Welterweight Letdown? Three Reasons Why Lawler vs. Condit Will Disappoint

Welterweights Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit are synonymous with carnage.

Throughout their respective careers, both men have demonstrated an uncanny ability to transform fights into bloody warfare. Whether it be a slugfest, short finish, or perfected dissection of top foe, these 170-pound dynamos ignore the natural laws of physics.

Because of their similar tendencies to welcome awe-inspiring action, fight fans round the world are highly anticipating their inevitable championship collision at UFC 195 this upcoming Saturday.

But as good as this matchup looks on paper, are we overlooking the glaring cancellation of styles? Will one fighter supremely envelope the other?

It’s quite possibly. Here are three reasons why Lawler vs. Condit may not live up to our wildest dreams, and ultimately fail to enter the realm of “Ruthless” vs. Rory MacDonald.

Time Away From Injury:

The best recipe for success in this sport is to stay active. Remaining healthy, focused, and able to fulfill the UFC’s needs is the best course for perennial prosperity.

However, fighters often find it difficult to fight a few times a year. Injuries, reschedules, and the always frustrating willingness to wait for a title shot, all lend a hand in sidelining some of the best names in the game.

Unfortunately, Lawler and Condit have fallen somewhere in this category, between injury and inactivity.

As one of the most consistent welterweights in the UFC from 2013-2014, Lawler’s lone 2015 appearance may come as a shock. While it culminated with a legendary title fight opposite MacDonald, “Ruthless” is not a guy who thrives on minimal action.

For Condit, who was sidelined for over a year after tearing his ACL against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171 (lost via first-round TKO), making two total Octagon appearances since the start of 2013 is truly a cause for concern. His lone victory since then, opposite a regenerating Thiago Alves, leads us to believe “The Natural Born Killer” may be rushing his comeback.

Obviously, both Lawler and Condit possess the professionalism, experienced track record, and surrounding coaching staffs to take the necessary steps in bypassing any sort of cage rust. But in today’s game, it’s difficult to gauge how a fighter will fare with limited exposure over the course of a year(s).

Offsetting Skillsets:

There is a real issue sometimes when two fighters possessing similar fighting styles enter the cage.

Coexisting techniques, movements, pressure, timing, and knowledge of the game often prohibit comparable Octagon forces from blossoming into their perceived selves. In turn, this creates an unavoidable and forgetful stalemate.

While Lawler’s barbaric approach has worked wonders against fellow brawlers like Matt Brown and Bobby Voelker in the past, a five-round title fight opposite an offensive gamer like Condit is something completely different. Whether it be the challenger’s tall frame, dexterity, versatility, or timing, Lawler may find it difficult to land his patented barrages.

In Condit’s case, despite his ability to tap into a gear that is dictated by fast action and quick results, it takes the 33-year-old some time to get going. This was never more evident than in his victories over Martin Kampmann and MacDonald, which saw the welterweight veteran take his time and calculate his attacks.

There will certainly be times in this fight that call for each fighter to unload and initiate contact, but it’s just as likely that homogeneous habits, mutual respect, and the magnitude of the moment will produce a lengthy feeling out period.

Lawler’s Amazing Evolution:

If all else proves hogwash and both fighters bring their absolute best this weekend at UFC 195, we could very well be looking at a one-sided affair.

Had it not been for a knee injury opposite Woodley back in 2014, Condit would have presumably maintained his eight-year streak of not being finished inside of the cage. As a matter of fact, even with losses to Georges St-Pierre, Johny Hendricks, and Martin Kampmann, the New Mexico native has never truly been dismantled inside of the Octagon.

But when stacked up against Lawler, a fighter who possesses a comparable aggressive style, Condit may find out the hard way that his time on top has passed him by.

Coming into UFC 195, many people have high hopes that Lawler vs. Condit will stack up to Lawler vs. MacDonald, which ended up stealing the show at UFC 189 and easily resides as the greatest championship tilt in division history. Truthfully, it is unfair to expect that same sort of manifested madness this time around.

Remember, in the midst of Condit’s lone Octagon outing since March of 2014, Lawler has defeated Jake Ellenberger, Matt Brown, Johny Hendricks, and MacDonald in succession. That sort of subjection to elite level competition does wonders for any fighter, let alone a freak of nature like Lawler who is coming into his professional prime.

So while Condit’s resume suggests he will have multiple answers to the champ’s tumultuous offensive output, we could very well witness yet another step in the evolution of Lawler. One that will subdue a fighter in Condit who is only two rounds removed from blowing out his ACL.