UFC 127 Fight Card: Jon Fitch Is 'Going to Take BJ's Legacy and Build My Own'

Days away from his showdown with MMA legend B.J. Penn, welterweight contender Jon Fitch addressed the media on Tuesday at the pre-fight press conference for UFC 127.

"If I kill him, I get his power. That's the way I see it," said Fitch. "I play a lot of video games, and there's plenty of video games that relate to that. If I can destroy this legend, then I'm going to take all of his wins and put them in my back pocket. I'm going to take that legacy and start building my own."

It's amazing that a man with Fitch's track record is still considered to be in the starting phase of building a legacy. Since entering the UFC, Fitch has compiled a 13-1 record, with the lone loss coming in a title fight against Georges St. Pierre. He has picked up victories over notable fighters like Thiago Alves, Paulo Thiago, and Diego Sanchez.

Many MMA publications consider Fitch as one of the top 10 best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Despite his statistical success, Fitch has flown under the radar for most of his career. Some will blame his lack of notoriety on his quiet demeanor and grinding style.

When Fitch competes, fans expect to see a slow, grinding effort of short strikes and positional control. Nearly half of his 27 wins have gone the distance.

"The No. 1 rule everyone needs to remember is everyone loves a winner. It doesn't matter what kind of style you have. If you lose, you're out, and no one is going to know who you are," Fitch said. "I still gain a number of fans with every win and every performance because I'm giving it 100 percent every fight. I'm doing everything I can to finish the fight whether it happens or not. It hasn't been within my grasp in the past two years, but I plan on changing those things."

Against Penn, Fitch faces one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. A former lightweight and welterweight champion, Penn has secured wins over Matt Hughes, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian, and Takanori Gomi. He has seen his troubles at welterweight since his UFC return in March 2006, dropping three consecutive fights at that weight.

At UFC 123, Penn returned to the welterweight division and knocked out nemesis and UFC Hall-of-Famer Matt Hughes in 21 seconds. Recently, "The Prodigy" has enlisted the help of Floyd Mayweather Sr., father of boxing phenom Floyd Mayweather Jr., to improve his already elite-level boxing skills.

"He's probably going to pick up some good skills from working with somebody who's that good, but this isn't boxing. This is a completely different sport," stated Fitch. "I think its wrong to even compare boxing with Mixed Martial Arts just because there are punches involved in both. I don't think they're anything alike. I think there's a lot of bad habits you can pick up if you come in and just box in this sport."

If Fitch gets past Penn on Saturday, there is no reason his welterweight title shot should be delayed any longer. Fitch hopes to get a crack at the winner of St. Pierre and Jake Shields, but he refuses to look beyond the tough task that is in front of him.

"I really haven't put any thought into anything other than fighting BJ. He comes to the table with so many skills, and there's such an aura about him that it would be, not only disrespectful, but foolish of me to think of anything else," said Fitch.

As far as his notoriety is concerned, Fitch has a valid excuse for being so reserved in front of media members and cameras over the past few years.

"A lot of it has to do with my ideology of getting my skill set where it needs to be, and the time it takes to get your skill set to that point before opening yourself up. A lot of guys rush to opening themselves up, and their skill set is not there. Well, people love you, but you suck at fighting. You're not going to be around very long," said Fitch.

"I made sure that I got my skill set where it needed to be to stay on top for a long time. Now I feel I have the opportunity to let people in a little bit and get to know me more."

UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch Results, News and More" target="_blank">UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch Results, News and More