The UFC brought back their famous ‘Primetime’ Series, this time for UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit. In case you missed it, the first episode aired last week and below is the full episode.
The ‘Primetime’ Series which airs on FX, features behind the scenes footage of Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit as they prepare for their main event battle for the interim welterweight championship on February 4th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 2
EPISODE 3
Looking for an exciting fight? Look no further than this Saturday’s UFC 143 main event – Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit.
For “The Natural Born Killer” this will be the biggest fight of his career after scratching and clawing to the top for almost a decade he finally gets a chance to fight for a UFC title but he has his head screwed on still, he knows what the ultimate prize is:
“You know, cause it’s the interim title I’m not really thinking about it as much as a championship fight, I’m just fighting Nick Diaz in a five-round fight but ultimately GSP is the champion until someone beats him.” He said.
It’s been a rough ride over the past few months for the native of Albuquerque, New Mexico – In July his ‘knockout of the night’ performance against Dong Hyun Kim earned him a chance to fight George-St Pierre for his ten-pounds of gold.
While he was putting in the hard yards in the gym preparing to face his fellow Greg Jackson trained opponent a whirlwind named Nick Diaz came to mess up the dinner date – When Diaz blistered the face of former welterweight champ BJ Penn he jumped the queue and was slated to fight St-Pierre instead in their grudge-match.
Ultimately, those plans were scrunched up and thrown to the rubbish bin also when GSP suffered an injury that will force him to be away from the cage most of 2012 which sets up this Saturday’s interim title clash:
“Yeah, it’s been crazy man, a lot of excitement, some let downs but most of it was out of my control so I just try to focus on what I have control over which is training and getting prepared for whoever I ended up fighting.” He says.
Both combatants like to throw around their gloves and have the ability to do damage with them, Condit feels that the key to beating the Strikeforce champ is to not get sucked into a brawl with the 209 native:
“I wouldn’t say I’m a more technical striker because his boxing is phenomenal but it’s just different, I mean I might be more technical but maybe in different ways because he likes to draw guys into a face punching battle and I’m looking to be a bit more technical and not get sucked into that and really be able to implement my strategy.” He states.
Diaz is probably best known for his antics outside of the cage with the famous Nashville brawl with “Mayhem” Miller or the incident where he threw his shoe at Diego Sanchez but Condit won’t allow him to get in his head:
“You know, honestly when guys talk trash or try and get into my head I get a chance to get in there and get my hands on them and put their lights out so no matter how much crap he talks I get to beat him down in the end.”
These two top-ranked welterweights will fight to settle the score this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, keep it locked to MMASucka.com for your live results.
UFC President Dana White tweeted out this hilarious promo video for UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit. You better watch out if you are stuck in traffic in California.
When asked to describe Jon Fitch’s fighting style, one word keeps coming up – grinder. A guy that will wear you down with sheer will to get the upper hand and keep it. The skills are there, but almost overshadowed by the grit and determination that is more his calling card. The label also applies to a hockey player with similar grit, what the old-time hockey folks called “lunch bucket” players. The ones that weren’t concerned with the flashy plays, but went out there put out their best honest effort and won the battles in workmanlike fashion. “The guys in the trenches” as Don Cherry would say. Jon Fitch would have got on well with those guys.
Fitch is undefeated in his last six fights heading into his December 30th bout against Johny Hendricks, yet continues to be overlooked in the welterweight title picture. The fight itself is somewhat being slept on in some quarters while the attention is being focused on the hype and now controversy of the heavyweight match-up between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. But Fitch is focused on the positive:
“My fans are super-excited for it. They’re pumped, they’re very vocal and very excited to see me fight again. As long as my fans are there to support me, that’s all that matters.”
While it’s clear that Fitch sees himself as deserving of a title shot, he continues to remain philosophical on why the welterweight title talk focuses on Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, rather than himself.
“I should be [in the title mix], but if I’m not then I don’t know what’s going on. The only explanation I have is that I’ve been injured. So until I come back from injury and show I can still fight, I’m not in the talk.”
One criticism that has dogged Fitch is the lack of finishes since his loss to GSP three years ago at UFC 87. He has five wins to his credit but all of them have gone to the judges scorecards. While he maintains that no one in the UFC front office has ever said anything to him about it, we’ve all heard Dana White tell fighters a thousand times not to leave fights in the hands of the judges. White respects all fighters, but prefers the ones who have flashy knockout or submissions he can put on highlight videos. Fitch is aware that may be an issue, but remains committed to winning and winning his way.
At the end of the day this is a professional sport and professional sports are about who’s the best and fighting is about who’s the best. Records don’t lie. [A win over Hendricks] leaves me at the top where I’ve been since 2008. I don’t think much has changed, I think I’m still at the top. I think I’m the best fighter in the world. If I haven’t convinced everybody of it yet, I’m going to.
One would assume a decisive, stoppage victory over Hendricks would put Fitch’s name back in title talks, where he could be a contender for the winner of the interim title fight between Diaz and Condit. Fitch sounds ready for either one, while recognizing that his larger goal is to avenge his only UFC loss to the the division’s kingpin.
It’d be nice to have the interim belt, but the interim belt isn’t the belt. I’m still waiting for a win over GSP regardless of whether it’s title, non-title or whatever. One of my ultimate goals is to get the rematch with GSP. I’ve always wanted to be able to fight Diaz and Condit, so either of those two is something I’m looking forward to. Whichever one comes first, it doesn’t really matter. I plan on fighting both of them at some point in my career.
There might even be some leftover frostiness from UFC brass about the refusal of Fitch and his AKA teammate and fellow top welterweight Josh Koscheck to fight each other. The bond is clearly strong between the AKA crew, and Fitch shows pride in their accomplishments.
I think we are the top of the game, top of the sport, top of the food chain. I think on all levels. Our younger guys that are getting their first few pro fights are winning. At the top we had a champion in Cain [Velasquez], we had other champions in our past and a lot of champions in our future so we’re definitely at the top of the food chain.
The loyalty between all the AKA members continues to be paramount for them, and to hear Fitch tell it it’s something that takes precedence at the gym, no matter how famous any of them become.
That’s one of the things we work hard on is making sure we stay close, we stay a team and that we treat our team kind of like a marriage. There’s no divorces in our language, in this type of marriage. We make sure that if we have problems that we work them out. We check our egos at the door, we’re all there to help each other, we’re all there to make each other better.
Where Fitch’s affability wanes is when the question of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs comes up. It’s clear just from his voice that his competitive desire is fierce, and he takes umbrage at anyone that would disrespect the sport and its athletes by cheating. He is not only prepared to condemn those that use steroids, he also offers up solutions to combat the problem.
I think it’s cowardly to use them. I don’t think it’s necessary, I think those that use them are weaker-minded. But I think [the UFC] should be doing more about it. I think they should pay a little greater expense to get better testing. I think blood tests would be much better rather than urine tests. They could do the blood test the week before when they do our blood medicals for HIV and Hep C.
Also, [there should be] stiffer fines. I think the athletic commission fining them a little bit, I don’t think it’s enough. I think UFC should make an example out of guys that get caught cheating. Take 50% reduction in their purses for the rest of their career if they get caught. Something that’s actually going to stay and stick. That takes away the excuse of ‘oh well, everyone else is doing it and I’m here to make money’. Well now if you get caught, you’re going to make 50% less money for the rest of your career. I think that would be a big [deterrent] for people that want to cheat.
Fitch is a warrior inside the cage, but a thinking man outside of it. He switched to a vegan diet after researching it carefully and determining its benefits. Researching politics led him to supporting Presidential candidate Ron Paul, who seems to be a favourite among UFC personalities, also drawing support from Joe Rogan (who went as far to endorse Paul on The Tonight Show) and Chris Lytle among others. Fitch is able to speak on the subject with a candor and forthrightness that puts the Tucker Carlsons and Sean Hannitys of the world to shame.
I started making money and having to pay the IRS and [other] taxes at the end of the year because of being an independent contractor so it’s a bigger dent in the bank account when I’m paying that debt at the end of the year then it is to the average person who makes the weekly cheque and a little bit is taken out every week. Big, huge chunks go out when I have to pay [taxes] at the end of the year. So I don’t like that.
I started researching and I see Ron Paul and he [talked about] the Federal Reserve. I started researching the Federal Reserve and realized that it’s an unconstitutional organization that the American people have no say in how they set their standards and their rules or anything. They’re just an independent, private company that takes our money and spends it however they please and prints more money and makes our money worth less. So I started supporting him because of that and I started looking into more of [Paul's] policies and I realized he’s been saying the same thing for 30 years. He’s probably the only honest politician I’ve ever seen. I’m a big supporter of his because he’s either the last honest politician or the first honest politician we’ll ever see.
A man with unyielding determination, a tireless work ethic and a respect for those who see the courage in honesty. In another era, the Indiana-raised Fitch may have been a hockey player for the WHA’s Indianapolis Racers. Part of the “lunch bucket” crew, no doubt.
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-Carlin Bardsley-
Twitter:@carlinbardsley
Former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz faces former WEC welterweight king Carlos Condit in a battle to determine the interim 170-lb. champion! UFC 143 Presented by Bud Light – Saturday, Feb. 4 live at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas – UFC Fight Club presale starts tomorrow at 10am PT/1pm ET.
Also fighting on the card are Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce, Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen and Erik Koch vs. Dustin Poirier.
Rumored UFC 143 Fight Card
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre underwent surgery today on his ACL. GSP withdrew from his match with Nick Diaz at UFC 143, due to a blown ACL while training. According to his doctor in Los Angeles, California the surgery was a “huge success.”
Georges announced via Twitter.com…
Dr. ElAttrache says my surgery (ACL patellar tendon autograft) was huge success! Ligament very strong. Tks for support!
When Dana White announced that the champ was out of his fight with Diaz, it was said that he would be out at least 10 months. There is no time frame for his return to the octagon, however with the surgery success look for him to return within that 10 month window.
Some bad news for the welterweight title picture came out this morning. Dana White went to twitter to announce to UFC fans that George St-Pierre was out of his February 4th title fight against Nick Diaz with a blown ACL.
@DanaWhite: GSP blown acl will be out for 10 mos. Now Condit vs Diaz for the interim welterweight title on Feb 4th in Las Vegas!!
Replacing Georges St-Pierre is former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit (27-5). Condit holds a 4-1 record in the UFC with his only loss being a split decision to Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut. He was expected to fight Josh Koscheck at UFC 143, but will now step up to main event status to face Nick Diaz.
UFC bad boy Nick Diaz (26-7-1NC) was expected to make his UFC debut against Georges St-Pierre, but was replaced by Condit due to behavior issues on his part. He was then placed against BJ Penn in the co-main event. The main event was trashed because GSP pulled out due to injury and Diaz was once again the headliner. Diaz earned another shot at the title with his decisive victory over Penn at UFC 137.
It will be interesting to see what Nick Diaz has to say about this. Probably another conspiracy theory. Maybe we can blame the corporations and the 1%?
George St-Pierre was in Toronto promoting his Fitness DVD, which is the #1 selling Fitness DVD by a Professional Athletic of all time. The welterweight champion spoke with Showdown Joe Ferraro of UFC Central about his Rush Fit DVD and his upcoming fight with Nick Diaz. He also spoke about the decision to turn down the fight with Carlos Condit and the recent comments made by Jake Ellenberger.
