Karo Parisyan: ‘I think I already have a title shot if I want to wait’

Welterweight contender Karo Parisyan has apparently earned a title shot in six or seven months if he wants to wait, according to a recent interview on PunchDrunkGamer.com.

“People are talking about that [a fight with Jon Fitch], I don’t know. The deal is I think I already have a title shot if I want to wait. If I wait I can get my title shot I guess in six or seven months from now, which is a long time away, and I don’t want to mess up my plans of getting my title shot. Now I would love to fight Jon Fitch, but if I fight him and god forbid something goes wrong and I lose that fight it puts me all the way back down again and I have to work back up for a title fight. So if I am guaranteed a title fight now, I’ll take the title fight or if I don’t want to wait such a long time I’ll take another opponent who I have a more ‘guaranteed’ win over. I still think I can beat Jon Fitch – Jon’s a very tough guy, but I think that if I am in shape that I can beat him eight out of 10 times. But at this point I don’t want to jeopardize anything leading up to my title fight, so we’ll see what the UFC will offer and what I will take.”

http://mmamania.com/2007/11/30/karo-parisyan-i-think-i-already-have-a-title-shot-if-i-want-to-wait/

Lol GSP, Hughes, Karo, and Fitch all have title shots, they just have to wait for the guy in front of em to fight? I don't think you earn a shot until theres one available.

Karo's doing the right thing, careerwise, but I think most fans would like to see a fight with Fitch for the #1contender spot... I guess I can't blame him, but I will anyways... boo your decision Karo, boo

Well, Karo was having a title shot but he got hurt, ok i understand this part.
but, how can he still continue to say that he deserve the same title shot again and again like that, if i remenber correctly, the guy fought GSP and lost the fight, he fough Sanchez and lost the fight, i don't know why he simply forget those fights.

his title shot would have already happened if he was declared the winner of those fight instead of the loser.

Good luck waiting for 2 years The title shot is Way overdue but this is a classic example of the UFC playing favorites. This guy destroys every young up and comer like Fitch does and they both can held out of fighting the big names. GSP beats one guy after losing and so does Matt and there both in the title picture.

The WW division is completely F*cked now. Your going to have GSP for Matt. Then you'll have to wait til the summer most likely for Serra to fight again. So that means if you want a title shot and your names not GSP/Matt Hughes/Matt Serra or your not a posterboy. Your not looking at a title shot until really late 08 or early 09 and that's providing if theres no injuries.

But I guess this sets up Dream fantasy #1 contender matches. We will be able to see Karo vs Fitch. Maybe Karo vs Sanchez 2. Kos vs Sanchez 3, Kos vs Karo. Kos or Karo vs Thiago Alves. Add Burkman in there. I'm liking these awesome contender matches but it stinks because the longer they have to wait for a title shot. The more going to M-1/Pro Elite becomes an option so they can be a world champion.

I really hope the WW division gets fixed...

Parisyan may be good, but not good enough for one simple reason this last year or so-he can't finish fights. All his fights I've seen since I began watching UFC have ended in decisions. Go out and win a couple fights convincingly, either by KO/TKO or tapout, then talk title shot.

You don't hear Fitch saying "I'll just wait around until they give me a title shot, I've beaten enough people."

I'm starting to lose a lot of respect for Karo...

Let me jump in this fighter bashing thread and offer the business perspective of Karo, after all we are fans of mma but fighting is his money-maker.

He has 2 choices basically. He sees an opportunity to improve his name recognition by waiting to fight for the title. Winning the title (or even losing a good title fight) will bring him a higher level of name recognition and therefore increase his income every time he fights from then on out. He has a chance to exponentially increase the money in his pocket by waiting for that title shot or he can take a fight to fill the time. As he stated, there is a chance something could go wrong and he could lose the fight to Fitch and he would then be S.O.L. when it comes to his chance for a title fight anytime this decade. I don't think his statement is more cocky or shows more confidence than any other contending fighter NEEDS to have or display. No need to bash him for confidence. If anything he was being honest by stating that, yes, he might not actually win that fight.

Now I'm not saying I agree with him sounding a little limp-wristed. But remember, this is his business. He has a right to look out for his financial future.

Karo doesn't want to fight Fitch or Kos and thats because they can take him down with ease. That will make another loss on his record i mean if you watch him in his fight with Drew Ficket he got taken down pretty easy in the second round with not much of anything to stop a half hearted shot by Drew.

It would be a long night for Karo id he fought Kos, Fitch, or Hughes for that matter.

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Posted by John_Jobber

Let me jump in this fighter bashing thread and offer the business perspective of Karo, after all we are fans of mma but fighting is his money-maker.

He has 2 choices basically. He sees an opportunity to improve his name recognition by waiting to fight for the title. Winning the title (or even losing a good title fight) will bring him a higher level of name recognition and therefore increase his income every time he fights from then on out. He has a chance to exponentially increase the money in his pocket by waiting for that title shot or he can take a fight to fill the time. As he stated, there is a chance something could go wrong and he could lose the fight to Fitch and he would then be S.O.L. when it comes to his chance for a title fight anytime this decade. I don't think his statement is more cocky or shows more confidence than any other contending fighter NEEDS to have or display. No need to bash him for confidence. If anything he was being honest by stating that, yes, he might not actually win that fight.

Now I'm not saying I agree with him sounding a little limp-wristed. But remember, this is his business. He has a right to look out for his financial future.

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All valid reasons, and if I was in his position I would hold off too... but, and here is the Caviet... I seriously doubt that the UFC has assured Karo a title shot in this short of time. This divison is stacked with talent and big recognizable names... We have Hughes/GSP coming up, thats on record. Next up for title fights would be (if rumors are correct GSP (LOL assuming he wins, which I think he will) up against Serra in April in Quebec. Now.. were already going to be past Karo's predicted fight here (unless he has some good info on just how serious Serra's back injury is.)

While the Serra/Hughes/GSP thing is being worked out I honestly see the UFC putting Karo up against Fitch. They aren't going to have these guys sit idle for the better part of a year and the fight will be a big draw for a non-title fight, The only question I think will how hard Karo can resist having this fight.... my bet is is holds out.. gets offered a nice fat bonus for taking it while the top contenders get ironed out, and we see a Karo/Fitch fight in the Spring.

you guys can bash karo all you like but i think it is refreshing to hear someone tell it like it is and not throw out the part line of "ill fight anyone at any time" which we all know is not really true".

fighters have to do what is right for them and their families. if i were in karo's shoes id do the same thing.

Karo title shot in april. WOO!

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Posted by DCRage

Parisyan may be good, but not good enough for one simple reason this last year or so-he can't finish fights. All his fights I've seen since I began watching UFC have ended in decisions. Go out and win a couple fights convincingly, either by KO/TKO or tapout, then talk title shot.

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Karo is known for begin in some wars like with Sanchez. But the only guys he finished were Nick Thomson and Strasser who aren't in the top ten. The rest have gone the distance. Ryo is a tough tough dude and Karo won the fight but not convincingly. I thought they nutralized each other for the most part. Winning that fight should not give Karo a title shot. He's proven himself already and was suppose to fight Hughes for the belt back at 56 but he really should fight Kos, Fitch, or even Thiago Alves (which would be a war) to secure his shot.

I'm really dissapointed with Karo lately. First a lackluster performance against Chonan, now he's dodging people who he knows can beat him. Diego beat Karo pretty convincingly and then Fitch and Kos beat Diego. I'm sure thats at the back of Karo's mind. What happend to you Karo? You used to be cool.

I like watching Karo fight and route for him frequently, but he is not title shot worthy! He hasn't finished a fight in YEARS!!! Not to mention he has recently lost to Diego....sorry Karo you just don't rate!