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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"I think I'm better than Jake [Shields], I think I should be fighting for the title, but I've been given a huge opportunity here to fight B.J. Penn and that's a big fight, belt or no belt... We're in a sport of selling fights right now, and the sport's growing, we’'e trying to get international, trying to get into every country, every household, and part of that is ticket sales is the idea that Jake Shields is coming over from Strikeforce with two belts. I understand that, it's a business decision."
-Jon Fitch talks to MMAWeekly.com about getting leapfrogged by Jake Shields for the UFC Welterweight Title shot in 2011.
Penick's Analysis: There's definitely some justified frustration to be had on Fitch's part for getting passed over in this situation, but if he beats B.J. Penn he simply can't be denied another shot at the title. It's hard to argue that the fight will be any different if he faces Georges St. Pierre than the first time around, but that's not to say that Fitch hasn't earned the right to prove doubters wrong. I argued his case before and after Shields' UFC debut, and still believe with five straight wins in the two years since losing to GSP that he shouldn't necessarily have been passed over, but again, a win over B.J. Penn in a main event fight will get him his second chance. As for the topic of who's better between Fitch and Shields, it's a tough call. They're probably 2a and 2b in the division, and both have comparable grappling skills. Fitch's is more wrestling and control-centric, while Shields is more adept with the submission game. It's a fight that probably wouldn't spend much time standing, but that's a matchup that should happen down the line as well.
[Jon Fitch art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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