Jon Fitch will next fight for Bellator MMA.
In an announcement made on Thursday, the company revealed that they'd signed the PFL Welterweight Champion after his impressive run over the last two-plus years. Fitch is also a former UFC title challenger, and holds wins over Yushin Okami, Jake Shields, Thiago Alves, Diego Sanchez and others.
Bellator MMA sent FightfulMMA.com the following:
Bellator MMA is proud to announce the signing of perennial top contender Jon Fitch (30-7-1, 1 NC) to an exclusive multi-fight contract.
Fitch joins Bellator’s stacked welterweight division following a 15-year, 39-bout professional career that has seen him earn 30 victories and a world title. The longtime American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product has competed against some of the division’s best, including former champs Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn and Johny Hendricks, as well as Thiago Alves (x2), Demian Maia and Jake Shields.
“The addition of an elite fighter like Jon Fitch to our roster helps reiterate that we have the best welterweight division in MMA,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “There are a number of high-profile matchups that we can make and I look forward to seeing what he can do inside the Bellator cage.”
A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Fitch wrestled at Purdue University prior to finding his way into MMA. Following a string of early career wins, the versatile fighter would eventually earn 21 victories in 22 appearances between 2003-2010 and would go on to challenge St-Pierre for the world title. A mainstay of the division ever since, his most recent run includes four consecutive victories and a welterweight world championship, which he went on to successfully defend against Jake Shields and Brian Foster.
Fitch’s promotional debut will be determined at a later date, but he is expected to return to action this year. Fitch joins a stacked division that includes current welterweight champion Rory MacDonald, Douglas Lima, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Lorenz Larkin, Neiman Gracieand Andrey Koreshkov among others.
Fitch has competed for well over 15 years, debuting back in 2002. After only having two wins in his first five fights, he reeled off sixteen straight victories that led to him facing Georges St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Title at UFC 87
