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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
22-year-old UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald has no shortage of talent, and no shortage of guts as well.
Fresh off a highly impressive first round beating over Mike Pyle at UFC 133, MacDonald wants to get back into action soon, and he's willing to take on all comers. That willingness would include a fight with perennial #2 welterweight in the world Jon Fitch, who does not yet have an opponent for his hopeful return to action this November.
"I'll fight anyone," MacDonald said in an interview with the ESPN UK UFC Podcast. "A lot of people don't want to fight Jon Fitch, but I'll gladly fight him, anybody.
"I'd really like to rematch Carlos Condit though. [I'd take that fight] 100 per cent."
MacDonald entered the UFC in January of 2010 having already won nine fights to begin his career. After adding a tenth, he was on his way to a win over Condit before slowing in the third round and being stopped with just seconds remaining in the fight.
He's bounced back in extremely impressive fashion in wins over Nate Diaz and Pyle, and in training with UFC Welterweight Georges St. Pierre, MacDonald is feeling more confident than ever in his young career.
"I feel like I can beat anyone, that's my confidence," MacDonald said. "But I know I'm a young guy, I know I have to stay grounded and improve. There's still so much to learn, I'm still very young, I still have so much time to evolve."
Penick's Analysis: MacDonald is a special, special talent, but a fight with the #2 welterweight in the world is probably a little too soon for him. He's beaten a few good fighters in the UFC thus far, and I absolutely see him as the future of the sport, but Jon Fitch is such a dominating force with his grappling game that it could be ripe for a setback for the young talent. That said, if the UFC wants to throw him to the fire, it could also be an opportunity for him to have a breakout performance, because an upset over Fitch would be an incredible feat at this stage of his career. I don't think he'd be plugged into that fight yet, but the UFC has surprised before with some of their matchups, and it's not out of the realm of possibility.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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