It seems that former UFC middleweight title challenger Patrick Cote is not a fan of the promotion booking Sam Alvey’s return in February, despite being winless in his last seven fights.
“Smilin” Sam Alvey is a beloved figure in the MMA realm. The 35-year-old has never been a serious contender at either middleweight or light heavyweight, but his joyous demeanor on fight night, nice guy attitude, and action style have made him a fan-favorite throughout his seven-year run in the promotion.
However, the last three years have been nightmarish for The Ultimate Fighter Season 16 alum. He has a four-fight and two-fight losing streak bookending a 2020 split-decision draw to Da Un Jung. He has had two split-decision losses during that time, and he’s not tasted victory since June of 2018.
Patrick Cote slams UFC for giving Sam Alvey another fight
Its gotten so bad, that the man known for his constant smile and positivity, was visibly enraged after his split-decision loss to Wellington Turman at UFC Vegas 35 in August.
Many thought that Alvey’s (33-16-1) most recent setback would likely be his last in the Octagon. However, the UFC is again giving him another chance to right the ship against a talented middleweight in Ian Heinisch early next year. The booking surprised some, including retired promotional veteran Patrick Cote.
The man who once challenged Anderson Silva for the middleweight thrown took to his Twitter to proclaim his bewilderment that Alvey was booked for the promotion’s Feb. 5 Fight Night event.
“How this guy can still have a job?? Alvey is 0-6-1 in his last 7,” Cote wrote. [h/t BJPenn]
The plethora of opportunities afforded Alvey may be a sore spot for the Canadian because he was unceremoniously released from the promotion in October of 2010, after just two straight losses.
Although they certainly have different fight styles, Alvey and Cote are similar for being fighters that were durable and open to a firefight during their respective Octagon tenures.
In the comments section of Cote’s tweet, one fan suggested that maybe the Wisconsin native is getting extra chances for being an “entertaining fighter.” However, “The Predator” disagreed with the idea and responded to the comment by saying, “Not really.”
Cote last fought at UFC 210 in April of 2017. He ended a 6-4 run in the promotion by losing back-to-back fights to Thiago Alves, and future UFC Hall-of-Famer Donald Cerrone.
Alvey is 0-6-1 in his last seven and is currently on a two-fight losing streak. He is 10-11-1 overall during his stint in the promotion.
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