LONG BEACH, Calif. — The biggest question coming out of the Oct. 27 World Series of Fighting 6 card was this: Which direction would the company go next with it’s biggest name fighter, Jon Fitch?
Fitch, who was signed by WSOF after being a surprise cut from the UFC earlier in the year, defeated Marcelo Alfaya via split decision that night in South Florida.
But would Fitch be matched up with Steve Carl, who upset Josh Burkman to win the inaugural WSOF welterweight title on the same card, or would they go to a rematch between Fitch and Burkman, who submitted Fitch in just 41 seconds in June?
The answer, according to WSOF head matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz: It will very likely be Carl vs. Fitch.
“I think Carl and Fitch is the fight to make next,” Abdel-Aziz said Sunday at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo. “Burkman is going to need another win before he’s back in the picture.”
The news was music to Fitch’s ears.
“That would be cool,” said Fitch, who went to a 20-minute draw with Paulo Maiyo on Sunday. “It would have been me and Burkman if he would have won, but the belt takes priority and then hopefully Burkman can win one or two and we can work something out later on for that. Steve Carl’s a tough kid, it should be a good scrap.”
Edgar wants to give back to Penn
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar was among those in attendance at the Expo. Edgar was taking a break from filming the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, where he’s coaching alongside B.J. Penn.
Edgar can’t give away spoilers from the show, obviously. But he said he didn’t have to be coaxed into accepting the gig, even though he’s already fought Penn twice and beaten him both times.
“Here’s the thing,” Edgar said. “B.J. gave me the opportunity and gave me the title shot back when I was the guy who needed the boost. I wanted have gotten where I got without B.J. So to me, a fight is just a fight. If B.J.’s at a point in his career where he wants me to return the favor, I’m happy to do it.”
Saturday results
The World Jiu-Jitsu Expo was a two-day affair at the Long Beach Convention Center. Saturday also featured a fight card with several MMA names. In a no-gi contest, Phillipe Nover and Efrain Escudero went to a 20-minute draw. And in Saturday night’s main event, the UFC’s Nam Phan was submitted by two-time World Championship gold medalist Ciao Terra via shoulder lock.