Couture Confident about Facing another Big Grappler Tonight

Losses to Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez are what many point to as being a problem that will plague Randy Couture in his bout tonight versus Gabriel Gonzaga. Couture feels those problems are simply in the past and his learning curve has allowed them to stay there. “Those fights were about 5 or 6 years ago, I’m a much different fighter than I was then and I’ve learned some valuable lessons in those fights”, comments Couture. “As far as the size difference, I think I answred that question with Tim(Sylvia), I don’ think they get much bigger than that, so I don’t think the size is a big issue.” Couture asserts his improvement in BJJ skills in 2002 is what made him feel he could hang with sizable grapplers such as Rodriguez and Barnett; but proved to be the contrary. “I started to think I was pretty good at it”, recalls Couture on his BJJ knowledge at the time. “Until you pull guard and end up under a guy like Josh Barnett or Ricco Rodriguez, and then they can change your mind pretty fast.” The realization Couture made from those bouts was he is first and foremost a wrestler, and changed his thought process towards the ground game. “What does a wrestler do when he gets on his back? He finds a way to get the hell off of his back”, says Couture. “Instead of laying around down there looking for submissions and playing the guard game.” Since then Couture has worked more on getting off his back in those spots, and even picked up pointers from Chuck Liddell, known for his excellent scrambling ability and a 3-time foe in the Octagon for Couture. “I looked at guys like Chuck Liddell, who rarely spends much time on his back, and realized that was probably a much better tactic for me as well.”

Posted by admin