Photo by Esther Lin MMA Fighting.
Former Bloody Elbow editor-in-chief Luke Thomas makes his debut at MMA Fighting today with a fun piece about UFC 143's headliner Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit. Here's Luke explaining the concept and how it applies to this fight:
There are a number of ways to parse the fight's merits or evaluate its worthiness, but it'd be criminal to not note just how much gameness defines this bout's character. Every fighter has biological limits, but Diaz and Condit are two fighters who are nearly peerless when it comes to competing up to the outer limit of those boundaries.
Numerous examples of their durability abound. Against Rory MacDonald, Condit was able to withstand a torrential downpour of ground and pound only to stop the rising prospect in the third round. Against Paul Daley, Diaz was floored on more than one occasion in a chaotic see-saw battle only to stop the Brit with strikes late in the first. Condit was floored with gargantuan punches early by Jake Ellenberger, but hung on and eventually took a decision. Diaz was getting drilled by hard punches from Takanori Gomi before driving the Japanese sensation back with strikes, ultimately submitting him with a spectacular gogo plata. The list of their gameness accolades is nearly endless.
...
I don't want to suggest gameness is the only reason this fight is special. There's obviously more to the story. But the level of gameness both fighters exhibit is extraordinary because they also possess deep experience and technical acumen. Neither fighter is careless, but neither fighter lets caution lord over them. That's unique. Over time as fighters gain experience and add skills, you'll often see a trade off in ferocity. With Diaz and Condit, however, you just see the ferocity more expertly channeled.
Luke's dead right here. Diaz and Condit each possess levels of will and ferocity that almost no other active MMA fighters can match. I'll never forget watching Condit in his corner before the third round of his bout against Rory MacDonald. It was clear just from watching him that MacDonald was in deep trouble despite having won most of the first two rounds. Condit came out with a sense of purpose and a refusal to accept any outcome other than victory.
For his part Diaz is just as ferocious and indomitable. It's really too bad that this fight is being overlooked because welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre is injured and off the card. Of course, if GSP was healthy we'd be looking forward to GSP vs Diaz which isn't half the fight that Diaz vs. Condit promises to be.
Head on over to MMA Fighting and give Luke a warm welcome. Your BE membership will be portable now that Fighting is on the SBN platform.
1 recs | 53 comments
Haven't heard "gameness" in forever
But it’s such a great term, and so fitting for these two guys. I was reading a book about bare-knuckle boxing in the 19th c. recently, and the then-current term for the same thing was “bottom”. Weird.
Patrick Wyman - February 1, 2012
I know. It’s always weird reading the old fights and coming across something like “he was the great bottom of the fancy”. I have to stop and double-check that it’s fighting they’re righting about.
John Nash - February 1, 2012
Hahaha
It’s so true.
Patrick Wyman - February 1, 2012
I've been hoping for this fight for years.
We’re so close, finally. The two most bloody-minded fighters in the game. War Condit!
Kwisatz Haderach - February 1, 2012
And they added the SBnation comment system
thank god. haha
NickaG - February 1, 2012
I’ve said that this fight will be like tossing two starving heyenas into a sack. This is going to be a sick war! I can’t wait!
Steve W - February 1, 2012 via mobile
most accurate description i've read of this fight....
and these two fighters. this description sums up why i am more excited for this fight then i have ever been for any fight i can remember.
F'n Clownshoes - February 1, 2012
5 rounds? Someone may die in the octagon.
Body Triangle - February 1, 2012
I can't believe I'm going to miss this fight!
At least I’m not babysitting…..
soilworker - February 1, 2012
you were supposed to leave the second line for us
to receive the rec, and the accompanying eternal glory.
FAIL.
gspmademegay - February 1, 2012
Anybody else thinking
Possible fight of the decade?
Douglas Vincent - February 1, 2012
If the fight of the decade hadn't been in San Jose two months ago, I might agree with you.
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
Who's...
…overlooking this fight? Not sure where you got that from, Kid Nate. All indications point to general giddyness over the match up.
INGO B - February 1, 2012
casual fans are overlooking the fight
I expect it’ll do about 500,000 fewer buys than GSP vs Diaz would have done
Nate Wilcox - February 1, 2012
I haven't been this excited...
Since Diaz v.s. B.J. Penn.
jcbrewer - February 1, 2012
There will be blood.
lolumad - February 1, 2012
Mostly Diaz’s. As soon as you say fight he starts bleeding.
TheLastEmpress - February 1, 2012
I hope Condit takes it.
But something tells me the fight will play out like a slightly more even, and much faster-paced, Diaz vs. Cerrone.
lolumad - February 1, 2012
Could be true
But a big part of that was Diaz the younger’s reach advantage. Condit has equal reach and an inch of height.
Scott Whitaker - February 1, 2012
Rec’d for truth.
Shit, I hadn’t thought of that.
This could be stopped due to Diaz bleeding.
jcbrewer - February 1, 2012
I could definitely see Condit attacking with lots of elbows and some knees to try and hack a hole in Diaz's face.
That could be a potential fight finisher.
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
“GSP vs Diaz which isn’t half the fight that Diaz vs Condit promises to be”
I’d be much more interested in GSP vs Diaz.
Rody Diaz - February 1, 2012
" There are a number of ways to parse the merits fight or evaluate its worthiness, but it'd be criminal to not note just how much gameness defines this bout's character."
That mght be the worst sentence I’ve ever read. Good article, but that gave me a nosebleed.
vile(nt)green - February 1, 2012
i’m sure he meant “fight’s merit” rather than" merits fights" but you’re right it’s tuff to get thru the thomas grandiosity.
Hardy's in your face - February 1, 2012
*might
Galaxy tab ftw
vile(nt)green - February 1, 2012
I can see Condit wimning the first round and a half, maybe dropping Diaz a couple of times before Nick goes insane and puts a severe beating on him in one of the fastest paces fights ever to grace the octagon, eventually stopping him in the middle of the fourth. What a fight this promises to be. I see Nick looking worse but Condit close to tears at the press conference. I think GSP will shit himself either way tho cause both guys are scrapers and as talented as he is we all know how he loves to play it safe.
peet cassidy - February 1, 2012 via mobile
I can see Condit wimning the first round and a half, maybe dropping Diaz a couple of times before Nick goes insane and puts a severe beating on him in one of the fastest paces fights ever to grace the octagon, eventually stopping him in the middle of the fourth. What a fight this promises to be. I see Nick looking worse but Condit close to tears at the press conference. I think GSP will shit himself either way tho cause both guys are scrapers and as talented as he is we all know how he loves to play it safe.
peet cassidy - February 1, 2012 via mobile
I can see Condit wimning the first round and a half, maybe dropping Diaz a couple of times before Nick goes insane and puts a severe beating on him in one of the fastest paces fights ever to grace the octagon, eventually stopping him in the middle of the fourth. What a fight this promises to be. I see Nick looking worse but Condit close to tears at the press conference. I think GSP will shit himself either way tho cause both guys are scrapers and as talented as he is we all know how he loves to play it safe.
peet cassidy - February 1, 2012 via mobile
please tell us
what you can see.
gspmademegay - February 1, 2012
What he sees.
is Condit wimning the first round and a half, maybe dropping Diaz a couple of times before Nick goes insane and puts a severe beating on him in one of the fastest paces fights ever to grace the octagon, eventually stopping him in the middle of the fourth. What a fight this promises to be. I see Nick looking worse but Condit close to tears at the press conference. I think GSP will shit himself either way tho cause both guys are scrapers and as talented as he is we all know how he loves to play it safe.
Got it?
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
Sorry
Can’t see it.
bevedog - February 1, 2012
Okay, let's see if I can re-word this somehow..
Nick is the true meaning of coward. Before you get offended let me explain with a story. One day Im a work talking to a buddy about ketchup and this little 135 -140 pound kid thats standing close to us in the lunch room says" ketchup is disgusting and garbage" we kind of laugh and say "thanks for your opinion but this was an a b conversation then laughed ignored him, he then says " you think your funny ? Funny like a clown then he laughs. Now im 200 5’10 hit the gym regularly, i’m no0 mma fighter but have been gifted with the type of power in both hads that breaks faces and am a natural wrestler that never was taught, im also 35 , a father of three boys , have a wife, and trying to be a christian and be a good person. Ive come from some bad places. So I blow it off those are fighting words but hes no threat so whatever. After lunch this guy come up to me saying" Jasons says your a bitch says he mouth you off said you where a clown or something said you did nothing" I work in factory 170 employee im pretty furious this will go around shop make me look bad, I say to the guy" that kid is the little bitch I ever met i think he is laughable at best it was a joke to me" Now i go back to work like 3 minintes later this kid is coming up to me in my unit area I dont want to make this any longer so in short he come up in my space and says"you call me a bitch" etc. this goes on for a bit I look at people around me I say to them "you see he is in my space and wont leave right they say yup all witnesses I then rip off my shirt and do like a hulk scream and pose and then say to the kid " don’t you no I would fucking destroy you are you fucking retarded? you little bitch" my coworker grabbed me and he left at that point. We get call up to management shortly after, I almost lost my job for doing nothing, kid got suspended from work for 2 weeks. Kid In management offices asked me why hes a bitch said he lipped me of got in my face, I said "a bitch is someone who acts tough to or treats people poorly when there in a place of protection using the fact that I cant lose my job or have police trouble etc. If you where a real man you would wait till after work endanger my safty with witnesses so I have no choice but to defend myself, if you really have beef and want to prove something like your tough that takes balls" kid says after that " if you try anything after work ill call the police on you" kid still doesn’t get it. Nick is the kid in this story talking shit now hes in a place of protection again not fighting gsp and he will never learn. Gsp is me thinking this guy must be mentally delusional or something and don’t even see him a threat more of an annoyance.
Better?
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
yes, a million times.
gspmademegay - February 1, 2012
this is a masterpiece
mollcutpurse - February 1, 2012
so perfect!
benten20 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
everyone, take notes
This is how you use a meme
dgonz - February 1, 2012 via mobile
You just won the internet...
The whole fucken thing
ThatsHowIRoll - February 1, 2012
Danke schoen.
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
Condit wont let Diaz give him back his change
Greg jackson knows exactly how to approach this fight. He knows Diaz is great at applying steady pressure through his boxing. Therefore everyone should expect to see Condit controlling the points of engagement. Carlos will use tons of footwork to get the angles and opportunities that he wants. They wont let Nick get off 4 or 5 punches in a row. Carlos will strike then he will be gone then he will strike and be gone again. Just watch his last brief fight aginst Kim. His footwork was awesome and we can expect more of the same on Sat. One or 2 hard shots at a time delivered condit then sidesteps until he can find some bigger openings and signs of frustration form Diaz.
Hardy's in your face - February 1, 2012
Way easier said than done.
Also you have to factor in ego, Condit may want to just if he can stand with Diaz.
jcbrewer - February 1, 2012
nope, he used the same tactic against Kim and that’s all Jackson has been focusing on in terms of strategy.
Hardy's in your face - February 1, 2012
Condit will get sucked into a brawl at some point, as long as Diaz is willing to engage (and he will be).
That’s just how the guy fights.
lolumad - February 1, 2012
he’ll get sucked into some exchanges that might last longer than Jackson would like but I’m certain that they know exactly what they want to do in this fight. Lots of footwork lots of patience until there is an opening he wants. I dont know if they want to work in the clinch against diaz, probably not a bad idea but it’s not really a means to an end.
Hardy's in your face - February 1, 2012
Jackson also trains Leonard Garcia
He can teach tactics all he wants, but once the guy is in the cage it’s all up to him.
What makes the Diaz bros so interesting is that they force their opponents to fight with emotion instead of reason.
hatsofftous - February 1, 2012
You watch WEC?
If you’ve been following Condit, you probably wouldn’t compare him to Leonard.
cardioless - February 1, 2012
Thats fairly spot on.
Condit is not a heavy, top control wrestler who can stifle Diaz’s groundwork, nor is he a takedown machine so they ways in which Nick was beaten repeatedly in his first UFC run won’t apply here. Condit’s chance of submitting Nick is also miniscule, and probably only possible if Condit rocks him with a strike first.
I see this as a stand up fight with some clinch work….or it may become a heavy clinch fight. In either case, for all of Diaz’s great great boxing, I’ve always though strikes up the middle would be Diaz’s downfall. If Condit can time uppercuts and front kicks properly, he can put Diaz down.
Cocytus - February 1, 2012
You’re right. Condit has no choice but to do it on the feet and straight punches and kicks should be a big part of the attack and set ups. He just needs to do his 2 or 3 strike combo and get out. I think Carlos shows a lot of patience, so, if nick is taunting him then he’s doing it right.
Hardy's in your face - February 1, 2012
So is MMAFighting finally COMPLETELY separated from AOL?
Machiel Van - February 1, 2012
As far as I can tell, yes.
T.C. Engel - February 1, 2012
Yes
Luke Thomas - February 1, 2012
The GSP/Diaz fight was going to be a great fight. But Diaz/Condit has FOTY written all over it. Epic.
pud333 - February 1, 2012
Nobody can see how this fight could not be exciting, which usually means it’ll be the exact opposite of what we’re expecting.
savik - February 1, 2012
What I imagined:
Hendo_One-Shot - February 1, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bloody Elbow to post a comment.