Nothing seems to surprise mixed martial arts fans these days. Whether its fighters receiving title shots they don’t truly deserve or a fighter getting screwed over by a group of incompetent judges. In this day and age you have to expect the unexpected. Every morning fans wake up and turn their computers on not truly knowing what they are going to read or hear concerning the world of MMA.

Even with all that has gone on recently I don’t think anyone can say they weren’t shocked by the release of perennial top 10 welterweight Jon Fitch. The UFC cut ties with a total of 16 fighters on Wednesday and while most of them were deserving, Fitch was not one of them. World Series of Fighting welterweight Josh Burkman joined BJPenn.Com Radio on Wednesday night and was not aware of Fitch’s release until we brought it up.

“They released Jon Fitch, I didn’t know,” Burkman told BJPenn.Com Radio. “Look at Aaron Simpson, I don’t think he deserved to not get resigned, but the UFC is a business. A guy like Jon Fitch for him to get resigned they probably have to pay him 30/30 (show/win) or 40/40. You let that guy go and you have these guys coming off of The Ultimate Fighter who are fighting for 5/5. Plus you have all of these Strikeforce guys coming over. I think the same thing with Simpson, I think they didn’t want to pay him what he was supposed to get so they let him go. That keeps the market down, they let these fighters go and you have these guys coming in from TUF who will fight for less.”

“With that being said that’s another reason I’m really grateful for the WSOF. I would’ve had to go back to the UFC and fought for less money and I didn’t want to do that. They give us a stage, they are paying and it’s a good time because a lot of good fighters are getting released from the UFC. The UFC is an animal, they are at the top of the sport, but I’m real surprised that they released Fitch.”

Burkman faced Fitch back in April of 2006 on the UFC Ultimate Fight Night 4 card. Things didn’t go Burkman’s way that night as Fitch finished a rare fight by submitting Burkman with a rear naked choke late in the second round. Now that Fitch is a free agent anything is possible and Burkman discussed a possible rematch between the two inside the WSOF cage.

“I think the WSOF is going to go after all of these top guys,” said Burkman. “I think they have some plans to do some tournaments and keep everybody active. There’s a couple of fights I would love to have again. Jon Fitch is definitely one of them, I was not in the best place when I fought him. I had only fought at welterweight a couple of times and I went into that fight coming off of two quick wins and may have been a little overconfident.”

“I didn’t know who Fitch was so I would love to have that fight back. I’d also like to have the Mike Swick fight, that’s another rematch I’d love to have. I don’t think he won that fight nor do I believe he wanted to fight. I just had a fight with Jordan Mein in Canada and I feel like I lost a decision to a Canadian in Canada. I had a couple of big slams on him and I knocked him down a few times in the fight. I felt like I won, but my coach reminded me that we were in Canada! I think I have gotten better and I’d like to get a chance to avenge a couple of those losses.”

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