The welterweight division got a massive shakeup after UFC 201. Tyron Woodley ascended to the top spot with a brutal first round knockout against Robbie Lawler in the main event. Since that epic win on July 30 though, things have been a lot different for the top contenders at 170. Stephen Thompson would ca out
The welterweight division got a massive shakeup after UFC 201. Tyron Woodley ascended to the top spot with a brutal first round knockout against Robbie Lawler in the main event. Since that epic win on July 30 though, things have been a lot different for the top contenders at 170. Stephen Thompson would ca out ‘The Chosen One’ moments after his epic title win, but the new champion had very different plans. Mentioning Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz, Woodley went well outside the lines of the divisional rankings.
‘Money fights’ were what Woodley called his next options, and unfortunately ‘Wonderboy’ was not included on this list. Following the current trend among UFC superstars, Woodley also sparked massive debate with his refusal to fight Thompson. Many pointed out ‘The Chosen One’ refusing to fight unless it was for the title in the 18 months prior to UFC 201. It seems what was good for the goose was not so good for the gander.
Wonderboy Snub
Suddenly the official rankings were even more pointless than they’d proven in the past. Thompson’s seven fight win streak that included a stunning TO over former champ Johny Hendricks was playing second fiddle to two inactive and unranked fighters. Although both GSP and Diaz are huge draws, the line between sports and entertainment was clearly being erased in this saga.
Who would Thompson ft next if not Woodley? Outside the champ there are two top five contenders squaring off in Vancouver tonight (Saturday August 27). Former interim boss Carlos Condit battles dangerous BJJ ace Demian Maia n the UFC on FOX 21 main event. Although Thompson could arguably sit out and wait for a title shot, he tells MMAJunkie that he’s willing to face the winner of tonight’s main event.
Wonderboy vs. Condit/Maia?
“I very respectfully called him out. I did not expect him to say, ‘No, I want a money fight,’” Thompson said. “Defend the title a few times. That’s how I look at it. That’s what Robbie Lawler did. That’s what the champions did before him before they started asking for money fights. Tyron was definitely preaching the other way around when he didn’t get his shot, now that he’s got the title for him to do that to me is kind of hypocritical. But whatever. it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen soon.”
“Condit has been at the top of the game for as long as he’s been in the UFC – Demian has been in the game longer than I have as well,” Thompson said at a UFC on FOX 21 fan Q&A. “I mean, yeah, if (the title shot) doesn’t happen, who else am I going to fight, to be honest? … Those are potential bouts and I want to throw down with either one of them.”
UFC on Fox 21’s Demian Maia is turning 39 in just over two months. His first professional MMA fight was 15 years ago. He heads into his fight against former welterweight contender Carlos Condit, seeking his 18th UFC victory.
Maia is an anomaly in the w…
UFC on Fox 21’s Demian Maia is turning 39 in just over two months. His first professional MMA fight was 15 years ago. He heads into his fight against former welterweight contender Carlos Condit, seeking his 18th UFC victory.
Maia is an anomaly in the welterweight division; his MMA career has lasted longer than the nine-year average, which isn’t especially remarkable. What’s remarkable is, Maia, pushing 40, is the No. 3 welterweight in the UFC, routinely beating top-ranked, younger fighters with undeniable dominance. Of the UFC’s top 15 welterweights, Maia has fought and bested five.
The Brazilian came into MMA an especially proficient Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with rough striking. With 23 of his 29 fights under the UFC banner, we’ve had the opportunity to watch Maia evolve over nine years.
Prior to squaring off with No. 4 welterweight Condit, we take a look at Maia’s arduous journey and how he’s managed to stay so adept after all this time. Maybe it’s because his preferred M.O., as stated on his UFC profile, is this:
“My favorite technique is to submit my opponent without him hurting me or me hurting him.”
With one title shot under his belt and an overall record of 23-6, Maia is once again nearing a pinnacle of his career. He just has to get through Condit first.
It might be helpful to think of Carlos Condit’s main event fight against Demian Maia on Saturday’s UFC on Fox 21 as the welterweight division drawing a line in the sand.
On one side of that line are the elite fighters at 170 pounds—Condit a…
It might be helpful to think of Carlos Condit’s main event fight against Demian Maia on Saturday’s UFC on Fox 21 as the welterweight division drawing a line in the sand.
On one side of that line are the elite fighters at 170 pounds—Condit and Maia included, along with new champ TyronWoodley, top contender Stephen Thompson and former champ Robbie Lawler.
On the other side are the competitors who have either fallen out of contention, have not yet ascended to such lofty heights or never will.
As of a few days ago, former title challenger Rory MacDonald certainly would’ve been included among the first group, but his recent defection to Bellator MMA (per FloCombat) casts an even sharper focus on the curious welterweight landscape of the moment.
This division is talent-rich and on the rise, though perhaps never before in UFC history has there been such an obvious divide between the haves and have-nots at 170 pounds.
It’s a cozy little group of VIPs right now with Woodley, Lawler, Thompson, Condit and Maia, but after that, the drop-off in prestige is noticeably steep.
Case in point: MacDonald’s departure opened the door for Kelvin Gastelum to slide into the Top Five of the UFC’s official rankings, where champions are not technically considered part of the Top 10.
Gastelum is a good fighter and a nice prospect at 24 years old, but nobody considers him on the same level as the rest of that group quite yet. He’s just 2-2 in his last four fights and has been plagued by trouble making the welterweight limit for much of his career.
Even if he’s got those issues sorted out now, it’ll be a while before he’s up to fighting for the title or—gasp—headlining a UFC pay-per-view.
Behind Gastelum is former champ Johny Hendricks at No. 6. Hendricks has gone 1-3 since defeating Lawler for the title at UFC 171, and these days his fighting career is pretty much in complete survival mode. He doesn’t top too many lists of guys who appear on the verge of a rebound.
Behind Hendricks is No. 7 Donald Cerrone—an interesting case if there ever was one.
Cerrone has won three straight at 170 pounds but followed his most recent victory over Rick Story at UFC 202 with a call-out of current lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez. We all know Cerrone will fight at any weight where he can earn a paycheck, but he may have tipped his hand that he doesn’t consider his long-term future to be at welter.
Following up those guys on the official rankings is a gaggle of fighters—think the Neil Magnys, Lorenz Larkins and TarecSaffiedines of the world—who are either coming or going. It’s sort of a no man’s land, honestly, where people are either still in pursuit of their full potential or just playing out the string.
So what’s all that mean? What’s at stake when Condit and Maia meet up this weekend?
Well, the wide gulf between the welterweight elite and their closest competitors basically ensures the winner of this fight the pole position to challenge the victor of Woodley’s first title defense. That bout could come against Thompson or—as some rumors are beginning to suggest (per MMA Fighting, h/t Uproxx)—even a returning Georges St-Pierre.
On the other hand, the loser very well might be cast out of the club entirely. He could find himself banished across the mote to live with the have-nots until such time that he can fight his way back to the promised land.
For 38-year-old Maia and a guy like Condit, who has already talked openly of retirement, that makes the stakes here very dire indeed. This might be the last best chance for both guys to earn one more crack at UFC gold.
Condit has been slightly less emphatic, though perhaps because he already fought for the title once this year. Immediately after his split-decision loss to Lawler was announced at UFC 195, it sounded as though he might hang up his gloves.
“Tonight was kind of a do-or-die moment for my career and I was all in,” Condit said, via MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle. “If I got that strap, I was going to keep fighting. If I didn’t, like I didn’t, I have to see if I can continue to do this.”
The idea of an immediate rematch got kicked around, but eight months later, we find Condit still willing to make that walk to the cage—and for an important contender bout against Maia instead of a title fight.
Maia has been surging since recommitting to primarily Brazilian jiu jitsu-based game plans during the last couple of years. He’s currently riding a five-fight win-streak while proving he’s that rare modern MMA fighter who can defeat top-level opponents with a basically one-dimensional approach.
Condit, however, could test that status in ways that previous opponents like Matt Brown, Gunnar Nelson and Magny have not.
The former WEC welterweight champion has earned his reputation as one of the sport’s most exciting and well-rounded fighters. It would likely be wise for Condit to try to avoid going to the ground with Maia, but if the lanky striker can manage it, he’ll certainly have a pronounced advantage in the stand-up.
Oddsmakers appear to like his chances, though just barely. Condit is going off as a slight favorite in this bout, according to Odds Shark. Maia will no doubt have his opportunity over the course of a five-round fight, but if Condit can control the distance and tempo, he has a good shot to emerge victorious here.
The winner will remain on the right side of the current welterweight divide.
The loser, however, could face a fairly bleak future. He might end up going from elite fighter to steppingstone for the very people who want to take his spot.
Because while the gulf between the welterweight haves and have-nots may be wide, the fall from one level to the next could be quick and treacherous.
One of the most exciting UFC welterweights on the roster returns to action this weekend. Top five ranked former interim champion Carlos Condit will face Demian Maia in the UFC on FOX 21 main event. Vancouver, British Colombia in Canada will host the festivities as Condit looks to take one last run at the title.
One of the most exciting UFC welterweights on the roster returns to action this weekend. Top five ranked former interim champion Carlos Condit will face Demian Maia in the UFC on FOX 21 main event. Vancouver, British Colombia in Canada will host the festivities as Condit looks to take one last run at the title. ‘NBK’ has come so close to getting UFC gold and his last fight could have gone either way. Condit’s five round war with Robbie Lawler at UFC 195 was tough to score, and many had ‘The Natural Born Killer’ winning on their scorecards.
‘Ruthless’ came away with the win, and Condit has pondered retirement in the time since. Nearly nine months on and Condit will face the toughest available challenge in the division. It wasn’t that long ago that Nick Diaz was that challenge. ‘NBK’ faced the older Diaz brother in the UFC 143 main event, winning the interim championship after a classic five round battle.
Condit’s Take on UFC 202
Carlos Condit received some negative feedback from Nick Diaz’s fans after their fight. Similarly, Conor McGregor was recently accused of ‘running’ from Nate Diaz at UFC 202. In anticipation of his return at UFC on FOX 21, Condit spoke with MMAFighting to dissect McGregor’s performance.
“Nate and Nick are like zombies. They just come forward, and you just have to make space. Where they really excel is in that close range boxing. It was kind of a bummer to see Conor gas that quickly, but on the other hand you’ve got to do what you can to win. Other people who have fought Nate have done a similar thing. Look at Josh Thompson, he wasn’t gassed when he was doing it, but he made space and got back to the centre of the cage. You don’t want to be caught against the cage with those guys, you just don’t. A lot of criticism could be made from the outside but when you’re in there you gotta do what the f*ck you gotta do to win.”
Do What You Gotta Do
Talking of the necessities of victory, Carlos Condit needs to keep the fight standing against Demian Maia. It will be interesting to see how ‘NBK’ deals with such a submission-based fighter at UFC on FOX 21. Following nine months off, will Condit still have that urge to conquer? If so, it could be a short and brutal night for Maia.
There is a picture of Carlos Condit that will forever speak for him. In it, his hair is soaked in sweat, his face is bathed in blood, a vertical slash carves up the right side of his face above the eyebrow. His teeth are clenched in a way that blurs wh…
There is a picture of Carlos Condit that will forever speak for him. In it, his hair is soaked in sweat, his face is bathed in blood, a vertical slash carves up the right side of his face above the eyebrow. His teeth are clenched in a way that blurs whether he’s grinning sadistically, gritting in pain or both.
He looks like a man who has fought his way from the depths of hell.
The picture has been used so many times over the years that most people don’t remember which fight it comes from. It is just a snapshot in time that encapsulates his status as one of MMA’s most ferocious competitors of all time.
Five of his UFC fights—against Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, Robbie Lawler, Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann—are listed among Tapology’s top 100 all-time bouts, as voted on by fans. A sixth, against Georges St-Pierre, is No. 101.
Win or lose, Condit has bared his fighting spirit in a way few others can claim, marrying professionalism and martial artistry together in a way that should make him a role model for following generations.
For a while, it seemed like the pictures—and his highlight videos—might be all we had left.
Sometime after taking part in the best fight of 2016—sorry, ConorMcGregor and Nate Diaz fans—Condit’s year was over, he had determined. Not his entire year, but at least his participation in the thing he’s known for. The blood. The guts. The heart. It was all to be packed away in his equipment bag, zippered shut and stored away for the winter. The reason? He had a future to contemplate. His own, his family’s, that of his soon-to-be-born son.
This isn’t so surprising to people who witnessed the last moments of his UFC 195 fight with Lawler back in January, who saw the disappointment in his face when the judges’ decision was read, who heard him discuss the possibility of walking away from the cage.
Condit out of the cage, fish out of water, it’s the same thing. Unnatural.
Thankfully (selfishly), he has delayed the inevitable. He’s back against Demian Maia headlining Saturday’s UFC on Fox event in Vancouver, British Columbia. But make no mistake, the countdown to his farewell is underway.
“I was definitely serious in talking about it, and I feel like I’m certainly toward the end of my career,” Condit told Bleacher Report. “It’s a tough sport, and I’ve been at it a long time. I’m looking to make my transition out of it, but the tough thing about that is I still f–king love to fight. I still have some fight left in me. I’m still young, and I can still do it. But from a logical standpoint, I know it’s time to start making my way out and transitioning to something else. I have to find the balance between those two. But I’ll probably be done in the next couple years.”
Fighters say this kind of thing from time to time, but it never seems to stick. Condit is only 32 years old and sits at No. 4 in the UFC’s welterweight rankings. Is this for real?
It turns out, yes.
During his short recent sabbatical from the cage, Condit took classes toward attaining a real estate license. He plans to take the test sometime after fighting Maia, then work part time in property development as he begins a shift to business.
But why now, and why this young?
Condit began his pro career in 2002, when he was 18 years old. He’s fought at the highest level of MMA. He’s professionally kickboxed. He even once took a pro boxing fight.
It is a decorated and painful history, a journey that his body reminds him of all the time.
“On a regular day, something is hurting,” Condit said. “It varies more or less. Seems like I heal pretty quickly and get over stuff, or I’m just used to dealing with stuff. After this fight, I’ll have to go and get a few things looked at. I’m going to make it through this camp and I feel good, but rarely does a fighter step into the Octagon without some kind of nagging injury. Getting through these camps, sometimes you’re held together with paper clips and bubble gum and tape. You just kind of get in there and you make it work because if you pull out of a fight, you don’t get paid.”
That’s not an option now, not with another mouth to feed shortly. Condit’s wife is expecting to deliver the couple’s second son about two weeks after fight night.
His son’s impending arrival was part of the reason he had expected to take the rest of the year off in the first place. In addition to contemplating and working toward his future, he wanted to block out the last quarter of the year to be with his family.
But when Dana White called to offer a fight just ahead of the self-imposed deadline, Condit jumped on it.
The bout’s style matchup is a sea change from Lawler, who is something of a fighting kindred spirit as an often tactical, occasionally reckless snatcher of souls. Maia, meanwhile, focuses almost exclusively on efficiently taking the fight to the ground and stoically strangling opponents into submission.
They are disparate problems, and for a time, Condit said if he was to come back to the cage, it would be for a fight like a rematch with Lawler (per The MMA Hour, h/t MMA Fighting). For those of us who never lock up in combat, it seems crazy to think Condit would want to go through that kind of torture again, a fight that ended with a series of brutal exchanges so exhausting that both men literally had to lean against the cage at the final bell to keep from falling over.
“Physically, it’s like you’ve been held underwater a really long time and you just came up,” he said. “Your muscles and body and everything is just screaming for oxygen. You’re hypoxic, you’re a little bit dizzy and tingly from a combination of fatigue and getting bludgeoned in the head. And then emotionally, after every fight for me, it’s always the most incredible release of pressure. Leading up to these fights, there’s so much pressure and there’s so much on the line on a lot of different levels. When the fight’s over and it’s done, it’s an amazing feeling win or lose.”
That feeling comes from pride in the effort both he and his team put in. After all, sometimes the result is out of his hands.
Against Lawler—in a fight in which he out-landed his opponent 177-93 (per FightMetric) and which the overwhelming majority of the media and fans scored for Condit—the opinions that mattered the most went against him. The judges scored a split decision for Lawler.
It was the second time Condit came so close to winning the UFC championship. Back in 2012, he nearly ended Georges St-Pierre’s lengthy reign when he dropped the welterweight G.O.A.T. with a head kick.
“It is what it is,” he said. “There’s really no changing it. You can’t go back on it. You can learn from it, but to have an emotional attachment to something you can’t change, that can only drag you down. It’s a bummer, hell yeah, but what can I do about it? If I think about it too much and pay too much mind to it, then what I am doing with my time in the present? The past is gone. All I got is right now.”
The fight with Maia is its own destination, but a positive result can also catapult Condit right back into the title conversation behind Stephen Thompson.
He has history with current champ TyronWoodley—Condit tore his ACL during the opening minute of the second round and fought for another minute with it before the leg completely gave out on him—and a rematch with the belt on the line sounds good to him.
That elusive title (Condit was interim champ briefly in 2012) remains his white whale.
“I want to become undisputed UFC welterweight champion,” he said. “I’ve been so close a couple of times, but I don’t want to leave the sport always a bridesmaid and never a bride. I want to get that belt around my waist.”
This treasure of fighting admits he’s running out of time. He’ll bring his murderous stare and unrelenting will to Maia, but everything beyond that is unknown.
Enjoy him now while you can, before we can only stare at that photo and wear that same smile he wore that day, grinning sadistically for what he did, gritting in pain because it is over.
Carlos Condit has experienced the thrill of wearing UFC gold.
Condit, a former interim UFC welterweight champion, will meet Demian Maia Saturday night in the main event of UFC on FOX 21 from Vancouver.
For “The Natural Born Killer,” a win over the red-hot Maia should be enough to warrant his shot at the belt again. Condit lost a split decision to then-champion Robbie Lawler earlier this year.
“I felt like I deserved it after the Lawler fight,” said Condit, during an appearance on UFC Tonight. “To beat a guy who’s on a run like Maia has been on, would get me the shot.”
Condit admitted that retirement was discussed between himself, his family and his coaches, but ultimately, the passion to compete returned.
“I’ve been at this for a long time and I got to look at some other things I can do to make a living,” he said. “I can’t fight forever. But I still have a little bit of time left. I love what I do, so I decided to give it a little more time.”
Carlos Condit has experienced the thrill of wearing UFC gold.
Condit, a former interim UFC welterweight champion, will meet Demian Maia Saturday night in the main event of UFC on FOX 21 from Vancouver.
For “The Natural Born Killer,” a win over the red-hot Maia should be enough to warrant his shot at the belt again. Condit lost a split decision to then-champion Robbie Lawler earlier this year.
“I felt like I deserved it after the Lawler fight,” said Condit, during an appearance on UFC Tonight. “To beat a guy who’s on a run like Maia has been on, would get me the shot.”
Condit admitted that retirement was discussed between himself, his family and his coaches, but ultimately, the passion to compete returned.
“I’ve been at this for a long time and I got to look at some other things I can do to make a living,” he said. “I can’t fight forever. But I still have a little bit of time left. I love what I do, so I decided to give it a little more time.”
It might be helpful to think of 
