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Dana's such a goddamned liar. . .
OAKLAND, Calif. – Prior to Saturday's show, UFC president Dana White hosted a pre-UFC 117 press conference and confirmed that the winner of a co-main-event fight between welterweight contenders Jon Fitch (23-3 MMA, 13-1 UFC) and Thiago Alves (16-7 MMA, 9-4 MMA) would get a title shot.
Fitch dominated Alves and posted his 22nd win in 23 fights, but he now appears no closer to that title fight.
"I don't know," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) when asked if Fitch gets the winner of December's UFC 124 title fight between champ Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.
White made the comments after Saturday's pay-per-view event at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. He also hinted that the outcome of an upcoming UFC 121 fight between Martin Kampmann and recent signee (and former Strikeforce champion) Jake Shields could play a factor in his decision.
"What happens is timing is everything," White said. "We've got to figure out – Koscheck and 'GSP' are going to fight after their season of 'The Ultimate Fighter.' He's a winner tonight. Shields is going to fight Kampmann. We'll see how this whole thing plays out."
On paper, Fitch appears more deserving than anyone He's lost just once since late 2002, and since that initial title loss to St-Pierre at UFC 87, Fitch has scored five unanimous-decision victories over Akihiro Gono, Paulo Thiago, Mike Pierce, Ben Saunders and now Alves. And like the Alves win, the other four followed a similar formula: The former Purdue University wrestler used takedowns and a dominating top game to grind down and wear out his opponents.
And that could be the problem. While his fighting style if effective, White knows fans aren't necessarily clamoring to watch Fitch.
"He's not the exciting fighter you hope for, but the guy's so dominant, so what are you going to do?" a genuinely perplexed White asked. "You've got to give him his respect. He's one of the best guys in the world. But tonight, out of the entire card, my Twitter [followers were] not too excited about Jon."
Fitch, of course, had every reason to protest. After defeating another top-five opponent, he knows no one in the division has done more to earn a title shot. But surprisingly (or not, if you're familiar with the low-key fighter), Fitch made little fuss over the turn of events.
"The only thing on my mind right now is getting married in three weeks," he said after the fight. "That's my focus. I'm going to enjoy tonight. I'm going to enjoy my win tonight. I'm going to enjoy my wedding, and then I'll deal with the future in the future."
Fitch restated the mantra another two times, which made it clear to reporters that he wasn't about to confront the boss or make any demands. However, he readily admits he's a better fighter since that first St-Pierre loss.
"Losing that fight to [St-Pierre], it showed what I was missing," said Fitch, who dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to the champ. "I've gone through great pains to change myself as a fighter and as a person to better myself – from changing my diet to adding a strength and conditioning coach, a new standup coach, getting back to basics with my wrestling, working my submissions and grappling even more. I'm a much better fighter today than when I fought Georges."
Of course, St-Pierre may not hold the belt if and when Fitch gets his next title shot. Up first is Koscheck, one of Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy teammates and one he's vowed never to fight. When previously asked what would happen if Koscheck wins the belt, Fitch said he hadn't ruled out a move to the middleweight division.
And though Fitch was tight-lipped in the post-UFC 117 presser, White was intrigued by one of the few things he wasn't hearing.
"What you're not hearing is 'no,'" White said. "He's not saying, 'No, I will not fight Josh Koscheck.' I said it before, and I'll say it again. From what I understand of Jon Fitch and what I know of Josh Koscheck, I believe that both of these guys have the desire, the heart and the spirit to take this fight. There's been guys that have been like, 'No way. There's no way I'll fight him.' These guys aren't saying that. They're not saying, 'No.'"
Apparently, though, not even that – Fitch's potential willingness to fight a teammate – is enough for White to stick with his promise of a title shot.
In the meantime, it's wait-and-see mode for the top welterweight contender.
Fitch dominated Alves and posted his 22nd win in 23 fights, but he now appears no closer to that title fight.
"I don't know," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) when asked if Fitch gets the winner of December's UFC 124 title fight between champ Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.
White made the comments after Saturday's pay-per-view event at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. He also hinted that the outcome of an upcoming UFC 121 fight between Martin Kampmann and recent signee (and former Strikeforce champion) Jake Shields could play a factor in his decision.
"What happens is timing is everything," White said. "We've got to figure out – Koscheck and 'GSP' are going to fight after their season of 'The Ultimate Fighter.' He's a winner tonight. Shields is going to fight Kampmann. We'll see how this whole thing plays out."
On paper, Fitch appears more deserving than anyone He's lost just once since late 2002, and since that initial title loss to St-Pierre at UFC 87, Fitch has scored five unanimous-decision victories over Akihiro Gono, Paulo Thiago, Mike Pierce, Ben Saunders and now Alves. And like the Alves win, the other four followed a similar formula: The former Purdue University wrestler used takedowns and a dominating top game to grind down and wear out his opponents.
And that could be the problem. While his fighting style if effective, White knows fans aren't necessarily clamoring to watch Fitch.
"He's not the exciting fighter you hope for, but the guy's so dominant, so what are you going to do?" a genuinely perplexed White asked. "You've got to give him his respect. He's one of the best guys in the world. But tonight, out of the entire card, my Twitter [followers were] not too excited about Jon."
Fitch, of course, had every reason to protest. After defeating another top-five opponent, he knows no one in the division has done more to earn a title shot. But surprisingly (or not, if you're familiar with the low-key fighter), Fitch made little fuss over the turn of events.
"The only thing on my mind right now is getting married in three weeks," he said after the fight. "That's my focus. I'm going to enjoy tonight. I'm going to enjoy my win tonight. I'm going to enjoy my wedding, and then I'll deal with the future in the future."
Fitch restated the mantra another two times, which made it clear to reporters that he wasn't about to confront the boss or make any demands. However, he readily admits he's a better fighter since that first St-Pierre loss.
"Losing that fight to [St-Pierre], it showed what I was missing," said Fitch, who dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to the champ. "I've gone through great pains to change myself as a fighter and as a person to better myself – from changing my diet to adding a strength and conditioning coach, a new standup coach, getting back to basics with my wrestling, working my submissions and grappling even more. I'm a much better fighter today than when I fought Georges."
Of course, St-Pierre may not hold the belt if and when Fitch gets his next title shot. Up first is Koscheck, one of Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy teammates and one he's vowed never to fight. When previously asked what would happen if Koscheck wins the belt, Fitch said he hadn't ruled out a move to the middleweight division.
And though Fitch was tight-lipped in the post-UFC 117 presser, White was intrigued by one of the few things he wasn't hearing.
"What you're not hearing is 'no,'" White said. "He's not saying, 'No, I will not fight Josh Koscheck.' I said it before, and I'll say it again. From what I understand of Jon Fitch and what I know of Josh Koscheck, I believe that both of these guys have the desire, the heart and the spirit to take this fight. There's been guys that have been like, 'No way. There's no way I'll fight him.' These guys aren't saying that. They're not saying, 'No.'"
Apparently, though, not even that – Fitch's potential willingness to fight a teammate – is enough for White to stick with his promise of a title shot.
In the meantime, it's wait-and-see mode for the top welterweight contender.
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