” Cote takes on American Tom“Filthy” Lawlor.
Recent form
Currently 13-6 in his career, the Cote fought for Canadian organisations until in only his sixth fight he got his UFC debut in the main event of UFC 50 as an injury replacement, and was beaten by Tito Ortiz. After that, he fought sporadically for the UFC while
picking up wins in smaller organisations, and lost all his next four UFC fights, giving him a record of 0-4 in the promotion.
After that though he won five fights in a row, with four in the UFC, and earned a title shot against Anderson Silva. He blew out his knee in the third round, was out for 19 months, and then returned to lose to Alan Belcher in May 2010. That means he hasn’t
had a win in around 25 months.
Lawlor on the hand has struggled recently. His first two fights in the UFC were wins, moving him to 6-1, before he dropped a controversial split decision over Aaron Simpson. But then he took on Cote’s countryman Joe Doerksen in May in what was supposed to be
an easy fight, and instead was choked out in the second round. With two straight losses and a 6-3 record, another loss should see him cut from the promotion.
Style, odds, prediction
Cote is known for having fast hands and legitimate knockout power, as well as pretty good technical boxing. Also, with arguably the best chin in the middleweight division, he can take a punch easily.
Lawlor, loved by fans for his colourful personality and ring entrances (he imitates other “fighters” like Hulk Hogan and Apollo Creed), comes from a wrestling background but loves to mix it up as much as anybody with strikes. He has legitimate power, but probably
not the technical acumen of Cote. He also is pretty quick with submissions, as he proved against C.B Dollaway at UFC 100.
Cote is ever improving with his wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is overall a very good fighter, but still doesn’t necessarily have the mental maturity he needs in the cage. He’s still relatively young at 30, but is too eager. That eagerness both makes
him a threat to anybody in the division, but also makes him vulnerable to lower-level fighters like Lawlor. He was doing well against Belcher before he overcommitted on a takedown and got slammed on his head, leading to his submission loss.
Still, at around a 5/3 favourite on betting lines, he should still have what it takes, and makes more sense as a bet than the 7/5 Lawlor. Expect a gritty decision victory for the French Canadian.
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