BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch

[Turd Ferguson]

Jon Fitch vs. Jake Ellenberger is off the table.

Instead, Fitch will now be taking on BJ Penn in the main event of UFC 127.

I think this is a very interesting fight that is tough to call. The winner of this fight will also undoubtedly be #1 contender for the Welterweight Title. We all know that BJ has excellent takedown defense. Will Fitch be able to take BJ down? He is much bigger than BJ, but BJ will also know that the takedown will be coming, whereas with Edgar, he had to worry about his speed and his boxing. Fitch has no standup to really speak of, and he certainly doesn't have Frankie Edgar-type speed.

The question is though if BJ can last 15 minutes and avoid getting taken down. As we saw in the GSP fight, Fitch has an iron chin. He got destroyed and kept on taking a beating. The likelihood of BJ knocking Fitch out is very slim, and Fitch is smart enough to avoid getting submitted.

It's a VERY interesting fight, and it's a reason why I'm glad BJ finally went up to Welterweight. There are some very interesting fights for him, like this fight, Koscheck, Shields, and another GSP fight.

 

[jmt225]

Instead, Fitch will now be taking on BJ Penn in the main event of UFC 127.

Oh man, I absolutely cannot wait for this.

BJ Penn is going to fuck Fitch's World up. Mark my words. As big as Fitch is, and as good of a wrestler he is, his takedowns are slow as shit, and while one would think all it would take for Fitch to take someone BJ's size down is for him to grab a hold of a single leg, they are sorely mistaken if they truly believe that. BJ Penn has some of the greatest takedown defense in MMA history, and I just don't see how someone with as slow of a shot Fitch has to be able to take Penn down. Penn's balance is just too incredible for someone to rely on taking him down off of full strength only.

So, yeah... I see BJ winning this fight, no matter what. I absolutely cannot wait to see it. I just wish UFC 127 was for free. The UFC has been giving us these shitty ass free international cards, but yet when they put on these great shows in Australia, they still charge us for it. LAME!

 

[INDYjon22]

Oh man, I absolutely cannot wait for this.

BJ Penn is going to fuck Fitch's World up. Mark my words. As big as Fitch is, and as good of a wrestler he is, his takedowns are slow as shit, and while one would think all it would take for Fitch to take someone BJ's size down is for him to grab a hold of a single leg, they are sorely mistaken if they truly believe that. BJ Penn has some of the greatest takedown defense in MMA history, and I just don't see how someone with as slow of a shot Fitch has to be able to take Penn down. Penn's balance is just too incredible for someone to rely on taking him down off of full strength only.

So, yeah... I see BJ winning this fight, no matter what. I absolutely cannot wait to see it. I just wish UFC 127 was for free. The UFC has been giving us these shitty ass free international cards, but yet when they put on these great shows in Australia, they still charge us for it. LAME!

See I see it the other way around man. Fitch should have no trouble controlling Penn for three rounds and grinding out a decision. BJ is dangerous but he already showed chinks in his armor with Edgar, and Fitch is much bigger. Clearly, BJ has the advantage on the feet, but if Fitch gets it to the ground he is smart enough to avoid the submission and strong enough to grind out the decision. Sorry man, but I see Fitch winning and getting another title shot.

 

[Fizzy]

See I see it the other way around man. Fitch should have no trouble controlling Penn for three rounds and grinding out a decision. BJ is dangerous but he already showed chinks in his armor with Edgar, and Fitch is much bigger. Clearly, BJ has the advantage on the feet, but if Fitch gets it to the ground he is smart enough to avoid the submission and strong enough to grind out the decision. Sorry man, but I see Fitch winning and getting another title shot.

Fitch is also nowhere NEAR as fast as Edgar, nor does he have the explosive shot which Edgar has. Now that I mention it Fitch has no shot. He just pushes you up against the fence, and gets you down. On the fence BJ is INCREDIBLY difficult to take down, with his balance, and the fence to support him. Not to mention Fitch doesn't translate his strikes to set up his takedowns as well as Edgar. Two COMPLETELY different style wrestlers are Edgar, and Fitch. With Edgar, BJ didn't know what to expect whether he would jump in and back out with a jab, or jump in, and get a takedown. With Fitch BJ knows his ONLY chance is to get him down. I see this fight going to BJ, and no other way.

 

[INDYjon22]

Fitch is also nowhere NEAR as fast as Edgar, nor does he have the explosive shot which Edgar has. Now that I mention it Fitch has no shot. He just pushes you up against the fence, and gets you down. On the fence BJ is INCREDIBLY difficult to take down, with his balance, and the fence to support him. Not to mention Fitch doesn't translate his strikes to set up his takedowns as well as Edgar. Two COMPLETELY different style wrestlers are Edgar, and Fitch. With Edgar, BJ didn't know what to expect whether he would jump in and back out with a jab, or jump in, and get a takedown. With Fitch BJ knows his ONLY chance is to get him down. BJ should take this, and I guarantee he will.

How exactly do you guarantee it? I always love when people claim that they can guarantee a fight, unless you are in the mafia and were with the Don when he paid the promoters and the AKA fight team off there is no way in hell you can guarantee shit in MMA. You can have a firm idea of what you believe will happen, but there is no way you can guarantee it. I remember when everyone guaranteed that Matt Serra would get his ass demolished by GSP and we all know that didn't happen, well not the first time at least. Haters gonna hate I guess.

 

[INDYjon22]

Way to completely avoid everything else that I posted. Maybe I worded it wrong. Should have said "I see Penn winning this fight, and cannot see it going the other way." My apologies for getting your panties in a bunch.

No need to get derogatory about it.

Fitch managed to get GSP and Alves down in those fights, granted he won one and lost one, but he did get the takedown. To assume that Penn won't get taken down is foolish because he will. Penn may still win, but he will get taken down at least one. Fitch is to tenacious to not get at least one takedown. I believe Fitch will win the fight, however I also think the fight is very difficult to call. Fitch has the advantage on the ground in my eyes, and Penn has the advantage standing no doubt about it. We will have to see the fight to actually know how it will go though.

Also, I realize you're being sarcastic in your apology but I shouldn't have gotten bitchy. I just hate when people "guarantee" things. Unless your Broadway Joe, then it is okay.

 

[Via Armbar]

Oh man, I absolutely cannot wait for this.

BJ Penn is going to fuck Fitch's World up. Mark my words. As big as Fitch is, and as good of a wrestler he is, his takedowns are slow as shit, and while one would think all it would take for Fitch to take someone BJ's size down is for him to grab a hold of a single leg, they are sorely mistaken if they truly believe that. BJ Penn has some of the greatest takedown defense in MMA history, and I just don't see how someone with as slow of a shot Fitch has to be able to take Penn down. Penn's balance is just too incredible for someone to rely on taking him down off of full strength only.

So, yeah... I see BJ winning this fight, no matter what. I absolutely cannot wait to see it. I just wish UFC 127 was for free. The UFC has been giving us these shitty ass free international cards, but yet when they put on these great shows in Australia, they still charge us for it. LAME!

Got to disagree with you here boss. Not about Penn winning as I hope/believe he will but you're making it sound easier than it's going to be. As much as I would love to see him do to Fitch what he did to Hughes last night, I don't see it happening. Penn definitely has more ways to win this fight, they just aren't as likely as Fitch's one and only way to win...blanketing his opponent. If he can come in with his best condition possible I believe Penn can stay on the aggressive long enough to win on the cards but he NEEDS that conditioning or it's going to be a long night for him.

 

[PsychoBlack]

I don't see how anyone can think BJ will beat Fitch. BJ has gotten a lot older and slowed down quite a bit. Not to mention that almost all of BJ's losses have come at the hands of excellent wrestlers (Edgar, GSP, Hughes, Pulver). I think that you guys are taking the win against Hughes as if it meant that BJ was back and never left that bitch, but, you have to remember Hughes is 37 years old now and not the same fighter that he once was. I have Fitch winning this one and it's not even close

 

[jmt225]

Got to disagree with you here boss. Not about Penn winning as I hope/believe he will but you're making it sound easier than it's going to be. As much as I would love to see him do to Fitch what he did to Hughes last night, I don't see it happening. Penn definitely has more ways to win this fight, they just aren't as likely as Fitch's one and only way to win...blanketing his opponent. If he can come in with his best condition possible I believe Penn can stay on the aggressive long enough to win on the cards but he NEEDS that conditioning or it's going to be a long night for him.

I'm sure you have seen BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian, correct? If you remember, for 4 straight rounds Florian constantly tried to pressure BJ and pin him against the cage, and as Joe Rogan constantly reminds us in pretty much every fight, the most tiring aspect of an MMA fight is the struggle to gain the advantage while pinned against the cage. And not only did BJ Penn withstand this for 4 Rounds, but he eventually got Kenny on the ground, and submitted him.

My point is, that fight shows that BJ can have the cardio to withstand someone trying to take him down for 3 Rounds. He's not the same BJ Penn that fought against Matt Hughes the 2nd time around. He can easily go 3 Rounds and not gas out.

So, yeah... I just don't see Fitch being able to take the man down, and because of that, BJ will either win a decision, knock his ass out, or eventually submit him like he did Florian (who is a legit BJJ Black-Belt). BJ's speed, athleticism, and balance is just too good for Fitch to grapplefuck him like he does all the other lames he usually fights. The ONLY person we've seen Fitch fight who has a ton of speed and athleticism and great takedown defense is GSP, and we saw what happened in that one.