UFC 143 Results: Carlos Condit Throws Wrench into Georges St-Pierre's Plans

So much for Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre fighting to unite the UFC Welterweight Division title.

GSP, who came out essentially rooting for Diaz at UFC 143 on Saturday, will simply have to "settle" for Carlos Condit instead.

Though, for mixed martial arts fans, a bout between GSP and The Natural Born Killer can hardly be considered settling.

Not after the way Condit competed with Diaz through five grueling rounds in the Octagon.

The fight wasn't particularly fast-paced or exciting, though it did prove to be an interesting study in contrasts between two outstanding strikers.

On the one hand was Diaz, a combatant who relies on volume and superb cardio over one-shot power to wear down his opponents, using carefully-timed barrages to score points with judges.

On the other was Condit, a powerful stand-up fighter known as much for big blows as he is for the variety of his punches and kicks.

The conflicting styles made for a terrific fight, albeit one without any particular rhythm or flow to it. That particular pace ultimately favored Condit's tactics of punctuated equilibrium, as opposed to Diaz's gradual, sustained efforts at physical (and verbal) denigration.

Had Diaz capitalized on Condit's early-round jitters, we might instead be talking about how GSP's wish came true, how he'd have the opportunity to punch Diaz in the face and unify the Welterweight title like two halves of some mystical token in a South American temple.

But, luckily for Condit, that's not how Diaz operates, nor was it how he operated on Saturday night. As a result, Condit, amidst the occasional blow landed and counter-avoided, collected enough confidence to eventually seize control of the scorecards.

By the fourth and fifth rounds, it appeared as though Condit had turned the tables on Diaz, where he was now playing the long game while Diaz was gunning for takedowns and devastating strikes.

Of course, Condit's climb to the top of the MMA world is far from over. He'll need to wait patiently while GSP, who hasn't set foot in the Octagon since the end of April, continues to heal.

Chances are, St-Pierre wouldn't be fully ready to go until the fall, right around the time Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao may well attempt to revive the sport of boxing in one fell swoop.

Hmmm...could the world of combat sports bring an end to its longest-running disputes before the world itself is supposedly slated to go asunder, as the Mayan calendar would suggest?

Perhaps. In any case, when that day comes, expect Carlos Condit to be ready to give Georges St-Pierre the fight of his life.

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