Ex-UFC welterweight Fitch focuses on fledgling WSOF

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s decision to release perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch this year was one of the more surprising news stories in mixed martial arts.

His recent string of comments critical of the organization probably shouldn’t have come as such a shock.

The outspoken Purdue graduate will make his debut in the Las Vegas-based World Series of Fighting organization against former UFC fighter Josh Burkman tonight in the main event of a card at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Fitch, 35, always has been socially conscious. His Twitter feed is a constant stream of thought-provoking commentary that often questions authority and conventional norms.

Between publicity photo shoots and interviews Wednesday, Fitch was scanning hair product and lotion bottles with Buycott, an app on his cellphone that helps him make sure the money made on those products doesn’t go to companies that fund causes he opposes.

Many of his interviews leading up to tonight’s fight have centered on his displeasure with the UFC. Dana White, his former boss, responded by releasing financial details of Fitch’s compensation during his eight years in the organization.

Fitch says it was never about the money, though. He has spoken of organizing a union to give fighters more of a voice.

“The last thing I would ever go after is paydays,” he said. “I believe your management is responsible for getting you the money you’re worth. I would just want simple things like auditing and a voice for the fighters in the rules and judging criteria and things like that. Those greatly impact the fighters, and we have no say whatsoever.”

While most fighters dismissed from the UFC tend to talk about doing whatever it takes to work their way back, Fitch isn’t thinking in those terms. He says it’s his goal to become the first champion of the WSOF and help build his new company into a powerful brand.

“I don’t see it as burning a bridge,” he said. “I just felt like I had no opportunity there. I felt like I wouldn’t be given (another shot) no matter who I beat or how many wins I strung together.

“When you have a glass ceiling above your head and you know you can never reach a certain level, why would you ever want to go back to that situation?”

Fitch won his first eight fights in the UFC before getting a title shot, which he lost by unanimous decision to Georges St. Pierre in 2008.

Fitch then rattled off five straight wins but didn’t get another chance at the belt. He then hit a skid, going 1-2-1 before he was released in February.

Fitch’s attitude was formed at a young age in Fort Wayne, Ind.

“I’ve always had a problem with authority since I was a little kid,” he said. “Like when the teachers would tell us to do something, I would go to my classmates and say things like, ‘Why are we just listening to this person? Why are we all doing this? If we just say no, they can’t send us all home. We can’t all get in trouble.’ ”

Fitch gave an example in which he thought he had convinced all of his classmates to give nonsensical answers to a survey they were supposed to fill out.

When it came time to submit the answers, he was the only one who didn’t take it seriously and got in trouble.

Ironically, Fitch said he would be a teacher and high school wrestling coach if not for his fighting career and still might pursue it when he retires.

“If I’m teaching class and I have students, I can talk to them about their rights and things they should have and not sway them toward a political agenda,” he said.

Fitch said he thinks he taught Burkman a lesson in their first fight, a dominant second-round submission on a UFC card in 2006.

Burkman must be a quick study. He is 7-1 since leaving the UFC, including wins in each of the first two WSOF events.

The bout headlines the nine-fight card that begins at 5:15 p.m., with the main card airing live on NBC Sports Network (Cable 38) at 8.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.