BJ Penn has recently said that there’s no reason he can’t be the welterweight champion, and is trying to work himself back up the welterweight ladder. He re-entered the division by knocking out Hughes in the first round and fighting to a draw with Jon …
BJ Penn has recently said that there’s no reason he can’t be the welterweight champion, and is trying to work himself back up the welterweight ladder. He re-entered the division by knocking out Hughes in the first round and fighting to a draw with Jon Fitch. If he beats Nick Diaz, he’ll be one step closer to a title fight.
Some people probably wouldn’t be interested in seeing GSP vs. Penn III, since history suggests that GSP would dominate Penn like he did in their last outing. But Penn is still one of the strongest fighters in the division. He is a superb striker with great takedown defense who is a bigger threat off his back than most. If Penn beats Diaz and his next opponent persuasively, it is very likely that GSP vs. Penn III could be a reality. Here are three potential fights for BJ Penn after beating Nick Diaz.
It’s not very often you see B.J. Penn unsatisfied or disappointed in his performance, so when he learned Carlos Condit was awarded a title shot against Georges St-Pierre, “The Prodigy” was hoping to earn a rematch with Jon Fitch. The two welterwei…
It’s not very often you see B.J. Penn unsatisfied or disappointed in his performance, so when he learned Carlos Condit was awarded a title shot against Georges St-Pierre, “The Prodigy” was hoping to earn a rematch with Jon Fitch.
The two welterweights fought to a draw at UFC 125 in February, which obviously left Penn wanting to avenge the decision, but was offered a more intriguing bout in Nick Diaz instead.
“Fitch keeps on saying all this stuff that he can beat me easy and all these things, so first thing I do is I call up Dana White,” Penn told FiveOuncesofPain.com. “I say, ‘You know what? Perfect, let’s fight Fitch. He said he’s ready to go and said he’d love to fight me.’”
When Penn was informed that Fitch was recovering from a shoulder injury, which would prevent him from being able to compete at UFC 137, he agreed to face Diaz.
The two have been slated to meet in the main event after St-Pierre’s knee injury forced him off the main card entirely. Condit remains the No.1 contender, and he will wait for the champion to heal, rescheduling their title bout for 2012.
As for Fitch, Penn believes they are bound to meet again at some point.
“I’ll fight Fitch anytime. I’d love to fight him again,” he said.
Prior to reigning in the new year, Dana White and company have scheduled one of the most anticipated heavyweight bouts of all time for UFC 141 in late December. Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem.While that titanic fight alone is worth the price of…
Prior to reigning in the new year, Dana White and company have scheduled one of the most anticipated heavyweight bouts of all time for UFC 141 in late December.
While that titanic fight alone is worth the price of PPV fees, UFC 141 also features one of the most dynamic and explosive fights the welterweight division could offer.
Both guys have been more than spectacular during their tenure in the UFC, Fitch going 13-1-1 and Hendricks going 6-1.
Now while Fitch has knocked off more relevant fighters in the UFC, including Diego Sanchez, Paulo Thiago and Thiago Alves twice, Hendricks has done more than a fair share of showcasing elite talent inside the octagon.
On Dec. 30, these two men with go to battle. Each have a storied background in wrestling. Each have the strength to impose their wills and finish fights when others might back off. Each are striving for a shot at the winner of Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit, which is now scheduled to happen sometime in the early quarter of 2012.
Each are well-rounded, offer excellent striking games, know when and how to finish fights on the ground and each possess a high level of intensity.
Considering all that, I think it’s safe to say this fight is going to be a one of the best bouts of 2011.
Here is an early breakdown of Fitch vs. Hendricks and how each fighter fares in regards to their respective game plans.
Following the news of Georges St-Pierre’s knee injury, Josh Koscheck said he would be willing to step up on 11 days notice to fight Carlos Condit.Although this sounded good in theory, Dana White quickly shot down the rumors by saying Condit must w…
Following the news of Georges St-Pierre’s knee injury, Josh Koscheck said he would be willing to step up on 11 days notice to fight Carlos Condit.
Although this sounded good in theory, Dana White quickly shot down the rumors by saying Condit must wait for St. Pierre to return from injury.
Waiting on the sidelines like Rashad Evans is a terrible move for any fighter, especially when there are a handful of options available for Condit and the UFC.
Lesnar, a former UFC heavyweight champ, welcomes former Strikeforce champ Overeem into the UFC with this five-round contest to determine the No. 1 contender.
Let me describe a fighter for you and you try to guess who I’m talking about.This man (let’s call him “Fighter X”) is one of the top contenders in his division. In fact, he could very well be ranked No. 2 in the world behind the champ. Fighter X comes …
Let me describe a fighter for you and you try to guess who I’m talking about.
This man (let’s call him “Fighter X”) is one of the top contenders in his division. In fact, he could very well be ranked No. 2 in the world behind the champ. Fighter X comes from a wrestling background and uses that style predominantly in his fights. Fighter X is considered a “grinder” and relies on constant pressure to break an opponent’s will.
Who am I talking about? If I added “Fighter X just challenged someone to a loser leaves town match,” I’d be talking about Chael Sonnen.
But if I said “Fighter X hasn’t lost a fight in three years, has been promised and denied title shots, has given the champ his most exciting title defence, and has been the undisputed No. 2 in his weight for nearly half a decade,” then I’m talking about Jon Fitch.
Here’s a simple question: Does Jon Fitch need to win his next fight? The answer: Only if he wants to keep his job. So I guess that’s a yes.
If we believe the rumours, then Jon Fitch is scheduled to face off against Johny Hendricks at the year end Lesnar-Ubereem Card.
Originally, Fitch wanted a rematch with BJ Penn in order to settle the score. That got shut down when Dana White declared that “The Fans” didn’t want to see that particular rematch. It’s a good thing Dana has such a Vince McMahon-esque grip on “what The Fans want.”
With that fight gone, Fitch then wanted to take a fight at UFC 139 in his backyard of San Jose in November. White agreed to this as long as Fitch was willing to face his training partner and friend Josh Koscheck. After suggesting that fight, I’m guessing White made this face.
Okay, so the Lesnar-Ubereem card isn’t such a hard spot to find yourself, really, except that he’s facing Johny Hendricks. Johny Hendricks who, on paper, has all the right tools to be the anti-Fitch missile. Elite wrestling: Check. Gritty style: Check. Epic beard: Oh, you know it.
This is almost a lose-lose fight for Jon, as Hendricks is a fringe welterweight contender at best. I don’t see Fitch stomping his foot and screaming for a title shot after three rounds of Hendricks. Actually, I do, I just don’t see management caring one bit.
Does Fitch need to win? Absolutely. A loss won’t just mean ejection from the title picture, it could even cost him his job. Dana White has fired Fitch for less in the past.
And even with a win, nothing is certain about Jon’s future. There’s still no clear timeline regarding his title shot and no one—from UFC brass, to media, to the average fan—is standing up to applaud him as the heir apparent. A win lets him keep his job, that’s about it.
Am I telling Fitch to change his style? Hell no. This is sports, baby. And in sports winning is God. Jon Fitch doesn’t have to necessarily be the World’s Most Exciting fighter to be popular. Fitch need only look to the top of his division to see that.
But still, the least he could do during his post-fight interview is to challenge someone to a loser leaves town match. Then make a racially charged comment or two. Then cheat in a title fight.
Then we might finally have a reason to care about you, Jon. But if you lose against Hendricks we could very well be looking at the next Bellator Welterweight Champion.
It’s not very often you see 
Brock Lesnar