Former UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit is leaving the fight game after a long career with the promotion and a career that spanned nearly two decades. Condit most recently fell to Max Griffin at UFC 264, losing by a unanimous decision.
The news regarding Condit’s retirement was first reported by MMA Fighting, after months of wondering if Condit would compete in the octagon again. The 37-year-old joined the UFC back in 2009 after the promotion merged with WEC, bringing many stars such as Condit to the highest level in the sport.
It’s hard to believe that Condit has been a professional fighter since 2002 when he knocked out Ross Ebanez at Hawaii’s Rumble on the Rock event. He would earn the attention of some of the biggest promotions in the sport after knocking out Renato Verissimo, a UFC veteran, in his next appearance.
After a pair of astounding performances on the regional circuit, Condit made the move up in competition by signing with the WEC. He would go on to earn the welterweight title over John Alessio before defending the belt three times before the UFC-WEC merger.
After joining the UFC roster, his tenure on the sport’s biggest platform got off to a rocky start with a split-decision loss to Martin Kampmann. He would rebound nicely with five straight wins and earning the interim welterweight title over Nick Diaz.
He would go on to lose in the unification bout to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154 by unanimous decision. The self-credited “Natural-Born Killer” would go on to have mixed performances to round out his tenure with the UFC, including tough losses to Michael Chiesa and Robbie Lawler.
Condit is widely regarded to be one of the biggest fan favorites in UFC history, with a style that was fan-friendly and never faltered, regardless of the state of a fight. He’ll be remembered forever as a born fighter, as his nickname suggests.
What is your reaction to Carlos Condit’s retirement? How will you remember his performances in the octagon?