Most UFC fans know the story by now. Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz, who was on a 10-fight win streak, relinquished his title to come to the UFC and was to be granted an immediate title shot against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

However, after failing to appear at a press conference in Canada to promote the fight, he was pulled from the title bout and instead given a fight with B.J. Penn in the UFC 137 co-main event. Penn’s originally scheduled opponent, Carlos Condit, would take Diaz’s place against St-Pierre for the title.

All that changed when St-Pierre pulled out of his fight with Condit due to a knee injury. Once that happened, the Penn-Diaz bout was then moved to the main event and Condit was to wait on the sidelines for his title shot until St-Pierre had recovered.

Diaz put such a dominating beating on Penn this past weekend and in such an impressive fashion that the UFC brass decided to pull Condit out of his title fight with St-Pierre and instead award Diaz the immediate title shot he had first come over to the UFC to fight in the first place.

UFC President Dana White announced at the UFC 137 post-fight press conference, “We called Carlos Condit, he’s agreed. He’s stepped aside. He wants to fight on that same card. And we’re hoping to do this thing on Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.”

White was later asked if Condit was given a choice to step aside. White said, “Of course. I didn’t call him up and say… I like Carlos Condit, I respect him. He’s getting the next title shot and he said he wants to fight on that card too. It was a good conversation.”

Condit’s manager, Malki Kawa, President of First Round Management, however, tells a different story. Tonight on Inside MMA, which has moved to a live format on Monday nights on HDNet, reported they had received the following statement from Kawa:

“We are obviously disappointed in the UFC’s decision to cancel its commitment with Carlos Condit to give another fighter an opportunity at the welterweight title based on emotional reactions from UFC 137. Contrary to what has been stated, Carlos did not step aside to allow this to happen, and would not just hand over an opportunity for him to achieve his greatest career goal, one that he has earned through his strong performances in the Octagon. No option was given to him.”

“For the second time in less than two weeks, Carlos has had an opportunity swept out from beneath his feet. He has shown nothing but pure class in his drive to the title, and will continue to do so. Carlos does not need motivation to fight for the title, he already has it. The situation will only motivate Carlos more. He will move forward and continue to train at the level that has made him the legitimate number one contender for the UFC welterweight championship, and he is looking forward to the opportunity to earn that title.”

The good news for Condit is that he still gets a title shot. The bad news is if he does choose to fight on the same card with St-Pierre-Diaz on Super Bowl weekend and loses then his title fight opportunity gets pulled off the table.

5 thoughts on “Carlos Condit’s manager: “No option was given to him””
  1. Word is he wants to fight someone that he will gain something from…since Ellenberger just demolished Jake Shields…and they had a VERY close fight a couple of years ago…that’s probably the fight to make at this point…very dangerous fight for Condit though.

  2. makes sense. or just sit and wait for the title shot. looks better to stay busy though. he is in a bad situation though and probably deserves to be pissed.

  3. Honestly, I don’t really feel bad for Condit.

    IMO the UFC should have just been up front with him in the first place. That way he could have taken a fight with Koscheck or Ellenberger on the card. IMO the best fight to make would be the winner of Fitch-Hendricks vs. Condit.

    Koscheck vs. Condit is the rumour right now for 143.

  4. See..Koscheck won’t fight for the title again as long as GSP is champ…so my feeling is you have to put someone in there with Condit who deserves a shot as well with a win…which is where I have Ellenberger…

    But yea..Condit has to understand it’s a business decision although it sucks to have it taken away in this manner…but if he’s one of the best…winning one more fight shouldn’t be a problem..and if he can’t win one more…probably wouldn’t have been champ anyways.

  5. Yea, I think Ellenberger would be the 2nd best option personally. IMO the Fitch-Hendricks winner would be the best opponent if he could get back quick enough, just from a deserving stand point.

    I’ve kind of resigned myself to the thought of him for Koscheck thought. Theres plenty of media chatter for it, and it appears Kos is campaigning hard for it.

    Oh well, hopefully he wins.

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