Despite Move to WSOF, the End Game is the Same for Jon Fitch: Become a Champion
Despite winning only one of his last four fights and his subsequent release from the UFC, former welterweight title contender Jon Fitch is not down on himself. If anything, he’s looking forward to the future.
Having recently signed a four-fight contract with the World Series of Fighting, Fitch feels he’s found a home where he can not only support his personal life, but also take his professional career to the next level.
“I feel like I’m perfectly on track,” he said. “My home and financial situation is going good, World Series of Fighting is taking care of me, and I have some great sponsors that are involved with me for this next fight. I’m excited about this fight and take the next step in my life.
“I’m still a fight away from a world title, so it couldn’t be better.”
Known for his solid wrestling skills, Fitch feels of late that his ground game has taken a big leap forward thanks to the instruction of a new coach at his home gym of the American Kickboxing Academy.
“My footwork has gotten exceptionally better,” said Fitch. “I’m starting to really understand and get a hold of the teachings of Leandro Vieira, who has been our new jiu-jitsu director of AKA for about a year now, and really starting to get the Checkmat system.
“I’m still working with Dave Camarillo and getting his fantastic instruction as well.”
While Fitch has been developing new skills, he says it will be business as usual when he makes his promotional debut at WSOF 3 on June 14 in Las Vegas in a main event rematch with fellow former UFC fighter Josh Burkman. The event airs live on NBC Sports Network.
“I’ll be using pressure like I always do,” Fitch told MMAWeekly.com. “I’ll be getting in the guy’s face, creating pressure and making him make mistakes and capitalizing on those mistakes.
“It’s not about what about the other guy’s going to do. It should always be about what your will is and imposing your will on the other person.”
Fitch further commented, “It’s not always developing some unorthodox game plan. When you do that, that’s when guys throw the game plan out the window when a fight starts.
“Your game plan should be about what your strengths are and build from there, and then things become second nature. Then it becomes not about what you’re trying to do, just what you do.”
As Fitch stated earlier, even though he’s with a new promotion, the end game remains the same: become a champion.
“I’d like to fight a couple more times this year after this fight and hopefully one of those fights will be for a title,” he said. “That should be anybody’s goal at any level; whether you’re an amateur, in a small organization, or in the biggest organization, your goal should always be to be the best wherever you’re at.”
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