Proverbs

JON FITCH WANTS TITLE SHOT
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - by Jeff Cain




Jon Fitch has put together a win streak in the Ultimate Fighting Championship that only one other fighter has ever achieved. Fitch and Royce Gracie are the only two fighters in UFC history to win eight fights in a row and now Fitch wants a title shot.

"Me and Royce Gracie are the only ones who have ever gone 8-0, uncontested in the UFC," said the 30-year-old mixed martial artist. "That puts me right next to a legend. I'm not saying I'm that great, but that's not an easy task. I rode a hard road to get to where I am. It was not easy winning eight fights in the UFC."

To put it in persepective, Chuck Liddell was able to string together a seven fight win streak in the UFC twice, but not eight. Matt Hughes won six UFC fights in a row twice. Tito Ortiz won six UFC fights in a row once. Randy Couture's longest win streak in the UFC was four wins.

All the before mentioned fighters are former or current UFC champions. Fitch feels he's earned a shot at the welterweight title.

"I've busted my ass and gotten to where I am by hard work and discipline and I think I deserve that shot," Fitch told MMAWeekly.

A fight many MMA enthuseists have wanted to see, including Fitch, is a bout between the American Kickboxing Acedemy trained fighter and Karo Parisyan. Asked about Parisyan, Fitch commented, "I've been asking for a fight with Karo for over a year. The last time I fought in Ohio I said after that I would like to fight Karo, and that was to kind of shuffle the deck and let everybody see where everybody stood in the division and see who deserved what shot when."

"That was the only reason for it. I respect Karo as a fighter. I think he's a great fighter. I think it would be a great fight between us. I've never said anything negative towards him in any way. I've never said anything bad about him in any way. That's not who I am. That's not how I work. Whatever he's saying, I'm not really paying attention to, but it sounds to me that he's digging himself into a hole. At least that's what I hear from the fans, but whatever."

"All I ever wanted to do is settle who was the best, and that's all I'm asking for, continued Fitch. "I don't know what happened with who got offered what fight, or whatever. All I know is I've been asking for that fight for over a year, and right now I don't think that's something to even consider anymore. I think I'm in line. I think I should get a title shot. I think the winner of Georges St-Pierre and Matt Serra, I should get to fight."

"I believe in the best guy should overcome regardless of what kind of s*** he talks or whatever. It's about the best fighter."

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