If you’re a fan of Carlos Condit, UFC Fight Night 67 represents a lot more than a free card on network television. In fact, Condit has not stepped into the octagon since March 15, 2014, and fight fans around the world have anticipated his return to the UFC.
missed significant time due to a freak injury that forced him from his last fight. He suffered an ACL tear during his match against Tyron Woodley which lead to the end of the fight. For the last year, Condit has been training and rehabilitating with the hopes of returning to the UFC as soon as possible.
With over a year off from fighting, Condit is still the fourth ranked UFC welterweight and has gone toe-to-toe with the best 170-pound fighters in the world. His ability to overcome adversity and put on a great show has made him a true fan favorite among hardcore MMA fans. His fights are always exciting and he seems to find a way to win later in the fight. However, will Condit be the same fighter he was prior to the injury? ACL injuries are never easy to recover from and there is always a chance of re-injury.
Prior to the injury, Condit was at the top of his weight class, fighting in three straight title fights before avenging his loss to Martin Kampmann in 2013. Had Condit beat Woodley in March of 2014, there is a good chance he would have received another number one contender fight if not a direct title shot. One of the most evident characteristics of Condit is his will to persevere and never give up. He is a cardio machine and an incredible athlete. He has one of the best chins in the sport and continues to be one of the best Muay Thai fighters at 170 pounds. With that said, it would be safe to assume that Condit would only re-enter the octagon if he felt healthy enough to do so, and by the looks of it, he seems ready to go.
This weekend, Condit will take on another fan favorite who tore through the welterweight division in his prime, Thiago Alves. “The Pitbull” represents his nickname in almost perfect fashion, always pushing forward, looking for the big punches and throwing devastating leg kicks. Both fighters have shown a weakness in wrestling which should make this a good brawl. Condit has never backed down from a standup bout and should utilize his length against the much smaller fighter. Alves is currently ranked the 12th welterweight in the UFC and will look to shoot up the rankings with a win over “The Natural Born Killer”.
If Condit comes away with the victory, it will be intriguing to see where the UFC places him next. It would seem like the best options would be a rematch with either Woodley or Johny Hendricks. Woodley is coming off a split decision win over Kelvin Gastelum while Hendricks just beat Matt Brown last March. Since Condit did beat Hendricks in a five round war, it would only seem practical to give the Woodley-Condit bout another chance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0wZZvVWSCg
Fighting in Brazil, Condit will have to overcome the hometown crowd of Alves if he hopes to get the victory. He has been out of the fight game for some time but he seems ready to get back to the top of the welterweight division.
If you are one of the poor souls who forgot about Carlos Condit, fear not, he will remind you come UFC Fight Night 67 this Saturday night in Brazil.
