You're going to hear different schools of thought on this, just like you already stated. There's not a clear-cut answer.
I've been a fan of taking some BCAAs and doing 20-30 minutes of fasted cardio upon rising, but it was also low intensity stuff.
Layne Norton has produced or linked multiple articles/studies showing that you burn more when eating normal meals placed around the cardio just as you would a traditional weight-training workout.
The bottom line is there will never be a "this is right and that is wrong" on this subject. Do what you prefer