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Canada could have two UFC champions by year's end.
Quebec City's Patrick (The Predator) Cote will take on middleweight title-holder Anderson (The Spider) Silva on Oct. 25, the organization officially announced on Sunday.
Their bout will headline UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, which will also be the first ever event in the state of Illinois, which recently passed legislation to sanction mixed martial arts.
Cote (13-4, 4-4 in the UFC) had earned a title shot after his decision-win early this month over Ricardo Almeida, his fourth straight victory in the Octagon. But it was expected he would first have to wait for Silva to take on Yushin Okami, the division's No. 1 contender.
However, an injury to Okami pushed back his availability. Neither the UFC nor Silva wanted to wait for another marquee fight. And with Cote's aggressive style, a bout between the two would qualify.
"Anderson Silva once again showed why he's the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world when he moved up to light heavyweight and destroyed James (The Sandman) Irvin," UFC president Dana White said in a press release. "Now he drops back down to middleweight to defend his world title against Patrick Cote, a fighter on a four-fight win streak with a style that guarantees an incredible fight, wherever it goes.
"There is no better way to introduce Chicago to the UFC than with the championship fight Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote."
Silva (22-4) is coming off the memorable knockout of Irvin at UFC Fight Night on July 19, one that took just 61 seconds. His most recent middleweight belt defence was against former Pride title-holder Dan Henderson, which he secured with a second-round submission. He also holds two devastating TKO finishes over former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, who is now fighting at a different weight class.
Cote, who is on a five-fight win streak overall and is known as one of the most powerful strikers in the world, said he isn't intimidated.
"Everybody that fought Anderson Silva was scared of him; I'm not scared of him one bit," said Cote. "It's gonna take him 10 straight punches to take me down -- I only need one punch to take him down. I'm Patrick Cote, I win against grapplers and I knock strikers out."
Cote currently trains in Montreal with top-notch fighters, including fellow Quebecer and welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.
"I'm excited to take on Cote, but I am taking him very seriously," Silva said. "He is a dangerous striker and he likes to stand and trade with his opponents. That's the kind of fight fans like to see, and that's definitely the fight we're going to give them Oct. 25."
St. Pierre defends his belt at UFC 87 in Minneapolis on Aug. 9.
NOTES: The first fighter Cote beat in the UFC was Scott Smith, who was a loser to Robbie Lawler Saturday night at an EliteXC event in California. Cote beat Smith by unanimous decision in February 2007 to snap a four-fight losing streak in the Octagon. Smith has not fougt in the UFC since. ... White announced on Saturday that its next overseas card will be available for free, not on pay-per-view. UFC 89, taking place in Birmingham, England on Oct. 18 will air on Spike TV
Quebec City's Patrick (The Predator) Cote will take on middleweight title-holder Anderson (The Spider) Silva on Oct. 25, the organization officially announced on Sunday.
Their bout will headline UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, which will also be the first ever event in the state of Illinois, which recently passed legislation to sanction mixed martial arts.
Cote (13-4, 4-4 in the UFC) had earned a title shot after his decision-win early this month over Ricardo Almeida, his fourth straight victory in the Octagon. But it was expected he would first have to wait for Silva to take on Yushin Okami, the division's No. 1 contender.
However, an injury to Okami pushed back his availability. Neither the UFC nor Silva wanted to wait for another marquee fight. And with Cote's aggressive style, a bout between the two would qualify.
"Anderson Silva once again showed why he's the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world when he moved up to light heavyweight and destroyed James (The Sandman) Irvin," UFC president Dana White said in a press release. "Now he drops back down to middleweight to defend his world title against Patrick Cote, a fighter on a four-fight win streak with a style that guarantees an incredible fight, wherever it goes.
"There is no better way to introduce Chicago to the UFC than with the championship fight Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote."
Silva (22-4) is coming off the memorable knockout of Irvin at UFC Fight Night on July 19, one that took just 61 seconds. His most recent middleweight belt defence was against former Pride title-holder Dan Henderson, which he secured with a second-round submission. He also holds two devastating TKO finishes over former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, who is now fighting at a different weight class.
Cote, who is on a five-fight win streak overall and is known as one of the most powerful strikers in the world, said he isn't intimidated.
"Everybody that fought Anderson Silva was scared of him; I'm not scared of him one bit," said Cote. "It's gonna take him 10 straight punches to take me down -- I only need one punch to take him down. I'm Patrick Cote, I win against grapplers and I knock strikers out."
Cote currently trains in Montreal with top-notch fighters, including fellow Quebecer and welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.
"I'm excited to take on Cote, but I am taking him very seriously," Silva said. "He is a dangerous striker and he likes to stand and trade with his opponents. That's the kind of fight fans like to see, and that's definitely the fight we're going to give them Oct. 25."
St. Pierre defends his belt at UFC 87 in Minneapolis on Aug. 9.
NOTES: The first fighter Cote beat in the UFC was Scott Smith, who was a loser to Robbie Lawler Saturday night at an EliteXC event in California. Cote beat Smith by unanimous decision in February 2007 to snap a four-fight losing streak in the Octagon. Smith has not fougt in the UFC since. ... White announced on Saturday that its next overseas card will be available for free, not on pay-per-view. UFC 89, taking place in Birmingham, England on Oct. 18 will air on Spike TV
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