Perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch (23-3-1 MMA, 13-1-1 UFC) can now resume his career.

The American Kickboxing Academy product today Tweeted that his doctor has cleared him to begin training once again following a serious shoulder injury that scratched a rematch with B.J. Penn.

"I'm back!" Fitch wrote today. "Dr. Kavitne gave me the OK to fight."

Fitch was scheduled to fight Penn at UFC 132 in a rematch from a headlining bout at UFC 127 that ended in a draw when his late-fight rally evened the scorecards. Both bouts would likely have anointed the next contender to champ Georges St-Pierre.

But since this past March, Fitch has sat on the sidelines nursing a torn rotator cuff and labrum, and Penn has been booked to meet Carlos Condit at UFC 137, which takes place Oct. 27 in Las Vegas. The title status of that bout is unknown.

Fitch has documented his recovery extensively in an online series.

Sources today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Fitch could fight Johny Hendricks at UFC 139, though both sides declined to comment on the possible matchup.


Source: Jon Fitch cleared to fight, sources say UFC 139 appearance possible