UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

[INDYjon22]

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Main Card

• Interim Welterweight Championship Bout: Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit
• Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
• Welterweight Bout: Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
• Bantamweight Bout: Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
• Middleweight Bout: Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Featherweight Bout: Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway
• Bantamweight Bout: Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
• Welterweight Bout: Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope
• Welterweight Bout: Matthew Riddle vs. Henry Martinez

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Middleweight Bout: Rafael Natal vs. Michael Kuiper
• Welterweight Bout: Dan Stittgen vs. Stephen Thompson

This Saturday could be one of the biggest moments in UFC history. A fantastic fight between two very good fighters will take place, and the winner will be placed in the biggest fight in the Welterweight divisions history. Condit and Diaz are both incredibly exciting fights, and what's even better is that they finish fights. I cannot wait to see the fireworks in this one. So very excited.

The co-main event will see the return of the best BJJ practitioner in all of Heavyweight MMA, to the UFC. Fabricio Werdum will fight for the first time since his loss to Overeem in Strikeforce. He will face Big "Little" Country Roy Nelson. Nelson is looking a lot slimmer in the pictures I have seen lately. Could we finally see an in shape Roy Nelson? I sure hope so, because Werdum is tough enough as it is. Nelson will have to try and get inside and out strike Werdum because if it goes to the ground Werdum has a way bigger advantage.

Who honestly knew that Kos was fighting on this card? He has flown way under the radar for UFC 143. He will be facing the always tough Mike Pierce. That said, Kos shouldn't have any real issues in this fight. I foresee a decision in his favor coming.

Renan Barae and Scott Jorgensen should be an exciting fight. Both guys are very talented, and I think this one will be an exciting 3 round fight. Could go either way.

Ed Herman is being given a guy I don't know. That is a very dangerous fight. No names can upset a guy and turn everything upside down, look what Houston Alexander did to Keith Jardine for proof. However, Ed Herman is red hot right now and I don't see that changing.

The undercard has some very talented fighters on it, but none I really want to highlight. Hopefully Riddle will actually show up to fight this go around instead of bail last second, I know he was "sick" but it was still something that bugged me when he did it a few months back. Should be a very good show, with an awesome main event.

 

[JWGunslinger]

I feel like I've been saying this alot over the last few PPVs but I havent been as excited for a fight as I am right now in a long time, how incredible is the main event gonna be? The card has some awesome fights and I'm looking forward to a few in particular, really just every fight aside from the facebook fights, Stittgen and Natal should win.


Matt Riddle vs Henry Martinez
Any fight with Matt is going to be entertaining, I was a fan of his the second I saw him on TUF because he's such a genuine guy and funny kid. Not only does he have an entertaining personality but he can fight, nearly all of his fights have been in the UFC and we've really got to watch him grow in the octagon, he's had a few rough setbacks but I think in his last fight he showed what he's made of. Even though he lost that fight he gave us a hell of a fight and he displayed improved skills in all areas and more heart than ever. I don't know much about Martinez but I see Matt grinding it out for a decision like he does best or if he can break Martinez he may pick up a TKO. Riddle via Decision

Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope
Well this sucks for Cope, I like both guys but I don't see him getting past Brown and it's too bad because he's coming off a nasty loss to Che Mills. I think they'll strike and maybe clinch up a bit but in the end Brown will clip him and take the fight, hopefully Cope has an easier fight next time and lives to WOO another day. Brown via TKO

Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
I hate Caceres more than anyone on the roster and I want him gone, Figueroa showed his skills in his last fight and I think they will be enough to pick him up a win here and shut bruce leroy the fuck up. Figueroa via Submission(Armbar)

Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway
Poirier has been on an absolute roll since wrecking title contender John Grispi last year, since then he has racked up 2 more dominant wins and this might be one more fight away from his title shot. Max Holloway will try to end his run and take his momentum but I just don't see Poirier losing the way he's been fighting. Poirier via Decision

Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks
Eddie Herman, god I love that guy. I've been a huge fan of his since his time on TUF and I hated seeing him come up short in the close decision to Kendall Grove in the TUF 3 finale. Since then he has had a very up and down career, picking up big wins over the likes of Joe Doerkson and David Louseau but coming up short in bouts with Demian Maia and a very rough fight at UFC 102 where he took a gnarley injury while fighting Aaron Simpson. Since he returned from injury though he has been hotter than hell in TKOing Tim Credeur and submitting Kyle Noke. Starks came into the UFC with a good decision win recently over Dustin Jacoby, but I doubt he can stop the train that is Ed Herman from running him right over. Herman via Submission(D'arce Choke)

Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
This should be an awesome war, Barao has been extremely impressive as of late with his win streak and the incredible win over Brad Pickett at UFC 138. Jorgenson is trying to get back to a title shot against Dominick Cruz, and if he can figure out a good gameplan to avoid Barao's offense then he might just do that but I dont see it happening. Barao via TKO

Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
I like Mike Pierce but he is barking up the wrong tree, and he has pissed off Koscheck and that beehive in his hair. Koscheck via KO

Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
Very exciting fight here, glad to see Werdum back in the UFC and this time he should pick up a win in his return. He found a bit of success in Strikeforce with big wins over Antonio Silva and Fedor but recently came up short against Alistair Overeem. Roy was on a losing streak in fights against Frank Mir and Junior Dos Santos but recently fired back with a win over Mirko Cro Cop. It'll be interesting seeing how Roy's smaller size will come into play here, he showed in his two losses that he can take tons of punishment without faltering but will be show the same resistance to submissions from one of the greatest submission specialists in MMA? I think that they will cancel each other out and Werdum will take the decision with his improved Muay Thai. Werdum via Decision

Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit for the Interim UFC Welterweight Championship
Holy crap, this fight is tomorrow and I cant believe it. This fight was not supposed to happen, but then again GSP wasnt supposed to get injured and start this tornado in the welterweight division. Now the two top contenders will face off to become interim champ and I can remember a more exciting fight in the weight class's history.

Nick started off with success in the UFC but moved over to Elite XC and then Strikeforce where he was the Strikeforce Welterweight champ, he's been extremely dominant and returned at UFC 137 to win a decision over BJ Penn and prove he's here for that belt.

Carlos was also a champion in another big promotion, before coming to the UFC he had success in many promotions like Rumble On The Rock and Pancrase but found his home in the WEC and became the welterweight champion there which he held until the 170 lbs division was eliminated and he came to the UFC. Since losing a close decision to Martin Kampmann he has destroyed 4 tough fighters and now he wants to add another accolade to his storied young career.

It's going to be a very close fight, both men are extremely well rounded and can end the fight anywhere in a flash. I love both of these guys and as long as it's a good fight I wont be dissapointed, either may KO the other on the feet but I'm going to say this one is a battle for the ages that goes 5 rounds and in the end comes down to a close decision that Condit will take. Carlos Condit via Decision to become the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion

 

[Papa Pillman]

I definitely thought the main event was a tough fight to score and I don't envy the judges that had to make it.

IMO Condit probably won the third and he clearly won the fourth, I think Diaz surely took the last. To me, the first two were toss-ups.

Overall I think the right decision was made, as Condit was rewarded for ideally executing his gameplan.

As for the future... I believe Condit will be the undisputed 170 champ at year's end, and I don't see Nick really retiring(perhaps temporarily to box for a while or something, but not permanently).

 

[Toxs]

Pretty disappointing main event considering who was fighting.

On the one hand this is probably Condit's best/only shot at the belt and he did what he had to do to win. Plus very few really want to stand & bang with the best boxer in the WW division.

Then again Condit did promise fireworks, I wanted see to another Hendo/Shogun instead we got Frankie/BJ.

Either way this fight just showed me that neither one of these guys would beat a healthy GSP.

 

[BaconBits]

Either way this fight just showed me that neither one of these guys would beat a healthy GSP.

I think either beats a rusty GSP. Cage/ring rust is very, very real and by the time GSP is ready to fight again, it's going to have been 18+ months since his last fight. You lose a lot with your timing and cardio in that kind of time being out, especially when you're fighting a quality striker and cardio machine.

 

[Toxs]

I think either beats a rusty GSP. Cage/ring rust is very, very real and by the time GSP is ready to fight again, it's going to have been 18+ months since his last fight. You lose a lot with your timing and cardio in that kind of time being out, especially when you're fighting a quality striker and cardio machine.

Hence the word healthy.

I wouldn't go so far as to say Condit is a quality striker. He was out boxed by Kampmann & showed in his last fight with Diaz that he isn't capable or has no faith in his stand-up to go toe to toe with dangerous strikers.

If anything that ring rust will even it up. George will just be a little better than Condit as opposed to waaay better than him.