Fitch says Palhares 'unprofessional,' believes WSOF champ should 'man up' and defend belt

LAS VEGAS – Jon Fitch no longer seems opposed to fighting WSOF champ Rousimar Palhares, but he also doesn’t seem to have changed his opinion on the Brazilian’s character.

“I want to thank the World Series (of Fighting) for this opportunity to fight,” Fitch said. “I wish it was for the belt. I wish Palhares would have manned up and showed up to fight, but I’ll take Dennis Hallman as a fight because I’ve resepcted him for a long time.”

Fitch was speaking at Friday’s WSOF 11 press conference in Las Vegas, which took place as part of fight week activities for Saturday night’s WSOF 10 card at Sin City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

It’s not the first time the perennially top-ranked Fitch has spoken out against the Brazilian submission specialist. Fitch previously said he would likely refuse a fight against Palhares, who took issue with the jiu-jitsu master’s history of holding on to potentially dangerous leg locks well after his opponent had tapped.

Fitch admitted to MMAjunkie that his willingness to fight Palhares has changed now that the controversial athlete holds the WSOF championship belt. But Fitch still isn’t a Palhares fan, and he actually seems a little bit more discontent that the champ is sitting out the company’s NBC debut, even if it is to tend to an ailing mother.

“We all have problems,” Fitch said. “My dad’s sick, too. He’s going to have a heart procedure the week of the fight. This is a big fight on NBC. He’s the title holder. You have a responsibility as a title holder to defend your damn title. It’s unprofessional.

“I hope his mom is well, and I wish him the best, and I’ll pray for him, but you do your job. We’re professionals. You do your job.”

Fitch meets fellow veteran Dennis Hallman in the co-main event of next month’s WSOF 11, and the winner could very well be in line for a shot at Palhares, who has vowed to return in the fall once his mother’s surgical procedure for extreme thrombosis in her legs is complete.

WSOF 11 takes place July 5 at Ocean Center in Daytona, Fla. The evening’s four-fight main card airs on NBC, marking the promotion’s debut on network television.

For more on WSOF 10 and WSOF 11, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Jon Fitch)