The August 28th UFC on FOX Sports card scheduled at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis now has a main event, as top welterweights Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann are set to meet for a second time. The first match — Condit’s UFC debut — ended in a split decision win for Kampmann back in April of 2009, buoying his ranking to near the top of the division. However, Kampmann is coming off a brutal KO loss to Johny Hendrix in his last outing back in November of 2012, and it will be a layoff of nearly 10 months since Kampmann last fought. For his part, Condit is coming off two losses in a row. He stated to the media he wanted to work on his wrestling game and was thinking of a rematch with Nick Diaz, but this match with Kampmann will suit the ‘Natural Born Killer’ just fine. It is a chance to avenge a loss from his first appearance in the Octagon. Since that match, Condit has gone on to win gold (a UFC interim welterweight title) and he has tangled with the top guys in the division and proven he belongs. Kampmann has been on the threshold of title fights twice now with the UFC, and twice he has dropped matches when he needed a win. Condit is a much improved fighter from where he was in 2009, and he has been following a path seeking constant improvement. Kampmann is a solid fighter, but he hasn’t really improved his position much since 2009. When the lines are released at the sportbooks, look for Condit to be favored. Condit is a top guy and he is unlikely to be let go by the UFC, however in today’s current working environment at the UFC, no fighter can afford to take three losses in a row. Kampmann too will have the motivation to avoid a losing stream, but Condit will have the revenge factor as well, and there are few fighters in the UFC who work better with a game plan and motivation than the cerebral Condit. Both fighters are equally well rounded technically, however Condit is superior all around in terms of athleticism, gas tank, stand up fighting and ground game. Kampmann has a tall order in front of him if he is going to look for Condit’s chin, like he did when he caught top guy Jake Ellenberger, as Condit has proven he can take a punch. Kampmann on the other hand, has been asleep more than once in the octagon, so he will also have to cover his chin and protect himself against the diversified onslaught of one of the UFC’s most complete fighters. Kampmann is in trouble in this matchup, and the line at the books will reflect that reality. A win for Kampmann would get him back on track in the division, but certainly would not result in a title shot next. The more likely scenario is that the UFC will have Condit coming off a win, and then who do you match him up with?
