MMARR: You’re fighting Jason MacDonald in the main event at Maximum Fighting Championship 9, March 10th in Edmonton for the MFC middleweight championship. What have you been concentrating on during your training in preparation for this fight?

Cote: For my fight with (Bill) Mahood I trained a lot on my wrestling and my ground game. You know, my last fight (Mahood) I won the fight only with my wrestling skills, I put my level very high on my wrestling right now. So I just can’t see where he (MacDonald) can beat me.

MMARR: Your opponent is the #1 ranked MFC fighter and is likely looking at this fight against you as his opportunity to get one step closer to competing in the UFC. What are your thoughts about facing him?

Cote: He’s a good fighter, I respect him a lot. He’s always in good shape, he’s a good ground fighter, but I’m sure I’m better on my feet, and probably have better wrestling then him. But on the ground I need to be careful because he is very good, but if I don’t make any mistakes I will win this fight. But I respect Jason MacDonald, he’s a very good fighter but he’s not perfect. 

MMARR: So you would definitely give an advantage to yourself on the feet, but on the ground it’s pretty even?

Cote: Yeah. He’s very good on the ground, and I talked with Joe Doerkson, and Joe said he’s very good on the ground, but Doerkson also gave me a little bit of advice. I’m very ready for this fight right now. 

MMARR: Originally you were fighting at 205 lbs, however, your last 3 fights have been at 185 lbs, can you explain the differences for you fighting as a middleweight?

Cote: I fight at middleweight for the International level, in Canada I am able to fight at 205 because the light heavyweights in Canada are not very big, you know. But at the International level I prefer to fight at 185, I am big for 185. I was too small to fight at light heavyweight in the International level. That’s why I’m going to fight at 185 next week because it’s the MFC world championship (title).

MMARR: Prior to your fight with Tito Ortiz at UFC 50, during the promo’s you said you hit harder then Chuck Liddell. At 185 lbs, do you feel you’re the hardest puncher in the UFC’s middleweight division?

Cote: I always think I am a very strong puncher. I have very good skills on my feet, and I am not afraid to bang with anybody. I am not afraid to go toe-to-toe with anybody. I am sure I hit harder then 90% of the fighters in the middleweight division right now.

MMARR: Of your 3 appearances in the UFC, which was the toughest fight and what have you been able to take away from that experience?

Cote: For my toughest fight it was for sure Tito Ortiz. You know I received maybe 200 elbows in this fight (laughs), it was the toughest fight I have ever been in. But for the decision or something like that, for sure my fight against Joe Doerkson was very painful. You know, because I totally dominated this fight and I knock him down maybe 3 times during the fight, but Joe Doerkson is a f##king dude (laughs) and he has a very good chin, I rocked him a lot but he always took all my punches. You know, Joe choked me in the middle of the last round and that was very painful for me at that time. I had a lack of wrestling at that time, you know, but now if I’m able to have a rematch against him for sure I will accept this fight. And my fight against Leben, you know, it’s a tough call because the fight was very close and we were in the UFC too, in our mind we won the 2nd and 3rd rounds, but it was very close and if the fight was in Canada, I probably won this fight. But I don’t care, now it’s behind me and I always said that 2006 will be my year. I just begun this year with a big win against Bill Mahood and it’s just the beginning, I want to get back on the top list of the fighters at 185 (lbs), I want to go back into the big league and next week it’s going to be another step for me. 

MMARR: Where you surprised you were not invited to participate during this past weekends UFC – USA vs. Canada?

Cote: A little bit, you now, but my first reaction I was angry they didn’t invite me, but my second thought, I said in my mind next time I go to the UFC will be because, not just that the show was Canada vs. USA, I don’t want a free pass to go into the UFC. I want to win my chances to get back to the UFC. That’s ok, guys like Steve Vignault and other guys, they have a chance to go there so now I’m ok with that. 

MMARR: Is there any talk of you defending your TKO light heavyweight belt in the near future?

Cote: Yeah, probably the next TKO at 205 (lbs) against Marvin Eastman.

MMARR: Your last fight was a victory over Bill Mahood, and if you defeat MacDonald it sounds like your next fight will be against Eastman in TKO, but after that fight do you feel you should be back in the UFC?

Cote: Probably, I don’t know, I just want to take one fight at a time. Right now I’m preparing for Jason MacDonald, I don’t want to look past this fight right now. You know, if it happens that is good, but if it doesn’t happen I’m sure I will be in the big show soon. So I just need a big win to go back, so if it’s not Jason MacDonald for my big win, it will be another guy.

MMARR: Thanks for your time and best of luck Friday night, hopefully we’ll see you in TKO soon and back in the UFC in the near future.

Cote: Yeah, thank you very much.