Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

MINNEAPOLIS - Just a few days removed from the biggest night of his life, UFC welterweight Jon Fitch doesn’t need any problems aside from the ones presented to him by his opponent this weekend, champion George St. Pierre.

But when Fitch’s plane touched down on Minnesota soil, it was short one of the two suitcases he entrusted to the airline.

Whether it’s a bad omen or simply bad luck, Fitch shrugged it off, noting that whether or not that luggage ever arrives, he brought with him the only thing he truly needs: his full toolkit of skills necessary to beat St. Pierre on Saturday night.

For 14 fights in a row, Fitch has done just that; bring the diverse skills necessary to beat all the challengers that have stood in the opposing corner at the opening bell.

But while he has compiled a 19-2 record and is in the midst of an impressive streak, he doesn’t have the Q-rating of his opponent, or even some lesser fighters that earned public interest by coming up through Spike’s Ultimate Fighter TV show.

Saturday he has a chance to make a legion of new fans, if he can solve the puzzle that is GSP.

“I think a lot of fans still don’t know I am really; I guess they haven’t developed an attachment or appreciate for me,” he said. “It’s really not their fault. I’m in a stacked division and maybe I slipped through the cracks.”

With his current run, his colleagues certainly understand just how good he is. It’s no accident; Fitch is a studious athlete who keeps notebooks with thoughts and game plans for prospective future opponents, and when he beat Chris Wilson in March to earn a crack at the title, he already had his strategy for St. Pierre planned out. Keep in mind, GSP was only the interim champ at the time; he had yet to beat Matt Serra to reclaim the top spot in the division. (He also had a Serra strategy prepared.)

Fitch presents GSP with perhaps his most well-rounded opponent since he faced and defeated B.J. Penn in March 2006. He wrestled in the challenging Big 10 conference at Purdue University, has trained standup at the renowned American Kickboxing Academy for years, and recently earned his jiu-jitsu black belt. If there has been any knock on Fitch, it was perhaps that he doesn’t wield KO power (only one of his eight UFC wins is by KO), but he’s added a renewed focus on his striking with coach Javier Mendez and believes it’s made his punches more dangerous.

Fitch comes with the reputation of a wrestler, but that likely won’t stop St. Pierre from shooting in for the takedown when he sees an opening. Last August, he faced Fitch’s AKA teammate Josh Koscheck and took down the former NCAA Division I champion several times in earning a unanimous decision win.

But Fitch believes he learned from Koscheck’s mistakes. In the leadup to Koscheck’s fight with St. Pierre, the focus was solely on standup, with almost no wrestling and groundwork. Koscheck simply did not believe he could be taken down. Fitch has no such illusions. St. Pierre, meanwhile, fully realizes that Fitch will make the adjustment, so the cat-and-mouse game is on.

“Fitch is a new breed of MMA,” said St. Pierre, who is 16-2 overall. “He’s a great wrestler, but also very good on the ground and standing as well, so he brings more problems than other guys I’ve fought in the past. I’m going to have to use a lot more tools than in the past.”

Still, St. Pierre may be giving away a little of his preconception when he categorizes Fitch as a “wrestler,” and notes that he knows how to fight wrestlers, having beaten Koscheck in addition to other celebrated wrestlers like Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk.

“He can call me what he wants but I’m a fighter,” Fitch said. “We’re not going in there to wrestle; we’re going in there to fight.”

Unlike recent main events that had a grudge match aspect to them, these two are professionals who have a genuine respect for each other. But on Saturday, they will be ferocious enemies as soon as that opening bell rings.

In their minds, “Who’s No. 1?” is a good enough reason to fight. Fitch is ready to ascend the throne, but GSP is not quite ready to abdicate.

Last time St. Pierre won the title, remember, he was knocked out by underdog Matt Serra. St. Pierre says he won’t make the same mistake twice, and that the lessons learned in that loss will pay dividends Saturday.

“I realize what I have. Last time, I didn’t realize what I had in my hands,” he said. “I love a chance to succeed where I failed last time. I see that as a great challenge, and a chance at redemption.”

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