Remember when Fitch stole a win from BJ Penn!?

[chinarice]

Okay, I think I figured this out.

Blame my browser, I think I opened a notification of someone responding to me and I read your comment as if it was geared toward me - that was a mistake on my part.

I then responded to you, and you were then confused at why I was getting involved - you then presumed I had 2 accounts and was responding to you via another account.

Just a mistake, this was funny in retrospect lol.

I'm ok with all of this but I was like wtf at the time lol

 

[waiguoren]

Haven't seen the fight in years, but I remember Fitch doing serious damage from half guard in the 3rd round. I remember not being upset with the decision at all. I also remember the post-fight interview in which BJ said he didn't think he had won the fight.

 

[pamirec]

BJ is the shit! He could've played it safe and fight lightweights(bj was ahead of them in almost all aspects) back when he became champ and keep his belt. Instead he chose to fight bigger and better guys. It shows his balls and his fucking toughness. I can't even describe it properly.

 

[HIMBOB]

Just rewatched it.

Scoring the fight as a whole Fitch by a mile.

As three rounds, 2 rounds slightly to BJ, 1 dominant round to fitch, Draw.

BJ got nothing done in the 3rd and was even kind dominant in the rounds he won. Hell Fitch winning either of the first two wouldn't have been that bad.


And I went to this fight, as I walked out the door to go I realised my shirt have the word "Fitch" on it, I refused to go in such a shirt so went back in and grabbed another shirt.

 

[machidafan99]

BJ was so overrated. Even I used to overrate him 9 years ago.

 

[HIMBOB]

BJ is the shit! He could've played it safe and fight lightweights(bj was ahead of them in almost all aspects) back when he became champ and keep his belt. Instead he chose to fight bigger and better guys. It shows his balls and his fucking toughness. I can't even describe it properly.

And make terrible game plans to do it.

BJ implemented a grappling game plan against Fitch, WTF stupid idea.
When it became clear he wasn't going to easily out grapple fitch he decided to make it a battle of attrition and fight it out on the cage. WTF stupid idea.

3rd round was the logical result from a terrible game plan.

 

[Blayt7hh]

I read like the first 20 replies. You guys need to research that fight, Penn got his ass whooped in the last round. Judges made the right call

 

[silvasurfer5253]

Fitch was boring but he had a stranglehold on the #2 spot at WW for a while.

He was a tough out for anyone at that point. Pure grinder.

 

[Blayt7hh]

BJ is the shit! He could've played it safe and fight lightweights(bj was ahead of them in almost all aspects) back when he became champ and keep his belt. Instead he chose to fight bigger and better guys. It shows his balls and his fucking toughness. I can't even describe it properly.

He had already lost his belt and the rematch when this fight happened, so his move up was a little less ballsy and a little more pragmatic than you are pretending

 

[HIMBOB]

BJ was so overrated. Even I used to overrate him 9 years ago.

Taking Fitch to a draw was impressive for a guy who has fought at FW (Fitch was clearly better than Nate ever was and is actually a full sized WW), then you consider fitch was 20-1 in his last 21 fights only loss being GSP.

 

[pamirec]

And make terrible game plans to do it.

BJ implemented a grappling game plan against Fitch, WTF stupid idea.
When it became clear he wasn't going to easily out grapple fitch he decided to make it a battle of attrition and fight it out on the cage. WTF stupid idea.

3rd round was the logical result from a terrible game plan.

Actually it wasn't bad. If he didn't grapple with Fitch, it would've been Fitch trying to take him down or press him against the cage. His cardio was to blame.

 

[pamirec]

He had already lost his belt and the rematch when this fight happened, so his move up was a little less ballsy and a little more pragmatic than you are pretending

Am talking about long before this fight. When he moved up to face GSP.

 

[machidafan99]

Taking Fitch to a draw was impressive for a guy who has fought at FW (Fitch was clearly better than Nate ever was and is actually a full sized WW), then you consider fitch was 20-1 in his last 21 fights only loss being GSP.

Fitche was quite good if a little dull to watch.

 

[HIMBOB]

Actually it wasn't bad. If he didn't grapple with Fitch, it would've been Fitch trying to take him down or press him against the cage. His cardio was to blame.

Make fitch close the distance but bj was intent on taking him down. Bad game plan imo.

 

[cumafish]

Honestly, I forgot about Jon Fitch.

lucky you

 

[Mob69]

I actually thought BJ threw away the victory by doing NOTHING in rd3. I had Fitch 10-8 in rd 3. Fitch dominated him and hurt him. The second round was very close, too.

I had it a draw. BJ rounds one and two 10-9, Fitch round three, but 10-8.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I thought it was either a win for Fitch or a draw at best for BJ, he got his ass kicked in round 3.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

And make terrible game plans to do it.

BJ implemented a grappling game plan against Fitch, WTF stupid idea.
When it became clear he wasn't going to easily out grapple fitch he decided to make it a battle of attrition and fight it out on the cage. WTF stupid idea.

3rd round was the logical result from a terrible game plan.

I don't think the grappling was so stupid, Fitch's TDD isn't that great he's just always the guy trying to implement his grappling and goes for the takedown first. I don't think he should have done it as much as he did though as I think it made him tired in round 3.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Actually it wasn't bad. If he didn't grapple with Fitch, it would've been Fitch trying to take him down or press him against the cage. His cardio was to blame.

I agree, Fitch doesn't have very good TDD, he just almost never fights someone that wants to take him down first. I thought BJ going for takedowns was smart as Fitch did not expect it and he had a good success rate on his takedowns. His cardio failed him though as he got tired while grappling.

 

[TRYHARD 2001]

Well, I can't speak for fighters in general, but for Penn, I think he just never thought he lost any fight no matter what. He cried robbery in the 2nd Edgar fight I think. The only fight he "really" lost was the time he quit after the 4th round against GSP (but of course had a ton of excuses there, too). Well, that and the last fight with Edgar.

Weeeellllll, in the post-fight interview Rogan asked him if he thought he did enough in the first two rounds to earn the draw and BJ responded, "No." He absolutely believed he lost this fight and said as much in the interview. He was the first guy I can ever recall saying something like that after the fight. I think BJ was just being hard on himself after a shitty end to the fight cuz he did excellent in the first and second rounds, even if they did both end with Fitch on top of him. His take downs and offensive wrestling were really on display in this one and threw Fitch for a loop (he was expecting a standard counter-boxing, counter-wrestling BJ). And his ability to take the back has always been remarkable.

Anyways, the judges got it right in this one; BJ won the first two rounds (the second one was closer than the first but still BJ's) and Fitch won the third 10-8. I find this one doesn't get enough attention considering just how entertaining it was. Yeah wise guys, Fitch did have some entertaining fights!