Five Reasons Carlos Condit Will Defeat Johny Hendricks at UFC 158

At the same event where welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will defend his title against Stockton bad boy Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit is set to take on Johny Hendricks at UFC 158 in a bout that carries title-shot implications. 

Condit and Hendricks can be reasonably classified as 3-A and 3-B in the 170-pound rankings. 

Hendricks comes into the bout riding high on a five-fight winning streak over tough competition.

"Bigg Rigg" defeated T.J. Waldburger, Mike Pierce, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Martin Kampmann in consecutive bouts, finishing three of them by knockout. 

Considering this stellar resume, it is clear Hendricks can excel at the highest level inside the Octagon. 

He will not get past "The Natural Born Killer" at UFC 158, though, as Condit is primed to ruin Hendricks' impressive streak when the two square off. 

Start the slideshow to see why Condit will spoil the title hopes of Mr. Hendricks. 

Versatile Striking

Carlos Condit is arguably the most successful striker in the UFC's welterweight division. 

The Natural Born Killer possesses a mixed bag of tricks in the standup game, and he can brutalize his opponents with punches, elbows, kicks, and knees from all angles. 

Thanks to his impressive arsenal, Condit has posted highlight-reel knockouts of Dong Hyun Kim and Dan Hardy in recent bouts, and he frustrated volume striker Nick Diaz for 25 minutes at UFC 143. 

While Hendricks' knockouts can certainly occupy a highlight reel all their own, he has never faced a striker as well-rounded and accomplished as Condit. 

Do not expect Condit to stand in front of Hendricks and swing away. He is a smart striker both offensively and defensively, and this will play a huge part in his eventual victory. 

Ground Technician

Condit posted 26 finishes in his MMA career.

Half of those occurred via knockout, while the other 13 came by way of submission. That is the very definition of a "well-rounded fighter," folks. 

While he has shown an inability to handle strong wrestlers with a stifling top game in the past, Condit is dangerous off his back, and Hendricks will have his hands full if he decides to take Condit to the mat at UFC 158. 

Consider this: Georges St-Pierre successfully executed seven takedowns on Condit in their UFC 154 matchup. 

Once on the mat, GSP was able to pass Condit's guard only eight times in 25 minutes of action. 

Compare that to the 26 passes he performed on Dan Hardy in the same amount of time or the 11 passes he performed on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Matt Serra in just two rounds. 

Condit is pretty good on the ground, ladies and gentlemen. 

If you're still not convinced, Google "Carlos Condit sweeps Dong Hyun Kim." 

Enjoy that. 

Conditioning

Few welterweights can match the pace and relentless attack of Carlos Condit. 

For example, let us examine his UFC 143 bout against Nick Diaz, a fighter who competes in triathalons in his spare time and is widely considered one of the best-conditioned athletes in the UFC. 

For 25 minutes, Condit peppered away at Diaz, and Diaz continually pushed forward, forcing Condit to stick and move for the bout's duration. 

If you believe Condit won that fight, you should be impressed by the fact that he constantly threw strikes, cut angles and pedaled away from Diaz for 25 minutes. To execute such a game plan, your cardio has to be impeccable. 

On the other hand, if you think Condit "ran" for five rounds in that fight, isn't it still kind of impressive that he sprinted around the Octagon for 25 minutes and never tired? 

Cardio will not be a problem in this fight, and whether the fight lasts 30 seconds or 15 minutes, you will not see The Natural Born Killer relent. 

Dat Chin

Thirty-four fights. 

A list of assassins that includes Dan Hardy, Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald, Nick Diaz, Georges St-Pierre, Martin Kampmann and plenty others. 

Zero losses by knockout. 

That is Carlos Condit, and such a distinction was not earned through "lay and pray" or otherwise safe tactics. 

Condit will gladly step into the Octagon with a powerful striker, and he has never been finished in doing so. 

Hendricks' power is otherworldly—I will concede that fact—but Condit's résumé tells me he can take a shot or two without slipping into a slumber on the canvas. 

X-Factors

Carlos Condit is a fighter through and through. 

His heart, his killer instinct, and his fight IQ are remarkable, and he has honed these skills through years of battle and countless hours of practice and study. 

Backed by the best game planner in the business, Greg Jackson, Condit is bred for success inside the cage. 

All the intangibles are there, and each of these qualities is then bolstered by the mastermind Jackson. 

The Natural Born Killer's ability to execute a game plan to perfection may be the difference in this fight, and if his UFC 158 matchup comes down to who is better prepared and who wants the victory more, my money is on Condit all day. 

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