COTE RETURNS HOME

By Mike Doyle and Mike Russell

Patrick Cote returns to the promotion where he made his name as its light heavyweight champion in Montreal-based TKO on June 1 for the first time since Jan. 2005. “The Predator” will arrive home on the heels of his first win in the “big show,” a decision victory over Scott Smith at Feb. 3's UFC 67.

Unfortunately, Cote (9-4) was criticized at the UFC 67 post-fight press conference by UFC President Dana White for his cautious performance, as the French-Canadian staggered Smith in the second round and didn’t attempt to finish the fight.

“I totally understand; he’s [White] a businessman and he wants to put on a good show for the crowd,” acknowledged Cote. “But my job is to fight and to win; before this fight I was 0-4 in the UFC, so it was very important for me to win this fight.”

Cote’s homecoming shouldn’t be mistaken as a full-time move. The 26-year old is rumored to be heading back to the UFC in September, so his TKO appearance allows him to stay active and avoid a lengthy layoff. A June 1 opponent for Cote has yet to be confirmed.