Jon Fitch is in the final stages of preparing for his UFC welterweight championship fight against the current champion and No. 1 ranked Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87 on August 9, 2008.
For the first time in his UFC career, Fitch will be fighting in a main event with all eyes on him and the spotlight shining bright.
He will enter the octagon a heavy underdog. However, this will most certainly be the opportunity of a lifetime. One that is long overdue.
Fitch's resume is arguably more impressive and more accomplished than any No. 1 contender ever in the UFC. He is 17-0 as a welterweight, 8-0 in the UFC, and has won 15 fights in a row.
What most people don't know is that his eight consecutive UFC victories ties the all-time record set by UFC Hall of Fame inductee and MMA legend Royce Gracie.
He has defeated the likes of No. 3 ranked Thiago Alves, No. 7 Diego Sanchez, No. 22 Chris Wilson, No. 23 Brock Larson, and No. 31 Roan Carneiro on his way to tying the record.
Fitch has paid his dues but frequently remains absent when fans and media are discussing the best fighters in MMA. He has never quite gotten the level of respect or recognition that he deserves.
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2 months ago
I'm not one to say this guy is going to win or this guys gonna lose, but I think Fitch is going to have to really step up his game if he doesnt want to get demolished by GSP. I give the guy credit and all that but I just don't see any areas where he is better than GSP, or anything that he has that can give Geroges trouble.
from 2 months ago
I think I would give fitch the nod with submissions on the ground. We'll see if he can takedown GSP though. Koscheck did briefly, hughes couldn't, most guys can't. If he can't fitch will be in for a long night.
2 months ago
You have to put things in perspective. It is very unlikely that he'll beat GSP, however, he is the clear #2 welterweight in the world. That's saying something. People just seem to not want to give him credit because GSP is so far ahead of everyone else in his skills and athletic ability. Just think, if GSP wasn't around, he'd probably the welterweight champion or a favorite to win it in an upcoming match: he'd have potential to be a dominate champion with his great wrestling and black belt jui jitsu -- and that grinding style where he takes a win anyway he can get it. It's too bad Koscheck and him are in the same camp because I think a match between those two would be really intersting. I think after Alves/Sanchez gets their shot at GSP, Koscheck should get his rematch. But there's a strong possibility Penn will enter the picture and make the welterweight division more confusing.
from 2 months ago
I agree. I think GSP will win a unanimous decision. I just think fitch deserves so much more pub than he gets. The streak he's on right now is ridiculous. He does have a forrest griffin-esque quality about him.
After alves/sanchez koscheck definitely needs to be in the fray. Mike Swick is another guy that needs to be in the discussion. Maybe he can take on koscheck. Fitch probably will deserve a rematch pretty soon afterwards if he loses. He's already taken care alves and sanchez not too long ago.
I would love to see penn and GSP go at it. Preferably at UFC 90 so I can watch it in person.
from 2 months ago
You most likely will get your wish and see GSP and Penn go at it, though maybe not at UFC 90. I wish Penn and Fitch could have met before UFC 87. It doesn't seem fair to me that Fitch had to work his way up the 170# ladder and that Penn can just waltz in and be next in line. Penn needed to have some kind of challenge at the WW level to get a fight with Georges, but he cut in line. No fair, no cuts allowed!
from 2 months ago
Swick vs Koscheck would be a cool matchup. Good idea.
2 months ago
A very good article, but remember how much respect Matt Serra got when he upset GSP?
from 2 months ago
If Fitch beats him it will be different because he has earned his way up the ladder the hard way. That and Fitch is known to have the skills to compete with all the other top guys in the world at 170. Matt Serra never proved himself otherwise at 170.
2 months ago
And yet Matt Serra was the" first one" to defeat him after he became the WW champion--Jon Fitch would just be following in Serra's footsteps as "the second" man to beat him, right?
from 2 months ago
No. I just explained to you why they are totally different already.
2 months ago
Fitch is absolutely fantastic. GSP is just more fantastic. It will be a great fight - far better than the Serra vs. GSP's.
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