The new UFC year is set to start with a bang, as Carlos Condit will take on welterweight champion Robbie Lawler on Saturday, January 2, at UFC 195.
The two were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 193, but Lawler had to pull out of the card after suffering a thumb injury, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports.
Their bout was swapped with the women's bantamweight title bout between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm, and two months later, fans will finally get to see two of the most exciting fighters on the planet go head-to-head. Bleacher Report's Jeremy Botter can't wait:
Both are experienced, battle-tested veterans with a tendency to turn every fight into a brutal, all-out war, and Lawler's title defence against Rory MacDonald may have been the best fight of 2015.
Here's a look at both fighters and some of their career highlights.
The Champion: Robbie Lawler (26-0, 20 KO)
The 33-year-old Lawler has taken the long road to stardom, leaving the company in 2004 after successive losses against Nick Diaz and Evan Tanner. He fought for several small companies before working his way back to the top through Strikeforce, culminating in a return to UFC in 2013.
A switch back to the welterweight division turned out to be the right move for Lawler, who lost a unanimous decision against Johny Hendricks for the vacant title in 2014—his only loss since his return to UFC.
He avenged the loss at UFC 181, beating Hendricks in another decision to take the top spot in the division.
Lawler is big for a welterweight, and his power has transitioned well from the middleweight to welterweight division. He may not be much of a threat on the ground, but as a raw attacking force and counterpuncher, he represents a huge threat every time he enters the Octagon.
As you can tell from this interview, he knows his main strengths very well, predicting a knockout win over Condit and claiming he would even knock out Georges St-Pierre should he return to fighting:
He gives up a few inches to Condit in terms of height (5'11” versus 6'2”) but not as far as reach goes, which could be a huge factor. The lack of height means he can pack more muscle going into the bout, but he remains remarkably explosive and light on his feet, allowing him to dictate the distance and punch at will.
Lawler is more than your average brawler―he enters every bout with a clear plan and sticks to it. Against the taller Condit, he's likely to move inside as much as he can and set up his straight left hand.
The Challenger: Carlos Condit (30-8, 15 KO)
Condit enters the bout having lost three of his last five fights, but it would be unwise to count out the 31-year-old before the first punch is thrown. His resume includes wins over Diaz and MacDonald, and he pushed both St-Pierre and Hendricks the distance in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
He won the interim welterweight title off Diaz in 2012, which likely played a big part in the decision to match him with Lawler at this time. Condit has only fought once since March of 2014 and ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto only ranks him eighth in the welterweight division.
Like Lawler, Condit is an exciting fighter to watch, and 28 of his 30 wins have come before the final bell. He's durable, has a solid chin and likes to attack early and often, using his long legs in a similar manner to MacDonald.
The latter found success with his kicking game against Lawler, and Condit has the element of surprise on his side, having fought just once in the last 22 months.
Movement will be key for Condit. Lawler brings a rare kind of power and explosive punching ability, and he's an adept counterpuncher, which should serve him well against Condit, who has a tendency to step into his kicks and punches.
The two have the same reach (74.0”), so if Condit gets his kicking game going, he can really control the distance.
Prediction
Lawler has to be the favourite based on the fact Condit hasn't been in the Octagon all that much in the last two years, but this should be a very close and exciting fight, and a possible early candidate for Fight of the Year. A stoppage is possible, although a close decision seems more likely.
All statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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