Tag: Johny Hendricks

Gambling Addiction Enabler: UFC 154 Edition


(So there we were, about to face off at the UFC 154 press conference when Georges finally decided to POP THE QUESTION!! ERMAGERD!!)

A fortune cookie wise man once told me that the frustrating thing about questions is that they do not always have answers. This Saturday night, Zuffa’s globetrotting MMA organization returns to the province of Quebec — the birthplace of the UFC in Canada — to answer the burning question: Who is the undisputed king of the 170 lbs division? GSP may be the PPV king of the UFC, but during his 20 month layoff due to reconstructive knee surgery, Carlos Condit has quietly and somewhat controversially asserted himself as the welterweight division’s top dog.

With a current record of 3-2 over the past 5 UFC PPV’s, the GAE’s back is against the wall and in need of another profitable evening if it is to be still considered as the champion of the odds breakers, bloggers and “professional gamblers” of the mixed martial arts world (which it totally is). So follow us after the jump as we highlight select bouts from the undercard and all contests on the main card in an attempt to save those who laid 1600 bucks on a Franklin to beat Le ticket from the man in the black trench coat. All odds courtesy of BestFightOdds.com.


(So there we were, about to face off at the UFC 154 press conference when Georges finally decided to pop the question! ERMAGERD!!)

A fortune cookie wise man once told me that the frustrating thing about questions is that they do not always have answers. This Saturday night, Zuffa’s globetrotting MMA organization returns to the province of Quebec — the birthplace of the UFC in Canada — to answer the burning question: Who is the undisputed king of the 170 lbs division? GSP may be the PPV king of the UFC, but during his 20 month layoff due to reconstructive knee surgery, Carlos Condit has quietly and somewhat controversially asserted himself as the welterweight division’s top dog.

With a current record of 3-2 over the past 5 UFC PPV’s, the GAE’s back is against the wall and in need of another profitable evening if it is to be still considered as the champion of the odds breakers, bloggers and “professional gamblers” of the mixed martial arts world (which it totally is). So follow us after the jump as we highlight select bouts from the undercard and all contests on the main card in an attempt to save those who laid 1600 bucks on a Franklin to beat Le ticket from the man in the black trench coat. All odds courtesy of BestFightOdds.com.

Facebook prelims:

Matt Riddle (-160) vs John Maguire (+140)

While some would credit Riddle’s impressive submission victory at UFC 149 to his use of marijuana (Ed note: Seriously? If anyone honestly believes this, just let us know so we can hit you on the head with a tack hammer because YOU ARE A RETARD), Matt seems to understand what he needs to do to win fights these days. Maguire recently lost a unanimous decision to a bigger, stronger grappler in John Hathaway at UFC on FUEL 5, someone he is essentially paired up with again this weekend. I believe we see Riddle approach this fight with the same mentality as his previous two fights in the UFC, fighting with the W in mind. The price is fair and parlay-worthy as I see Riddle being able to fend off all of Maguire’s submissions while maintaining control of “The One” on the mat.

FX prelims:

Mark Bocek (+125) vs Rafael Dos Anjos (-145)

If I had to pick an underdog on this card it would be Mark Bocek, who is essentially fighting out of his own backyard and hovering around the +130 range. Dos Anjos has shown that he has issues with strong grapplers throughout his UFC career and despite being a BJJ black belt, I believe that Bocek is the stronger grappler of the two. Look for the Tri Star fighter to close the distance, force Rafael against the cage and look for the takedown for the majority of this fight. It may not be pretty, but Bocek has the ability to win here.

Patrick Cote (-275) vs Alessio Sakara (+235)

All of a sudden, Cote doesn’t look so bad when you consider what happened to Rich Franklin this past weekend. I believe Cote has the chin to stick it out with Sakara and either finish Alessio or at the very least profit from the hometown 29-28 on the cards if the fight goes the distance. Even near 30 cents on the dollar Cote will find his way into one of the parlays for old time sake.

Main Card:

Mark Hominick (-300) vs Pablo Garza (+250)

Hominick is simply too tough a puzzle to figure out at this point in his career. With changes both professionally and personally over the past two years of his life, “The Machine” needs to prove that he is not a shell of the former 145 contender who actually won a round against Jose Aldo at UFC 129. My money will go towards the prop that this fight does not go the distance; Garza only going to the cards once in his last six fights and Hominick losing two of his last three fights by decision sets the scene for a finish here if Hominick hopes to right the ship and avoid a fourth straight loss. I believe Hominick wins inside the distance possibly by submission.

Nick Ring (+220) vs Costa Philippou (-260)

Those who follow the GAE know that I have a strong handle on these two fighters. Hovering around -250, Philippou is a solid betting favorite here, essentially showing in the past he will not be smothered and definitely not be out struck by his opponent. Nick came very close to being finished against McGee in his last outing and I believe Costa’s ever improving game shines in this fight, making it virtually impossible for the judges to give the fight to Ring on the cards if it gets there. Costa makes the parlay.

Francis Carmont (-260) vs Tom Lawlor (+220)

Carmont seems to be pretty much better than Lawlor everywhere in this fight. The price of -250 on Carmont is just right and since moving shop to Tri Star, the Frenchman is undefeated as a mixed martial artist. Lawlor has the ability to play spoiler by trapping Carmont in a submission, but I believe Carmont will simply be too strong for “Filthy” and find a way to a decision victory.

Martin Kampmann (+125) vs Johny Hendricks (-145)

The Hitman as a small underdog is the play to make against the heavy handed wrestler here. While many believe Kampmann may have trouble with Johny’s power — especially in his left hand (see Daley vs. Kampmann) — Hendricks may have a tough time finding the mark with a technical savant like Martin. I think Kampmann stays on the outside, uses his footwork and wins by decision in this fight. I like the prop that this fight goes the distance and will lay my money there.

Carlos Condit (+280) vs Georges St-Pierre (-340)

Carlos Condit has never lost a five rounder in his career, and is probably the most well rounded fighter GSP has faced in his career. What this fight will come down to is whether or not GSP is still capable of landing his signature explosive takedown after surgery and a long layoff. In the 5th round of his fight with Nick Diaz, Condit showed that he can be taken down and once on the mat can be controlled by a fighter who has strong grappling skills. Due to the layoff, there are simply too many factors at play to pick GSP to win this fight in a parlay, although I do believe GSP will take Condit down and grind out a decision victory.

Parlay 1
-Riddle-Philippou

Parlay 2
-Philippou-Cote-Carmont-Bocek

Props
-Bocek/Dos Anjos Fight goes the distance
-Ring/Philippou Fight does not go the distance
-Kampmann/Hendricks Fight goes the distance

Bet what you feel comfortable with, more on the parlays, less on the props. Please share your thoughts and let us know who you like and why.

Enjoy the fights and may the winners be yours!

UFC 154: St. Pierre vs. Condit — Extended Video Preview

On November 17th in Montreal, Georges St. Pierre returns to the Octagon from his year-and-a-half layoff, and honestly, it couldn’t come soon enough. When St. Pierre and Carlos Condit meet for the UFC welterweight belt at UFC 154, it will have been a full three months since the last time the UFC put on a title fight that wasn’t a total mismatch. That drought of superfights has been one of the reasons why MMA has simply felt less exciting lately, but finally, things are picking up again, and I can’t freakin’ wait.

We’ve been thinking about GSP vs. Condit for a hell of a long time, and the anticipation has reached that saturation point where we just want this damn thing to be over by now. St. Pierre says his knee isn’t a weak link anymore, he’s 100%, he’s “back better than ever.” And it’s never a good idea to doubt such a fantastic and disciplined athlete. But still…a hungry and motivated Carlos Condit is the last guy you want to face when you’ve been out of the game so long.

Speaking of welterweights, Johny Hendricks and Martin Kampmann will be squaring off in the co-main event. (Kampmann scores the best point in the promo interview by promising to kick Hendricks in the beard.) Could an impressive performance put one of these guys next in line? And who will come out on top? Check out the extended trailer above and let us know what you think.

On November 17th in Montreal, Georges St. Pierre returns to the Octagon from his year-and-a-half layoff, and honestly, it couldn’t come soon enough. When St. Pierre and Carlos Condit meet for the UFC welterweight belt at UFC 154, it will have been a full three months since the last time the UFC put on a title fight that wasn’t a total mismatch. That drought of superfights has been one of the reasons why MMA has simply felt less exciting lately, but finally, things are picking up again, and I can’t freakin’ wait.

We’ve been thinking about GSP vs. Condit for a hell of a long time, and the anticipation has reached that saturation point where we just want this damn thing to be over by now. St. Pierre says his knee isn’t a weak link anymore, he’s 100%, he’s “back better than ever.” And it’s never a good idea to doubt such a fantastic and disciplined athlete. But still…a hungry and motivated Carlos Condit is the last guy you want to face when you’ve been out of the game so long.

Speaking of welterweights, Johny Hendricks and Martin Kampmann will be squaring off in the co-main event. (Kampmann scores the best point in the promo interview by promising to kick Hendricks in the beard.) Could an impressive performance put one of these guys next in line? And who will come out on top? Check out the extended trailer above and let us know what you think.

Renan Barao, Carlos Condit, and Why the UFC Needs to Eliminate Interim Titles


(“OK guys, the winner gets an interim belt, the loser has to purchase a replica from Wal-Mart. I assure you that they both carry the exact same value.”) 

In a recent interview with Latin American online news network, UOL, bantamweight interim champion Renan Barao‘s coach, Andre Pederneiras, declared that Barao would not be defending his interim strap and instead would wait for Dominick Cruz to recover from the ACL injury that set up Barao vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 149. And before the MMA media could even begin to make the comparison to Carlos Condit, Pederneiras did it for us, stating:

[Barao] just won the title, he just fought. We will wait. Look how long the wait was for Condit and GSP to unify the belt?

Where Pederneiras was attempting to use the Condit comparison as a justification for Barao’s decision to essentially put the bantamweight division on hold for the time being, he unknowingly summed up the inherent pointlessness of the interim title in the first place.

As you are all aware, the interim title essentially serves as a placeholder for the division’s number one contender (at the time) in the absence of a champion. The problem being that, by declaring the number one contender to be “a champion” when they are anything but — and I mean this with all due respect to Condit and Barao — you are basically giving a contender a power that they have not rightfully earned: the power to pick and choose who they fight.


(“OK guys, the winner gets an interim belt, the loser has to purchase a replica from Wal-Mart. I assure you that they both carry the exact same value.”) 

In a recent interview with Latin American online news network, UOL, bantamweight interim champion Renan Barao‘s coach, Andre Pederneiras, declared that Barao would not be defending his interim strap and instead would wait for Dominick Cruz to recover from the ACL injury that set up Barao vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 149. And before the MMA media could even begin to make the comparison to Carlos Condit, Pederneiras did it for us, stating:

[Barao] just won the title, he just fought. We will wait. Look how long the wait was for Condit and GSP to unify the belt?

Where Pederneiras was attempting to use the Condit comparison as a justification for Barao’s decision to essentially put the bantamweight division on hold for the time being, he unknowingly summed up the inherent pointlessness of the interim title in the first place.

As you are all aware, the interim title essentially serves as a placeholder for the division’s number one contender (at the time) in the absence of a champion. The problem being that, by declaring the number one contender to be “a champion” when they are anything but — and I mean this with all due respect to Condit and Barao — you are basically giving a contender a power that they have not rightfully earned: the power to pick and choose who they fight.

Whether you agree with or not, there are certain perks that come with being the alpha male of your division. One of them (although this fluctuates from division to division) is the ability to turn down potential matchups. Jon Jones has done it, Anderson Silva has done it, and even Captain America has done it. Is it fair? Well, we’re really not going to get into that, but when the UFC gives a power normally reserved for champions to an interim champ, not only does it 1) clog up the division indefinitely, but 2) cripples your promotion’s ability to hype any other top-level matchup in the division until the champion/interim situation is resolved and 3) cheapens the value of the actual title.

If you’re looking for an example of this, look no further than the welterweight division. It was first reported that Georges St. Pierre had blown out his ACL back in December of last year. Using a combination of freakish genetics and determination, St. Pierre is on schedule to defend his title on November 19th at UFC 154, nearly a year after he was struck with the injury. And that’s a speedy recovery, folks.

Meanwhile, Dana White and the UFC have declared Martin Kampmann vs. Jake Ellenberger, Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks (for “Bigg Rigg” at least) and now Martin Kampmann vs. Johny Hendricks to be “number one contender” bouts. The problem being that the division already has a number one contender; his name is Carlos Condit, and he has apparently been able to hold his status as such despite the fact that he hasn’t fought since February. It would be no leap in logic to declare that Condit could have fought either Hendricks or Kampmann while GSP was away, which would have 1) helped clear up a division that is rife with contenders 2) kept Condit fresh and in fighting mode and 3) kept Condit’s name fresh on the tongues of the fans.

Instead, we’ve been forced to sit on our thumbs and wait on a division that has not one but two champions that have been out of action for the better part of 2012. From both a business standpoint and a fan’s standpoint, this makes absolutely no sense. If the UFC wants to declare Condit “the champion,” then he better be willing to defend his title against however many contenders arise in the actual champion’s absence. When you take the belt out of the picture, the number one contender is usually determined by the man who has scored the most impressive wins recently. MMA is a “what have you done lately” sport, and allowing one of your top contenders to take a year-long hiatus for his shot while other title-worthy contenders wait in line, risk injury, or risk getting upset in one of the less meaningful matches they are forced to take because of the wait is a backwards policy to say the least.

Barao can almost get a pass in his case because the bantamweight division does not have nearly the amount of potential contenders waiting in line as the welterweight division does. But who knows who could emerge as a potential contender before Cruz actually returns to action? Cruz tore his ACL back in May. Given a minimum recovery time of 9 months, we’re looking at a tentative return for the champ of February 2013. Elsewhere in the division, Michael McDonald has gone a perfect 5-0 in the UFC and just knocked out one of the division’s most dominant champions in his last appearance. Rather than having Barao sit around staring at the clock for the next 4 months, why not have these two square off for the right to face Cruz? Again, it would keep both men fresh, as well as set up a clear contender that fans might actually recognize when it’s time to start hyping up the Cruz match.

With St. Pierre, Cruz, and now Aldo out of action yet again, their respective divisions have become ghost towns, due in part to the UFC’s decision to crown interim champions (with the exception of featherweight) who seem content to do anything but reassert the fact that they are the true top contender in said divisions in the first place. And because of this, we’re stuck with a bunch of number two contender bouts being passed off as something more than they are.

Don’t get us wrong, Kampmann vs. Hendricks is a great pairing, and a lot of these matchups, or lack thereof, can be attributed to the great injury curse of 2012. But what if Hendricks/Kampmann is a lackluster, tedious affair ala Cote vs. Almeida at UFC 86, or ends in a controversial decision? You’ve essentially eliminated the credibility of two top contenders in order to ensure the credibility of one (your interim champ), who should have fought at least one of these two gentlemen to begin with. And God help us if Condit and St. Pierre fight to a draw or a controversial decision themselves, or get injured after doing so, because then we’ll be seeing Nick Diaz vs. Kampmann/Hendricks, or Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald (if he gets past Penn), or Kampmann vs. Macdonald for the new interim title and this mind-numbing process will start all over again.

It’s time to put an end to this “interim champion” business, because it is costing the UFC a ton of meaningful fights in a time where they are coming fewer and farther between. But above all, it is costing the UFC money. And to quote the man himself, “It doesn’t make sense.”

Agree or disagree?

–J. Jones

Report: Johny Hendricks to Face Martin Kampmann in Number One Contender Bout at UFC 154


(Earning red wings: It is a messier right of passage for some than for others.) 

If the name hadn’t already been used for UFC 125, Resolution would be the perfect title for UFC 154, which promises to finally clear up the traffic jam that has clogged the welterweight division for what has felt like an eternity. Not only will it feature the potential return of Georges St. Pierre, who will in turn battle interim champ Carlos Condit for the bragging rights of a division that has long been missing them, but now it appears that the winner of that bout (ruling out any horrific decisions or immediate rematches) will have his next (or first) challenger already lined up.

Word has it that Martin Kampmann, fresh off yet another come-from-behind victory over Jake Ellenberger at the TUF 15 Finale will be facing hard hitting Johny Hendricks at the same event to determine the true number one contender at 170 lbs. This sounds all too familiar for Hendricks, who was promised the next title shot if he were to beat Josh Koscheck at UFC on FOX 3 last month. He did, and was promptly denied in favor of a Condit/GSP showdown. “Bigg Rigg” was rather blunt about his disappointment in a recent interview with MMAFighting, but stated that it wasn’t going to peeve him for too long.

Hear what Hendricks had to say after the jump. 


(Earning red wings: It is a messier right of passage for some than for others.) 

If the name hadn’t already been used for UFC 125, Resolution would be the perfect title for UFC 154, which promises to finally clear up the traffic jam that has clogged the welterweight division for what has felt like an eternity. Not only will it feature the potential return of Georges St. Pierre, who will in turn battle interim champ Carlos Condit for the bragging rights of a division that has long been missing them, but now it appears that the winner of that bout (ruling out any horrific decisions or immediate rematches) will have his next (or first) challenger already lined up.

Word has it that Martin Kampmann, fresh off yet another come-from-behind victory over Jake Ellenberger at the TUF 15 Finale will be facing hard hitting Johny Hendricks at the same event to determine the true number one contender at 170 lbs. This sounds all too familiar for Hendricks, who was promised the next title shot if he were to beat Josh Koscheck at UFC on FOX 3 last month. He did, and was promptly denied in favor of a Condit/GSP showdown. “Bigg Rigg” was rather blunt about his disappointment in a recent interview with MMAFighting, but stated that it wasn’t going to peeve him for too long:

It is what it is. I feel like I fought the best guys at 170 in our division and I’ve won, but it looks like I have to get through one more person, and that’s just the way it goes. You can either sit here and complain about it or you can sit there and do your best to win it.

Of course you’re disappointed. You get promised a title shot and then something happens and it doesn’t happen. But then again, that’s the nature of this business. There’s always good fights going on, you just have to win each one.

I’m training for a five-round fight because if one of them gets hurt, I got to take my opportunity when I can.

As we previously reported, Kampmann is scheduled to undergo minor surgery to repair a torn meniscus that has been bothering him for some time, but will only be out of action for a month or so. In that article, we also suggested that these matchups would be the most sensible ones given the current situation, so we’d like to thank the UFC blogging intern who helps keep us in line for finally taking our advice.

Who you got , Potato Nation?

–J. Jones

Exclusive: Martin Kampmann Talks Comebacks and Title Shots


(Nothing that a little super-glue and duct tape won’t fix… / Photo via @MartinKampmann)

By Elias Cepeda

At this point, fight fans are wondering how Martin Kampmann can keep pulling dramatic victories out from the jaws of defeat. In March, the UFC welterweight contender was being soundly beaten for fourteen minutes by Thiago Alves on the feet before forcing him to tap out to a guillotine choke with seconds left in the fight.

Less than two weeks ago, Kampmann did it again, this time against Jake Ellenberger. Ellenberger connected with a monster left hook to the dome of Kampmann at the start of their TUF 15 Finale main event bout. Kampmann went down hard and looked to be moments away from losing and letting the division’s number one contender spot to the interim title — or whatever these poor guys are competing for at this point, in Georges St. Pierre’s absence — go to his opponent.

Instead, Kampmann somehow survived the round. Less than two minutes into the second, he landed his own punches and one huge knee to the head, putting Ellenberger down and out, and scoring his second come-from-behind stoppage win of 2012.

But good luck trying to figure out what, exactly, was going on in Kampmann’s mind at those moments of in-cage crisis before he turned the tide. “I kind of go on autopilot when I’m in there and try not to think too much,” Kampmann tells CagePotato.com.

Thinking is for training, for strategy, for figuring out how to prepare for the fight. In the heat of battle itself, a fighter needs his training to pay off with dividends of pure reaction. Punches, kicks, feints, and even submission holds need to be instinctual at that point.

“The more I think, the worse I do,” Kampmann explains.


(Nothing that a little super-glue and duct tape won’t fix… / Photo via @MartinKampmann)

By Elias Cepeda

At this point, fight fans are wondering how Martin Kampmann can keep pulling dramatic victories out from the jaws of defeat. In March, the UFC welterweight contender was being soundly beaten for fourteen minutes by Thiago Alves on the feet before forcing him to tap out to a guillotine choke with seconds left in the fight.

Less than two weeks ago, Kampmann did it again, this time against Jake Ellenberger. Ellenberger connected with a monster left hook to the dome of Kampmann at the start of their TUF 15 Finale main event bout. Kampmann went down hard and looked to be moments away from losing and letting the division’s number one contender spot to the interim title — or whatever these poor guys are competing for at this point, in Georges St. Pierre’s absence — go to his opponent.

Instead, Kampmann somehow survived the round. Less than two minutes into the second, he landed his own punches and one huge knee to the head, putting Ellenberger down and out, and scoring his second come-from-behind stoppage win of 2012.

But good luck trying to figure out what, exactly, was going on in Kampmann’s mind at those moments of in-cage crisis before he turned the tide. “I kind of go on autopilot when I’m in there and try not to think too much,” Kampmann tells CagePotato.com.

Thinking is for training, for strategy, for figuring out how to prepare for the fight. In the heat of battle itself, a fighter needs his training to pay off with dividends of pure reaction. Punches, kicks, feints, and even submission holds need to be instinctual at that point.

“The more I think, the worse I do,” Kampmann explains.

Kampmann has nearly as many professional fights as he does years of life, with many more amateur MMA, kickboxing, boxing, and submission grappling contests under his belt as well. He says that all of that, plus the hard moments in the gym where he’s gotten in trouble and persevered, are the keys to his ungodly durability in the Octagon.

“I’ve been in those situations before and that experience helps you stay composed in the fight,” he says.

Kampmann is about to head to his native Denmark for a well-deserved vacation as well as to likely undergo surgery to repair a nagging injury to his knee. After that, he says he’d like a shot at interim UFC welterweight champ Carlos Condit.

Johny Hendricks has also called out Condit after recently beating Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, back-to-back, but Kampmann is the last man to have beaten Condit. Three years ago, the pair clashed at UFC Night Night 18, with the Dane winning a decision. Kampmann says that he will fight Hendricks in an elimination match if he has to, as Dana White has said he is intending to have happen. But there is no doubt in Kampmann’s mind that he’s already earned a title shot.”

“I feel I’ve done the hard work and I feel I’ve earned the title shot,” he says. “I’ve fought some of the best guys in the division, I’m on a three fight win-streak and the judges didn’t see it my way in a couple fights before that. But everyone knows my opinion on those decisions. I’m not gonna keep whining about that.”

Kampmann says he has no personal axe to grind with Condit — he just wants the belt. “I’m cool with Condit. He’s a cool guy,” he says. “But I know he wants to erase his losses. He told me some time before that he wants to fight me again to avenge the loss. He’s just a competitor, like me. I want to erase all my losses and I don’t blame him for wanting to do the same thing.”

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