Jon Fitch An MMA Legend For All Wrong Reasons
Jon Fitch An MMA Legend For All Wrong Reasons
Unlike other legendary fighters, Jon Fitch is not best known for his toughness or his longevity in the octagon, but more for his well-publicized fund's outside it.
By Raphael Garcia
Mixed martial arts has created a number of men and women that are known for their outright toughness. These individuals built a legendary status that follows them throughout their career. Jon Fitch is one of those names and he’s in a position to win his first mainstream welterweight title at World Series of Fighting 30 if he defeats Joao Zeferino in the co-main event in the evening. Yet, this moment is not what Fitch should be known for when his career draws to a close.
With 16 years of professional competition, Fitch has nearly reached some of the highest points available in the sport. His run within the UFC was the best point of his career. During that time he put together a 14-3-1 record. At UFC 87 he faced off against then champion, Georges St-Pierre in a fight that GSP has called his toughest in his career. So much so that back in 2011 GSP called Fitch “unkillable” on his official Facebook page.
Still, that stretch could not keep Fitch employed within the biggest organization in mixed martial arts. In 2013 he would be one of 16 people released from the company. To that point he had never lost two fights in a row, but his style of fighting wasn’t the most exciting for mainstream and hardcore fans. UFC President Dana White made it clear why he released the former title challenger from the organization.
In Fitch’s career he’s been a person who has consistently looked out for his best interests both inside and out of the cage. Back in 2008 he, along with all of his teammates who were a part of American Kickboxing Academy, were cut for not agreeing to the likeness demands that the UFC required fighters to sign. MMA Fighting reported the situation was quickly remedied but was a precursor to eventual problems that would come up, even after Fitch would leave the Zuffa-owned organization.
Fitch is also a part of a class-action lawsuit against the UFC along with Cung Le and Nate Quarry which accuses the UFC of “illegally maintaining monopoly and monopsony power by systematically eliminating competition from rival promoters, artificially suppressing fighters’ earnings from bouts and merchandising and marketing activities through restrictive contracting and other exclusionary practices,” as reported by Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog.com.
Fitch should not be known as the fighter that stirred the pot against the UFC, or as a fighter that bored the fan base. Instead, he should be recognized as one of the best welterweights to ever compete in the sport. He had a skill set that allowed him to negative the strongest skills that his opponent had to offer. His battle against Erick Silva at UFC 153 stands out as the most recent example of his ability to limit what an opponent can do while imposing his own will.
Zeferino should expect more of the same when they face off on April 2 in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. If Fitch can implement his game plan as he’s done in the past, this will be the first time he had the chance to hold a title above it his. At 38-years of age, one must wonder exactly how many opportunities will come to one of the best 170 pound fighters to ever compete in the sport.
Mixed martial arts has created a number of men and women that are known for their outright toughness. These individuals built a legendary status that follows them throughout their career. Jon Fitch is one of those names and he’s in a position to win his first mainstream welterweight title at World Series of Fighting 30 if he defeats Joao Zeferino in the co-main event in the evening. Yet, this moment is not what Fitch should be known for when his career draws to a close.
With 16 years of professional competition, Fitch has nearly reached some of the highest points available in the sport. His run within the UFC was the best point of his career. During that time he put together a 14-3-1 record. At UFC 87 he faced off against then champion, Georges St-Pierre in a fight that GSP has called his toughest in his career. So much so that back in 2011 GSP called Fitch “unkillable” on his official Facebook page.
Still, that stretch could not keep Fitch employed within the biggest organization in mixed martial arts. In 2013 he would be one of 16 people released from the company. To that point he had never lost two fights in a row, but his style of fighting wasn’t the most exciting for mainstream and hardcore fans. UFC President Dana White made it clear why he released the former title challenger from the organization.
This is a sport just like any other sport,” White said after the UFC 157 press conference as presented by MMA Fighting. "Jon Fitch is ranked number 9, whether you think it’s right or wrong. He’s on the downside of his career. He’s lost two fights, one draw and he’s won one fight. It’s not like Fitch was on an incredible win streak, he’s never won a title in his life. There’s no hard feelings, I don’t have one ounce of hate for Jon Fitch. I like Jon Fitch.
In Fitch’s career he’s been a person who has consistently looked out for his best interests both inside and out of the cage. Back in 2008 he, along with all of his teammates who were a part of American Kickboxing Academy, were cut for not agreeing to the likeness demands that the UFC required fighters to sign. MMA Fighting reported the situation was quickly remedied but was a precursor to eventual problems that would come up, even after Fitch would leave the Zuffa-owned organization.
Fitch is also a part of a class-action lawsuit against the UFC along with Cung Le and Nate Quarry which accuses the UFC of “illegally maintaining monopoly and monopsony power by systematically eliminating competition from rival promoters, artificially suppressing fighters’ earnings from bouts and merchandising and marketing activities through restrictive contracting and other exclusionary practices,” as reported by Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog.com.
Fitch should not be known as the fighter that stirred the pot against the UFC, or as a fighter that bored the fan base. Instead, he should be recognized as one of the best welterweights to ever compete in the sport. He had a skill set that allowed him to negative the strongest skills that his opponent had to offer. His battle against Erick Silva at UFC 153 stands out as the most recent example of his ability to limit what an opponent can do while imposing his own will.
Zeferino should expect more of the same when they face off on April 2 in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. If Fitch can implement his game plan as he’s done in the past, this will be the first time he had the chance to hold a title above it his. At 38-years of age, one must wonder exactly how many opportunities will come to one of the best 170 pound fighters to ever compete in the sport.