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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The UFC Welterweight Title picture is on hold at the moment, waiting for Interim Champion Carlos Condit and Champion Georges St-Pierre to square off this November to unify the titles. However, a couple of other names have been emerging, readying for fights at the top of the division.
However, those key names, Johny Hendricks and Martin Kampmann, are more likely to square off against one another before getting a chance at the title. That is, of course, unless Georges St-Pierre's recovery takes longer than expected.
Appearing on HDNet's Inside MMA on Monday, Condit said he'll take another fight if St-Pierre isn't ready by November, and he's eying Kampmann as the man he'd like to face in the event that is necessary.
"If it turns out Georges can't fight in November, most likely, I will fight somebody else," Condit said (transcribed by BJPenn.com). "I really wanna fight Georges. I really wanna unify the belts, but there's also some other guys that I would like to fight as well. You know, Martin Kampmann's the only guy that I’ve lost to in the UFC, the only guy I've lost to in about the last six years, so I would definitely like to avenge that loss."
That loss Condit mentions came by split decision to Kampmann in his UFC debut in 2009, the lone blemish in his last 14 fights. Because of that, Kampmann may find himself leapfrogging Hendricks should a replacement be needed.
Penick's Analysis: The first fight between Condit and Kampmann was immensely close, and Condit absolutely had a case for two of three rounds. Because of how close it was, and because of the improvements he's made in the three years since that fight, it makes sense that he'd want that rematch. He felt he won the first fight, and I'm sure he feels he'd win the rematch as well. With Kampmann putting himself back in the mix at the top of the division, it's a fight that may make a lot of sense if GSP can't fight in November. If he can, however, Kampmann will need to get past Hendricks, with Condit getting past St-Pierre, in order for the rematch to happen with a title on the line.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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