Jon Fitch debuts with WSOF in June, likely against Josh Burkman

Jon Fitch was cageside for Saturday’s World Series of Fighting 2 event in New Jersey, and promotion president Ray Sefo had an announcement about him.

The question now will be whether Sefo gets his wish – or if Fitch’s first opponent will be playing hardball.

Sefo announced Fitch (24-5-1), who recently signed with WSOF after being released by the UFC, will debut with the promotion at WSOF 3 on June 14 in Las Vegas. Sefo made the announcement on the NBC Sports Network telecast of WSOF 2 just before a welterweight bout between Josh Burkman and Aaron Simpson, and he said the winner of that fight would get Fitch.

Burkman (25-9) pulled the upset, knocking Simpson out with a first-round knee. He has won four straight and seven of his past eight since being cut from the UFC in 2008.

But when asked after the fight if he was game for the fight with Fitch that Sefo wanted, Burkman actually cast a little doubt on the matchup.

“I’m going to talk to them about it,” Burkman said. “I think I deserve a title shot. I beat (Gerald) Harris, I beat Simpson, and those are two of the best guys outside of the UFC. I think Jon Fitch needs to earn his title shot and then we can talk about it.”

WSOF has yet to announce any kind of plans for distributing belts in its divisions. But Burkman believes his next fight should be for the promotion’s first welterweight title – and apparently that Fitch should have to fight someone else first, in that case, and earn his chance with a potential champion.

Either way, it appears Fitch will debut with the promotion in June in Las Vegas at a venue still to be determined. When he does, he’ll be looking for just his second win in more than two years. In a four-fight stretch, he has a win over Erick Silva, but losses to Johny Hendricks and Demian Maia and a draw with B.J. Penn.

For the latest on WSOF 3, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Jon Fitch)