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Following a first round knockout of Matt Hughes in November, former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion B.J. Penn will return once again to the 170-pound division to face top contender Jon Fitch in the UFC 127 main event in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 27.

Fitch is one of the division’s top contenders and a win for Penn could put him very close to another shot at the welterweight title held by Georges St-Pierre.

If there has been one criticism of Fitch it has been his tendency to go to decision and it is probably the one thing that has kept him from getting another title shot thus far. Fitch’s last eight fights have gone to a decision.

In a recent interview with Australia’s MMA Sports magazine, Penn shared his thoughts on the match-up with Fitch:

“I know he’s under pressure, people telling him that he has to finish fights and stuff but I honestly think he’s just going to come out and do the same thing he always does, he’s a grinder and he goes after you and grind you into the ground and I just have to stop all that and turn it around.”

If Penn defeats Fitch he says he would take the title shot if it is offered, but that it is not his primary concern. At this stage of his career Penn says what is most important is fighting his best and showing his fighting spirit.

“Well me and Jon Fitch are in two different places in our lives. All these fighters are really, really, really concerned about one thing, winning. And it’s not that I’m not concerned about that, but I’ve been in their shoes for a long time and that’s all I was concerned about too. But more concerned than winning, I want to show everybody my fighting spirit. What happens when I step into the ring, it’s either going to be the best win, best loss or best draw you ever [expletive] saw. … It’s just that everybody’s in different places in their lives; he’s looking for title shot, George is looking for a title shot, all these people are looking to come up, some people looking to win to keep their job and this and that. I’m just looking to show my fighting spirit.”

Penn says he likes fighting at welterweight and does not feel cutting the water weight to make lightweight is good for the body. So, win or lose, we could see him staying at 170 indefinitely.

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