The #2 welterweight in the world per the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA Rankings, Jon Fitch is jealous of his status and desperate for a title shot. He's got to beat former welter- and lightweight champ B.J. Penn at UFC 127 to have any chance of a title shot. Meanwhile, Jake Shields will get to challenge Georges St. Pierre.
Fitch talked about it at the UFC 127 press conference, quote via MMA Weekly:
"I think I'm better than Jake (Shields), I think I should be fighting for the title, but I've been given a huge opportunity here to fight B.J. Penn and that's a big fight, belt or no belt," Fitch stated.
...
"We're in a sport of selling fights right now, and the sport's growing, we're trying to get international, trying to get into every country, every household, and part of that is ticket sales is the idea that Jake Shields is coming over from Strikeforce with two belts," Fitch said. "I understand that, it's a business decision."
UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch coverage