Has Jon Fitch Fought His Last Fight In The UFC?

[Turd Ferguson]

A rematch between Jon Fitch and BJ Penn has been long rumored since their draw at UFC 127. It was first rumored for UFC 132, then both guys got hurt, cancelling the thought of a rematch taking place. The fight was entertaining enough, and I wouldn't have minded seeing a rematch. And it was rumored for a while that the score would be settled at UFC 137, especially with Dana White tweeting a smiley face at both Fitch and Penn.

That was until BJ posted on his Twitter...

@jonfitchdotnet tried to make it happen but Joe Silva said "the fans don't want it & I'm not interested". Not much more I can do on my end

And now it appears BJ and Carlos Condit are going to fight at UFC 137.

Fitch is on the outside looking in, and there's nobody really available that he can fight. Furthermore, Fitch stated he only wants main event level fighters, and he turned down a fight against Rick Story after Story beat Alves.

If you go down the list, the only main event level fighter available is Josh Koscheck, and they won't fight each other. He wouldn't fight Charlie Brenneman, who would be the top ranked available fighter at the moment.

Over the past couple of months, Fitch has grown an attitude that I'm sure Dana isn't too happy with. He called out their matchmaking for GSP vs. Diaz, he said he only wants top fighters, and he won't fight Koscheck, which creates a logjam at the top of the division. Dana does not like Jon Fitch in the first place.

Furthermore, read a little more into what Joe Silva told BJ. He said the "fans aren't interested". No casual fans are interested in seeing Jon Fitch fight, which creates a problem in itself. How does the UFC solve that problem without the uproar that comes in cutting him? By letting him run out his contract, and letting him go to Bellator, where they'd sign him because he's a huge free agent, spending a lot of money and resources in doing so. Remember, the UFC may be leaving Spike, and Spike may be bringing in Bellator as a replacement. Would you think that Fitch would be a huge ratings draw for Bellator?

Jon Fitch may, at this point, be way more trouble than Dana White thinks he is worth. They don't seem committed to pushing Jon Fitch, despite the fact that he's the #2 Welterweight in the world, and I think at this point, Diego Sanchez or Carlos Condit would get a title shot before he would.

Weigh in, what do you think the future holds for Jon Fitch?

 

[Fizzy]

I don't care in all honesty. If he goes to Bellator he wouldn't be any more of a draw than he was in the UFC. He would actually most likely draw even worse because Bellator doesn't have the exposure the UFC has. Add onto the fact that he is far from exciting to casual fans and most hardcore fans, and I can't see him being any sort of draw. He would squash Askren like the little fucking bug he is and be unbeatable in Bellator having decision after decision.

Fitch is by far more trouble than he is worth and while I agree he is getting dicked out of top contender fights, he brings it on himself. If he showed any attempt to finish, even posturing up, he would most likely be in a better position than he is in. The problem is, he shows absolutely no will to even attempt at a finish and goes to decision every time. Add that to the fact that he bitches about only fighting tip top guys, and that will make the UFC dislike him even more. Remember, the UFC loves guys who will fight anybody at any time and to bitch and moan about not getting the absolute top of the division every single fight creates many problems. Then there is the fact that he won't fight his teammate who is also at the top of the division and it creates a roadblock.

Like I said, I agree Fitch is being dicked out of title shots and a top contender fight, but he brings it on himself. Add his whining to the fact that he never attempts to get a finish and that he got completely and utterly tooled in the first GSP fight and it makes him a very unappealing and tough to sell fighter. If he goes to Bellator than the two decision machines will fight. Fitch is in a awkward spot that I believe he brings on himself.

 

[jmt225]

Jon Fitch is a big motherfucker, man, and if he's not liking what he's being offered at Welterweight, then he needs to jump up to Middleweight because there are plenty of big names there I'm sure the UFC would have no problem matching him up with. And he would only need one win against a top guy to get a title shot in that division.

Personally though, I have never bought into the Jon Fitch hype one bit.

You know, people criticize Nick Diaz for having not fought any wrestlers in the past couple of years... what good wrestlers has Fitch fought? The one time we saw Fitch in there with a great wrestler, he got his ass handed to him by GSP. The only other good wrestlers Fitch has faced were Mike Pierce (he lost a round in this fight, and Pierce has yet to prove himself as a good MMA wrestler), and Diego Sanchez, which Fitch won by a very close split decision.

Plus, every single fighter who has fought GSP in the last 3 years has done better than Fitch did against him. Fitch got his ass kicked from pillar to post and looked like a tomato can against GSP. And since then Fitch has got boring decision after boring decision, with his biggest win being against Thiago Alves, who has lost 3 of his last 4 fights. Fitch's other victories? Akihiro Gono (no longer in the UFC), Paulo Thiago (currently on a 2 fight losing streak), Mike Pierce (has yet to beat a relevant name), and Ben Saunders (no longer in the UFC). Not to mention Fitch's last fight ended in a draw, where it could be argued that he lost (which Dana White himself has said that BJ won that fight), and it was against a guy he easily outweighed by 20 pounds come fight time.

Jon Fitch doesn't deserve a title shot, nor should his name be floating around to be the person who fights the winner of GSP/Diaz. Does Fitch deserve some big name fights? Sure, but if there not available at Welterweight, then quit crying like a little bitch about it and move your ass up to Middleweight. It's that simple.

 

[INDYjon22]

I seriously hope Jon Fitch continues to fight for the UFC. As one of his few supporters on the board I would hate not being able to see him fight in the Octagon. Ever since the BJ Penn fight, I wasn't exactly enthralled with a rematch between the two, but I guess part of me wanted to see them go at it again. Now that he has been surpassed for a fight with Condit, it certainly leaves him the odd man out. That mixed with the fact that he only wants to fight top guys isn't really helping his cause for getting a fight. Fitch has had a bit of an attitude as of late, but that hasn't really bothered me. Most fighters of any recognition have attitudes in one way or another. But, it is silly that he wouldn't take a fight when offered one. Rick Story and Charlie Brennemen would both be interesting match ups. As for people who could fight, if Shields wasn't already inked for a fight I would say it would be a no brainer to put these two together. Unfortunately Shields already has a fight. But, how about Martin Kampmann or Anthony Johnson. Both are upper echelon guys who would pose interesting problems for Fitch. Both are very good strikes, one for power the other for technique. I think it would be fun to see if Fitch could eat their punches and get his takedowns or if they could catch him.

As for him getting cut, I don't personally see it happening, though it certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility. Remember, Dana cut Fitch once before because he wouldn't sign over his likeness rights for the UFC game. I wouldn't mind seeing Fitch in Bellator but he would dominate and then people would be clamoring, like they do for Hendo, to see him face the top guys in the UFC again. I don't doubt it for one second. The best scenario is just for Fitch to take some fights at 185. It would be a new challenge and there are some guys there that could make for some interesting fights, such as Demian Maia, Chris Leben, and Chael Sonnen. Either way, I really hope that Fitch stays put in the UFC and gets a fight sometime soon. He shouldn't be so picky, but I can't fault the guy. When you're at the top you should only be facing the best in the company. It doesn't make sense to fight guys who aren't on your level. It doesn't test your abilities at all or move you any further in the company.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

I'm not gonna lie, I love mma. But I'm gonna leave all the smart shit to you guys. I will put a small two cents in on it. Here is what I have to say.

I have seen Fitch fight, but big deal. He is enjoyable, but in reality if you are #2-#5000 you don't pick your shit. You do have an unwriten right to fight better fighters. But this like everything else is a job, and you can lose that in a flick of a pen. Ufc is a place for fighters, not whiners. Really ware else are you going to go Jon. You want to fight the best, the Ufc IS THE BEST.

You need to remember that the fans love to see fucking brawls. Keep it up and you will not have any more fights to keep your fans on your side. Why stay off and not fighting anyone. When you can keep fighting, keep making money, and keep impressing your fans. You might get banged up fighting. But he made a life out of this. But yes, lets stay out and get rusty. Then come back and get busted up. Someone needs their ego deflated.

 

[The Best]

Fitch is a stubborn bitch in my opinion. Just as JMT says he's a big man, and if he doesn't like who he's getting offered at 170 then he should move up to 185. Brennanmen would be a good fight for him IMO, but apparently he doesn't think so, but he has to realize that if he wants GSP again, than he has to start listening and impressing Dana (which we've all seen isn't very easy).

I've never liked Fitch, and the way he fights makes me not like him even more. I give credit to him, as he's a very talented fighter, but he got his ass whipped by GSP, and if he really wants another shot at him, than he would fight Koscheck. I really don't care how good of friends that they are, if Fitch wants to take himself back up to the number 1 contender spot, than he would step inside of the octagon with Kos. Overall, I think Fitch just has to stop whining and fight, and if he has to face "lower level guys," than so be it; if he really wants GSP again, than he would just take whoever Dana throws at him and fight.

 

[Via Armbar]

It's a tough situation here. I feel for Fitch because he really does/can/will beat everyone in his division not named GSP. The only guys I see potentially beating him would be Shields or maybe Diaz but I'd put money on Fitch in both of those match ups. On the other side of the coin you have the fact that he's horribly boring in a lot of peoples eyes and did NOT impress when he got whooped by GSP the first time. Yeah it's unfortunate that he has probably earned his shot and marketability and an aesthetically unpleasing style is keeping him from getting what he's earned. We got to remember that the UFC is a business and they have to do what is good for business. The buy rates for a GSP/Fitch rematch would probably disappoint as would the fight. They really don't need to lose more GSP fans with another boring fight.

I'm still surprised they didn't match him up with Shields. It made perfect sense to me and would eliminate Fitch from contention if he were to be beat and there's always the chance for that. There's also more interesting fights for Shields at the top of the division than there is for Fitch who has pretty much cleaned it out. Tough call but I'm glad he hasn't been given a shot because honestly I just don't like his fights.