UFC champion Georges St-Pierre has recently been sidelined due to injury and will likely be on the mend for the better part of a year.
However, his loss will garner huge gains for both Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit.
The duo will meet this February at UFC 143 where they will battle for the interim welterweight title. The winner will likely face St-Pierre at a later date in order to unify the 170-pound belt.
It seems fitting that both men who were originally slated to take on the Canadian will now meet each other in a battle that will likely garner a lot of fanfare, thanks to their similar styles of fighting.
What both Condit and Diaz represent is two of the most exciting figures in the welterweight division. This is particularly true of the Stockton native Diaz, who has become a proverbial walking highlight since venturing into Strikeforce in 2009.
Memorable battles against Frank Shamrock, KJ Noons, Marius Zaromskis and Paul Daley eventually anchored the move for Diaz to return to the Octagon, where the Cesar Gracie protege bested former two-time world champion BJ Penn this October, taking home a clear-cut decision win in a “Fight of the Night” worthy performance.
Condit has been making plenty of noise on his own. Since transitioning to the UFC after a stint serving as the WEC’s last welterweight king, “The Natural Born Killer” is currently riding a four-fight win streak in the cage, claiming bonuses for his performances against Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy and Dong Hyun Kim, who have all become victim to the long list of accolades of the Greg Jackson product.
Both Diaz and Condit represent the consummate definition of what a fighter should be—they take risks at their own expense, all in an effort to create exciting fights that have fans clamoring for more.
Their track records would indicate that this welterweight affair will be anything but boring, and regardless of how long the fight will ensue, the fans and media alike are in for a treat come next year.
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