<B>By MATT MOLGAARD<BR>
MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer</B><BR><BR>
Carlos Condit has been riding the rollercoaster of success lately. Hell, he?s been on the ?coaster for four and a half years. In that time he?s put together 11 victories against a lone defeat (at the hands of Martin Kampmann). And I?d be willing to bet a god 80% of people who watched that Kampmann fight scored it for Condit, I know I did.<BR><BR>
Regardless, the man?s proven his worth for just about every major promotion in existence. He?s enjoyed great success in Pancrase, tore a hole through the Rumble On The Rock promotion (prior to meeting Jake Shields), won and defended the WEC welterweight title, and now he?s put together three back-to-back wins inside the UFC?s octagon.<BR><BR>
If that?s not putting in work, I don?t know what is.<BR><BR>
So, now that Condit has blown through another highly regarded opponent, who should be chosen to challenge the New Mexico native? I?ve got a handful of ideas?<BR><BR><!--more-break-->
<B>Martin Kampmann:</B><BR><BR>
It?s too bad Kampmann and Jake Shields are tied up, because they?ll both make for great bouts with Condit, and they?re both going to make this list. The first time Condit and Kampmann fought, it was a back and forth war that saw both men put in danger. The glaring difference in the fight was the aggression of Condit, who exploded on multiple occasions, inflicting significant damage, clearly trying to finish the fight. What should have been a Carlos Condit decision victory went the wrong way, and it?s just about time for Condit to get that W back.<BR><BR>
<B>Chris Lytle:</B><BR><BR>
Chris Lytle has a well rounded enough game to give any opponent fits, even elite competition. A clash between Condit and Lytle would be nothing short of explosive, as Lytle?s hands may be a bit sharper, while Condit?s Jiu Jitsu just a tad bit more precise. The two would likely nullify each other, but as opposed to a boring chess match, we?d probably be in for a giant ball of dust and ruckus. Who exists the haze the winner is any man?s guess.<BR><BR><!--more-break-->
<B>Ben Askren:</B><BR><BR>
Ben may not fight for the UFC, but he?d make for a damn interesting bout with Condit just the same. Askren?s technical wrestling abilities will pose all kinds of threats for Condit, but Condit?s explosive guard and polished Jiu Jitsu game could easily lead to a submission victory. Now, should Condit find a way to stuff Ben?s takedown?s, it?s The Natural Born Killer all the way.<BR><BR>
<B>Nick Diaz:</B><BR><BR>
If you want to see two warriors who refuse to quit, can box well, and possess lethal submission games fight each other, you stick these two in a cage. Nick Diaz is a nightmare for any man with average (or below) wrestling. His hands never stop moving, and his ground game is about as slick as it comes at 170 pounds. Condit is a mirror image of Diaz, but has the tendency to explode more often, and mix his strikes up a bit better. Both men have near-unbreakable chins, and both are performing at their peak right now. This is a match made in Heaven.<BR><BR><!--more-break-->
<B>Jake Shields:</B><BR><BR>
These two fought back in 2006 at Rumble on the Rock 9. The bout was closely contested, but Shields did enough to earn a unanimous decision victory. Over the last four plus years, these two have both improved leaps and bounds, and both added well regarded scalps to their collection. It?s most likely that should Shields defeat Martin Kampmann at UFC 121, he?ll be tossed into the cage with Georges St. Pierre (assuming he still has the title). However, should some odd occurrence unfold and Shields lose, or not find himself in line to fight GSP, this is a rematch that must happen. A win for Shields proves the first bout was no fluke and he?s worthy of the ranking he totes. A win for Condit immediately launches him into the top 5 of the division, and lines him up as a serious contender for the title.<BR><BR>
Exactly what will happen by the time Condit fights again is as much a mystery as who Condit?s next opponent will be. One way or the other, I?m pulling for another A-list foe; this kid deserves it.<BR><BR>
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