Carlos Condit Interested in Possible Rematch With Martin Kampmann Depending on GSP’s Recovery Rate


(We know, Carlos, we didn’t believe it was Arianny in that mugshot either.) 

We haven’t heard much from Carlos Condit since his controversial, interim title-earning decision over Nick Diaz at UFC 143, even though the man he beat out for said title has given him plenty to talk about. No, all we’ve heard from “The Natural Born Killer” is that he plans to spend the rest of 2012 on the shelf in order to finally get his much deserved shot against Georges St. Pierre, who is no stranger to life on the sidelines.

Well now it seems that the fighting bug is starting to get to Condit, who recently told HDNet’s Inside MMA that he would be open to the idea of defending his interim title, were GSP’s absence to be prolonged, that is. How you can defend a title that isn’t, you know, an actual title, is beyond us, but regardless of what we think, Condit said that he’d like to face none other than the man responsible for his sole loss in the UFC given the opportunity:

If it turns out Georges can’t fight in November, most likely, I will fight somebody else. I really wanna fight Georges. I really wanna unify the belts, but there’s also some other guys that I would like to fight as well. You know, Martin Kampmann‘s the only guy that I’ve lost to in the UFC, the only guy I’ve lost to in about the last six years, so I would definitely like to avenge that loss.

Few can forget the pair’s initial meeting, which took place back in April of 2009 at Fight Night 18 and saw Kampmann emerge victorious by way of split decision in what was a hell of a three round affair.

And while we agree that it would be nice to see any fight in the welterweight division that has some kind of title implications behind it, it appears that the chances of Condit/Kampmann II going down anytime soon are somehow less likely than that of Condit/GSP. Here’s why.


(We know, Carlos, we didn’t believe it was Arianny in that mugshot either.) 

We haven’t heard much from Carlos Condit since his controversial, interim title-earning decision over Nick Diaz at UFC 143, even though the man he beat out for said title has given him plenty to talk about. No, all we’ve heard from “The Natural Born Killer” is that he plans to spend the rest of 2012 on the shelf in order to finally get his much deserved shot against Georges St. Pierre, who is no stranger to life on the sidelines.

Well now it seems that the fighting bug is starting to get to Condit, who recently told HDNet’s Inside MMA that he would be open to the idea of defending his interim title, were GSP’s absence to be prolonged, that is. How you can defend a title that isn’t, you know, an actual title, is beyond us, but regardless of what we think, Condit said that he’d like to face none other than the man responsible for his sole loss in the UFC given the opportunity:

If it turns out Georges can’t fight in November, most likely, I will fight somebody else. I really wanna fight Georges. I really wanna unify the belts, but there’s also some other guys that I would like to fight as well. You know, Martin Kampmann‘s the only guy that I’ve lost to in the UFC, the only guy I’ve lost to in about the last six years, so I would definitely like to avenge that loss.

Few can forget the pair’s initial meeting, which took place back in April of 2009 at Fight Night 18 and saw Kampmann emerge victorious by way of split decision in what was a hell of a three round affair.

And while we agree that it would be nice to see any fight in the welterweight division that has some kind of title implications behind it, it appears that the chances of Condit/Kampmann II going down anytime soon are somehow less likely than that of Condit/GSP. Here’s why.

On the heels of yet another come from behind win over Jake Ellenberger at The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale, it turns out that Kampmann will be taking some time off of his own, both to be with his family, who are expecting another child in the near future, and to undergo minor surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee that has been bothering him for some time. Here’s what he told MMAJunkie Radio:

I wanted to get it done a couple of fights ago, but I kept getting good fight offers. I kept fighting.

I only feel it when I bend it. When I bend my knee sometimes, it will click. It’s just a minor bug. It’s nothing. I could still fight with it, but it’s something that, more than anything, it bugs me in training. It doesn’t bug me when I’m fighting.

Further muddying the waters was a certain promise that Dana White made to fellow welterweight contender Johny Hendricks. Perhaps you recall when DW stated that, if Hendricks was successful against Josh Koscheck at UFC on FOX 3, he would be next in line for a title shot.

As we all know, Hendricks was successful that night, and since White is a man of his word, Hendricks must be in line for the winner of GSP/Condit, right? But just in case he isn’t, here are a couple options that we think could help solve this mess:

1. After Kampmann recovers, he faces Hendricks for *true* number one contender status. Condit faces GSP because we honestly just want to see this match happen before we die.

2. Hendricks faces Condit for the interim title while GSP and Kampmann recover. If the winner comes out in relatively decent shape, they face GSP and Kampmann gets the winner.

3. If GSP’s recovery is somehow delayed even further, he is stripped of the title and we are treated to either Hendricks/Condit or Kampmann/Condit for the welterweight title, with the odd man out taking on GSP in a number one contender bout.

Now, while the last option is definitely the least probable, how great would it be to see St. Pierre fight for the number one contender spot to the title he technically never lost? Not only could it reignite the fire that has been long missing from GSP’s game, but it could make for a great comeback story as well.

But what do you think Potato Nation, who deserves a crack at Condit, if anyone? Or should we just sit on our thumbs until 2014 when this title picture has finally cleared up?

–J. Jones