UFC 143 Results: Questions That Remain for Carlos Condit

Carlos Condit was welcomed in as the new welterweight kingpin on Saturday night at UFC 143, after defeating Nick Diaz for the interim title.

Diaz, who was on an 11-fight win streak, saw his title aspirations ripped away after the judges rendered a rather controversial decision in favor of "The Natural Born Killer."

"

"I don't need this [expletive]. I pushed the guy backwards the whole time. He ran from me the whole fight. I landed the harder shots. He ran the whole time. He kicked me in my leg with little baby leg kicks the whole fight," a rather animated Diaz told UFC commentator Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview. "That's the way they understand how to win here. I don't want to play this game no more."

"

Condit's game plan throughout the fight was to keep the action in the open, utilize leg kicks and avoid getting pinned against the cage. It was a game plan that was executed flawlessly, despite continued taunts from Diaz.

Condit never took the bait and did exactly what his coaches told him to do, which is the primary reason he went home with UFC gold on Saturday night.

"It's pretty surreal," said Condit. "I couldn't have done it without my coaches and teammates. They prepared me for this fight. I did what they told me to do, and I walked away with the victory."

Unfortunately for fans, they won't get the super fight between Diaz and Georges St-Pierre. Condit managed to play spoiler to the blockbuster bout, and he could face St-Pierre later in the year for the undisputed UFC title.

He may be the interim champion, but there are a few questions that remain about Carlos Condit.

Is He Too Tentative to Exchange in the Pocket?

It was pretty obvious throughout his entire fight with Diaz that Condit didn't want any part of the pocket exchanges.

When Diaz closed the distance, Condit would turtle and sprint back into the open.

This likely had more to do with game planning than anything else, but Condit proved that his overall efficiency relies on finesse rather than engaging in unnecessary standup exchanges.

This doesn't mean that he lacks the ability to throw down in the pocket. Just ask Dan Hardy about Condit's precision at close range.

Still, there are some deficiencies in Condit's defense when a relatively dangerous fighter presses forward firing off bombs in the pocket.

His September 2009 bout against Jake Ellenberger is one of the first that comes to mind. While Ellenberger isn't anywhere near as proficient on the feet, he was able to overwhelm Condit in the early portion of the bout with sustained aggression and punching power.

Diaz is arguably the best boxer in the entire welterweight division, but his style is setup a bit different. He tends to utilize a multitude of lighter strikes to wear opponents down. Even though his shots were landing, Diaz never posed any form of a threat as far as one-punch knockout power is concerned.

There are certainly more where Ellenberger came from in the UFC welterweight division.

How Will He Hold Up Against Upper-Echelon Wrestlers?

Like Diaz, Condit has struggled in the past against strong wrestlers.

The difference comes into play when considering Diaz's world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Condit is underrated on the ground, but it's tough envisioning his guard being able to fend off the upper-echelon wrestlers in the welterweight division.

Strong wrestlers have the ability to dictate the action on the feet by keeping opponents guessing about the takedown. This was a big reason fighters like Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald were able to find early success in their bouts with Condit.

In fact, many point to a late cardio meltdown as the main reason MacDonald was stopped by Condit in their June 2010 bout. Before the third round, "The Waterboy" went Hollywood on Condit and was throwing him around like an enraged Adam Sandler.

Is He Marketable as UFC Champion?

Some people are worried about Condit's marketability as a UFC champion.

A bout between St-Pierre and Diaz would've been a blockbuster. Are people even excited about St-Pierre and Condit? What about Condit versus another top welterweight contender?

It doesn't really matter who fights St-Pierre. UFC President Dana White has already alluded to the fact that St-Pierre is the biggest draw in the UFC. Regardless of who stands across from him, St-Pierre bouts will always do big pay-per-view numbers.

As for Condit, he's definitely a marketable fighter. He has an entertaining style and a knack for finishing opponents. There is a certain fire and aura about Condit that many fighters lack. You could see it in his eyes as he walked to the cage on Saturday night.

He has that kill or be killed mentality, and fans generally respect that in fighters.