Carlos Condit: 5 Reasons to Root for Him at UFC 154

I enjoy watching Georges St-Pierre turn top-notch opponents into outclassed amateurs.

Not because I hold any particular dislike for anyone in the welterweight division, but because it’s amazing to see a man three steps ahead of guys who already seem to be beating the curve. That’s remarkable.

However, after basically owning the entire welterweight division since 2005 (I know there’s a loss to Serra sprinkled in the mix there, but most would likely agree that the result was a bit of a fluke), there aren’t many surprises left for fans.

St-Pierre has simply been too dominant to allow any other man to really build the proper momentum not only to serve as a legit, marketable challenger, but also to put as many rear ends in seats as the champ.   

Until a set of circumstances emerged that worked to benefit Carlos Condit quite well.

The wind in GSP’s sails isn’t as strong as it once was, thanks to more than a year-and-a-half away from competition and a few lackluster fights leading up to his lengthy shelf time.

St-Pierre hasn’t finished a fight since 2009 and many fans have grown restless, especially considering the champion’s approach to fighting is far too conservative in a market in which pure entertainment takes equal precedence to athletic abilities and execution.

Fanatics crave a finish, and GSP hasn’t delivered one in well over three years.

Carlos Condit, however, has finished three of his last five fights, and his diverse attack has enabled him to score big knockouts over a unique variety of opponents (Dong Hyun Kim is a pure grappler in every sense of the word, while Rory MacDonald is a ground-and-pound machine and Dan Hardy is a headhunter).

“The Natural Born Killer” lives up to his nickname (sans the Diaz fight, which was actually a brilliant display of effective game-planning from Condit). The man is a finisher, and he may be exactly what is needed to inject a bit of excitement into a division that should have the blood boiling whenever it's showcased.

Here are five reasons to root for him.

A Reminder That Jackson’s Camp Produces More Than Just Point Fighters

After a few slower-paced fights for Jon Jones, a profoundly ignorant fight approach from Clay Guida and Condit’s decision to work toward a decision rather than a finish against Nick Diaz, many have called into question Greg Jackson’s mindset and advice.

Is Greg here to avoid fights and pick up paychecks? Is he here to produce the world’s greatest fighters, or the world’s greatest runners?

These are the kind of questions we're seeing both from media and the masses.

I think Greg Jackson is here to see that those fighting in his stable are as successful as possible, plain and simple. I don’t think there’s anything more to it.

People seem to forget about the offense-minded fighters that emerge from Team Jackson (a huge nod to Donald Cerrone here, who is one of the most exciting men in the sport), and Carlos is certainly one of them. The man’s finished in 26 of his 28 career wins.

If that’s not the sign of a man willing to let it all hang out in the cage, I’m not sure what is.  

He’s Every Bit as Marketable as GSP

Let’s be brutally honest here: we don’t love GSP for his personality, we love him for his extreme domination.

The truth is, in terms of personality, the Canadian is beyond predictable, and his character—at least what the media shows of it—is really rather dull.

Georges doesn’t talk smack, he doesn’t disrespect his foes, and he always delivers the perfectly politically-correct answers.

Condit in many ways mirrors St-Pierre, but he’s not quite as relaxed in the buildup to a fight, and that creates a little mystery for viewers.

He’s intelligent, soft spoken and respectful, but there’s an air of the unknown about him that tells you, if someone went crazy on this guy at a presser, he’d return the favor.

That kind of thrill is exactly what the division needs. That, and finishes.

Both of which Condit will deliver.

Condit’s got all the tools to be a marketable champion, and I think he knows that.

It’s Time for Change

As wild as it is, and as impressive as it is to witness, the welterweight division could benefit from a mix-up.

Just about everyone is a little spent on seeing GSP enter a cage and grapple his way to victory with virtually zero threat tossed in his direction.

He’s been one of the faces of the sport for years, but there’s room on this stage for a new mug to bask in the glory of success.

Condit’s a handsome, well-spoken fellow. Why not him?

Condit is a man who could change the landscape of MMA, the welterweight division in particular, and after years of watching reruns of Inside the Cage, I’m up for a new story.  

Adversity Yields Excitement

Unlike GSP, Carlos Condit doesn’t appear to be superhuman with zero holes in his game.

Condit can be hurt. Condit can be put in serious danger of losing a fight.

But Condit rallies when need be, and when you back a wild animal into a corner, you typically get a savage barrage of fury headed in your direction.

St-Pierre doesn’t need to worry about showcasing the fierce side of him, because he very, very rarely gets backed into a corner.

He’s also too damn intelligent to go wild inside the Octagon. Back St-Pierre into a corner and all you get is a perfectly-timed counter-takedown.

Condit faces and overcomes adversity on a fairly regular basis. He also has an inner killer that leaps to the surface whenever he finds himself hurt.

Adversity yields excitement, and that’s what the division needs.

We Miss Finishes in Welterweight Title Fights

Everybody loves a finish.

That highlight-reel knockout, or insanely slick submission… as spectators, it is the ultimate pay off after investing significant fighter loyalty.

As a fan, I’ve been loyal to George St-Pierre for years, but he hasn’t done much to provide me with any bonus knockouts in return.

Ultimately his job is to win, to enter the cage as the champion and exit in the same fashion. I understand and respect that.

But it’d be nice to see him take a few chances from time to time.

Risk is obviously dangerous, but when calculated successfully, risk equals reward.

I don’t expect to see too many Diaz-like performances from Condit in the future. That’s simply a matchup that required a style that isn’t aesthetically pleasing.

As much as I didn’t enjoy the fight, I understand why Carlos utilized that plan of attack. You don’t stand in front of Diaz and exchange, or you usually end up on the losing side of the coin.

Carlos Condit will produce finishes.

A striker as diverse as he is, in a division cluttered by strong wrestlers convinced that they’re amazing strikers, will have no problems catching a few men by surprise.

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