UFC 143 Recap: Carlos Condit becomes the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion
Posted on February 5, 2012, 02:15 AM by Trent ReinsmithLeading up to UFC 143 many thought that Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit would be a striking battle with two of the most accomplished strikers in the Welterweight division just throwing down and going for it. Things didn’t exactly go that way, instead Carlos Condit used a perfect game plan to counter Nick Diaz’s style and take home the interim UFC Welterweight title after the five round battle.
Questions after seeing Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit:
-Did the UFC just see a lot of pay per view buys disappear? When the UFC champion openly roots for one fighter to win you have to think that the fans of the sport are also going to want to see that fight. That was the case leading up to UFC 143’s main event as Georges St. Pierre said he wanted Diaz to win so he could fight him. With Condit taking home the victory and the interim title, the UFC may have just seen a possible 1 million buy pay per view card fall by the wayside.
-Will fans be turned off by the Condit vs. St. Pierre bout? Condit did what he had to do to win against Nick Diaz, there’s no denying that or faulting him for it, his style gained him the interim title, but will his performance tonight drive fans away from a bout against St. Pierre? While it’s true that Condit has not used this style during his UFC career fans may very well remember it because it’s the freshest fight in their minds and may decide that the match between him and St. Pierre will not be an exciting fight. Right or wrong when the UFC is asking fans to go into their pockets for a pay per view, the entertainment value will be considered by the consumer.
-Will Nick Diaz stay retired? Following the fight Nick Diaz told Joe Rogan, “Carlos is a great guy, I’m happy for him and his family. I think I’m done with this MMA, it’s been great out here, I’ve had a good career, you guys pay me way too much, but I don’t think I’m gonna get enough to keep going in this and it’s been a good time. Good job Carlos, you’re the man bro.” When asked if he was really retiring Diaz replied, “I don’t need this s—t.” Whether that was a frustrated fighter talking or words from the heart, we’ll have to see.
Questions Following UFC 143:
-Did Renan Barao do enough to warrant a title shot? My knee jerk reaction is no he did not, but a glance at the Bantamweight ranks changes my tune, but only if Dominick Cruz defeats Urijah Faber at the conclusion of the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Let’s face it, Cruz has already defeated most of the top contenders and the UFC needs some fresh blood to attempt to unseat him.
-How high is Dustin Poirier’s upside? Not too long ago Dustin Poirier was a fighter thrown in at the last minute to give a top contender, Josh Grispi, an easy win while he waited for Jose Aldo to heal up. Poirier took that opportunity and made the best of it, dominating Grispi. Poirier has now gone 4-0 in the UFC and he has looked better in each fight. He’s quickly climbing the rankings and may be next in line for a shot at Jose Aldo, but he may also need one more fight against a top level Featherweight before getting that shot. Perhaps match him up against Chad Mendes next and with a win let him have a shot at Aldo.
-Is Stephen Thompson ready for top level competition? Thompson entered UFC 143 riding on a sea of hype and his “Knockout of the Night” performance did little to calm that, but one win does not make “the next big thing.” Thompson looked good against Dan Stittgen, but Stittgen was also making his UFC debut in this fight and is not exactly at the top of the UFC heap. Thompson’s young, let’s give him some time to develop at his own pace before calling him the next anything
LowKick.com UFC 143 Main Card Awards:
Fight of the Night: Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum. Werdum made us forget the debacle in Texas against Alistair Overeem and Nelson made us remember that despite his appearance, he’s one of the toughest dude’s in the UFC.
Performance of the Night: Like it or not, Carlos Condit had a perfect game plan and never ventured from that plan. Due to that he left the Mandalay bay Events Center with the interim UFC Welterweight title, while his opponent (allegedly) walked away from MMA.
Finish of the Night: Ed Herman wins this one by default since his rear naked choke victory over Clifford Starks was the only finish of the main card. If I were to open it up for the entire card, I would say Dustin Poirier deserves this one.
Further Reading: UFC 143 Wrap-Up: Werdum, Nelson, Poirier, Thompson take home $65k
Photo: Tracy Lee for CageWriter
Comments
Nick Diaz isn't going anywhere, he was just being an idiot.
Hey Bro
you supposedly to love him.LOL
Just kidding (:
Nick was just blowing off some steam. As soon as they got back to the locker room, I'm sure Nate started telling him what a stupid idea it would be. All Nick needs to do is work a little on his wrestling to really pressure guys and get them where he wants them and he'll do just fine.
Nick blew his chance for sure what it is ....Carlos will be a new Champ first of all due to GSP serious knee injury and Greg Jackson knew him well enough to prepare Carlos for gameplan and nothing to against him and I hope he gets well soon .Cuz i knew an electrician got shock and knocked him off ladder both of his knee cap are broken and never be the same. Period
I also think Carlos will be champ because unlike GSP Nick has a great chin.
He took some great shots that would have had GSP in all sorts of trouble.
There was no BIG shots in that fight. There were some good ones but nothing to put any of Diaz, Condit or GSP in danger of KO
GSP would have never let Carlos hit him. GSP doesn't take risks and doesn't go forward hands down like Diaz.
yo even tho diaz didn't put up his best performance he absolutely squeezed out that decision against condit...soo ****en carlos better ****en murk gsp er I'm going on a riot and taken out the ufc everybody even bitch ass dana white and the fur-tities.....an roy nelson is ****en gangster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BRAZIL CAN BLOW ME
BA?
ROY NELSON IS UP FOR CHIN OF THE CENTURY IN MY BOOKS
Maybe even chin of the millenium
cant say im surprised by nick decision. Ever since he came to the UFC it seemed like he was gonna call it quits had he not won the title. as far as roy nelson goes that guy is the most overrated fighter in the UFC i cant understand how some people chose him to win last night and against Mir
I chose him to win against Werdum, but that's because I didn't think Fabricio's Muay Thai clinch game had improved so much. I didn't think he'd be able to submit Nelson, I knew Roy was successfully losing weight, and Nelson has a better chin and more power. I just didn't think Werdum would have an answer for his toughness.
As for Mir, I expected a roflstomping from Frank and pretty much got it.
extremely disappointed with the outcome. will not be watching gsp vs condit. other than jones, i will not be watching any fighter from greg jackson's camp either.
Baby Bottles are on sale at the dollar store
Won't have to read your idiot comments then after two of the best WW's to ever live get it on.
oh and the lady there with 6 screaming kids running around...throw a box of condoms in her grocery bag , she'll thank you later
How long have been working there?
I understand his frustration.
Secondly you must be a cheapazz crybaby. You know where to get bottles and the cheapest price?
He wants to box. I get his frustration but If you don't like the judges decisions then finish your opponent. Its a shame that he won't be fighting Gsp........
Well if he wanted to fight GSP he simply had to finish Carlos. Or to beat him...
That's how that works?!? Thanks for breaking that down for me....
He hates Diaz so much he set his alarm this morning to get up and run to lowkick and spew.
I just rewatch the fight and I believe round 1 and 2 were very close when you look at strikes landed. Than Diaz agression and octagon control give him those round. Condit won round 3 and 4 and Diaz 5 due to his dominant position the last 1:30 of the round.
Agression and octagon control.
You may be the agressor, but if the person you attack is countering perfectly your strikes and your are unable to tag him, well you are the agressor and was agressed.
Oh come on convince me............
Total octagon control, landed most power punches, took the guys back while his opponent did nothing but run ans touch with some kicks and punches for points..... I am ****ing furious!!! This is bullshit. Cant take this decisions anymore...**** Greg Jackson, **** Cecil peoples....Wtf is going on?
Octagon control doesn't mean anything if your opponent is able to land more significant (and total) strikes than you did. Carlos did more damage, more times, than Diaz did to him. Running, if you want to call it that way, is very intelligent, especially if your opponent is unable to touch you while you are able to counter his strikes.
Octagon control is NOT walking forward the whole time. It means the octagon is yours, you control it, and your opponent can't go anywhere in it unless YOU SAY SO. If your opponent can duck away from you and return to the center of the octagon whenever he wants to, you aren't controlling anything. Couture, Fitch, and GSP are usually the kings of octagon control, people just can't get away from them. Diaz is normally pretty good at it to, but that's only because his striking and footwork are normally sufficient to corner people and beat them up. He finally met someone against whom that wasn't the case.
I'm a big Diaz fan so I maybe biased but I gave it to Diaz, rounds 1 and 2 went to Diaz because he landed the better shots and was the aggressor with Condit basically only landing leg kicks, round 3 was also close with Condit landing some better strikes but Diaz got off some good left hands aswell,overall I gave 3 to Condit but I could see how some would score that round for Diaz,round four was all Condit and round 5 was Condit till Diaz got the takedown and took his back and went for submissions but because Diaz was the aggressor and was closest either of them came to a finish I gave 5 to him (even Condit said Diaz got round 5) but I could also see how some would score round 5 for Condit aswell, if I had to pick a winner it would of been Diaz,on the other hand I can also see why they gave it to Condit, the fairest result would of probably been a draw and they should have a rematch but I personally wouldnt like to see it if Condit is going to employ the same tactics, he lied when he said it would be a dogfight and the fans would win despite the outcome when infact the fight was poor and the real loser was the fans
I was drawn in to it actually not thinking Carlos would handle the swarm.
don't like diaz that much but don't hate him.....
but i don't like fights like that sry....
some guy got fighting spirit and wannt to fight some just go for the w...
i agree diaz lost that fight...proobs to the national big killer (don't seem a killa to me at this fight)
i mean i like technical fights too like rashad davis or penn edger machida jones ....they were a lil technical but there were not like some one is runnin away....
why is pride gone ? the rules were better the time .....
joe rogen need s to make a new decition about butin fighters together...
i mean its startin to work out if u are not a good wrestle guy to be ELUSIV(runnin)
i hope son or later we will have a match up with to guys beeing soo elusiv jumpin front and back kicken the shit out of there legs ....technical at its best some will call it dump some smart or maybe its the master plan;)
i mean they are pros and get payed good for fighting so please let them fight .....i one guy whants to fight the other just a w ....the fightin guy will look bad outclassed call it what u want.....i mean ifa wrestler takes u down and do nothing they stand u up why??course we not wanna see bad shit or not ??some guys say this is mma bla bla bla ok !!!then give a wrestler a chance just to hold some one for 5x5 min without put them back on there feet...the other guy needs to get up by himself...
what rules are the best for mma?
Condit is boring runing like chicken for 5 rounds. Diaz was Robbed
You were robbed.
Machida loast to Rampage just becaude Page walked forward all the time... Double stantards in judging? Bias?
F*** yeah!
Rampage walked forward, then closed the distance when he got within range and pinned Machida up against the cage. He cut the cage off from his opponent and kept him from getting away, establishing real octagon control that won him an unotherwise uneventful rounds 1 & 2. Machida bounced back and did some real damage in round 3, but it wasn't enough to win him the fight.
Rampage thought he lost, but Rampage did a lot of fighting in Japan where they scored the fight as a whole instead of by rounds. If he'd been fighting in Pride, he'd have been correct and lost, because the 3rd round would have outweighed the very even first 10 minutes. As is, he won because of scoring by rounds.
Condit outpaced and outlanded Diaz the whole fight. He would have won with either system.
otherwise*
Dude,he fought like a punani
What a lame fight
I have to agree. There arent any real fighters anymore it seems. Score a point run away.
After watching Condit's game plan last night, I'm already starting to doze off a bit when I think about him fighting George "Jab and a Yawn" St. Pierre.
Dustin Poirier is a beast
You articulate very well jtalbain i give you that....i had Page winning rounds 1 and 2....yesterday i had diaz winnig 1 and 2, 3 was close, 4 Condit and 5 was close, a little edge to diaz for getting the back....gamme planning fot the gsp x condit figth will result in a circular reference where they dance the tango for 5 rounds rubbing each other off and the first one to bust a nut loses....
You cant always win with just using your heart. Condit utilized phenomenal footwork and counterstriking. Showing that not only is he smarter than Diaz outside the octagon but inside as well. Previous Condit fights will show that he is usually the one coming forward being the aggressor knocking people out. He is like the chameleon changing his color in order to adapt to his environment. The question is, which side of Condit will we see against GSP?
Come on people. The only people that can possibly think that Condit " the runner" won are only Diaz haters or blind Condit fans. Dont let hate affect your judgment please is bad for you and the ones around you.
Dana White gave Diaz round 1 and round 2, Carlos Condit gave round 5 to Diaz, this means between Dana and Condit gave Diaz round 1, round 2 and round 5, Most of the people saw the fight exactly like Dana and Condit, Even the mma fighters and coachs gave Diaz the fight... NICK DIAZ IS THE REAL WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION! CONGRATULATIONS NICK THANKS FOR BEEN AN AWESOME FIGHTER.