When former WEC Welterweight champ Carlos Condit made his UFC debut four years ago, MMA pundits and fans alike were expecting big things from the “Natural Born Killer”. Unfortunately for Condit, Martin Kampmann was the man chosen to welcome him to the UFC.
After the razor-sharp scorecards were read Kampmann had his hand raised via spilt-decision.
Now after a four-year successful stint in the UFC’s welterweight division, the stage is set as Condit has the opportunity to rewrite his personal history by getting another crack at Kampmann. Let’s take a closer look at what is sure to be an excellent main event.
Martin Kampmann (20-6)
“The Hitman” is for real. Aside from his tight BJJ game and stellar MMA wrestling style, Kampmann can also KO any man in the 170 lb. division. He also has a knack for never being in a boring fight.
To be successful in this rematch against Condit, Kampmann will have to do what he did in their previous meeting and that’s use his grappling game as often as possible. Kampmann’s Achilles heel in this particular matchup may be his standup but you cannot discredit his power and ability.
Kampmann is an incredibly well-rounded fighter with the flair for the dramatic, but as we’ve seen with Johny Hendricks, his chin may be his biggest question mark going into the bout.
Carlos Condit (28-7)
Perhaps the best finisher in the current welterweight division, Condit is easily one of the sport’s best.
Aside from his astounding killer instinct and dynamic striking, the former interim welterweight champion has also showed us that he has the heart of a warrior.
Condit will have to do his best to keep this fight standing with leg kicks and distance. From there he will look to test the chin of Kampmann with anything from front kicks to left hooks to flying knees. If he does end up on his back, however, we expect to see Condit use the threat of the submission to either get back to his feet or try to end the fight off of his back.
The Bottom Line
According to Bodog, Condit (-270) is favored against Kampmann (+210) and that seems extremely fair. Both men are very well-rounded in every aspect of the game but compared to one another there are obvious questions leading up to the fight. Has Condit’s wrestling gotten better since the last time we’ve seen him? Can Kampmann withstand a full on assault from one of the best strikers in his division?
Who are you picking?
Zachary Hutton is the lead boxing writer and an MMA contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can see what he’s up to at his band’s website myunclethewolf.com or also subscribe on Facebook.
