Any questions concerning Carlos Condit's ability to still bring his signature brand of destruction were certainly answered at Fight Night 68.
The Natural Born Killer has long held his status as one the most prolific finishers in the history of the UFC's welterweight division, but his return from a lengthy 14-month stint on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury brought some uncertainty.
That said, any doubt that hovered was silenced as the former WEC and interim UFC 170-pound champion blistered Brazilian powerhouse Thiago Alves en route to a TKO finish via doctor stoppage in Goiania, Brazil.
After more than a year of diligent work to recover in which he was forced to harness and control the intensity that drives him, Condit was able to carve out a technical masterpiece against the American Top Team staple. Furthermore, the victory over Pitbull was not only another impressive addition to Condit's resume, but the brutality unleashed inside the Octagon served as certifiable proof positive that Condit is back to form.
"It felt great to go out there and perform the way I did," Condit told Bleacher Report. "Obviously that kind of goes without saying, but after every fight, win or lose, there is always a sense of relief like all the pressure just got let out. It's over. All the hard work and everything you've done, all the excitement, nerves, dread, fear, anticipation...all of it is finally over with. And when it goes as well as it did the other night it's awesome. But it does take a little while for it to really set in. I'm still kind of processing it to be honest."
When two fighters who pride themselves on technique are paired together inside the cage, there is going to be a feeling-out process. And that's exactly what unfolded in the opening round between Condit and Alves. The rangy striker came out looking to establish distance and timing while the muay thai wrecking machine was attempting to find the routes he could travel to eliminate his reach disadvantage and get close enough to use his power.
That was the dance that unfolded in the opening frame of the main event at Fight Night 68. Alves used his signature leg kicks in an effort to slow Condit down, while the Albuquerque native worked to find the openings he would later use to turn the tide of the fight. Yet, once things got underway inside the Octagon, the only thing on Condit's mind was putting his opponent away.
The past 14 months of rebuilding his knee and the mounting pressure to perform all faded away, and the killer instinct his career has been built upon emerged.
"I was locked in right off the bat," Condit said. "I went out there and initially you're pretty tense. I just gave a big in-and-out breath, remembered to relax and got to work. I immediately started to find my range and things happened quickly. Honestly, he gave me the opportunity to get in there and get comfortable by the way he came out."
"I wanted to see how he was going to come out initially. I wanted to see if he was coming out guns a-blazing, which he didn't," Condit continued. "He was really kind of measured and was trying to build his fight by chopping down my legs because he wanted to limit my movement. But while he was doing that I was finding out what range I was going to be able to come in and out of.
"I really didn't think about [the knee]," he added. "I mean, I wouldn't want to take leg kicks from that guy regardless whether I was coming off of knee surgery or not. The game plan was to avoid or to at least minimize the damage he was looking to do with his leg kicks. He landed some stuff, but it was mostly slapping, so no damage was done."
Where the opening frame saw Alves pressing the action and landing several shots, the second round belonged entirely to the New Mexico native. Condit caught Alves with a perfectly timed short elbow that put Pitbull on the canvas and immediately forced the former title challenger into desperation mode. True to form, Condit swarmed in to take advantage of the situation, but the savvy Brazilian veteran fought valiantly to weather the storm.
And even though Alves would survive the flurries and make it out of the second round, the damage he suffered to his nose forced the cageside physician to call a stop to the fight. Even though he was unable to put Alves away in the fashion he would have preferred, Condit was more than happy with his performance at Fight Night 68.
"As I started warming up in the dressing room I was feeling it," Condit said. "Leading up to the fight is always kind of an emotional roller coaster, but I started feeling really good getting ready in the back. I knew it was going to be my night."
"There are a lot of different things we have in the tool box in every different fight, but depending on the matchup we decide what we are going to take out and kind of play with," he explained. "And for this fight the elbows were super effective. I threw it—and even though we have a bunch of different things we use to transition off of it—I didn't have to use anything else because I dropped him with the rising elbow."
"From the way Thiago went down I could tell he was hurt," he added in regard to the elbow strike that spelled the beginning of the end for Alves. "It wasn't just a slip or an off balance sort of thing. The sensation I felt hitting him with the elbow, I knew he was in a lot of trouble. I jumped in to finish, was hitting him clean, but realized he was still moving and defending. I knew I had to be patient and not get too crazy or emotional because I've been that guy. When I fought GSP and knocked him down I got really excited and punched myself out. This time though I kept a good pace and kept putting good shots on him."
In addition to earning the victory in his comeback fight against Alves, the perennial welterweight contender also once again found himself in the familiar position of wearing his opponent's blood at fight's end. While it may be difficult to imagine ever getting comfortable in those circumstances, the 170-pound knockout artist has come to see it as something that comes with a night's work inside the Octagon.
"It really doesn't bother me," Condit replied. "At least in this fight it didn't anyway. I've had some fights where it's made me a bit queasy, but that's back when I was a youngin'. I'm used to it now and to the point where blood doesn't bother me much."
His win at Fight Night 68 put Condit right back into the thick of things in the race for a shot at the welterweight crown, and the divisional title is exactly what he's aiming at. In the aftermath of his victory, the versatile striker stated he'd like to face the winner of the upcoming title tilt between champion Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald after they settle their business at UFC 189 on July 11.
The current state of affairs in the upper tier of the welterweight fold is a crowded picture, and his comments evoked a reaction from fellow potential contender and former opponent Tyron Woodley, who has also been hunting down a championship opportunity of his own. Yet, despite any pushback Condit has received in the aftermath of calling for a title shot, nothing has changed in the way he views things.
He wants to be in the biggest fights available, and he's going to do whatever is necessary to make that happen.
"They asked me the question about who I wanted to fight next and I answered honestly," Condit said. "I don't necessarily expect to get the next title shot, but if you ask me, then I'm going to tell you, 'Hell yeah I want the next title shot.' The big fight intrigues me and that's the biggest fight I could get."
"I really want the biggest fights available. Those are the situations I want to be in," he continued. "There's the title fight, but there are also crazy superfight matchups I'd really love to be in. Fights that are kind of Silva vs. Diaz-esque...those would be exciting for me. I really haven't had a chance to think about where I sit in the division and those things will become a bit more clear in the coming weeks, but I'm going to shoot for that big fight, and I don't think anyone, including Tyron Woodley, can blame me for it."
"It's not even so much about being the champion; it's about getting big fights," he clarified. "It's about getting the big-money fights. Being the champion is cool, but the payday is really what I'm interested in. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, and I'm not just fighting for the money, but anymore I'm looking for the biggest paycheck I can get."
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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