Georges St. Pierre is one of the top fighters in MMA—and is certainly one of the most popular. His overall clean look, his fighting abilities and his dedication to his craft are all components that have created a machine in the Welterweight division of the UFC.
He has been the reigning champion at 170lbs for over three years. Those three years have brought upon some of the toughest fighters in the division, and in all of MMA. His last test of 2011 will be at UFC 137, against Carlos Condit.
Carlos Condit has been waiting patiently for his time to shine, and has done the work in order to deserve such a shot. He is the replacement for Nick Diaz, but many feel he was naturally the one next in line if the Strikeforce Champ hadn’t come over.
Carlos is a fighter that has the tools it takes to beat anyone on any given night. A very well-rounded fighter, he is a challenge for anyone at any point during an MMA match. He is currently 27-5 in his career, winning 12 of his last 13 fights. He is riding on a four-fight winning streak, and now has earned his shot at the title.
Condit’s striking is great enough to stand up to anyone. GSP has been working on his striking, which he made apparent in his bout with Josh Koscheck. Condit’s hands contain power, and his speed makes them a force to be reckoned with. In his last fight, Condit knocked out the previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim, with a flying knee followed by a flurry of punches.
Not only did he defeat the undefeated Korean, he is the only man to serve an exciting knockout to Dan Hardy, who proved his chin once again in his fight with Chris Lytle.
If one thing can be said about Condit, it is that he is a finisher. With 32 total career fights, only three have ended in decision. His submission wins and his TKO/KO wins are dead even, and makes yet another great argument of why he may have one of the best chances at GSP’s belt.
It is no secret that Georges St. Pierre’s strength is his wrestling. In fact, his criticism is mainly attributed to his wrestling. GSP wants and desperately needs a finish. Condit possesses the jiu-jitsu skills to fare well against the Canadian superstar. GSP has a great submission game, but Condit’s has been more successful and more applied.
Carlos Condit is also a fighter with a lot of heart. He is no stranger to the Championship spotlight, as his days in the WEC served him well. Always ready to take on any champion, he still understands this opportunity that has been placed in front of him.
He was originally slated to face BJ Penn in hopes that a victory would possibly put him in the title-shot position. But, in a moment, he was grandly rewarded. Dana White, during the press conference where they announced the switch, said Condit “started crying and had to call me back 15 minutes later.”
Condit is fully prepared for his fight, and has the tools to dismantle GSP’s wrecking machine. He became a father last year, and is most certainly looking to support his family, and what better way to do that than bring home the UFC gold.
Stylistically, the two fighters match up very well. A fighter who can just as easily knock you out standing as submit you on the ground is a recipe for a difficult challenge for GSP. The fans and critics want a finish from this fight, and it may very well be finally delivered. It just might be from a “Natural Born Killer” instead.
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