Jon Fitch may want to embrace the 1983 Chicago White Sox’s Winning Ugly slogan.
Ben Saunders tried to grab opportunity by the balls when he stepped in for a medically uncleared Thiago Alves, but Jon FItch showed why he’s entrenched as the number two welterweight in the world. Fitch shut down Saunders for the entirety of the fifteen minutes, utilizing his usual grinder style of fight.
The biggest story of the fight was referee Dan Miragliotta’s boneheaded standup towards the end of the second round. Fitch held an active, if unspectacular, top game during the round and the New Jersey crowd became restless. Miragliotta decided to stand the fighters up while Fitch was throwing strikes from half guard. The story may be muted with Fitch’s eventual victory, but imagine the wildfire that would have spread if Saunders had turned the fight around in the ensuing standup.