On The Spot with Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit

Promoted to the Front Page and edited by Zak Woods.

MMA Spot interviewed the former WEC welterweight champion about his upcoming fight.

In April of 2009, Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit made his UFC debut against former middleweight contender, turned welterweight, Martin Kampmann at "UFC Fight Night 18." Condit and Kampmann treated the fans to a highly competitive and entertaining fight, and although the judges’ decision gave Kampmann the victory, it was by no means an underwhelming performance by Condit.  Set to take on UFC newcomer Jake Ellenberger on Sept. 16, Carlos sat down with MMA Spot's Matthew DeMarinis to discuss his new camp, how he gets his mind right for fighting, what part of his game has improved the most, and also how he would approach a fight with UFC Welterweight Champion Georges "Rush" St. Pierre.

MD: In three weeks you’ll be taking on Jake Ellenberger at "Ultimate Fight Night 19." How is the preparation going for the fight, and are you anxious to get back in the cage?

CC: Preparation is going really well. It’s been a really tough training camp. I think we got a lot done and I really feel like I’ll be prepared in a few weeks. I am very excited to get back in the cage. I’m coming off a loss, and I want to get back in there, and get back on the winning track.

MD: At what point in your career did you feel that you could compete at an elite level in this sport? One day did it just click for you, or at what point in your development did you say, ‘I can be a champion level fighter in this sport’?

CC: When I was real young. The gym I was training at was also in partnership with Greg Jackson’s gym, I would train with some really tough guys like Diego Sanchez. I would have really good sessions with guys like that, and I know that if I could compete and do well against guys like that then I could definitely compete on the world stage.

MD: Do you think the sport would benefit from having five-round fights without the need for titles and interim titles being put on the line?
CC: Yeah, I think a lot of fights go to a decision, and people feel like it’s unresolved. Fights are so close that a decision doesn’t do it justice, so I think five-round fights would kind of remedy that. On the other side of that though, if you’ve got guys fighting five rounds instead of three rounds, I think you should pay them more. More work, more pay.

MD: Where do you feel you stack up in the current welterweight division in the UFC? Knowing Kampmann is one win away from a title shot and you two had a very close fight, where do you think you sit in the rankings in the UFC?
CC: I don’t know. I’m going to wait to answer that until after this fight, after I get a win under my belt. I’m 0-1 in the UFC so far, so I don’t have the right to really be squawking a whole lot. Let me do my talking with my fists here on the 16th, and that will be a better gauge to where I’m at.

Check out the extended interview and full audio here: MMA Spot