Patrick Cote Isn’t Upset He’s Fighting Thiago Alves Instead of Jake Ellenberger at UFC 210

MMAjunkie recently spoke to UFC fighter Patrick Cote this week before his UFC 210 fight with Thiago Alves. The fight between the former UFC title contenders is set for later today at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Below are some highlights.

Cote on facing Thiago Alves instead of Jake Ellenberger: “For the fans, it’s 10 times better, me against Thiago. Both are going to go forward, both are going to go exchange. It’s going to be fireworks everywhere. It’s 10 times better. Me against Ellenberger, it was more personal. That wasn’t about giving a good show, something like that. I just wanted to beat him. I still want to beat Alves, but I think it’s going to be a better fight.”

Cote on his longevity: “I’m like the Cinderella Man. Every time I’m going down, I go back on top. This is not a new situation for me. I’ve been there before. It’s OK. I’m taking one fight at a time – 37 years old. I’m in very good shape – physically, but more mentally, and that was the most important thing for me.”

On having a size advantage: “I know I’m probably going to be a bigger guy, I’m going to have a size advantage. But at this point, with all the skills he has, I don’t think it’s going to make any difference. I have to beat him with my skills and with my good gameplan and with what I trained. If the fight goes a little bit later, in into the second or the third round, which I don’t think so, maybe it’s going to make a difference. But I don’t count on that.”