After beating relative unknown Chad Reiner (13-2) earlier this year at UFC Fight Night 8 — his first fight and win after a six-month layoff — Josh Burkman (8-3) appears to have been rewarded with a welterweight showdown at UFC 71 against top contender Karo Parisyan (16-4), according to MMAWeekly.com.
Burkman is 4-1 in the Octagon since being forced off season two of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) because of a broken hand suffered beating up Melvin Gillard during a unanimous decision win on the reality show.
The one loss, however, is important to highlight.
It came via rear naked choke to Jon Fitch at UFC Fight Night 4 in April 2006. Fitch, of course, just choked out Luigi Fioravanti (10-2) at UFC 68 this weekend. Even before the win, Fitch was telling everyone who will listen that he wants Parisyan next.
As a star at 170 — one who doesn’t get much attention from UFC brass — it appeared to be the most logical match up. Not only would it be a tremendous fight, but it would also help get his name out there to casual fans who are perhaps unfamiliar with his talent.
However, this report indicates that a man he already beat will get his shot at Parisyan first.
Not taking anything away from Burkman — he is no slouch. But, Fitch already handled him convincingly.
Unfortunately, it appears that the lesser fighter got the opportunity first based purely on name recognition.
Unless the UFC has bigger and better things planned for Fitch in 2007, I cannot for the life of me understand the thought process behind this May 26 bout.
To read more about Fitch and his thoughts on a potential fight with Karo check out our exclusive interview here.
27 Comments »
Another example of bad matchmaking by the UFC. If anything will be the downfall of this organization it will be matchmaking blunders such as this, they need to do whats logical …
Match making blunder? In what way… neither of these guys are prime names, but can definately provide a great show.
I love watching Karo fight… definately one of the better Judo-MMA Fighters.
Exactly, since Karo is considered one of the better 170 lb’ers, Fitch should have got him because Fitch took care of Burkman. Fitch needs to be publicized more because he can definitely do some damage in this divison, people need to know who he is. If he keeps getting thrown on the undercards and not televised they won’t be able to market him when he gets his shot. Put Fitch up against bigger names like Karo because Fitch is more deserving of it than Burkman. Not taking anything away from Burkman though.
I think this is a good match up, Burkman is no slouch and deserves to fight tough compition, i think he can handle Karo…i just hope there is bigger and better things in store for Fitch…he is proving hes a badass and deserves to be a main event kinda guy…depending on when Hughes gets his next shot at GSP, Fitch should either fight hughes or Diego, if he beats Kos…i think he has already surpassed Karos “league”
This is not a column bashing Burkman BTW. I want to clarify that he is a good fighter and a match up with Karo would be nice. Fitch, however, deserves the shot based on everything that was mentioned — unless he gets another big name. But, unless it’s Hughes, Diego, or GSP (All of whom appear to be locked up) Karo is the guy.
i like burkman, i think he’s a tough guy and a decent fighter, but he ain’t got nothing for karo…
anyone who says karo’s not a top guy is smoking tha spida’s stash
This is one of those fights where one guy’s been moving up and one guy’s been moving down and they meet somewhere on the ladder. If Karo wins, he’s a contender again. If he loses, welcome to the WEC. If Burkman wins, wow, he’s in the up and coming mix for 2008. If he loses, he’s another TUF star Dana made a buck on, toss him back on the scrap heap.
The point I was trying to make was that there needs to be some sort of logical progression to the title. If fitch beat Burkman he should get to go against the top guys first. I’m not bashing Burkman or Karo, they are both good. I would just like to see the best fighters get the chances they deserve. I realize Dana and the owners need to worry about marketing but I think that if the best fighters are given the chances they deserve they will market themselves with their skills.
Sounds like Joe Silva still has a chip on his shoulder.
im thinking jesse’s right…i hope thats not the case…Fitch needs to be in the lime light..if more people knew about him..he ccould probably have more fans than anyone in the welterwight division…which would equal big bucks for the ufc when he fights
http://ufcjunkie.com/2007/03/05/report-tito-ortiz-vs-keith-jardine-karo-parisyan-vs-josh-burkman-added-to-ufc-71/
Junkie’s reporting that Tito will fight Jardine on the same card.
UFCMania
Who is Matt Hughes locked up with? I handn’t heard who his next fight would be with, but this seems possible for UFC 72 in July.
this is what i am going to predict what happens and it sounds logical. This burkman fight isint really a big deal. I believe hughes is going to get st.pierre at 74 or 75. If the ufc was smart they should have hughes vs fitch for their next fight but they wont because dana wants to make sure hughes wins his next fight in order to get hughes vs gsp 3. I think fitch is going to get better things then karo. I dont know who hughes is going to get to beat but i am saying right now that fitch will fight diego and that winner will get the winner of hughes/gsp 3. That would be awesome fitch vs diego, such a good fight.
please leave coments on this fight prediction i made above
fitch dominates diego
i’m going with deigo
Hmmmm..I think you may have the fights and time line correct.
Fitch just won, Diego beats Koscheck next month (great fight by the way)
Fitch and Diego meet up in July and Diego wins by decision in an up and down brawl that looks alot like the Diego vs Parisyan fight.
I like the idea of Fitch and Diego…
I also like the idea of Karo and Burkman..
I dont see Karo - Burkman being a contender fight. I see it as Dana wanting to give Karo a shot to come back up due to the fact he is EXCITING to watch.
I’m picking Hughes to be the last man standing though. =D
“showdown at UFC 71 against top contender Karo Parisyan (16-4)”
How the hell can you put KAro ahead of sanchez as top contender? This is what upsets me about UFC matches, Karo and Hughes or Sanchez and Hughes (pending the winnner of Kos and Sanches). The winner of the Hughes fight then should get GSP now if Burkman gets a shot ahead of Hughes and if Hughes manages to DODGE Kero and Sanchez then I really disappointed… WTF would that be saying… unless Karo and Sanchez are doging Hughes???
He’s a top contender — not the #1 contender.
There’s a difference at least in my mind. It seems as though mind reading is not your thing, maybe you should stick to modeling underwear ;).
Kidding aside, I’ll try and be more clear going forward. For the record, I do not think Karo is the top contender, there are many of them … at least four or five.
I wish I could read minds then id be a million air. I was thinking the ‘Top’ condender would be the #1 but thanks for clearing that up im just another mma fan throwing fuel on the fire.
All things aside from that do you think Hughes should get a title shot or should he have to fight Sanchez or Karo?
Oh, ya i almost forgot im in this months sears catalog page 57 second torso from the bottem.
I think anyone who can get their teeth knocked out and still keep fighting is a tough ass dude. lol I love watching the judo moves I wish more people would use it in the UFC.
Maybe its like a pyramid…
GSP
Hughs & Diego
Karo, Kos, Fitch
then another Burkman & 3 fighters
Who knows…
I just hope everything goes well for Karo, I love watching him fight.
HUGHS VS BG PEN 3 will be interesting