UFC 143 Results: Carlos Condit defeats Nick Diaz

UFC fans have long been waiting for some movement in the upper end of the Welterweight division. Nick Diaz had been set to take on defending champion Georges St. Pierre in UFC 137, but conflicts with UFC president Dana White led to Diaz loosing his shot at the title, only to face the lesser BJ Penn in the same event.

If this all wasn't enough, the GSP camp reported a serious knee injury to the Champ, forcing organizers to cancel the St. Pierre vs. Condit title bout. In a strange twist of fate, Diaz was once again at the top of the fight card, only now against BJ Penn and with no title on the line. After an impressive win over BJ Penn, Diaz used his post fight interview to call out the champion, setting the stage for one of the biggest title defenses of the year. 

While it appears that the entire MMA world was preparing for the GSP vs. Diaz spectacle, Carlos Condit remained unfazed by the hype and knew that only he stood between the top title contenders and the belt.

Now, instead of the welterweight showdown we were all waiting for it looks as if Nick Diaz is not only out of his title shot once again, but that he is also walking away from the federation that “robbed” him once again.

Lets see how some of UFC 143's biggest fights went down.

Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz

Prior to the fight UFC betting lines had listed Nick Diaz anywhere between -190 and -230; surprising seeing that he had actually opened at +105. Those of us who had caught the UFC odds early considered ourselves lucky, as the books quickly moved Diaz upwards of -130.

We knew that we liked Diaz coming into this fight, but we were also aware of Condit's powerful leg kicks, and Nick's susceptibility to left hooks. If the line movement told us anything, it was that the public sided with the hype and assumed that Diaz's agressive style would overcome the leg kicks of Condit.

Diaz seemed to have had control of the first three rounds, but by the fourth round it became clear that the same leg kicks we warned you about in our fight preview proved to be the difference.

By the time the fourth round rolled around, Diaz began to show fatigue. Condit, who had been running most of the fight, started to elevate his kicks, landing a few critical shots to the head of Diaz.

With the fifth round winding to a close, Diaz managed to take the battle to the ground in the final minute of the fight. While he failed to secure the arm bar he was looking for, he controlled the remainder of the fight, rising at the final bell to celebrate his victory.

With the fight going to the judges, somehow Carlos Condit was declared the winer in a unanimous decision. It was a decision that not only stunned the fighters, but shocked the fans as well.

While Condit did hold his own, the fact that two judges scored the fight 46-49 is far off from what many fight analyst had concluded. Diaz went as far as to announce his retirement from the UFC, stating that he “doesn't need this shit”, as he feels that he was once again robbed by the organization.

Condit will now go on to fight Georges St. Pierre for his first title defense. With GSP sidelined until November with a knee injury, Dana White has proposed that Condit would have the option to accept another title defense fight in the event that he is fit to perform prior to November. The GSP camp is reporting that the former champion is recovering faster than expected, and that he is more motivated than ever to reclaim the Welterweight Title belt that he feels is rightfully his.

Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum

The closest lines of the night's Main Card belonged to the bout between Roy Nelson (+150) and Fabrico Werdum (-160). While Werdum held the significant height advantage, we expected Roy's size to absorb anything that the Brazilian could throw at him. After the body shots to Nelson proved to be ineffective, Werdum looked to his knees to lead an all out assault on Nelsons face.

“Big Country” proved to be one of the most resilient fighters in the UFC, as he continued to challenge Werdum, despite the blood streaming down his face. If a fighter's 'heart' was rewarded, Nelson would have been the clear-cut victor, but unfortunately for us, there are no Spirit Awards in the UFC.

In a call that went the to cards, Fabrico Werdum took the unanimous decision. In his post fight interview, Werdum even had to comment on the shock and frustration involved with Nelsons ability to take a hit. While our UFC pick failed to cash, this fight was one worth watching as Nelson gave a clinic on how to take a hit.

Had it not been for the obvious height advantage, Nelson could have gotten closer and would have been able to unload his powerful hooks on his opponent. His heavy physique will continue to set him against the taller opponents which share his weight class. While Roy packs the power, he also proved that it holds very little use if you can't reach the person you are fighting. With the UFC's “Three and Out” mentality, Nelson, who has lost three of his past four fights, must now prepare to fight for his career.

Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce

While most of the focus was on the welterweight championship fight, two other men looked to prove that this division is not just a three horse race. It wasn't hard to believe that Koscheck entered the fight as the betting favorite, especially after he impressively knocked out Matt Hughes in the first round (A fight that he took with only two weeks notice). What was surprising though, was that the sportsbooks had listed him as high as -300.

While the odds told us one thing, we felt that the best sports betting value was lying in Pierce (+240), and a split decision was all that kept us from a huge payday.

For a clash between two dynamic wrestlers, this fight featured anything but, as the two kept to their feet unwilling to test the others skills on the mat.

Koscheck's standing game consisted of right-handed jabs which, while telegraphed, managed to bloody the face of his opponent. As we had noted after his last fight against Matt Hughes, Koscheck tends to leave him self open while striking. Pierce failed to take advantage of these openings, and it is possible that the blood in his eyes (along with the two pokes he received from Josh's fingers) prevented him from seeing his opportunities.

Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen

Jorgensen's confidence was quickly put in check as Barao took an early lead with multiple kicks, as well as a heavy right hand to the Jorgensen's chin.

Many credit Jorgensen for his ability to start each fight as the aggressor, as he looks to set the tone and command the pace of the fight. While he came out swinging, it was Barao who made his dominance known as soon as the fight started. As predicted, the two exchanged multiple leg kicks, but Barao who managed to land a few critical shots to the face, as well as a spinnink kick, leaving Jorgensen heavily winded by the end of the second round.

Jorgensen rarely attempted to take this fight to the mat, where he is usually so successful, but then again he rarely had the chance, as every time he neared his opponent, Renan was waiting with a fist.

After taking the early lead, Barao took to a defensive approach in the third round, leaving a frustrated Jorgensen dancing in circles looking for an opening.

We did witness some of the fight ending moves that Jorgensen is known for, he just never managed to stick them. His spinning backfist and Superman punches came out as hail-mary attempt, rather than strong finishing moves.

A unamious decision handed the victory to Barao, who looked to have come out on top in each of the three rounds. Jorgensen clearly is the better wrestler between the two, but unfortunately he was unable to showcase his skills. Tough loss, but the Brazilian proved to us why he was listed as high as -240.

What this means

Thanks to the results of UFC LIVE on Fox II, UFC fans will now be treated with two of the most highly anticipated fights in years. Jon 'Bones' Jones will defend his title against former training partner and friend Rashad Evans, while the rematch between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva could be one of the biggest fights in the history of the UFC.

It only seemed natural that St. Pierre vs. Diaz would round what looked to be the perfect storm for the MMA. With Diaz now walking away from the UFC, and the battle worn St. Pierre unable to fight, whats next for the welterweight division?

Two welterweights will headline the UFC on Fuel TV later this month, and we all know that Condit will be watching closely, as a new contender could emerge from the shadows. 

Lets go over the night's results.

UFC 143 Results

• Dan Stittgen vs. Stephen Thompson: Thompson over Stittgen via KO
• Rafael Natal vs. Michael Kuiper: Natal over Kuiper via unanimous decision
• Matthew Riddle vs. Henry Martinez: Riddle over Martinez via split decision
• Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope: Brown over Cope via TKO
• Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa: Figueroa over Caceres via split decision
• Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway: Poirier over Holloway via submission

• Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks: Herman over Starks via submission
• Renan Barão vs. Scott Jorgensen: Barão over Jorgensen via unanimous decision
• Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce: Koscheck over Pierce via split decision
• Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum: Werdum over Nelson via unanimous decision
• Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit: Condit defeated Diaz via unanimous decision (48–47, 49–46, 49–46)

Be sure to read our UFC betting picks and previews for UFC 144.