Carlos Condit Thinks Thiago Alves Is The Perfect Opponent

Out of action since suffering a brutal torn ACL in a UFC 171 loss to Tyron Woodley in March 2014, former interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit will finally return to the cage when he meets Thiago Alves in the main event of May 30’s UFC Fight Night 67 from Brazil.

It’s been a long and winding road back to recovery for the No. 4-ranked “Natural Born Killer,” who was on the cusp of a title shot before he was unfortunately prevented from showing his full repertoire of skills against Woodley. But while over 14 months away from fighting would suggest that Condit will return with a significant amount of ring rust in tow, he doesn’t believe that will be the case at all.

Detailing his training process in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report’s Duane Finley, Condit said that he’s been staying in shape extensively throughout his entire recovery period:

“I kind of feel like I have been in camp this entire time. While I was initially training to get back, when the fight was announced it was just shifting into another phase of what I was already doing. Once the fight was announced then it went to watching tape on a particular fighter and working on particular things, but I’ve been training pretty intensely for months and months on end.”

That philosophy has lead to a state of extreme focus for the intense, calculating Condit, and he believes that facing a dangerous opponent like former title challenger Alves makes him rise to the occasion and put forth his best efforts:

“My intensity is right on point. I’ve had all that intensity bottled up for over a year and I’m ready to get in there and unleash it. This is the perfect opponent to do that with because he’s coming at me. When the bell rings it’s going to be do or die. Either he’s going down or I am. That’s the way I like it. The more dangerous my opponent is the better I fight.

“When I have that sinking feeling in my stomach before a fight and I have that dread that I’m going to step in there with a savage who is coming in there to hurt me…I have my best fights. I’m at my best under those circumstances. This is going to be a great fight. I’ve admired his fighting style for a long time. I want to be in fights the fans want to see and this isn’t going to be something the fans want to miss.”

Dedicated fans of mixed martial arts (MMA) rarely want to miss any fight that Condit is a part of, and coupled with Alves’ all-out style of Muay Thai striking, May 30’s main event is undoubtedly going to be one that no one should rightfully miss.

With three losses in his last four bouts, however, does “The Natural Born Killer” have one last welterweight title run left in him?