Jon Fitch gained a huge victory with his unanimous-decision win at UFC 153 over rising star Erick Silva. The win could have very well saved Fitch’s UFC career.
Once a major contender in the welterweight division, Fitch had run into hard times as of late after a draw with BJ Penn and an unexpected loss to Johny Hendricks.
Fitch’s run of tough luck was a far cry from the fighter who once challenged Georges St. Pierre for his title back in 2008.
Fast forward to 2012 and now Fitch has life in the sport once again.
Not only did he beat Silva, but Fitch did it in impressive fashion. Fitch even came close to stopping the fight before the final horn sounded as he had Silva flattened out while the former No. 1 contender rained down vicious blows.
Silva was thought to be a top contender in the division before this fight, but that will certainly change after this loss. In turn, Fitch has now proven he can beat some of the best fighters on the planet. That’s the first step back to greatness for Fitch.
So just how far is Fitch from getting another title shot?
There’s no doubt it will take time.
This victory was the first Fitch has experienced since 2010, when he beat Thiago Alves in UFC 117. After the two disappointing finishes in 2011, Fitch didn’t get back into the Octagon for nearly 10 months.
While a title shot might be in his future, it will take more than one good fight to prove he deserves it. On top of that, Fitch would be better served to get some more fights under his belt before taking on GSP; otherwise, Fitch might find that he simply isn’t ready to compete at such a high level.
But no matter what, Fitch looked motivated against Silva, and that motivation is exactly what Fitch needed to begin climbing the ranks in order to staple himself as a worthy challenger for the welterweight crown.
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