• UFC

Shoulder surgery to sideline Fitch for up to six months

ESPN staff
April 20, 2011
Jon Fitch and BJ Penn fought to a draw in their first fight © Getty Images
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Jon Fitch has been rocked by news that he is likely to require surgery on his injured shoulder, ruling him out for up to six months.

The welterweight grinder had been preparing for a rematch with BJ Penn at UFC 132, which was billed as an eliminator to become the No. 1 contender in the 170lb division.

However, Fitch was forced to pull the plug on the bout after developing a shoulder problem in training, and a week later Penn also withdrew from the card with an injury of his own.

It is expected that the UFC still wants to make the fight in the future, but Fitch is not likely to return before November at the earliest, after revealing disappointing news after a meeting with the doctor.

"Looks like I will be getting shoulder surgery next week. Not the news I was looking for," he wrote on his personal Twitter account.

Asked how long he expects to be sidelined, Fitch replied: "Four to six months".

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