Welterweight Jon Fitch (24-5-1) was left stunned along with the majority of the MMA world this week when the UFC decided to release him despite status as a Top 10 fighter with an excellent record inside the Octagon and wins over a number of talented opponents. Though the immediate thought involved Fitch signing with Bellator, then running through one of the promotion’s tournaments to challenge for the belt, it looks like such a scenario will not unfold after all leaving jaws dropped once again in relation to the grinding grappler.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney recently told The MMA Report he wouldn’t be offering a Fitch a deal, preferring to focus on building the promotion’s own stars up rather than bringing in a dominant veteran.
“I have a lot of respect for Jon and I have a lot of respect for anyone who has to courage to do what these guys do and the athletic ability to do what they do. But we are not going to be signing Jon Fitch.”
“We have a stacked welterweight division right now. We have a lot of guys that we are developing that we anticipate are going to be world class fighters and break the top ten. We want to keep guys busy. We want to keep guys inside the cage and we have a plan in terms of the next year and who is going to be apart of the tournaments and it’s just not the time.”
SOURCE: The MMA Report
PHOTO CREDIT: UFC
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How long until the UFC becomes Rock Em Sock Em robots?
I can understand Rebney’s logic. Tough deal for Fitch. I’m guessing WSOF will pick him up?