UFC 143: What Carlos Condit Must Do to Beat Nick Diaz

When Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz meet in the main event at UFC 143, it will be one of the most heavily anticipated fights of the young year. After both fighters were given title shots that were promptly taken away for different reasons, both fighters find themselves pitted against each other for the interim belt and the first shot at returning champion Georges St. Pierre.

Given Diaz's impressive return to the octagon against B.J. Penn, most of the hype for this fight has centered around Diaz. Diaz's impressive combination of aggression, technical boxing, slick jiu-jitsu and cardio makes him a tough opponent for anyone.

However, Condit is only a slight underdog in the fight according to Vegas (+170) and could very well find himself as the interim champion when all is said and done. Here is what Condit must do if he wants to be wearing UFC gold by the end of the night.

Keep a Level Head

Condit should ask fellow Greg Jackson fighter Donald Cerrone about falling for the Diaz brother head games.

It is well documented that both Nick and Nate Diaz love to get under their opponents skin and often times are successful in generating a reaction. This works to their favor as opponents are more likely to get out of their gameplan when fighting on pure emotion.

So far Condit hasn't engaged in too much trash talking so he seems to be doing well in this aspect. However, with weigh-ins just around the corner, and Diaz's penchant for in-fight trash talk and head games, Condit is definitely not out of the clear in this department yet.

Discipline is a huge factor for anyone trying to beat Diaz.

Control the Pace

This is huge.

Many opponents have tried to keep up with Diaz's blistering pace. A dedicated triathlete, Diaz has some of the best cardio in the game and even the best-conditioned fighters can not possibly keep up with the pace he sets for an entire three round fight.

If Condit wants to ensure victory he must monitor his output throughout the fight. A fast start is important, but managing stamina and slowing down Diaz will have to be a part of his game plan as well.

Condit is most likely the stronger fighter so a healthy dose of clinching Diaz against the fence while slowly wearing him down would not be a bad idea for Condit to keep the fight at his pace.

Mix Up Strikes

Diaz is in the upper echelon of the UFC when it comes to boxing. He's one of the few fighters that could even make the transition to boxing at the pro level. That's why it's crucial that Condit doesn't settle into a classic boxing matchup with Diaz.

We've seen Condit mix it up before with high front kicks, as he landed a brutal flying knee to Dong Hyun Kim in his last victory. Condit has the chops to show a more varied striking attack, as opposed to the technical boxing that Diaz will employ.

Condit's last loss was to technical kickboxer Martin Kampmann, so he must show that his striking has improved since that loss in 2009.

Close the Distance

The strength of Diaz's striking game comes in the volume of punches that he lands. The man simply will pick opponents apart with a constant barrage of punches if allowed.

While Diaz is the more technical boxer and could pick Condit apart, Condit has more power and must get on the inside to use it. In Diaz's fight with B.J. Penn, Penn was able to stick with Diaz on the feet for a while until he quit trying to close the distance and tried to keep up with Diaz's output.

Condit can't afford to make the same mistake. Condit must land his power shots and either get out of Diaz's range or clinch up and slow down the fight. Condit's ability to avoid being picked apart and closing the distance will be pivotal in deciding who wins this fight.

Avoid the Guard

For all of the hype around Diaz's striking and cardio it's easy to forget that he has extremely solid jiu-jitsu, and is capable of pulling off some slick submissions on the ground.

If Condit finds himself struggling to win on the feet he would be well advised to take the fight to the ground, but he must do so with caution. Diaz possesses a very active guard and is very adept at either springing back to his feet or locking up a submission.

Condit must constantly work to a non-threatening position on the ground. If Condit simply settles for doing damage from Diaz's guard he is asking for trouble. He will need to look for side control or mount if he wants to stay out of trouble and do damage on the ground.

Get off to a Fast Start

This may be the most important of all for Condit.

Diaz is the kind of fighter that only gets stronger as the fight goes on and can sometimes take a while to find his range. Condit shouldn't wear himself out but he needs to find Diaz's chin early and establish his own rhythm.

Diaz is excellent at building off of his own momentum and if given the chance will overwhelm Condit early on. Condit must put on the pressure very early and make Diaz fight from behind. Controlling the octagon and the pace will be crucial and that is very hard to do without a good start.

The first two minutes could tell us the entire story of this fight.