(Either of of these guys could potentially win the opportunity Saturday night to have GSP rearrange their faces again in the New Year.)

Apparently Dana White Sides with me on my opinion that Jake Shields should have to win at least two fights in the UFC before earning a title shot.

The UFC president announced today during the pre-fight press conference for UFC 117 that the winner of Saturday night’s welterweight showdown between Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves will garner a title shot early next year.


Perhaps not coincidentally, in an interview he did at yesterday’s open workout with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani that we posted earlier today, Fitch voiced his displeasure at the prospect of Shields becoming the number one contender if he manages to get by Martin Kampmann in his Octagon debut at UFC 121 in October. 

With the announcement by White come a number of intriguing questions. 

Does it matter who wins if St-Pierre gets by Koscheck since GSP had no problems beating either man the last time he faced both of them?

If Alves fails to make weight and Fitch refuses to fight him at a catchweight does he automatically get the next title shot by default?

If Koscheck beats St-Pierre in December, and Fitch beats Alves on Saturday, will they renege on their steadfast "I won’t fight a teammate," vows or will Fitch forfeit the title shot he feels he deserves?

If the Koscheck-Fitch title fight is agreed to by both fighters, who will leave American Kickboxing Academy to train elsewhere and will there be hard feelings from the guy who trains with a different camp?

I guess we’ll have to wait and cross these bridges if and when we get to them, but I’m almost more excited to see what happens if Koscheck beats GSP.