BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch and 10 Fights That Should Have Been 5 Rounds Instead of 3

The discussion about having five-round non-title fights comes up after every three-round main event that goes to a decision.

They are usually controversial, as was the case with the recent fight between B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch, and wouldn't be had the fighters gone another two extra rounds.

If a non-title fight has title implications, there's no reason it shouldn't be scheduled for five rounds. There has been proposals for a sudden death round, and that is the most likely choice, but there will continue to be controversial decisions until the five-round non-title fights are used.

No. 11 Yushin Okami vs. Rich Franklin

Japanese fighter Yushin Okami was one fight away from a title shot when he fought Rich Franklin at UFC 72.

Okami, who is recognized as a slow starter, didn't do much the first two rounds. His defensive style left Franklin openings without doing much damage.

In the third round, Okami got the much smaller Franklin down and threatened him with a kimura. Franklin got out of the dangerous position, but it was a clear round for Okami.

It took two rounds for Okami to get started but when he did, he was much more effective. Had this fight been five rounds, he would still be able to employ his fighting style and have a chance at winning. Instead, he is forced to start much sooner than his style warrants him to do.

No. 10 Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

Former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk took on undefeated up-and-comer Evan Dunham at UFC 119. In an entertaining three-round battle, Sherk was awarded the split-decision.

It was controversial and debated among fans who should have been awarded the decision. In the first round, Sherk was able to get Dunham down and open a nasty gash on the 28-year-old's head.

In the next two rounds, Dunham made a comeback and out-struck "The Muscle Shark" and threatened him with guillotine chokes. He even dropped him on one occasion with a vicious knee in the third.

Five rounds would not have only decided a much clearer winner, but fans would have got a chance to see two more great rounds of lightweight action.

No. 9 Brandon Vera vs. Randy Couture

This fight between Randy Couture and Brandon Vera at UFC 105 had no title implications but is a good example of why two extra rounds could result in a different outcome.

Fighters don't start as fast as they use to and usually take a round to feel out their opponents and establish a rhythm to employ their gameplan successfully.

Couture used the first two rounds to hold Vera against the cage and use his dirty boxing to break down the light-heavyweight fighter. In the third, Vera turned the fight around and hit Couture with a brutal body kick that dropped the former two-weight division champion.

By the end of the round, Vera had full mount on Couture, but when the score was announced, Couture had emerged the winner by unanimous decision.

No. 8 Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez

In a "Fight of the Year" candidate, Diego Sanchez fought with his face smashed, bruised and bloodied for three rounds against Martin Kampmann.

If there is one fighter that deserves five round fights, it's Sanchez. His aggressiveness grows as the fights go on, and this fight is a perfect example of how his style works.

Most of the damage to his face was done in the first round as Kampmann completely out-boxed him for the full five minutes.

In the second and third rounds, Sanchez started to close the distance and rocked Kampmann against the cage.

Sanchez was given the split-decision after it was over, and Kampmann as well as fans were surprised by the decision based on the state of their faces.

This fight probably would not have made it the distance had it gone two extra rounds with Sanchez losing via doctor stoppage after the fourth. Instead of a rematch, they could have just fought two extra rounds.

No. 7 Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites

In a fight filled with illegal strikes and point deductions, Nate Marquardt and Thales Leites fought to a draw at UFC 85.

Marquardt was deducted two points during the middleweight bout, one for a punch behind the head and the other for an illegal knee.

The first round was Leites', and with the point deduction in the second, all he had to do was survive the next rounds to at least score a draw, right? Marquardt rallied in the later rounds to arguably score a 10-8 in one of them despite clearly rocking Leites with an illegal knee that he probably should have been disqualified for.

A fight that results in a draw should always have a sudden death round, but this might be one that never should have gone the distance in the first place.

No. 6 Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida

In 2009's "Fight of the Year" Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida put on the best fight of their careers.

Guida survived everything Sanchez could give him in the first round including a vicious head kick that put him on his back for a split second. Guida made a comeback in the second and third with relentless takedowns and the type of will that has defined his career.

After three rounds of some of the best action a fan will ever see, Sanchez won via split-decision. Both of these combatants get more aggressive as the fight goes on, and two more rounds wouldn't hurt more than the fighters' health. That should also be taken into consideration.

No. 5 Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill

In one of the most controversial decision to take place inside the Octagon, Ultimate Fighter teammates Michael Bisping and Matt Hamill took on each other in Bisping's home country.

Bisping is another fighter that is known for starting slow, and this fight can attest to that. Hamill rocked Bisping several times in the first round and had the British fighter in survival mode.

Bisping had better success in the second and third rounds, but still seemed to have lost a decision when it was all over.

Surprisingly, Bisping walked away with a split-decision victory.

No. 4 Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin

When two legends meet inside the Octagon to battle it out in a fight that fans have been calling for as long as they can remember, why not make it a five-round fight?

This was the case with Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, but who would have thought that fight was going five rounds?

In this fight between champions Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson at UFC 93, the two middleweights went back-and-forth for three tough rounds.

The first was all Henderson as he rocked Franklin early in the round and out-wrestled him. The second and third were close rounds to score but seemed to sway in Franklin's favor as he was gaining momentum and starting to out land the two-time Pride champion.

Henderson won a split-decision, and a rematch was called for by Dana White. To the fans disapproval of the fight, White called it off. The only way I would want to see it again is if it was five rounds.

No. 3 Lyoto Machida vs. Rampage Jackson

In the main event at UFC 123, former light-heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson fought three close and competitive rounds with Jackson winning a controversial split-decision.

The judges favored Jackson's aggression early on, and Machida clearly won the third when he got Rampage against the cage and rocked him with a combination.

It was a dominant round for Machida, but how were the first two rounds scored? They were scored for Jackson by two judges even though Machida had the best offensive attack of the fight.

No. 2 Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin 1

This was the biggest fight of the Ultimate Fighter 1 winner's career. Forrest Griffin had put on one of the greatest fights ever with Stephan Bonnar to win the TUF finale.

He was given a chance to increase his status as a top light-heavyweight fighter when he was given the chance to face Tito Ortiz at UFC 59.

Both of the former light-heavyweight champions fought twice with both ending in split-decision victories; Ortiz won the first, Griffin won the second.

The first was the most controversial, but a 10-8 round in the first saved Ortiz from losing the decision. This is another reason to have a five round fight. If one fighter has a 10-8 round, they basically don't have to do anything to earn at least a draw while the other fighter is forced to finish.

There should be no taking off in fights, and a fighter with a two-point lead in the first round usually does so.

No. 1 BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch

Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 27: BJ Penn of the USA is pinned down by Jon Fitch of the USA during their welterweight bout part of UFC 127 at Acer Arena on February 27, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

This is the best example of a three-round fight that should have been five rounds. With clear title implications at stake, B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch fought back-and-forth in the main event at UFC 127, which resulted in a majority draw. 

The first rounds were close, but the third was not. Fitch outlanded Penn 149 to two and seemed to have won the round with a 10-8 score. With that, it made the fight a draw as two judges gave the first two rounds to Penn.

If this fight had been five rounds, it wouldn't have made it the scorecards with Fitch winning via TKO in the fourth or fifth rounds. Penn had nothing left, and Fitch was only getting stronger as the fight went on.

They were both scheduled to face each other at UFC 132 but pulled out due to injuries. Before they fight again, a five-round fight this time should be considered.