Fitch Gets the Shaft Again

After being promised another UFC welterweight title shot, Jon Fitch has had the opportunity taken away from him. It isn't the first time.

Instead of biding his time and waiting for a second chance at Georges St. Pierre, and or Josh Koscheck, Fitch has, reluctantly I'm sure, agreed to face Jake Ellenberger at UFC 126 in February. Jake Shields, who was less than impressive in a split decision over Martin Kampmann recently, will assume the top contender spot.

I don't have any gripes with Shields receiving a title shot. None. He's been the top welterweight outside of the UFC for a number of years now and his record speaks for itself. He's as worthy a contender as there has ever been to be quite honest.

Assuming St. Pierre dispatches of Koscheck this December, the truth of the matter is that time is running out for Fitch to receive another crack at the Canadian. A win over Shields will mean that St. Pierre has "cleaned out" the UFC's 170 lb. division. TWICE.

No one else on the current UFC roster stands a chance at defeating GSP, nor would even provide a matchup that fans would like to see. The only scenario I can think of is if the UFC were able to bring in Ben Askren. The threat of St. Pierre facing a far better wrestler than he would be interesting to say the least.

With that said, the time for St. Pierre to move up to middleweight is approaching. According to some elite fighters, a permanent move up in weight would require a few years of preparation via weight lifiting and gaining. St. Pierre has been doing that for well over a year now. If Lorenzo Fertitta's recent comments about wanting a superfight between GSP and Anderson Silva as soon as possible, St. Pierre could even be making his 185 lb. debut as soon as next fall.

The one thing that Fitch has going for him is that he continues to clear out the UFC's welterweight division himself at an alarming rate, and his unanimous decision win in a rematch with Thiago Alves this summer was an absolute domination of the Brazilian. Still, Ellenberger represents another surprising step down in opposition, similar to his fights against Ben Saunders and Mike Pierce, albeit those matchups were put together due to Alves' medical problems. Unfortunately, the UFC welterweight division is all booked up or has recently competed at the moment, and Carlos Condit and Chris Lytle are probably on target to meet each other in the near future.

If Fitch wants his shot to come against St. Pierre, he needs to make a statement against Ellenberger, and that would involve finishing his first fight in over four years. It might be the only way to grab the attention of Dana White, Joe Silva and company, who have the power to delay St. Pierre's inevitable move to middleweight, especially if it's for a rematch with Fitch.