Tag: Jon Fitch

UFC 153: Anderson Silva, Stephen Bonnar and the Unexpected Thunderstorm

So here’s the story. While UFC 153 was being shown live on ESPN my part of merry old England was hit by an unexpected thunder storm. It was unexpected because such things don’t normally happen at this time of year. For a few brief seconds w…

So here’s the story. While UFC 153 was being shown live on ESPN my part of merry old England was hit by an unexpected thunder storm. It was unexpected because such things don’t normally happen at this time of year.

For a few brief seconds we were hit by a power cut, which meant that my DVD recorder and satellite TV box stopped working. It also meant that I’d lost the preliminary fights and that I’d have to record the repeat showing the following night.

So here, a little bit later than planned, is my look (sans prelims) at UFC 153.

The show began with welterweight action as Demian Maia took on Rick Story.

Story began the fight by swinging for the fences, but within seconds Maia took the fight to the ground. Story managed to get back to his feet a couple of times but Maia managed to keep a hold of him as he powered him back down to the mat.

Maia simply overwhelmed him, and it wasn’t long before he took Story’s back and cranked his man’s neck for the very impressive submission win.

With the Phil Davis/Wagner Prado fight cut from the repeat, more welterweight action followed as Jon Fitch went up against Erick Silva.

Now this was a fight. For three rounds these two put on a great contest in what proved to be a hard test for the young Brazilian.

Fitch basically took Silva to school. There wasn’t much in the way of stand up fighting but when they went to the ground Fitch dominated in all three rounds. From his takedowns through to his submissions and ground and pound, it was a joy to watch.

Silva had his moments, particularly in the second round when he took Fitch’s back and went for a rear naked choke. But the man with the best submission escape record in UFC history added to his number and moments later he went for a submission of his own, although Silva managed to spin out of the armbar attempt.

Fitch cemented his domination in the third round with his brutal ground and pound. There were times when it looked like the referee would stop the action, but Silva managed to survive.

So after three great rounds it came down to the judges as all three scored in favour of Fitch.

Then it was up to light heavyweight as Glover Teixeira faced Fabio Maldonado.

This was one of those fights that was brutal and compelling at the same time.

Teixeira put on a dominating display for the majority of the first round. A left hook sent Maldonado crashing, and it wasn’t long before Teixeira went to work with the ground and pound.

Teixeira’s attack was brutal. It looked like he wanted to obliterate his opponent before he went for an arm triangle.

Then, to the surprise of just about everyone, Maldonado managed to get back to his feet, and moments later, as he staggered around the cage with the fence basically holding him up, he connected with a couple of left hooks that rocked his man.

The second round was pretty much the same, although not as brutal. Teixeira put in some more stellar work on the ground as Maldonado began to look like Rocky Balboa after his first fight with Apollo Creed.

The referee called for a timeout as the round entered its last minute so the doctor could check Maldonado out, and just when it looked like he was going to call the fight he allowed Maldonado to continue.

Maldonado managed to survive the round, but as soon as the doctor saw him, he told the referee to wave the fight off, ending his brave resistance and giving Teixeira the TKO win.

The co-main event featured heavyweight action as Minotauro Nogueira took on Dave Herman.

This was good, and while many thought that Big Nog would take control early on, it was Herman who scored with the early takedown. Nog managed to escape eventually, setting up what became an intriguing first round.

The fight really came alive in the second. Big Nog connected with a big left early on that sent Herman to the ground. Nogueira followed him down for some stellar ground work, and although Herman showed some sound defensive skills at times, especially when he got back to his feet, Nogueira soon took the fight back down.

The end came a few moments later when Big Nog went for an armbar. Herman, who had never been submitted before, tried to fight it for as long as he could, rolling at one point. Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before the inevitable happened as Herman tapped to give Big Nog the more than welcome submission win.

The main event featured light heavyweight action as Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva went up against Stephan Bonnar.

Was there really any doubt about who would win this one?

What we had here was a somewhat eccentric performance from the best in the world. Bonnar came forward early, and after trying for a couple of combinations, he engaged in a long clinch against the cage as he went for the takedown.

It would be a tactic Bonnar would try later on in the round, but when they weren’t clinching Silva stood with his back to the cage, showboating a little and basically calling for Bonnar to hit him. Bonnar managed to get in a few good shots, but it wasn’t long before Silva had the American Psycho back peddling with some crisp striking.

Silva then connected with a knee to the chest that doubled Bonnar over as he slumped to the mat. Silva followed him down for a spot of ground and pound before the referee stepped in to give Silva the TKO win.

I normally like listening to thunder storms. For some reason they help me sleep, and for an insomnia sufferer like me, that’s quite helpful.

But let’s get back to the matter at hand. Did UFC 153 deliver?

It certainly did. I may have missed the prelims and one of the main fights, but overall this was a pretty enjoyable show.

Demian Maia looks like a completely different fight since he moved down to welterweight, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he manages to get into the title picture soon, especially if he continues with his great performances.

It was great to see Big Nog back in the cage and doing what he does best. Just thinking of Frank Mir braking his arm makes me shudder, and it was great to see the big man getting back to winning ways with some nice Brazilian jiu-jitsu. (Slight dig at Dave Herman there!)

As for Anderson Silva, to me it looked like he was treating this like an overexposed sparring session. Don’t get me wrong, it was a pretty good performance, but he’s just a class above everyone else in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. Well, there could be one man who could give him a run for his money. Two if you count a certain welterweight.

“But you haven’t mentioned your fight of the night yet,” I hear you cry. That’s because I’m giving this no-prize to the Jon Fitch/Erick Silva welterweight encounter. Much was expected of Silva going into that fight, but Fitch took him to the proverbial wood shed and taught him a few lessons. Silva is definitely one for the future, and hopefully he’ll learn a great deal from this defeat.

With all that out of the way, let’s wrap this thing up by giving UFC 153 the big thumbs up, and let’s hope that we don’t get an out of season November thunder storm when Rich Franklin takes on Cung Le next month!

Don’t forget to check out my website at twoshedsreview.blogspot.com. It’s been online in one form or another for over 12 years now!

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UFC 153: Jon Fitch and Demian Maia Serve Notice to the Welterweight Division

It came as no surprise when Anderson Silva bagged most of the headlines during the post-mortem of UFC 153, but the performances of Jon Fitch and Demian Maia offer a more meaningful narrative, particularly as pertains to the UFC’s welterweight div…

It came as no surprise when Anderson Silva bagged most of the headlines during the post-mortem of UFC 153, but the performances of Jon Fitch and Demian Maia offer a more meaningful narrative, particularly as pertains to the UFC’s welterweight division.

Erick Silva was supposed to be the next big thing in the 170-pound weight class—and he might yet be—and it seemed as though Jon Fitch was little more than meat for the beast.

The AKA veteran’s last performance inside the cage could scarcely have gone worse. Knocked out within a few seconds of the opening bell, some speculated as to whether Fitch had already seen his best days.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, it’s fair to say that rumours of Jon Fitch’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Indeed, the former welterweight title challenger looked better than ever on Saturday night.

More shocking still was how utterly compelling his bout with Erick Silva was.

According to some, Jon Fitch fights were occasionally prescribed by neurologists as a cure for fatal familial insomnia. Yet based on how absorbing his most recent contest was, his future bouts may be better suited to treating narcolepsy.

One could argue that Silva’s ability to compete with the 34-year-old’s usual smothering tactics was responsible for making the fight so engrossing, but it is worth pointing out that Fitch was vocal about his intention to win the fight of the night bonus.

Make no mistake, his performance was no fluke.

Crucially, it was also incredibly effective. His usual M.O. of takedowns and pitter-patter punches was replaced by a more forceful, aggressive style that was designed to render the judge’s scorecards irrelevant.

He may still have some way to go before he earns another crack at the gold, but Jon Fitch is at least back on the right path.

Perhaps more surprising than Fitch’s heroics was Demian Maia’s swift dismissal of Rick Story, one of the toughest “outs” in the welterweight division.

The Brazilian’s long overdue cut to 170 pounds has thus far proven to be profitable. No longer faced with larger opposition, he has had a much easier time securing takedowns—even against a tough wrestler like Story—in order to bring his potent BJJ game into play.

Joe Rogan has in the past mocked Maia’s lack of natural athletic ability, suggesting that he “moves like the whitest guy on Earth.” While this may be true—if a touch cruel—the size advantage he enjoys at welterweight in many ways negates his physical limitations.

The multiple-time BJJ world champion has the kind of submission game that is equivalent to Anderson Silva’s striking. In other words, if he is able to dictate where the fight takes place, your chances of going home with a win bonus are slimmer than the cast of America’s Next Top Model.

It goes without saying that matching Jon Fitch and Demian Maia up would make for an extremely intriguing contest.

There are clearly some compelling storylines to explore should Joe Silva decide to put that particular fight together.

While Fitch has an unshakable belief in his grappling, one wonders whether he would, for the first time in his career, voluntarily engage in a kickboxing match.

Would Maia be able to dictate the terms of the fight against such a dominant MMA wrestler, even with his size advantage?

Whatever direction the UFC takes with Fitch and Maia, there is no denying that both have made their presence known in the 170-pound division.

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Jon Fitch vs. Erick Silva: What Went Wrong for Silva

UFC 153 proved to be a learning experience for rising welterweight prospect Erick Silva.Taking on former top contender Jon Fitch, the young Brazilian just could not stop his opponent’s relentless grappling skills, losing via unanimous decision for one …

UFC 153 proved to be a learning experience for rising welterweight prospect Erick Silva.

Taking on former top contender Jon Fitch, the young Brazilian just could not stop his opponent’s relentless grappling skills, losing via unanimous decision for one of the toughest losses in his MMA career.

Silva was able to land some nice shots throughout the bout, but unfortunately fell prey to Fitch’s game, playing right into his strengths.

In the first round, Silva showed absolutely no regard for his opponent’s skill set, throwing kicks and knees that Fitch was able to catch and turn into takedowns.  The American was able to control his young opponent against the cage and on the ground, grinding away to take the energy out of Silva.

What went wrong for the Brazilian in the opening frame was that he didn’t keep his distance enough.  Even after landing a huge overhand right, Silva didn’t follow up with strikes and instead chose to tie up with Fitch against the cage.

Silva should have kept the fight on the outside and picked Fitch apart with his striking, a notable weakness for the former contender.

In the second round, Silva was actually in control for the majority of the time, controlling Fitch’s back and nearly sinking in the rear-naked choke.  However, the Brazilian’s gas tank started to wane and the American was able to capitalize on this and almost finished Silva with an armbar as time ran out.

The final frame proved to be a dominant round for Fitch, who’s superior grappling skills really shined through.  Silva was just too tired and too over-matched, unable to escape Fitch’s web on the ground.

What Silva should take away from this fight is that you can never underestimate the skills of your opponent, especially against such a high-level fighter like Fitch.  In order to take himself to the next level, the Brazilian has to employ better strategies that don’t play into his opponents’ strengths.

This fight really showed why experience is one of the most underrated intangibles in the fight game.  No matter how much hype a young fighter has, a seasoned veteran who can implement his game plan will always have the advantage.

 

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UFC 153 Results: Jon Fitch 2.0 Is a Legitimate Threat for Anyone at Welterweight

Perennial UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch has been known for two things throughout his 10-year career: 1. being a top five fighter at 170 pounds and 2. being one of the least entertaining fighters to watch. Fitch, a former captain of the Purd…

Perennial UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch has been known for two things throughout his 10-year career: 1. being a top five fighter at 170 pounds and 2. being one of the least entertaining fighters to watch. 

Fitch, a former captain of the Purdue wrestling team, has been known for his gritting, grinding style in the cage for as long back as anyone an remember. 

In other words, Fitch is a “boring wrestler” in the cage who just wants to “lay and pray” for 15 minutes. No one wants to watch that. 

However, after 16 bouts under the UFC banner, the American Kickboxing Academy standout looked like a new man against Erick Silva at UFC 153. 

The first round saw Fitch utilize his takedowns and top control as expected, but he was much more aggressive on top, throwing strikes with an intensity and frequency that fight fans certainly were not used to seeing. 

Despite being best known as a grappler, Fitch actually rattled the Brazilian prospect with an uppercut and an elbow on the feet before showcasing his skills on the ground. 

Silva had a deep rear naked choke locked in after capitalizing on a Fitch mistake, but the Dave Camarillo Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu black belt showed practically superhuman submission defense by escaping the hold. 

While this was nothing new for the Indiana native—this was his 24th submission successfully defended in the UFC—he then managed to take Silva’s back and looked to end the fight with an armbar as the round ended. 

As intriguing as the first 10 minutes of the fight were, Fitch arguably looked most impressive in the bout’s final stanza. 

Silva looked to be gassed out and Fitch wasn’t about to let opportunity pass him by. After getting the fight to the ground, Fitch was absolutely relentless with his ground and pound, landing an incredible 108 ground strikes in the final round. 

To his credit, Silva did threaten Fitch with another deep submission attempt, locking up an arm-in guillotine, but the fight was essentially over once Fitch popped his head free and started raining down punches. 

There is some debate as to whether or not the contest should’ve been stopped in the third, but everyone seems to agree that Fitch and Silva deserved nothing less than “Fight of the Night” honors. 

Looks like Johny Hendricks knocking out Fitch at UFC 141 in just 12 seconds was the best thing to possibly happen to him at this point in his career. 

After over four years without a fight bonus to his name, Fitch came into a hostile Rio de Janeiro environment and delivered, even if the match up went the distance. 

A Jon Fitch unanimous decision victory worth watching? Who would’ve thought?

The bottom line though is that the new and improved 34-year-old has relentless ground and pound, great submissions and markedly improved striking. 

Put the Martin Kampmann’s, Jake Ellenberger’s and perhaps even Carlos Condit’s of the welterweight division on notice because Jon Fitch is clearly back and better than ever. 

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UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar Aftermath: Living in the Matrix


Props: mmafanmade.tumblr.com

By George Shunick

If there’s a word that sums up UFC 153, it’s got to be “wow”. Anderson Silva gave another performance indicating that we do indeed live in the Matrix. Jon Fitch was in the most exciting fight of the night, and one of the best of the year. Big Nog submitted a man impervious to jiu-jitsu. Demian Maia choked/neck-cranked a man so hard he had a mini-hemorrhage and blood spurted out of his nose. And perhaps most impressive of all, Wagner Prado actually stopped a hat thief.

The bottom line is UFC 153 was an amazing card that delivered from top to bottom. Could it have been better if it had Frankie Edgar square off against Jose Aldo? Probably. But I’ll take another transcendental show from Anderson Silva any day of the week. And that’s exactly what his fight with Stephan Bonnar was. After a slip, Bonnar pressed Silva into the cage, presumably looking to wear the smaller fighter down. Silva wasn’t having any of it, offering a few knees, shoulder shrugs and nothing else. Bonnar backed away and then things got weird. Silva remained on the fence, hands down, encouraging Bonnar to hit him.

Now, I know Stephan Bonnar isn’t the world’s greatest striker. He’s never shown serious knockout power, and his technique has never been the best. But he’s still a 230 pound man who’s spent the majority of his adult life learning how to hurt people. He’s a professional fighter. And for about 4 minutes and 40 seconds last night, those facts didn’t amount to jack shit. Silva dodged, deflected or simply absorbed Bonnar’s offense for about two minutes, demonstrating what a black belt in Tae Kwon Do is worth against a man who seems to know what you’re going to do before you do. Then, Silva decided to end the fight. He tripped Bonnar, established some separation, and then connected with a debilitating, pin-point knee to the solar plexus. Bonnar – who had never been stopped with strikes before – collapsed and waited for the end to come. Mercifully, it did.


Props: mmafanmade.tumblr.com

By George Shunick

If there’s a word that sums up UFC 153, it’s got to be “wow”. Anderson Silva gave another performance indicating that we do indeed live in the Matrix. Jon Fitch was in the most exciting fight of the night, and one of the best of the year. Big Nog submitted a man impervious to jiu-jitsu. Demian Maia choked/neck-cranked a man so hard he had a mini-hemorrhage and blood spurted out of his nose. And perhaps most impressive of all, Wagner Prado actually stopped a hat thief.

The bottom line is UFC 153 was an amazing card that delivered from top to bottom. Could it have been better if it had Frankie Edgar square off against Jose Aldo? Probably. But I’ll take another transcendental show from Anderson Silva any day of the week. And that’s exactly what his fight with Stephan Bonnar was. After a slip, Bonnar pressed Silva into the cage, presumably looking to wear the smaller fighter down. Silva wasn’t having any of it, offering a few knees, shoulder shrugs and nothing else. Bonnar backed away and then things got weird. Silva remained on the fence, hands down, encouraging Bonnar to hit him.

Now, I know Stephan Bonnar isn’t the world’s greatest striker. He’s never shown serious knockout power, and his technique has never been the best. But he’s still a 230 pound man who’s spent the majority of his adult life learning how to hurt people. He’s a professional fighter. And for about 4 minutes and 40 seconds last night, those facts didn’t amount to jack shit. Silva dodged, deflected or simply absorbed Bonnar’s offense for about two minutes, demonstrating what a black belt in Tae Kwon Do is worth against a man who seems to know what you’re going to do before you do. Then, Silva decided to end the fight. He tripped Bonnar, established some separation, and then connected with a debilitating, pin-point knee to the solar plexus. Bonnar – who had never been stopped with strikes before – collapsed and waited for the end to come. Mercifully, it did.

Plenty of people are clamoring for Silva to fight Jon Jones now. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be intrigued, but until both of them want to fight, it seems silly to speculate. Besides, Silva’s fights with people he considers his friends don’t seem to be the entertaining variety. (Even if said “friends” actually dispute their friendship.) Personally, though, I’d like to see him fight Chris Weidman. GSP is, in my opinion, too small for Silva, and is coming off ACL surgery anyway. Michael Bisping wouldn’t last a round. Weidman has the wrestling to make things interesting, and the standup to, at least, survive on the feet for a time. He’s earned his shot; give it to him. Bonnar, on the other hand, was already contemplating retirement. Perhaps it’s best he follow through on that. He’s accomplished all he’s going to in the sport, and he can look forward to a cozy, Chuck Liddell-esque position within the UFC.

In the co-main event… actually, I’m putting that on hold for the moment. Because we have to talk about the Jon Fitch-Erick Silva fight. It was probably the most anticipated fight on the card, which is odd for a Fitch fight. But it delivered in spades. I’ve never got the hate for Jon Fitch that so many fans seem to harbor – yeah, he’s not the most exciting fighter, but the fact that people criticize a guy for fighting to his strengths instead of fighting for their personal entertainment is simply irrational. But you couldn’t levy those criticisms at him this fight – Fitch turned his grinding style up to 11 and brought the fight to Silva. The first round was closely contested, but in Fitch’s favor. The second Silva actually won, largely through securing back control and sinking in a rear naked choke that would have submitted anyone not named Jon Fitch. In all honesty, I still have no clue how Fitch survived, but he did. And he made Silva pay in the third, getting dominant positions, including mount, and unloading with punches for virtually the entire round. (A round which should have been scored 10-8 and which, predictably, no judge scored 10-8.)

Fitch broke Erick Silva. There’s no other way to describe it. That doesn’t mean Silva won’t recover, however. He’s still extraordinarily talented, and Jon Fitch is still one of the best fighters in the division. It was a big step up in competition, and for the first two rounds, he held his own. But sometimes, that’s the difference between good and great. Silva will work on his game and comeback stronger. As for Fitch, perhaps he’s got one more run left in him. This fight certainly indicated he does.

OK, now we’ll get to the co-main event. Basically, you don’t want to fight Big Nog in Brazil. And if you do, you don’t want to be Dave Herman. I’m not sure who came up with Herman’s game plan of “get punched in the face repeatedly and exchange takedowns with one of the most dangerous jiu-jitsu artists in the division,” but damn if Herman didn’t follow it to perfection. He spent the entire first round doing exactly that, getting hit flush in the face on numerous occasions. (This fight, if anything, did not lend any credibility to Brandon Schaub’s already suspect chin.) Why Herman, who possessed a distinct reach advantage, decided not to jab at all is a mystery to me.

It cost him in the second, where Nog was able to floor him with a left hook, achieved mount, and eventually secured a fight-ending armbar over the man who claimed that “jiu-jitsu doesn’t work.” As it turns out, it does, and it probably just handed Herman his walking papers after his third straight loss. Nogueira, on the other hand, wants a top-10 fighter. Give him Stefan Struve, Antonio Silva or Fabricio Werdum, and let the remaining two fight each other as well.

Glover Teixeira lived up to the hype. He tagged Fabio Maldonado early on, took him down, and did his best Donkey Kong imitation for the next four minutes. But Maldonado is made of something tougher than ordinary human beings. He somehow survived, stood, wobbled and then proceeded to tag a fatigued Teixeira with a left hook that wobbled him. But he was unable to capitalize, and was subjected to more of the same over the next round. Finally, the ringside doctor called for the stoppage in between the second and third rounds. Maldonado protested, but it was the right call. He won’t be cut simply because of how tough he was, but it’s unclear where he should go from here. Teixeira, however, needs to fight a big name at 205. Phil Davis or Shogun should fit the bill, if Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson fight as intended.

There isn’t much to say about the Wagner Prado-Phil Davis fight, other than that Wagner Prado did this, a feat unequaled in UFC history. Unfortunately for Prado, stopping the notorious Brazilian hat-thieves was his only accomplishment of the night, and he was dominated by Davis for their entire fight. The end came in the second, as Davis transitioned from an arm-triangle into a front headlock and then an anaconda choke, forcing Prado to submit. Prado was visibly upset afterwards. He’ll probably get another shot in the UFC; there’s no shame in being out-grappled by Phil Davis. I’d say Davis should take on Ryan Bader next, but winners get winners, so give him Shogun or Teixeira instead.

Finally, Demian Maia’s turning into a force at 170. I’m not surprised he beat Rick Story, but I’m surprised how easily he took him down and kept him down. Once Story was on the ground, it was only a matter of time. Maia took his back and sunk in an absolutely brutal RNC/neck crank, which caused blood to erupt from Story’s nose and mouth. Maia’s much stronger at 170 than he was at 185. If only Jake Shields hadn’t tested positive for something, that would have been the match-up to make. Since he has… hell, give him Jon Fitch. That should be interesting.

Maia took home submission of the night, while Fitch and Silva took home fight of the night. Knockout of the Night went to Rony Jason’s second round TKO over Sam Sicilia. Anderson Silva probably deserved the award, but he’s made enough money as it is. I doubt he minds the decision. Other brief thoughts; Fernando Yamasaki is a terrible referee. Madadi should’ve won his fight. The referee should have probably taken a point from Wagner Prado for holding the fence, but I understand his desire to leave Brazil with all his limbs intact. The chick who had “Erick Silva” tattooed on her forearm is probably rethinking her decision, and many of her life’s decisions, right about now.

Main Card Results

Anderson Silva def. Stephan Bonnar via TKO (4:40, Round 2)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Dave Herman via SUB (4:31, Round 2)
Glover Teixeira def. Fabio Maldonado via TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage, Round 2)
Jon Fitch def. Erick Silva via UD (30-27, 29-28 x 2)
Phil Davis def. Wagner Prado via SUB (4:29, Round 2)
Demian Maia def. Rick Story via SUB (2:30, Round 1)

Preliminary Card Results

Rony Jason def. Sam Sicilia via TKO (4:16, Round 2)
Gleison Tibau def. Francisco Trinaldo via UD (29-28 x 3)
Diego Brandao def. Joey Gambino via UD (30-27 x 3)
Sergio Moraes def. Renee Forte via SUB (3:10, Round 3)
Chris Camozzi def. Luiz Cane via UD (29-28 x 3)
Christiano Marcello def. Reza Madadi via SD (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

UFC 153 Results: Jon Fitch’s Win over Erick Silva Makes Him a Contender Again

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 t…

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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