Jon Fitch: Competing In a ‘Pseudo-Sport’ at 42

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Although Jon Fitch versus Neiman Gracie at Bellator 246 is expected to be an interesting clash if the fight hits the mat, there is still a massive gap between the two in terms of mixed martial arts experience. Fitch, an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, was in the sport nine years before his upcoming foe even made his debut. However, despite a 31-fight gap, Fitch believes a matchup like this is just the nature of the sport today.

“It’s just where the pseudo-sport is right now,” Fitch told Sherdog. “Because we don’t have a rigorous amateur vetting system. We don’t have a way to make sure guys are on the same fight amounts. And there’s a number of reasons for that. I think it’s how the structure of the pseudo-sport is set up. It’s kind of what you have to do, because we are more pro wrestling than we are a sport. But he’s a tough fighter, it’s a good matchup, and I just started fighting so long ago that I’ve got a lot of fights.”

Along with breaking down his bout inside Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, Fitch also spoke on the Gracie name value in the industry today, and what he believes is the one area current family members in the sport lack in their MMA game.