After two cancellations and five months, welterweight Orion Kos was finally able to get his bout with Mike “Blood Diamond” Mthetha at UFC 277 last July.
Coming into the bout with Mthetha suffering the only defeat of his career, Koss was happy to finish the fight and get the win and get himself back on track.
“2022 overall, I wish I had that fight (earlier), but things happen the way they do,” Cosce told MMAWeekly.com. “It felt good to start it, to be back in the Octagon on a PPV. It was a fun fight for the fans, a fun fight for us and I was able to raise my hand.
“I wish I was a little more active, but again things happen, so I focused on my recovery and health and look forward to being back out there for 2023.”
Entering his fifth year as a pro, Cos believes he has been able to isolate and correct any hiccups in his game so he can be a better fighter than ever in 2023 .
“I feel very strong,” Kose said. “Everything feels like it’s improved a lot, in a good way.
“Just anything I had to work on, that was one of my weaknesses, I was able to figure out boxing and then through the week I was able to get it out, working with my coaches to figure that out.” It helped me figure out what my weaknesses were, work on those weaknesses and become a better fighter, a more well-rounded fighter, overall.
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Orion Kos faces Gilbert Urbina at UFC Vegas 73
On May 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Koss (8-1) will look for his second win in a row when he faces Gilbert Urbina (6-2) in a preliminary round welterweight bout. UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Hill.
“Gilbert I know is going to come out hungry,” Coase said. “He hasn’t fought in two years, so I’m looking forward to seeing a new version of Gilbert Urbina. I have nothing but respect for him, his team, his camp and his family.
“I know he likes to come out strong, but he has a tendency to come out a little too strong, and he’s (out) if he doesn’t finish. He’s a very well-rounded competitor. , So I’m looking forward to that type of opponent, and looking forward to a fight that could be either an average finish or a Fight of the Night performance.
While Cos will fight every week if possible, he knows that to be as active as possible in the second half of 2023, he must first cross Urbina on May 20.
“I want to get this fight done before I can focus on the second half, then get more active,” Kose said. “I’ve always said it in the past, but I really want to be more active, not only for myself but for my family, friends, all my fans and the UFC.
“I want to fight three or four times before July. If all goes well, take it easy, hopefully I can get there in June or something. Get my ass over there, get me some fights I’m the kind of guy who always wants to be active.
