FWP: Fitch vs. Thiago

Much like yesterday's preview of Yoshihiro Akiyama's impending debut against Alan Belcher, I'm not going to spend a great deal of time dissecting this fight.

Why?

Because Jon Fitch is going to slaughter this kid and I have other things to do.

Jon Fitch (22-3-1) vs. Paulo Thiago (11-0-0)

You don't go five rounds with Georges St. Pierre and then lose to Paulo Thiago.

Just doesn't happen.

I know GSP beat Fitch like he owed him money, but the fact that he made it all 25 minutes is more than you can say for a lot of guys, including Fitch's teammate and Thiago's first UFC victim, Josh Koscheck.

Yes, Thiago "knocked out" Kos, but he didn't knock out Kos. You follow?

It may have earned him another trip inside the Octagon and a bonus prize at the end of the night, but from where I was sitting (my couch, beer in hand) Koscheck bounced back up pretty quickly and looked like he could have continued. It's not like he was twitching on the canvas or anything.

To use my favorite MMA paradoxical statement: Koscheck was winning that fight until he got knocked out. Love that one.

Anyway, unlike Kos, Fitch hasn't fallen in love with his striking and will do the right thing here; take Thiago to the ground, secure a dominant position and beat the skin off of him.

Not only will it wrap up his tenth win with the UFC and put him in the conversation for "Who gets the next title shot?" but it will also avenge his teammate's loss and that something that means a lot to the former Purdue Boilermaker.

Sure, anything can happen. I know.

If it does, I'll stop writing Fight Week Previews altogether.