Carlos Condit’s return injects more fight to UFC’s lacking welterweight division

Reporting from LAS VEGAS —  The anticipation of UFC 219’s main event pitting the seemingly indestructible featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino against Holly Holm, the fighter who beat Justino to destructing Ronda Rousey, is rich.

But Holm’s stablemate and fellow title challenger Carlos Condit is also providing a long-awaited boost to the pay-per-view portion of the card at T-Mobile Arena when he meets welterweight contender Neil Magny following a 17-month layoff.

“I was trying to sort some things out, figure out what I wanted to do. I’ve tried a few different things, but the side effect to that is that I did recuperate mentally and physically, and for this one, I feel refreshed,” Condit said.

Condit (30-10) took advantage of his down time to open a coffee manufacturing business and welcome a newborn baby.

“We do production wholesale distribution on one side and events on the other side, so it’s like a two-pronged business model,” Condit said.

Many have questioned whether Condit has lost some of his competitive zest after he took his sabbatical in the prime of his career, following a submission loss to Demian Maia in the first round in August 2016.

It was Condit’s second consecutive loss, after losing a thin decision to then-welterweight champion, Robbie Lawler, at UFC 195, in what many hailed as the fight of the year.

Fifteen out of 20 media members sitting ringside for that fight scored the fight for Condit, who had a striking advantage over Lawler.

Condit, in usual low-key demeanor, never griped about the decision.

The return of “Natural Born Killer” Condit in the welterweight division couldn’t come at a better time after UFC President Dana White criticized the lack of action in champion Tyron Woodley’s past three title fights.

“I’m focused on what I have in front of me. If I take care of business on Saturday night and put together three to four great performances against top-level guys, I think that will probably put me back in title contention,” Condit said.

Condit has long been one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster because of his humble personality and violent production inside the octagon. Many rank his action fight with Lawler as one of the greatest in MMA history.

“I love MMA. I will be involved in some capacity, or in various capacities within the sport, after my fighting career is over. I’m taking it one fight at a time, but I feel my time is now,” he said. “I’m not getting any younger.

“I’m excited for this matchup. I’m focused on this fight and that’s all I ever do. I usually tend to focus on what I have right in front of me. Magny is a tough test. Magny is well-rounded, has great endurance. He’s got great boxing and great reach, but he doesn’t have great angles. I have better movement than him and I feel that’s definitely an advantage.”

Magny (19-6) returns to face Condit after also being submitted in his last fight, by former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in September.

Magny is 3-2 in his past five bouts, including victories over Kelvin Gastelum, Hector Lombard and former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks. Beating the highly respected Condit puts him in title contention. Condit is the slight favorite, but Magny doesn’t understand why.

“I don’t see him having an edge in cardio. I don’t see him having an advantage in striking. No one has the strength advantage. No one has the reach advantage,” Magny said Thursday.

“It’s even, in my opinion.”

Condit, a close teammate of Holm’s at Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, is also excited to see what she can do against “Cyborg.”

“I have known Holly for many years and I have never seen her this locked in for a fight. Style-wise, this is great matchup for Holly. We’ve been in training camp together and I have never seen her so focused,” Condit said.

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