Photo by Nick Laham/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The UFC 143 main event between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz reminded of a very specific reality when it comes to the fight game. Condit's ability to stick to a gameplan that neutralized Diaz's style cut into some of the excitement expected from the fight. Instead of a wild brawl we were given a tense strategic fight.
For many fans Condit's gameplanning was a sort of betrayal, he broke the agreement some saw the main eventers as having with the fans. For me it was one of the things you need to see at the highest levels of the sport, just as vital as Dan Henderson's wild brawl with Mauricio Rua. I'm not suggesting that the two fights are on the same level of excitement for me, but rather that I find both fights to be acceptable and exciting in their own way.
In the Bloody Elbow staff picks, everyone but me picked Diaz to win. The reasons ranged from Diaz having too good of a chin for a firefight to Diaz's barrage being too much for Condit to withstand for 25 minutes to not being able to find space for his own strikes as Diaz relentlessly threw blows. Even when I picked Condit, I thought he would look to get the fight off the feet and work from top position.
SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit
Instead of trying to dent Nick's chin in a firefight that most picked Diaz to win, Condit circled, kept his back of the cage and used kicks to score points while exploiting the holes in Diaz's footwork to stay out of danger.
This is, to me, the point of combat sports. Condit practiced the art of hitting while not getting hit.
Much of the anger and disappointment seen from certain fans stems from the idea that it isn't legitimate to look to score points and not finish. To some people, looking to win a decision is not nearly as legitimate as fighting for the finish at all times. That seems to ignore the fact that Condit was working high kicks, he did throw powerful combinations at Diaz's head and he worked spinning backfists that never really landed.
Judges Score Cards From Condit Vs. Diaz | Nick Diaz Announces Retirement After Loss
And while Diaz did out-punch Condit, Condit out-struck Diaz by out-kicking, out-kneeing and out-elbowing him
But why should Condit have gone for broke trying to knock out a man who is notoriously hard to knock out? Why go for submissions against a man who has never been submitted? Based on the majority of analysis of the fight, Condit was very unlikely to stop Diaz, so he didn't ever go for broke trying and leave an opening for Diaz to get his offense rolling.
Condit fought smart, and sometimes fighting smart means backlash from the fans. It's an unfortunate reality of the game, but Condit should be proud of his ability to stick to a smart strategy and can look at his UFC championship belt if he ever finds himself unsure of if he did the right thing.
9 recs | 83 comments
I agree. Condit put on a great performance and surprised me. His cardio lasted longer than I thought, he made Diaz’s boxing look a lot more human, and best of all he got Nick “I ain’t no bitch” Diaz to retire. I’d say that’s a pretty big win in my book. Fuck the casual “JUST BLEED” fans.
makiwara - February 5, 2012
No, Fuck You.
Signed,
- a JUST BLEED fan.
pornflake - February 5, 2012
Diaz has showed his susceptibility to low kicks in the past, and also to precision striking accompanied by decent footwork. Condit used both to his advantage and won what a great fight. Some people are always going to be upset that the Condits of the world aren’t stupid enough to stand there and get knocked out….but we need those fans too.
OmoPlata - February 5, 2012
thank you!!!
Been trying to explain this to everyone since the fight, Im honestly blown away by the amount of people saying Diaz not only won but won 4-1! Ridiculous! Condit is the fuckin man and I knew I should have bet on this!
Austin Wilson - February 5, 2012 via iPhone app
Well, I was pretty disappointed for this very reason, but in hindsight Condit was very smart to make those claims.
In the end he won and you can’t always get a “Just Bleeeeeed”-performance – that would have cost Condit dearly. I’m looking forward for Diaz’s next fight anyway…
… and GSP – Condit ;-)
killphil - February 5, 2012
Sad I missed it
ATTN: POW
Ready for that sig :(
menckenstein - February 5, 2012
It is legitimate to drive home a safe desicion victory.
It’s just not what I fell in love with MMA for. Legkicks, bicycle, point counting. Especially not when one of the guys is ready to turn this into something exciting and memorable.
pornflake - February 5, 2012
thank you.
- Just Bleed fan 2
vivero - February 5, 2012
I love the violence of MMA.
That was a violent performance by Condit. A very well executed, diverse, violence.
ElliotMatheny - February 5, 2012
I beg to differ. It was the fucking Tour de France.
pornflake - February 5, 2012
You're being ridiculous...
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
First stop on the Tour of France:
Lowkickville, followed by a nice trip to the headkick Chateau, and all ending up in the comprehensively outstruck Cafe.
ElliotMatheny - February 5, 2012
Im pretty dissapointed
but I knew all along this would what Condit would do.
After seeing the Rumble vs Hardy ordeal, i have learned that whenever fighters promise a whatever they will do the opposite.
It doesnt matter, i find it really silly how Condit is being criticized.
When you strike or go for a takedown, you look for an opening, Condit found a way to win and he took it, end of story, he was the SMARTER fighter and in the end that was the better fighter.
elmojo - February 5, 2012
Werdum promised to slug it out with Nelson, which I thought was a strategic lie, but turned out to be true.
Fraser Coffeen - February 5, 2012
Roy
menckenstein - February 5, 2012
What the hell is wrong with my keyboard
Roy’s elbows made good friend with those knees.
menckenstein - February 5, 2012
So did his nose
Mjub - February 5, 2012
Roy might be one of the toughest human beings ever. George Chuvalo would be proud of ‘Big Country’.
sheikybaby - February 5, 2012
except chavalo has never been knocked down
Clay Davis - February 5, 2012 via Android app
And George Chuvalo never got kneed or kicked.
Gugabe - February 5, 2012
This fight was awesome, and I am shocked at the level of anger here today.
Here’s the thing that, to me, separates Condit’s performance against Diaz from other more tentative performances from, oh, GSP. Condit did not go for the kill at some point because Diaz was still incredibly dangerous at every point in the fight, as evidenced by his late sub attempt. Condit was fighting a beautiful gameplan and executing it very well. Had he strayed from the gameplan, he would have played into Diaz’s hands, and Diaz is a fighter who will stay in it until the end.
Contrast that with GSP vs. Koscheck. In that fight, GSP came in with a plan, and executed it. But it was clear by at least midway through that fight that Koscheck was seriously damaged and was no longer a real threat. GSP could have stepped up the intensity and gone for the kill, but he chose not to. THAT is a tentative performance where winning matters at all costs.
What Condit did was take out one of the best fighters in the division, and one of the hardest to finish. That’s not always going to be a really easy task to accomplish, and it’s going to take a lot more than just slugging it out.
Fraser Coffeen - February 5, 2012
Given who Nick Diaz is, and who his fans are
Are you really so shocked?
This fight wasn’t at all what I expected, and I can easily see how casual fans (who tend to be the kinds of fans who think Diaz’s showboating automatically means he’s winning, and who enjoy his type of antics) wouldn’t have appreciated it.
But damn if that wasn’t a tense, interesting intellectual fight that I just fucking loved. I hope to hell Diaz doesn’t really retire, because I had no idea who was going to win the fight after he got the takedown to the back in the fifth. Judges made the right decision though IMHO.
Scott Whitaker - February 5, 2012
Oh no you don't!
You don’t get to criticize GSP or Fitch for their style while praising what Condit did. Koscheck has a brutal right hand which GSP did not want to get hit by. He fought a smart, technical fight. At least he didn’t turn his back and run over and over and over.
IKiIIed007 - February 5, 2012
Nicely scored
First fight in a LONG time where the judges saw the fight as I did. Congrats Carlos, great gameplan, great striking diversity, and cardio
MNCONNECTED - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Condit was fighting last night. Not brawling. I don’t put to much stock in a fighters opinion. They’re biased cause that’s how they think a fight should be scored. Tell me what some judges and referrees have said about the fight. They’re the ones whose opinions matter. Condit woulda been dumb to just stand and bang with Diaz. Just like an idiot will try to out wrestle GSP. Diaz comes constantly comes forward. Your job is to not let him. Don’t let your ego get you knocked out.
Inspectorxr5 - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Well just as long as Condit knows....
GSP is the king of not fighting and Condit will spend 5 full rounds on his back doing nothing while GSP is on top doing nothing.
What fun its going to be!
Mustardfinger - February 5, 2012
But you will still watch it
And complain about it. We are all lookig forward to that
ZapRowsdower - February 5, 2012 via mobile
That pretty much sums it all up, I can't not watch MMA
Mustardfinger - February 5, 2012
Are we all friends again today?
Zachary Kater - February 5, 2012
People get too personal with thier fighters
Blinded by hatred or love for a fighter and not objectively seeing the fight. Next week all is forgotten. :)
cager - February 5, 2012
Nope, next week is Edgar/Bendo
sun yue - February 5, 2012
I hope it turns into a grappling clinic like Edgar/Griffin back in the day.
Zachary Kater - February 5, 2012
Doesn't look like it
sun yue - February 5, 2012
It's a Sprot You Goofs
MMA is a sport
you win by using a Game Plan that allows you to win either by stoppage or by Decision
If only one of Condit’s many punches or kicks had scored a KO
all those babies with no fighting experience would be hailing him as the latest and greatest (or maybe not if they decided in their baby minds that it was a lucky punch/kick or an early stoppage LOL)
The fact of the matter is that Condit simply would not get caught up in Diaz’s “you fight my fight” jabber
and used a Game Plan that let him Outsocre Diaz by the accepted criteria
Now we can look forward to seeig whether Condit or GSP will come in with a better Game Plan next time out
It may not be rock em sock em robots
but it will be the two best welterweights in the world trying to beat each other at the sport of MMA
kah - February 5, 2012
sprot. haha
Robust23 - February 5, 2012
It's not Carlos' job to stand in front of Diaz and get KTFO'd
It’s his job to win fights, and he had and executed a great gameplan to do that. Sorry Condit is smarter than your boy, Diaz fans.
duck - February 5, 2012 via mobile
You are 100% correct but...
You don’t need to run to avoid getting hit in a fight, & it’s funny that everyone is saying this was a great gameplan he pretty much pulled a Kalib Starnes & everyone bashed him. Carlos is fake he was saying he was a warrior in the primetime shows then he goes & runs in the fight. Since he did it so many times the ref should taken a point or points away
KJ Brophy - February 5, 2012
except Condit landed more total strikes than Diaz
that’s not what Kalib Starnes did. Starnes circled endlessly he didn’t back into the cage landing strikes then trade 1 or 2x at most then circle away, looking to land a strike of opportunity and recenter to then repeat the cycle. Starnes just ran. Big difference.
Nate Wilcox - February 5, 2012
Are fighters suppose to stand right in front of their opponent and just throwdown?
I’m pretty damn sure that is the quickest way to losing with JDS or Diaz or practically any fighter out there.
Diaz presses. In uncomfortable ways that fighters are not familiar with it. Thus, their reaction, like Condit’s can look scared. But Condit landed more strikes so I have no idea why people think he ducked him all night.
Maybe Diaz should’ve fought better. Maybe Diaz should’ve adjusted.
Maybe Nick Diaz lost this fight.
jthin - February 5, 2012
The "Condit pulled a Kalib Starnes and should have lost points" claims are fucking stupid.
Not engaging in a brawl is not timidity or running from the fight.
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
How was that a Starnes?!
Condit outlanded Diaz in strikes and constantly threw head kicks, spinning back fists and even a flying knee or two, moves specifically designed to knock the other guy out.
Diaz won’t back up from a jab, so the normal means of establishing a range don’t apply. In order to keep his range, Condit was forced to constantly move and circle, which he did WHILE outlanding Diaz and throwing very powerful strikes. This was NOT a Starnes performance.
Shaun32887 - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Carlos fought smart.
When you try to be exciting against a more exciting fighter you lose. Carlos realized he had to stifle nick with his gameplan and it worked. Taking a little fun and craziness out of the fight takes the fight out of and away from Nick. Reminds me of when my brother and I play undisputed together, if i win the fight is less exciting.
All this said, Carlos wont fight the same against GSP, and GSP will go with 30% jabs 70% takedowns. Carlos would be stupid to point fight GSP even after a long lay off. I seeCarlos taking the late stoppage or decision. I still think diaz could beat GSP too. But if he honestly doesn’t like how the fight games goes, he should leave. No sense staying around if your not having fun. Him vs koscheck would be reaaly fun though…
cager - February 5, 2012
Smart but not so much fun
Carlos deserves the credit for winning. He won an MMA game with points because he knew he couldn’t win a fight.
Great for him. Less great for fight fans.
Tacoknight - February 5, 2012
Based on the Diaz scoring system of who ever looks more fucked up at the end is the loser...
… then Carlos is the winner as well.
jthin - February 5, 2012
Diaz cuts so easily and takes so much damage in every fight
I doubt he’d ever want scoring to be based on damage.
Carlos won the points game and that’s the MMA game they signed up for. To me it’s just disappointing that Carlos seemingly went into the cage planning for a decision. That was the effective game plan that he used, stay out of range, off the cage, and land enough to win the decision.
I prefer to watch fighters that go into the cage planning on finishing.
How exciting is it going to be to watch Condit and GSP fight for the judges, instead of fighting for the fight fans? I understand that fights go to the judges despite a fighter’s best efforts, but the score cards should be plan F or G, not plan A.
Tacoknight - February 5, 2012
Because Condit will fight GSP with the exact same gameplan that he had with Diaz.
Also about all this points game, Condit is a point fighter bullshit. Yesterday Carlos Condit went to a decision for the 4th time in 33 fight and still has a near 93 percent finishing rate, let that sink in for a moment.
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
Isn't that the point?
Condit is normally NOT a point fighter but yesterday he was. That’s why people are disappointed.
Pantherhare - February 5, 2012
I dont agree
He was a point fighter. Ask yourself if at any point he had Diaz hurt do you think he would have gone for the finish? I think so.
traydawg - February 5, 2012 via Android app
He didn't point fight...
He didn’t engage in a brawl, that’s not the same as point fighting. Is there the same probability that it gets finished? No but that don’t mean he was only going for a decision.
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
i think many people upset with condit’s performance dont or havent watched boxing.
traydawg - February 5, 2012 via Android app
Agreed.
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
yep
Dootch - February 5, 2012
I think Condit's plan A will be to out score GSP
Pantherhare’s comment is exactly what I’m thinking. Condit is (hopefully not “was”) a finisher, but he came into that cage with plan A being to win on the score card. I understand it, because he couldn’t win in a fight. So he won an MMA match. It was the smart thing to do, and it worked. It just wasn’t very much fun to watch.
I’m just now watching the post fight show (I live in Germany) and they’re saying Condit may have broken the Fightmetric record for most leg strikes landed. Really? Dang, that’s almost as cool as breaking the record for holding an opponent down the longest. Leg kicks are effective for getting points and reducing mobility, but usually not for finishing.
Face it, he came in planning on a decision. It was smart. It was effective. It was possibly the only way to win, but it wasn’t the amazing fight (potentially FOTY, remember those predictions?) that many people wanted.
If Diaz got his ass wooped, I’d still be disappointed, but I’d be glad to see a fight. Like many BJ fans may not have liked that BJ lost against Diaz, but they knew he got beat up and have to give a bit of respect. Condit was just smarter, not a better fighter.
Tacoknight - February 5, 2012
Have you ever taken a leg kick?
You saw a fight yesterday, you just didn’t see a brawl. If “leg kicks are almost as cool as holding a guy down the longest” I don’t think there’s even a possibility of discussion.
Sweet Scientist - February 5, 2012
I routinely throw head kicks, flying knees, and spinning elbows with no intent to finish,
…..
Violent Newt - February 5, 2012
This
WTF are you guys smoking? He was going for the finish all night.
KMcCaig - February 5, 2012 via mobile
Great fighters adapt to their opponents game plan… and Diaz didn’t. I think that says something about Diaz.
Shnak - February 5, 2012
I am so sick of these fucking generalizations
No, I didn’t want a fucking “wild brawl.” What I expected, based on the fact Condits finishing rate is ridiculous and the fact Diaz was Diaz, was a FIGHT where both fighters were looking to beat the person into submission.
I didn’t expect a wild, Leonard Garcia, sloppy kickboxing brawl thing. I expected two highly trained fighters on the feet and on the ground with relentless styles to go in there and show me that. Why is it so outrageous to expect Condit to act like Condit has always acted and Diaz to act like Diaz has always acted?
Instead, I got Condit doing what he had to do to win an MMA match.
And Condit’s gameplan was excellent. And he won the fight. And now he gets the shot at GSP and a chance to make some good money in the sport. Congrats to him.
But he lost at least one fan and the UFC is about to lose another. I don’t know how many times I can pay 60 bucks to watch a point fighting match. Maybe the sport has just passed me by and I can’t enjoy the finer aspects of it anymore. I just don’t know when it become outrageous to expect two fighters to try and finish a fight.
dbcb - February 5, 2012
WTF
Every time I try to rec something, it gets a Flag.
Anyways, I agree. I’ll still watch the GSP-Condit fight because I watch all the fights, but I’ll have my iphone handy to keep me entertained.
Tacoknight - February 5, 2012
it's a known glitch.
It looks like a flag when you hit send, but when you check back it’s really a rec.
some schmuck in texas - February 5, 2012
Well I am 100% with you until the last paragraph.
I’m still a fan of Condit, but he did take the fun out of that fight.
IKiIIed007 - February 5, 2012
amen.
vivero - February 5, 2012
What exactly did Diaz try to do to finish the fight, other than a takedown in the last 2 minutes?
Jotorious - February 5, 2012
whine whine whine
I wonder how many people that are whining that nick diaz should have won for moving forward have also whined about someone winning a fight by getting takedowns and doing nothing.
It wasn’t a barnburner, but it was still a pretty good fight.
Phildo - February 5, 2012
Not this whiner
I’m disappointed in the result (and don’t disagree with it completely), but I thought Carlos was 10 times more exciting than every single wrestler’s ground-fights combined (minus takedowns).
When a fight’s about to start and the fighter’s highlights are all double legs and weak slams, that’s when I go grab another beer, take a piss, check email, etc.
No one will ever convince me that wrestling is entertaining to watch.
Tacoknight - February 5, 2012
In a sport that utilizes wrestling so much?
Maybe you should follow another sport. NASCAR bores me to tears, but I don’t complain about it. I just don’t watch. Try kickboxing instead.
KingBrody - February 5, 2012 via mobile
"ACCEPTABLE!"
-Brent Brookhouse
I keed, I keed. One of the great things about this sport is that every fight is different. I don’t think anyone in their right mind thought this would be a replay of Henderson/Rua. We certainly had plenty of reason to expect lots of aggression and violence, but these guys don’t fight the same as those guys. And anyway, if Nick had gotten that choke we’d all have wet pants and be making comparisons to Silva/Sonnen.
some schmuck in texas - February 5, 2012
I think we all expected that it would have been better, because Condit and Diaz can last 5 rounds.
vivero - February 5, 2012
Condit was fine, but Zuffa and Rogan....
I had no problem with Condit’s strategy. His coaches and cornermen gave him good instructions and a sound game plan, and he did what they told him to near-perfection. Great job by Carlos.
But anyone – especially fans who are fairly new – who saw the repeated promotions promising a war might have been understandably disappointed.
Worse, though, was Rogan and Dana in the five minute Shout-n-Spitfest at the end of the prelims. I can honestly say I’ve never seen Rogan do a better imitation of a coked-out lunatic. His eyes were literally bugging from his head, and the only thing missing was the foaming mouth as he jizzed about the epic fights that were about to happen on the PPV.
I get it, not every fight lives up to the hype. I’m not disappointed by Condit or any of the fights last night, but I have to think that anyone who put down good money for the first time last night is going to think twice about doing it next time there’s a “guaranteed” barnburner being served up by Zuffa.
( . Y . ) - February 5, 2012
I’m not so sure it was an imitation…
Pantherhare - February 5, 2012
Well, anyone who has ever watched sports before knows that the fight or match or game will always be hyped like mad, and that the actual event may or may not deliver what the hype said it would. I learned this during the second game of the 1986 World Series. More people in the U.S. watch the Super Bowl than any other sporting event and it almost never lives up to the hype. That’s just how sports are. I know people always say this kind of thing, but if you want to be guaranteed some wild action, you should watch pro wrestling — which I do, and I recommend you check out Ring of Honor or one of the Japanese companies. Then go back to MMA to see two guys trying to beat each other in a fight instead of trying to put on a show.
Finian1 - February 5, 2012
Why have you guys forgot about what Condit has previously done. You guys make him sound like he humped every opponent he’s ever faced. Let’s not forget how brutally he dispatched his previous opponents that he knew he could in fact brutally dispatch. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to dispatch Diaz in that fashion so he found a way to win. Wouldn’t all of us have done the same thing if we were in his position to win a championship? I know I would…..
Wake up all y’all!
I have been lurking on these forums for 3/4 years now and have never felt the need to write anything worthy on here except until now.
surri - February 5, 2012
Just wrote this above — it’s because Condit was a killer that people are so disappointed that he employed a “safe” gameplan.
Pantherhare - February 5, 2012
This, exactly.
He standing-Fitched Diaz. Winning is the most important thing, so I cannot fault him for that… but it made the fight a lot less than what we were hoping for.
IKiIIed007 - February 5, 2012
I buy only 1 or 2 max ppv’s yearly. Got tired of gettn suckered by the promotions promising one of the greatest wars ever etc. Only to see 1 rd ko’s or snooze fests. My criteria now on buyn ppv’s is there has to be @ least 3 top 10 fighters on the main cards. If there’s a fight I absolutely have to see, I go to the local hOOters n order order a few wings n fries n end up spendn less than ordering ppv @ home.
Hankverdee - February 5, 2012 via mobile
I hate this notion
That Nick Diaz seems to have that you have to play to his strengths or you didn’t come to fight.
That 11 fight win streak he had before this loss is full of guys that did what Diaz wanted them to do. It’s a childish mentality, then throwing a hissy fit after an L makes it even more childish
IRodC - February 5, 2012
The hissy fit at the end was hilarious. Everyone i was watching with were laughing their heads off.
His guy and his thin skin. A little bit of adversity, and he talking retirement.
The guy didn’t just put his back against the cage and let you punch him?
Come on Nick, if your a champion like you say you are, adapt.
Clay Davis - February 6, 2012
I said this elsewhere
Everyone mocked Werdum for hoping Overeem would oblige him with a grappling match; I suspect many of the same people expected Condit to indulge Diaz with a brawl.
VenusBlue - February 6, 2012
Condit fought smart and evolved his game while Diaz didn't
I see no reason for everyone to be SOOO angry over this.
MaZZacare - February 5, 2012
Here's the thing
When GSP fights technical, masterful fights and sticks to a brilliant game plan, cruising to easy decision wins, the same people praising Condit right now are whining about how boring GSP is and all that shit. Same with Fitch.
Why the double standard? These people hate Diaz.
Carlos Condit finished 26 out of the 28 fighters he’s beaten (before this fight) — there was absolutely no precedent in his history to make fans think he was going to reinvent his style just for this fight and point-fight. We were sold this fight as a brawl. Both fighters basically promised a brawl. We got a technician vs a brawler instead. We fans who were promised a brawl are disappointed. That’s all.
Anyway, it’s great to know I won’t read a bunch of whining from these people about GSP or Fitch decisions anymore, even if GSP wrestlefucks Condit to a 50-45 3-card win.
IKiIIed007 - February 5, 2012
It was an exciting but technical fight
Condit had a great gameplan, executed it perfectly, and destroyed this prevalent notion that “Diaz will get inside your head, man!” He was landing combos on Diaz (a freaking legkick-headkick combo) and destroying that lead leg, which Diaz sits heavy on. I think it was the 4th, looked like Diaz was starting to buckle on it a little. He did a great job of getting out of Diaz’s back control, and even tried to get some strikes in afterwards. He knew not to sit in the pocket with Diaz’s punchstorm, and knew not to sit on the cage. Diaz walking forward and talking shit < landing more strikes and fighting smarter. Condit was still looking strong and fast at the end of the 5th round, Diaz didn’t seem to wear him down any. If the fight had kept going and Condit had kept landing those leg/body kicks, it would’ve been interesting to see. But instead everyone will complain about Condit’s gameplan.
Also, Diaz throwing a tantrum like a petulant teenager at the end was just kind of sad. “I respect Carlos Condit… I didn’t lose, that fight was bullshit, he landed pitter-patter kicks on me, waah.” So you respect him, or don’t? Whatever homie.
I think the reason most people are upset here is because of the hype. Personally, I try not to expect any great fights, because that’s when you get gypped.
thirdparty - February 5, 2012
The Most frustrating thing to me, is that
Nick Diaz couldn’t and wouldn’t adapt to a fighter who wouldn’t fight the fight Nick wanted to fight, and people are beating up on Condit? In the post fight interview, Nick said something to the effect of “If I thought I wasn’t winning, I would have finished him off”
So for Condit to apparently try to win a decision is weak, wimpy, pussy-ish, whatever, but Nick says that he could have finished off Condit but chose not to because he thought he would win the decision is somehow ok.
I think the bottom line is that people are biased and see what they want. I hate Machida for the constant avoidance game, the game that Condit sort-of played last night. But I was happy with Condit’s performance. I’ve grown tired of GSP’s fights because he doesn’t fight to finish, he fights to win. But I’m not mad at Carlos today for doing the same thing.
Jotorious - February 5, 2012
^^^^^^^^
Exactly…..It sucks that a fighter goes out and takes away his opponents strength and he’s called a runner? So I guess when Reem avoided Werdum on the ground he was a runner too? Everytime Werdum pulled guard Reem backed off so I guess by that logic he lost too….funny thing is I was rooting for Diaz but put my bias aside long enough to see a smart game plan and execution by Condit.
cusebear - February 5, 2012 via mobile
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