UFC 141: Jon Fitch Talks Johny Hendricks, Talent vs. Hard Work
by Tim Burke on Dec 27, 2011 6:00 PM EST
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UFC welterweight Jon Fitch will be making his return to the cage at UFC 141 after close to ten months on the shelf with a shoulder injury. Fitch has been the consensus number two guy at 170 for years now, but knows that when you're out that long with an injury, you're easy to forget. In an interview with USA Today's Sergio Non, Fitch discusses his road back to a title shot and the first step along that road, a UFC 141 main card bout with wrestler Johny Hendricks. First, he explains how the shoulder is doing:
Shoulder's good. Hasn't been a problem at all. It's not even really a thought. I'm just preparing and getting everything for the fight. It's been good and healthy for awhile now.
On the similarities between himself and Hendricks:
I think I'm a little bit smoother with mixing my stand-up and wrestling together. I think I'm a much better submission guy than him; I think I've got better jiu-jitsu.
I've got a ton more experience in the fight game. He's an outstanding wrestler, but I think my experience just in MMA and the fight game is what's going to overwhelm him in the fight.
He talks about his last bout, a draw with B.J. Penn at UFC 127 for a little while as well. He hints that personal problems held him back from getting his head into the fight, but wouldn't elaborate when pressed by Sergio. He then moves onto why he thinks that athleticism is somewhat overrated, and athletes are great at things because of the conditions of life itself, and how hard the athlete works:
I think it's definitely something that I've worked at. I don't believe too many things just naturally happen.
I've said it over the past few years: I'm no longer a believer in talent. I think that people have what they have because of some kind of condition through their life that they've worked hard at or been exposed to, rather than just being born naturally good at something.
I think that's kind of copout. People who are unable to achieve kind of use that: "Oh, well he's just talented and I'm not, and that's why I can't do it."
And why doesn't he think he's in the mix yet in the "new" welterweight division since Georges St. Pierre went down with an injury?
I think one of the reasons why I haven't been talked about, especially this summer, is because I've been injured. You kind of stop existing, you become invisible a little bit, when you're on the shelf and you can't fight. I kind of have to deal with that and accept that.
When you're not fighting, no one's really thinking of you as the next guy to fight for a title whenever you're kind of on the shelf. After this fight, I'm sure I'll be back in the mix and people will be talking about me fighting for the belt again.
There is a ton more to the interview, including Fitch talking about how his documentary is coming along, how MMAth doesn't work, and how he thinks he can beat everyone else in the division. I highly recommend checking it out, which you can do here.
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I think this will be a great fight for Fitch because he will be able to showcase other aspects of his game besides his TDs and GnP since Johny Hendrix is an excellent wrestler himself and might be able to stuff the takedown attempts or might even get a takedown himself.
Also, with an impressive win on Friday and the introduction of the interim title, Fitch has a great chance at making some waves in the WW division. He has more than a decent chance at capturing the interim title, with a win, and challenging GSP upon his return from injury.
Sergio Non pretty much always does great interviews in my opinion. Usually really lengthy and beefy, and he doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions. I think maybe he has a little more leeway because he works for such a big traditional media outlet, than what your average MMA blogger can get away with. I’m no Fitch fan but it was well worth a read.
by Horselover Fat on Dec 27, 2011 6:08 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Why can't Fitch get any love?
Sure, he’s boring as fuck, but he’s pretty much the most constant welterweight fighter of all time. That gotta earn the guy some props.
The Internets: Where there are no girls and men become children.
by Unabomberman on Dec 27, 2011 6:35 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yes.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
13-1-1 in the UFC. If ya don’t like it, tough shit.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
by Tim Burke on Dec 27, 2011 6:58 PM EST up reply actions 9 recs
that's a sham
o84
"What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease."
He's just saying he doesn't like him
I think anyway. I think Fitch is awesome so I don’t get it but I don’t get the hate for Guida either.
"What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease."
Agreed
The Fitch hate that I see, not just on this site but all sites, is absurd. What he does might not be the most exciting but it is effective and, as you stated, consistant. I think his game has evolved faster than the “fight intelligence” of the casual MMA fan and his style comes off as un-appealing.
by BeefSupreme on Dec 27, 2011 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Aside form the fact that fighting him is like fighting 170lbs of glue
I dont like how he refuses to fight teammates like he:
A:Never planned for this eventuality
B:Is romantically involved with them
C:Wants to insult every guy in the world that would gladly fight their friend for 70K for 15 minutes.
D: Pretends it would ACTUALLY be a fight instead of just a live wrestling match.
Plus: god help him if one of those relationships sours, I can just see the incoming tidal wave of regret.
He also comes across as a jilted lover in the media. Sacrifices prime card positioning, popularity, and future opportunities in order to play it “safe” (which is his prerogative) with an excruciating to watch, fairly one dimensional, but REALLY effective “style”…..
by MostDiabolicalCasanova on Dec 27, 2011 6:59 PM EST up reply actions
A: Plenty of guys in plenty of camps have this same mentality.
B: That’s just stupid.
C: Who has he ever insulted? You’re just pulling stuff out of your ass.
D: What?
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
I hate your BE handle...
And you better not be a Spider fan with all this complaining about a fighter not wanting to fight his friend. And, even if Fitch was willing to, Kos wouldn’t be. Yet no one mentions that when they’re bitching about Kos.
An annoying Fitch fan. Also, captain of the inaugural BE Civil War champions, the K-1 Level Predictions Team.
Follow @zakkree
by Zachary Kater on Dec 27, 2011 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Fitch is my favorite 170 to watch these days.
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 28, 2011 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
He gets his props
Nobody doubts his skill
They just don’t like him
He’s like Mayweather on a smaller scale
Do not compare Jon Fitch to that asshat.
"It is himself that a coward abandons first, after that all other betrayals come easily."
by doonerthesooner on Dec 28, 2011 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
Also, Mayweather is probably the greatest boxer of our generation. Fitch is second best in his own division.
by discoandherpes on Dec 28, 2011 12:06 PM EST up reply actions
Jon Fitch is my favorite WW UFC fighter
That has everything to do with my AKA bias
So what youo're saying, Jon
is that GSP works that much harder than you, which is why he beat the brakes off of you? Or that BJ Penn works just as hard as you, which is why he was able to draw you despite being a natural 155’er?
K, just as long as we’ve got that straight.
The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com
by Cory Braiterman on Dec 27, 2011 6:53 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
BJ’s only classified as a 155er when it’s meant to degrade another person. Funny how Nick Diaz fans aren’t saying that Nick (barely) beat 155 pounder.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
Scoring-wise, he did. BJ won the first, Diaz won the second (by a wide distance), but BJ was in it in the third until the last 30 seconds.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
Scoring wise?
Nick Diaz destroyed BJ Penn in the second round in a way that was unprecedented. Easily a ten eight round and took the third by a clear margine. BJ straight up got worked.
by discoandherpes on Dec 27, 2011 9:25 PM EST up reply actions
He got a 10-8 on one card, and I think you need to re-watch the third. I was surprised when I did too. It was almost dead even going into the last 30 seconds.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
On your recommendation I will. It’s surprising you say that though. Fightmetric had Diaz landing twice as many punches than Penn in that round and of course (also according to Fightmetric) Diaz set the record for most significant strikes in a UFC fight. Off course Fightmetric isn’t the end all be all of judging a fight, but I personally think it’s a good tool for evaluating a fight.
I have a hard time believing that Diaz “barely” beat Penn in a fight were he punched another dude a record number of times.
by discoandherpes on Dec 28, 2011 12:20 AM EST up reply actions
or to prop up BJ
The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com
by Cory Braiterman on Dec 27, 2011 7:19 PM EST up reply actions
Something tells me....
…this isn’t going to be a competitive fight. I’ve trainined at the same location as Hendricks on several ocassions and I can’t say I see anything special in him. He seems like a great wrestler w/ decent power yet sloppy. I don’t know, hopefully it’s an even match wher both of these fighter are force to call upon their other skills to get the job done and not just wrestle fuck till the end. Which, as a real fan, I don’t mind so much.
Fitch may have better striking when considering technique, but Hendricks has some serious power. Fitch needs the fight on the ground. From there, I think Hendricks may be in a lot of trouble. Especially if cardio comes into play. If Fitch can’t implement his gameplan, I don’t know if he can avoid taking some big right hands.
An annoying Fitch fan. Also, captain of the inaugural BE Civil War champions, the K-1 Level Predictions Team.
Follow @zakkree
by Zachary Kater on Dec 27, 2011 7:22 PM EST up reply actions
This is a sport, right? I honestly feel like I could name 5 fights right now that are more
by mthom on Dec 27, 2011 7:23 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Boring than Fitch's fights. This whole "Fitch sucks/is boring" meme is tired and played out.
I’ll admit that yes, he’s not the most dynamic or flashy fighter and that he would be doing himself a favor if he just finished an opponent, but the dude has the second best record in UFC history. I think that deserves some respect even if you’re not a fan of his style.
by mthom on Dec 27, 2011 7:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think it's funny how everyone loves Guida when he uses the same gameplan as Fitch at times.
I mean, hell, I’ve never seen Fitch resort to shoulder shrugs as a method for ground striking, yet Guida did against Pettis to avoid submissions and “stay active”.
An annoying Fitch fan. Also, captain of the inaugural BE Civil War champions, the K-1 Level Predictions Team.
Follow @zakkree
by Zachary Kater on Dec 27, 2011 7:31 PM EST up reply actions
I don't hate Fitch by any means.
But Guida main fanbase is because he is such a nice guy and because he looks like a caveman. So most of his fans forgive his wrestling style. Personally as a real fan, I don’t have a problem with styles like that. If it’s easy to do, it should be easy to beat. So if you get beat by someone laying on you, then no one can complain.
My opinion>Your onion.
by Tairy Hesticles on Dec 27, 2011 9:12 PM EST up reply actions
I dislike both of their styles.
“Guida is sooooo exciting! He has cardio for daaaaays”
I would hate to see a day long Guida fight where he decisions people by dry humping them. I love mma mind you, and I love grappling, but what they do is downright shameful.
Usually Guida is exciting because he isn’t that good, so he when he gets his ass beat it’s in epic fashion.
by discoandherpes on Dec 28, 2011 12:21 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
That actually points to more of a similarity than a difference
Sure, Fitch obviously knows how to win (a lot) more fights than Guida, but like Guida, he always moves forward and if that results in an epic beatdown, so be it.
by paythefighters on Dec 28, 2011 5:04 PM EST up reply actions
Fitch really hasn’t faced the best and has had very close fights with guys he should have beaten by a bigger margin. The Mike Pierce and Diego Sanchez fights were closer than they needed to be.
by discoandherpes on Dec 27, 2011 9:27 PM EST up reply actions
I love how people act like Fitch has been done a great injustice by not getting another crack at the title. He is not some guy who has cleaned out the top of the division and taken out every welterweight ranked three to ten. First off he was basically used as a heavy bag for GSP. GSP lay a brutal beat down on Fitch and it looked more like an assault than an actual cage fight. Secondly, he really hasn’t beaten a lot of top contenders. Aside from taking a decision from Alves he really doesn’t have any more top wins in recent memory.
Can you show me the top guys that Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit have taken out, please? You have B.J. Penn…and….Jake Ellenberger when he wasn’t even ranked? In a bout that many thought Jake won?
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
Carlos Condit finished DHK, which is far more impressive than anything Fitch has done in the last two years. Nick Diaz knocked out Paul Daley and totally starched Penn, which is far more impressive than anything Fitch has done in the last two years.
by discoandherpes on Dec 28, 2011 12:22 AM EST up reply actions
Wins are what matters. Not finishes.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
Sometimes you are correct, but if a finish indicates that the quality of a win is superior it should be noted (which I happen to think is quite often).
If I beat a man unconscious or force another man to quit and you win a close or a fairly convincing decision, the quality of my win is superior. Now if you dominate a guy and severely hurt him over a long period of time and I finish him fairly quickly, we can have a discussion about which one of our wins is better.
I have to disagree with you. 90% of the time beating a man until the ref is forced to mercy is more impressive than some dudes sitting at ringside telling you that a winner is you.
by discoandherpes on Dec 28, 2011 2:44 AM EST up reply actions
its not just that you do something.....
It’s how you do it. Stylin’ on someone Ala Spider vs Okami is far more impressive than Jake shields vs okami.
Its not always just about the destination. It’s about the journey.
"Many have the will to win. Few have to will to prepare to win."
" A black belt only covers 2 inches of your ass. The rest is up to you." - Royce Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Dec 28, 2011 11:08 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
No, no it's not.
Impressiveness means very little to anyone but fans.
"I don't know where this term "training camp" in MMA came from. There's no campground. There's no tents." - Nick Diaz
My twitter: @TB_Money
impressiveness means very little to anyone but fans, peers, promoters, the people stroking bonus checks, trainers , opponents , video game makers, advertising exects......
Chicks,groupies, strippers, and how history will view you after you have turned to dust. But besides that….. It’s virtually useless. :-p
"Many have the will to win. Few have to will to prepare to win."
" A black belt only covers 2 inches of your ass. The rest is up to you." - Royce Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Dec 28, 2011 12:34 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
i forgot students and team mates.
They care as well. In fact the only people who don’t care seem to be the folks that are " into it because its a sport". I watch it because its a fight. And how it plays out is far more important than the outcome.
"Many have the will to win. Few have to will to prepare to win."
" A black belt only covers 2 inches of your ass. The rest is up to you." - Royce Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Dec 28, 2011 12:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
Here's the reason...
I don’t have a problem with Fitch but when you have 9 straight fights go to DECISION, well they can say you’re a boring fighter, and it’s not like he’s coming to fight you…he’s coming to OUTPOINT you…i think there is a difference then someone trying to fight to score points then a guy that is fighting to actually finish you and not leave it in the hands of the judges….
I disagree 100%
The only reason Fitch fights aren’t entertaining is that his opponents can’t/don’t fight back. He was the most exciting opponent for GSP for a reason – he kept coming forward, and didn’t care if he was going to get his ass beat in pursuit of the slim chance for a win.
If fighters don’t engage, like Leites/Silva, Lentz (vs Winner), Werdum/Arlovski, the old Machida, etc., that’s when a fight can really be boring.
by paythefighters on Dec 28, 2011 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
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