Say what you want about Jon Fitch…but he is…

Next in line for the UFC BELT!

I get so frustrated looking online at the message boards and forums and seeing “fans” critique a fighters performance.  After Jon Fitch’s win over #1 contender Thiago Alves, every fan boy and 14 year old kid living in his mom’s extra room got online and felt the need to comment on how “boring” his fighting style is…and how he won by Lay N’ Pray instead of actually fighting.

…Comments like that…are the reason why fighters stay off the Internet leading up to their fights.

Fitch has won 13 out of 14 UFC fights, with his only loss coming in a 5 round war to GSP over 2 years ago.  I don’t think the “average fan” realizes how good EVERYONE at the UFC level is.  The UFC is the permier league…even the low level UFC fighters are considered the best regional fighters competing as the “main event” when they fight locally.  To win as consistently as Fitch is amazing, let alone against the level of competition he has faced!

Matt Hughes, Josh Koscheck, Chris Lytle, Tony Desouza, and Karo Parisyan couldn’t implement the gameplan Fitch put on display tonight.

Fitch is an aggressive grappler, but at the end of the day “position before submission” is exactly what winning a fight is all about.  Having got the opportunity to see Fitch train first hand while he was at Tiger Muay Thai, it’s obvious to see why he’s next in line for the UFC 170lbs championship belt.  The guy doesn’t just come into the gym and only work on what he is good at.  He’s the first student of Dave Camarillo to go from White Belt-to Black Belt in BJJ.

During his trip to Thailand, it was clear he is actively looking to improve and continue evolving as a fighter.  Just because he didn’t go out and strike against Thiago Alves—arguably the #1 striker in the Welterweight division, doesn’t mean he isn’t improving in those areas.  Winning a fight, is all about making an opponent fight YOUR FIGHT, which is exactly what Fitch put on display.

Congrats Jon on the win, and the engagement.  Look forward to seeing you again in Phuket…it would make for a romantic honeymoon for you and your wife :)