Carlos Condit: Wait for a Title Shot or Stay Active?

After his flying knee knockout of previously-unbeaten Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 132, Carlos Condit took a significant leap toward contender status at 170 pounds. But he is among crowded company: Champion Georges St-Pierre has turned the welterweight division into a wasteland for "good-but-not-good-enough" fighters and left fans yearning for a new face to step into the Octagon with the reigning champ. Former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz will get the first crack at GSP in October, but if he should fail, who is next up?

Coming off of his third straight knockout—two of which over previously-unbeaten fighters—"The Natural Born Killer" is the answer on everyone's mind. But for now, Condit faces a dilemma: does he wait for St-Pierre vs. Diaz or stay active and take another fight?

There's no right answer to this question, but arguments can be made for both.

Wait For a Shot

So he waits for a shot at the belt. Should St. Pierre win at UFC 137, Condit remains the most exciting challenger for the champion. At this point it isn't even a matter of who can dethrone GSP, but who has shown the ability to finish (cross off Jon Fitch) and at least give off the illusion that they can pose a threat (there goes Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields, pre-eye poke).

In these respects, Condit is the most qualified right now. His knockouts will be fresh on the mind of MMA fans, and more importantly, Dana White and Joe Silva. This would also give him plenty of time to keep improving his takedown defense and train for the anticipated bout, while the Canadian once again asserts his dominance in his upcoming October title defense.

But what if Nick Diaz leaves Houston that night as the UFC Welterweight Champion?

This could pose a problem for Condit. Remember that boring Penn-Fitch title eliminator at UFC 127 that ended in a draw? Well a rematch becomes much more interesting with a new challenge awaiting them at the top. 

Or maybe Condit would get his shot at GSP: a hungrier, even more focused (if possible) GSP for a shot at Diaz.

But everything isn't all great if St-Pierre wins either. Keep in mind that he tends to wait at least six months between fights. Add the fact that UFC 136 is still three months away, and Condit would be spending at least nine months on the shelf.

Maybe it would be best to just stay active and let the rest of the division play itself out.

Stay Active

So title shot aside, Carlos Condit wants another fight. This could be great for him in many ways.

He's just one fight back from a knee injury and he may need one more fight to really feel comfortable in the Octagon again (scary thought, huh?). From a promotional standpoint, he needs could do wonders from headlining a main of co-main event. His Kim fight was first on the pay-per-view card—he could use a little more notoriety among casual MMA fans.

Oh, give him a top-ranked contender, too. A win over B.J. Penn or Jon Fitch would send Condit's confidence through the roof and show everyone that he's the real deal and not just the man of the moment. 

But what if he loses?

It's not out of the question; we've seen cases like this a few times already this year.

Remember Josh Grispi, the featherweight scheduled to face Jose Aldo for his title on New Year's Day? When Aldo had to pull out of the fight due to injury, he decided to take another fight, instead of waiting for Aldo to get healthy.

Since then, he's 0-2, losing his last fight by TKO.

Anthony Pettis was in a similar situation last month, as well. Pettis was promised a shot at the winner of Edgar-Maynard II back in December, but their draw and subsequent injuries forced Pettis to take another fight. 

That fight was his loss to Clay Guida.

Before Condit's rise, the fresh face at 170 pounds was Rick Story. He beat Thiago Alves at UFC 130 and opted for a quick turnaround fight against Nate Marquardt, which would have put him into the conversation for a title shot. But he ended up losing to Marquardt's late replacement, Charlie Brenneman, a week before UFC 132.

Need I say more?

Condit's already stated that he'd like to fight again before the end of the year, so staying active is his preferred option at the moment. No matter which choice he makes, he risks losing out on a title shot. But whether he decides to wait for his chance at the strap or takes another fight, Carlos Condit looks better than ever.