Jon Fitch Celebrates UFC 100 Victory by Getting Engaged

It's safe to say that Jon Fitch will never forget UFC 100 weekend.

First, he defeated the previously undefeated Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision Saturday night. And then he proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Michele Cao, on Sunday.

"It's been coming for a long time," Fitch told FanHouse on Wednesday, "We've been together for five years. I've been planning -- wasn't sure how I was going to do it -- for a month or so with her mother, who helped me pick out the ring and stuff. The time was just right. I had the ring with me, so I proposed on Sunday."

It wasn't surprising to hear that the always humble Fitch didn't plan some kind of elaborate scene to pop the question. Rather, he just did it quietly during the day.

Asked whether he would have changed his plans had he lost to Thiago at UFC 100, Fitch replied that he never even considered that scenario.



"I didn't have it in my head that I was going to lose that fight ever, so I never thought of not doing it," he said.

And in case you're wondering if Fitch is old school enough to ask his future in-laws for permission to marry their daughter, you'll be pleased to know that he did.

"They're traditional in that sense that I would have had to ask," he said. "But good thing I'm from the Midwest, and we have kind of a traditional upbringing, so I would have asked her father's permission anyways."

The American Kickboxing Academy product isn't sure when he will get married, but he knows he wants to fight at least one more time in 2009. He also isn't targeting a specific opponent.

Some have questioned what will happen to Fitch if his AKA teammate, Mike Swick, ends up winning the welterweight title in the future, as he has openly said that he will never fight another team member. Regardless, Fitch says that he isn't worried.

"I want the best for my teammates and my friends, and still, there's plenty of good fights to be had out there. It's not like if [Swick] wins the belt my entire fighting career is over. There's a number of guys that I could fight and could be happy fighting at 170 in the UFC."

Note: Check back soon for FanHouse's full interview with Jon Fitch.