Competing in the co-main event on a UFC 171 fight card that is headlined by a fight between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler for the vacant welterweight championship, Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley are positioned well to earn a shot at the belt on Sa…
Competing in the co-main event on a UFC 171 fight card that is headlined by a fight between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler for the vacant welterweight championship, Carlos Condit and TyronWoodley are positioned well to earn a shot at the belt on Saturday.
After a loss to Hendricks in a Fight of the Night outing, Condit rebounded by stopping Martin Kampmann with strikes. Should Hendricks claim the title this weekend, Condit could still be an interesting challenger for him, as plenty would be interested in seeing a repeat of their UFC 158 meeting.
Woodley‘s resume is lacking a bit for a fighter who is hoping to earn a shot at UFC gold. He’s only one fight removed from a loss to Jake Shields, but if he can follow up a knockout win over Josh Koscheck with an impressive victory over Condit at UFC 171, he could make the statement he needs to jump ahead of other contenders who may be more deserving.
As this potential title-shot eliminator approaches, here is a closer look at how Condit and Woodley match up in all areas.
The UFC returns to pay-per-view this weekend with UFC 171. Headlined by a welterweight showdown for the vacant title, this show should provide a ton of fireworks and significant outcomes in several UFC weight classes.
The headliners are Johny Hendricks…
The UFC returns to pay-per-view this weekend with UFC 171. Headlined by a welterweight showdown for the vacant title, this show should provide a ton of fireworks and significant outcomes in several UFC weight classes.
The headliners are Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler, but they will be supported by another key welterweight bout between Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley. Major title implications will play a part on the co-main event between “The Natural Born Killer” and Woodley.
Here are five reasons to watch UFC 171 on Saturday.
This Saturday will mark the first time in nearly six years a new welterweight dynamo will be crowned UFC champion.
Now while that initial perspective might frighten many fans still clinging on to the Georges St-Pierre era, it’s good news for a division…
This Saturday will mark the first time in nearly six years a new welterweight dynamo will be crowned UFC champion.
Now while that initial perspective might frighten many fans still clinging on to the Georges St-Pierre era, it’s good news for a division in need of fresh fights and even more diverse opportunities.
Fortunately for fight fans around the world, two of the hardest hitting 170-pounders on this vast planet will be the ones fulfilling that inevitable divisional shift.
What Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler have at their disposal is the overwhelming chance to capture UFC gold, leave their mark in the history books and embark on a journey only GSP himself has traversed since early 2008.
But through all of the expectations and possibilities upon victory, who actually poses the biggest threat to squander the other and hoist the belt this weekend at UFC 171?
According to St-Pierre, who discussed the upcoming matchup in a recent interview with The Canadian Press (h/t Sportsnet.ca), “Bigg Rigg” has what it takes to edge out Lawler:
It’s a fight where anything can happen. Both guys can put each other to sleep. They have a lot of power in striking, but I believe Hendricks has the edge in this fight because I believe he will come more well-prepared with his team and he’s got an edge in the grappling department.
If you remember, it was Hendricks who took St-Pierre to the absolute edge of defeat back at UFC 167, but GSP ultimately eked out a spit-decision victory in what many still consider a bitter end to his illustrious career.
But despite his swift departure from the sport, as well as leaving the belt behind, the 32-year-old Canadian believes Saturday night will not feel strange when watching someone else wear the very welterweight title he built a legacy around:
No, because it was my choice to give away the title. It was my choice so I don’t regret anything. I feel very good and I’m happy that I did it. I feel better now.
In any case, assuming GSP doesn’t decide to come back in the near future, the UFC welterweight division is completely up for grabs.
Whether Hendricks is able to fulfill St-Pierre’s prediction and knock off “Ruthless,” a familiar face in Carlos Condit could be waiting in the wings when Saturday’s dust finally settles.
Igor Araujo def. Danny Mitchell, Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Louis Gaudinot def. Phil Harris, Submission (Round 1, 1:13)
Next up is UFC 171, with huge welterweight bouts aplenty and a slew of title ramifications across the card. The future of the welterweight division is basically on the line here, gents!
So what is worth talking about for the next week? Find out here!
(Next time I’m at the gym, I’m going to do a thousand steps on the stair climber while wearing UFC gloves, big red headphones, and no shirt, and if anybody says anything to me about it, well…they’re just lucky I’m on probation right now. / Photo via @CarlosCondit)
According to a UFC on FOX tweet sent out yesterday, welterweight contender Carlos Condit will receive a title shot if he’s victorious against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171 on March 15th. It would be Condit’s second shot at the UFC’s unified 170-pound title, following his unsuccessful challenge against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154 in November 2012.
Since it’s our nature to be critical, let’s start by listing the reasons this plan doesn’t make sense. Condit is currently on a one-fight win streak, and is about to fight a guy ranked just outside of the top ten. If Johny Hendricks defeats Robbie Lawler in the UFC 171 main event and Condit beats Woodley, we’d be getting another Hendricks vs. Condit fight relatively soon after the first one. Can’t we get some fresh contenders in the mix, now that GSP isn’t around? How many opponents do Matt Brown and Dong Hyun Kim have to tear through before they get their shots, damn it? (And obviously, Condit vs. Woodley is one of those matches where only one of the fighters is promised a title shot if he wins, right? Ugh, I hate that.)
Then again, who else besides Condit is ready for a welterweight title fight at this point? You could argue that Brown and Kim haven’t beaten any top contenders yet, and shouldn’t even be in the conversation until they do. There’s also Rory MacDonald floating around near the top of the 170-pound ladder. We’ll let Tyron Woodley himself explain why “Ares” shouldn’t get the next title shot either, because it’s kind of hilarious:
(Next time I’m at the gym, I’m going to do a thousand steps on the stair climber while wearing UFC gloves, big red headphones, and no shirt, and if anybody says anything to me about it, well…they’re just lucky I’m on probation right now. / Photo via @CarlosCondit)
According to a UFC on FOX tweet sent out yesterday, welterweight contender Carlos Condit will receive a title shot if he’s victorious against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171 on March 15th. It would be Condit’s second shot at the UFC’s unified 170-pound title, following his unsuccessful challenge against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154 in November 2012.
Since it’s our nature to be critical, let’s start by listing the reasons this plan doesn’t make sense. Condit is currently on a one-fight win streak, and is about to fight a guy ranked just outside of the top ten. If Johny Hendricks defeats Robbie Lawler in the UFC 171 main event and Condit beats Woodley, we’d be getting another Hendricks vs. Condit fight relatively soon after the first one. Can’t we get some fresh contenders in the mix, now that GSP isn’t around? How many opponents do Matt Brown and Dong Hyun Kim have to tear through before they get their shots, damn it? (And obviously, Condit vs. Woodley is one of those matches where only one of the fighters is promised a title shot if he wins, right? Ugh, I hate that.)
Then again, who else besides Condit is ready for a welterweight title fight at this point? You could argue that Brown and Kim haven’t beaten any top contenders yet, and shouldn’t even be in the conversation until they do. There’s also Rory MacDonald floating around near the top of the 170-pound ladder. We’ll let Tyron Woodley himself explain why “Ares” shouldn’t get the next title shot either, because it’s kind of hilarious:
“I think Rory needs to get out of here, to be honest,” Woodley flatly said on a Thursday media conference call. “Carlos finished Rory. He has a very skewed memory. He got finished by Carlos, and he just lost to Robbie. In the event that Carlos wins, or the event that Robbie wins, where does Rory stand then? He lost to both of those two guys…
“He did look good against Demian Maia, who’s a good fighter,” Woodley acknowledged. “He stepped forward, he didn’t get a lot of scrutiny about being overly conservative, and having his style of fighting that really didn’t open up as (much as) when he first came in.
“But I hold everybody [fighting in UFC 171’s main and co-main events] in high regard. For me to defeat Carlos Condit, that’s more important than him defeating Demian Maia any day of the week…
“[MacDonald] should’ve taken that chance when he had it. You were ranked the third welterweight in the world, being the gatekeeper, beating top guys. And then when it comes down to fighting GSP, you didn’t want to do it. I’m pretty sure Carlos has had some training sessions with GSP at Greg Jackson’s camp. When came down to fight him, he stepped up to the plate and he was trying to take his head off. I think that’s where the ball kind of dropped in his court, and I think it’s kind of comical that he thinks all of a sudden he’s just going to jump in front. Same as (Nick) Diaz, he’s thinks he’s just going to jump in front. I think they’re sharing the same bag of weed.”
Or as Robert DeNiro might say, Rory had a chance to step up and he blewwww iiiiiiiit! Fair enough. I also think it’s interesting that Woodley is discussing the welterweight pecking order “in the event that Carlos wins.” You rarely hear UFC fighters mention the possibility of losing upcoming fights. It’s as strange as it is honest.
So does Carlos Condit deserve the next welterweight title shot with a win over Woodley? If not, then who? Your thoughts, please.
Upcoming UFC welterweight title challenger Johny Hendricks believes his May 15 showdown with Robbie Lawler will be a more physical affair than the one he had with Georges St-Pierre in November.
During a conference call promoting UFC 171 on Thursd…
Upcoming UFC welterweight title challenger Johny Hendricks believes his May 15 showdown with Robbie Lawler will be a more physical affair than the one he had with Georges St-Pierre in November.
During a conference call promoting UFC 171 on Thursday, Hendricks explained the major differences between fighting “The Ruthless One” and GSP, per MMA Fighting.
“Georges, you knew that he was going to throw a jab, a high kick, a low kick, and try to take you down. That’s his gameplan,” Hendricks said. “Robbie, if you make a mistake, we’ve seen it time and time again, he can knock you out. So you really have to make sure that you stay focused, cross all your t’s and dot all your i‘s, and make sure that you stay solid. That’s a lot more dangerous fight.”
In 22 professional victories, Lawler has scored 18 knockouts, accounting for approximately 82% of the wins on his ledger.
Comparatively, St-Pierre has won eight of his 25 career victories via knockout, meaning 32 percent of his professional wins have come by way of KO.
In short, Lawler is known for his highlight reel-worthy knockouts, while the longtime welterweight kingpin is best known for outclassing and outpointing his opponents.
Hendricks fought St-Pierre for the championship at UFC 167, landing big power shots and defending the majority of the French-Canadian superstar’s highly regarded takedowns.
While a significant portion of fans, fighters and analysts believed “Bigg Rigg” had done enough to capture the title, two out of the three judges in Las Vegas disagreed and awarded GSP a controversial split decision.
About a month later, St-Pierre announced his hiatus from the sport, vacating the belt in the process, per MMA Junkie.
The UFC didn’t waste much time in booking Hendricks vs. Lawler to decide who would wear the vacant belt.
Will Lawler‘s career resurgence continue by becoming the first man to put Hendricks’ light out inside the cage, or will the bulky, bearded slugger find another target for his big left hand?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
This Saturday will mark the first time in nearly six years a new welterweight dynamo will be crowned UFC champion.