MMA Universe

So you wanted to see Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz? Tough. You're getting Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit thanks to "The Natural Born Killer" hopping on his bicycle and executing a brilliant game plan to defeat the Stockton boxer last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.

During the post-fight show on FUEL TV, "Suga" Rashad Evans -- who has trained with both St. Pierre and Condit -- broke down Condit's chances and what he'll need to do to win.

"With the fight coming to Georges St. Pierre, Carlos Condit is going to have to work his wrestling. Georges St. Pierre is the master at the transition from the punch to the takedowns and that's where he controls the fight, that's where he controls the pace of the fight. Carlos Condit was doing a very good job ... when he fought Diaz with the in-and-out with the leg kicks but somebody like Georges St. Pierre, he's going to have to do a little bit more. He's going to have to be able to mix it up a little bit more and show that he can bring the fight where he wants to bring the fight."

Feelings about last night aside, are we looking forward to St. Pierre vs. Condit? And who wins?

Fabricio Werdum made his triumphant return to the UFC last night (February 4, 2012) when he took on the winner of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 10, Roy Nelson, in the co-main event of UFC 143.

Admit it, upon first look at the fight between "Vai Cavalo" and "Big Country," you didn't jump up and scream "Fight of the Night! but that's exactly what ended up happening.

After laying a big fat egg in his previous fight with Alistair Overeem, Werdum came out a man possessed and put on perhaps a worse beating on Nelson than the current champion Junior dos Santos did.

So how was the world champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace able to handle Nelson so easily? And what's next for both top heavyweights?

Follow me after the jump for our Fabricio Werdum vs. Roy Nelson UFC 143 post-fight review and analysis:

Right away, this wasn't the same Werdum who flopped to his back repeatedly in his last fight. He looked tense, ready to pounce at a moment's notice and he struck with an instinctual knee the instant Nelson changed levels on him.

Even more impressive was his response as Nelson waded in with a huge right hand, kicking "Big Country's" lead leg out from under him and immediately leaping onto his back and scoring a takedown although he couldn't keep him on the canvas.

As Nelson worked his way back to the feet, Werdum kept a tight grip on him, placing the TUF veteran in the thai plum and just brutalizing him with knees which busted open his face with a huge cut on Nelson's nose. Werdum kept the pressure on "Big Country" but upon separation, he ate a nice right hand which dropped/slipped him.

It was a tremendous start for "Vai Cavalo" and while he wasn't able to put forth the same amount of damage in rounds two and three, he still fought at a measured pace with occasional bursts of violence. This wasn't your momma's Fabricio Werdum, this was Werdum 2.0, a fighter who's looking much more well-rounded after taking some time off to continue to improve his game.

In the end, Roy Nelson was tough as nails, but he had no answer for Werdum's length and his diversity of attack. There's only so much damage one can do with a big right hand compared to the elbows, knees, punches and kicks that Werdum was tossing his way. The judges agreed, awarding Werdum an easy unanimous decision.

For Roy Nelson, this fight cemented the unfortunate fact that he's not going to be a player at the very top of the division. He can hang with the mid-tier heavyweights, but every time he's stepped in against a top 10 opponent, he's been blown out. Being tough is one thing, but he's got to offer more than a big right hand if he wants to be effective against the best guys.

I'd like to see Nelson square off against someone like Mike Russow next, perhaps the loser of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finals between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier or maybe even Gabriel Gonzaga. As long as they can keep putting him in fun fights, that's all that matters for now.

For Fabricio Werdum, this was a coming-out party of sorts. Sure he shocked the world against Fedor Emelianenko, but a three fight losing streak by "The Last Emperer" tarnished that tremendous upset a bit. In my opinion, he looked better last night than in any prior fight in his career. He looked confident in the stand-up and also very aggressive, throwing a wide array of strikes. Hopefully he can keep up this style of fighting because he can be a serious player in the UFC heavyweight division if so.

I think a perfect fight for Werdum would be Frank Mir, as both are coming off very impressive victories. Other possibilities include a bout with Cain Velasquez or potentially someone like Cheick Kongo if he were to get past Mark Hunt later this month. Either way, keep an eye out for Werdum to continue making big moves at 265 pounds.

So what did you think, Maniacs?

Were you impressed by this aggressive and powerful Werdum we were witness to last night? Do you think he can make an impact at the top of the division after a performance like that?

Sound off!

For complete UFC 143 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum put on a fight of the night spectacular last night as the two exchanged punches, kicks, elbows but more specifically knees. Nelson looked better than ever but was unable to deal with the striking of Vai Cavalo; especially the clinch. Big Country revealed the full extent of the damage absorbed [...]

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming.

After the boo birds rained down last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center after the judges awarded Carlos Condit a controversial unanimous decision victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 143 and crowned him the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion, it was kind of hard not to.

After five rounds of pressing the action, Diaz was comfortable believing he had the fight wrapped up. But after the final bell rang and the judge's scorecards were tallied, it was determined Condit was the one who did enough to earn the nod.

Fight Metric reports would seem to back that up.

Along with winning the interim title, Condit also earned the right to face the 170-pound kingpin Georges St. Pierre, once he is deemed fit to return to action after rehabbing from knee surgery. However, should the French-Canadian's be out longer than expected, a rematch between Diaz and Condit certainly isn't far fetched.

Speaking at the UFC 143 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White talked about a potential rematch between the two scrappy welterweights.

"I know (Georges. St. Pierre) wanted that Diaz fight bad, but it's not going to be Diaz so he better get angry with Carlos Condit or focus on Carlos Condit or whatever he needs to do. Carlos Condit won this fight. No matter how much Georges and Nick hate each other, Carlos Condit won, and I think the fans are mad at the way Carlos Condit fought. Too f*cking bad. He came in with a game plan and stuck to it and won. You know what's funny man, is that when he said that, I was thinking the same thing. It's crazy, but. I was thinking it after the fight. You know, people are bitching and thinking it was close or whatever, we can do that fight again before GSP comes back. It depends on Carlos too, he's really gotta say, and Nick's gotta say I want to fight him again too."

If the rematch does go down, it won't be a first for the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

After Lyoto Machida defended his UFC light heavyweight title against Mauricio Rua at UFC 104 in a very controversial decision, UFC officials immediately made a rematch between the two at UFC 113. "Shogun" made sure the second fight didn't go to the judges by knocking out "The Dragon" in the very first round to capture the title.

At UFC 112, B.J. Penn lost his 155-pound belt to Frankie Edgar in a very close fight. Officials once again ordered an immediate rematch at UFC 118, which saw "The Answer" yet again defeated "The Prodigy" via decision.

With Georges St. Pierre's return not expected until November of this year, it would mean a nine month wait for Condit. That's a long time to be on the shelf.

What do you say Maniacs, would the offer of a rematch with Condit be enough for Diaz to end his retirement talk? Should a rematch even be considered?

Opinions, please.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just delivered another big time fight card with UFC 143, bringing its "A" game to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A new welterweight interim champion was crowned as Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz in a fight that was just about everything it was promised to be.

Unfortunately, the final decision left a sour taste in some fans' mouths, but that doesn't change the results. Condit is now the interim titleholder and has a reservation to fight Georges St. Pierre as soon as "Rush" is ready to get back into the cage.

You know the deal. One big UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event is in the books and we're already on to the next one. The mixed martial arts (MMA) world doesn't stop turning and the speculation on the future never stops.

With that in mind, let's take a look at what may be next for UFC 143 big winner Carlos Condit:

Diaz has been picking a fight with UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre for almost a year now. He doesn't like him, he doesn't respect him and the feelings are mutual.

Sadly, that fight isn't going to happen now. It may not happen ever.

With a win over Diaz at UFC 143, Carlos Condit earned what appears to be the title shot he's dreamed of for a long time. He put up with the trash talk. He trained hard. He followed the strategy and, according to the judges, he did enough to outpoint Diaz and notch the win.

Whether you think he deserves it or not, "The Natural Born Killer" is now next in line to fight "GSP." The problem is that St. Pierre looks to be on the shelf until November.

Before this event, Condit said he'd need to take some time and consider things before he decided on whether or not he could wait till November to fight again.

So where does he go from here?

Most fighters would sit and wait and toe the company line. Condit very well may do just that, but what if he gets stir crazy and feels like he needs to stay active? Let's look at the options:

He was supposed to fight Josh Koscheck on two separate occasions. The fight didn't come together in either instance. Maybe this would be a good "filler" fight.

If Condit wins, he moves on and fights St. Pierre, having another win over a top contender as a feather in his hat. If Koscheck wins, he gets another chance to get his eye socket jabbed out by St. Pierre. Maybe he'd surprise us and do better this time. Crazier things have happened.

Jake Ellenberger fights Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel TV on Feb. 15, 2012, in Omaha, Nebraska. The winenr of that fight would make for a suitable opponent. I know Codit has beat Ellenberger before, but it was a split decision win and it was also two years ago.

Lastly, you could get crazy and host a rematch between Condit and Diaz. Is that fair to Condit? Probably not. Does it sell tickets and get rid of excuses, once and for all? Absolutely.

What do you Maniacs think? Got any better ideas for potential match ups? Feel free to play matchmaker in the comments section below.

Bring it on!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just delivered another big time fight card with UFC 143, bringing its "A" game to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A new welterweight interim champion was crowned as Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz in a fight that was just about everything it was promised to be.

Unfortunately, the final decision left a sour taste in some fans' mouths, but that doesn't change the results. Condit is now the interim titleholder and has a reservation to fight Georges St. Pierre as soon as "Rush" is ready to get back into the cage.

You know the deal. One big UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event is in the books and we're already on to the next one. The mixed martial arts (MMA) world doesn't stop turning and the speculation on the future never stops.

With that in mind, let's take a look at what may be next for UFC 143 big winner Carlos Condit:

Diaz has been picking a fight with UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre for almost a year now. He doesn't like him, he doesn't respect him and the feelings are mutual.

Sadly, that fight isn't going to happen now. It may not happen ever.

With a win over Diaz at UFC 143, Carlos Condit earned what appears to be the title shot he's dreamed of for a long time. He put up with the trash talk. He trained hard. He followed the strategy and, according to the judges, he did enough to outpoint Diaz and notch the win.

Whether you think he deserves it or not, "The Natural Born Killer" is now next in line to fight "GSP." The problem is that St. Pierre looks to be on the shelf until November.

Before this event, Condit said he'd need to take some time and consider things before he decided on whether or not he could wait till November to fight again.

So where does he go from here?

Most fighters would sit and wait and toe the company line. Condit very well may do just that, but what if he gets stir crazy and feels like he needs to stay active? Let's look at the options:

He was supposed to fight Josh Koscheck on two separate occasions. The fight didn't come together in either instance. Maybe this would be a good "filler" fight.

If Condit wins, he moves on and fights St. Pierre, having another win over a top contender as a feather in his hat. If Koscheck wins, he gets another chance to get his eye socket jabbed out by St. Pierre. Maybe he'd surprise us and do better this time. Crazier things have happened.

Jake Ellenberger fights Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel TV on Feb. 15, 2012, in Omaha, Nebraska. The winenr of that fight would make for a suitable opponent. I know Codit has beat Ellenberger before, but it was a split decision win and it was also two years ago.

Lastly, you could get crazy and host a rematch between Condit and Diaz. Is that fair to Condit? Probably not. Does it sell tickets and get rid of excuses, once and for all? Absolutely.

What do you Maniacs think? Got any better ideas for potential match ups? Feel free to play matchmaker in the comments section below.

Bring it on!

Victory is sweet. Celebrating it with your wife even sweeter.

Carlos Condit earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Nick Diaz last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) in the main event of UFC 143 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and shortly after hit "Sin City" hard to bask in his glory.

Even if there are still fans who don't agree with it.

That didn't stop "The Natural Born Killer" from having a good time. The Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz party may have been spoiled but Condit is going to keep on keeping on.

Check out a few more pics after the jump. For more on the Condit vs. Diaz fight click here, here and here.

Every site releases their “fights to watch this month” list. Well, this one’s going to be a little different. Obviously, you already have seen last night’s stellar main event between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz for the interim world welterweight championship. And you also already know that Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson are due to [...]

Roy Nelson is a tough guy, there's no denying that.

Although he's met defeat several times over the course of his career, he's only been stopped once. The other six times he forced his opponents to fight him bell to bell including last night (Feb. 4, 2012) against the returning Fabricio Werdum.

It was the Brazilian's first fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) since being scorched by current heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in what was "Cigano's" Octagon debut. Last night's return couldn't have gone better for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) world champion.

He thoroughly dominated Nelson for 15 minutes, using his ever improving stand-up to stifle the American while also busting his face open.

It was an important fight for Werdum as most casual UFC fans only recognized him from Dos Santos highlight reels. He needed a performance good enough to begin erasing some of the memories associated with his knockout loss to the champion while also helping to create new ones. He did that and more last night. Over the course of 15 minutes, Werdum thrust his name onto the list of possible future title contenders while also dropping Nelson even further down the heavyweight ladder.

After their fight at UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit, the Brazilian could be one win away from a title shot while Nelson might be one loss away from a pink slip.

Including last night's beating, "Big Country" has lost three of his last four; losses to Dos Santos and Frank Mir were equally as brutal for the former International Fight League (IFL) champion. None of the three men could put Nelson away but some would argue it would have been better for the American's longevity if they had. Nelson's toughness could wind up being a detriment as constant poundings very well could be adding untold wear and tear on his body.

Helping Nelson out, though, is the fact he's a The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner. If you go by ratings, he can be said to be the most viewed TUF champion in the history of the show. Millions of fans saw him expose Kimbo Slice and then go on to remove Brendan Schaub from his consciousness in the Finale.

But TUF doesn't have the same luster it did a few years ago. In recent months, former winners like Kendall Grove and Joe Stevenson have wound up on the chopping block proving that even those with reality TV muscle backing them up aren't immune to Zuffa's firing axe. Unlike those two, however, Nelson fights in the most anemic weight division in the sport. As a heavyweight, he can withstand a cold streak like the one he's one now. Dropping down to 205 pounds -- as many are saying he should -- strips him of that security and makes him that much easier to cut.

On the flip side of last night's co-main event, Werdum impressively reintroduced himself to the UFC faithful. Werdum also benefits from the shallow talent pool at heavyweight as his next fight could very well be one to determine the next title challenger.

A gaggle of interesting potential match-ups can be lined up for the Brazilian including rematching whoever loses the next heavyweight championship bout. No doubt "Vai Cavalo" would love to exact a measure of revenge on Dos Santos and while his first fight with Alistair Overeem was a bit of a snoozer, their second could prove to be much more interesting considering how well Werdum's stand-up is improving. A rumored match-up between former champ Cain Velasquez and Strikeforce contender Antonio Silva now seems to be dead but the American Kickboxing Academy member could tangle with Werdum, each hoping to get through the other en route to shot at UFC gold.

My money, however, is on Frank Mir. Having won three straight since his knockout loss to Shane Carwin, Mir has established himself as a perennial contender in the heavyweight division. Coming off an arm-breaking submission victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the former champion seems primed to challenge for the title once more. Who better than Werdum, who Mir touts as the division's best grappler?

While the main event between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz might have ruined plans for the UFC in terms of big money matchmaking, the co-main event helped soothe some of the pain by creating its own. Nelson has already been established as a good but not great fighter. In the two years he's spent in the Octagon, he's consistently fallen to tougher competition.

Werdum, on the other hand, seems to be entering his prime. His grappling chops can't be denied and his striking game is looking crisper with each fight. All the different puzzle pieces a fighter needs to succeed in the sport are coming together for the Brazilian.

And as he enters the land of UFC giants, it couldn't have come at a better time.

Josh Koscheck was hoping to walk through Mike Pierce last night (February 4, 2012) on the main card of UFC 143 while on the comeback trail to the top of the welterweight division.

Instead, the incredibly game Pierce pushed him to his limits for three straight rounds.

Pierce was a heavy underdog heading into the fight due to being significantly lower ranked than "Kos," but the Oregon-based welterweight proved for the third time he can hang with the big boys, although he once again found himself on the wrong side of a close decision.

So what did Pierce do which made this fight so close? And what's next for both fighters?

Follow me after the jump for our Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce UFC 143 post-fight review and analysis:

From the opening seconds, Pierce made Koscheck realize he was in for a tougher fight than expected when he faked a jab and dove in for a takedown, pressing the former All-American wrestler into the fence and making him expend a significant amount of energy to get off of it.

In the striking, Koscheck seemed very content to leave his left hand out straight, not using it to strike but to gauge distance, instead loading up on his big right hand. By doing this, he allowed Pierce to take an advantage because he used both hands in striking exchanges along with some solid angles in his footwork.

Koscheck was warned repeatedly for leaving his left hand open, once during the second round and again in between the second and third rounds. I was pretty surprised that he wasn't deducted a point when he failed to heed the warning and poked Pierce directly in the eye in the third round.

A large majority of this fight was spent in the clinch and both men were effective with some nice dirty boxing. In regular striking exchanges, Pierce began to land a nice left jab which repeatedly landed near Koscheck's previously injured eye and this seemed to rattle The Ultimate Fighter season one veteran.

Perhaps a saving grace for Koscheck was the fact that he closed both the second and third rounds with a takedown, although in my opinion, he didn't do nearly enough with it in the second round to win back the round.

Pierce fought a tremendous fight, but wasn't rewarded for it as the judges ruled in favor of Koscheck via split decision.

For Mike Pierce, he's once again put up one hell of a fight against a top 10 welterweight and come out on the losing end of a decision. This one has to be the toughest to swallow because it looked like he did enough to beat Josh Koscheck, who didn't seem prepared for his aggressive striking, clinchwork and occasional takedown attempts. I don't ever see Pierce contending for a title, but he's a top welterweight who will always be incredibly hard to beat simply due to his fighting style and the pressure he exerts on opponents.

I'd move Pierce up in the rankings after this fight so some solid potential opponents for him could be Charlie Brenneman, Rick Story or Dong Hyun Kim.

For Josh Koscheck, this was an ugly fight. He looked very limited in the stand-up and he wasn't ready for what Pierce brought to the table. He did a good job to secure takedowns at the ends of both round two and three, but he was pushed around in most of the striking and clinch game. It would be a lot better for him if he used his left hand to jab instead of poke his opponents in the eye. Hopefully he closes it for his next fight or he could find himself in trouble.

It's almost guaranteed that Koscheck will fight Johny Hendricks next as long as both remain healthy but if that somehow doesn't work out, I think we could see him in a fight with Nick Diaz as well. One final possibility could be the Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger winner, although that's not very likely. If all else fails, he could move up to middleweight and take a fight there depending on if he can find the right fight. Hopefully we can see something better out of him next time around.

So what did you think, Maniacs?

Who's side were you on for this fight, Pierce or Koscheck? Did either fighter leave an impression on you with their performance?

Speak up!

For complete UFC 143 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

After Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ring announcer announcer Bruce Buffer belted out the final result of the UFC 143 main event fight between Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, the Twitterverse -- much like everywhere else -- was starkly divided by both fans and mixed martial arts (MMA) insiders on who indeed deserved to win the controversial decision.

And this wasn't just biased folks from the 209 area code who claimed Diaz was robbed, but respected MMA types whose opinions carry credibility among anyone vaguely familiar with the sport.

"That decision was an absolute joke," Tweeted former UFC champion and legendary trainer Pat Miletich. "At best, Condit won two rounds."

And noted trainer Duke Roufus poured it on even thicker, sharing his strong feelings via Twitter.

"I am done teaching guys to fight! Gonna teach them to run like bitch & hold guys down like a bitch it wins! How do u like that fight fans?"

We live in a fast-moving world, especially where anyone and everyone's input can be shared in the real time. But I wonder if anyone would be criticizing a stand up artist who avoided takedowns, or a wrestler that planted a dangerous striker on the mat and carefully worked and controlled his way to a decision.

Condit did "Fighting 101," which is implementing your strengths, while minimizing those of an opponent who is hellbent on rearranging your face. Sometimes, in the case of a Cain Velasquez, or Alistair Overeem defeating Brock Lesnar, that translates into an exciting bout. In other cases, you get a Matt Lindland highlight reel (of his wins, not his losses, which were usually far more compelling).

But, winning is winning.

Much of the resentment stemmed from the fact that almost everyone was sure this was going to be a rollicking, bloody bout. And we didn't get it. But, just because Condit refused to stand there and let Diaz punch him in the face endlessly doesn't mean Diaz gets some sort of Groupon with the judges.

He wasn't able to implement his gameplan. And despite ringside judge Cecil Peoples' legendary assertion that "leg kicks don't win fights," they certainly do ... at least in this case (in part). Condit's attacks exploited the biggest hole in Diaz's aggressive, in-your-face style, excess weight on the front leg to set up hand strikes, and he kept it as a go-to during a technically sound performance.

We all deserve a second chance to watch Diaz-Condit. As of this writing, I've watched it three times now, and still don't see anything meriting a decision for Diaz. I picked Diaz to win, and like him, I'm a native Northern Californian. I've seen the guy fight for nearly a decade now, and have come as close to rooting for him as I can allow myself for any fighter.

Yet for all this, there's no way I can say he won that fight. Can you honestly say that you do?

Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

Notice something very different last night (Feb. 4, 2012) with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) intro video?

Unless you've been living under a rock, then the absence of the now-infamous (or is it posthumous?) UFC gladiator that kicked off pay-per-view (PPV) broadcasts did not come as much of a shock. Indeed, the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion cut him after several years of loyal service, replacing the ancient Roman with a slick new, historically-inspired 60-second vignette.

One that UFC President Dana White said cost an "obscene amount of money" to make thanks in large part one would imagine for having super-composer Hans Zimmer score it, among other things. It was apparently worth every red cent, at least according to our very own Sergio Hernandez, who called it a "big step up:"

So the music was top notch, that much is certain. So what about the accompanying video? It was fantastic. Some of the greatest moments in the promotion's history -- Royce Gracie choking out Ken Shamrock, Matt Hughes slamming Frank Trigg and Anderson Silva kicking Vitor Belfort unconscious are just a few -- are set against a CGI Octagon background while an arena begins to form around it. The huge screens above the cage also show snippets of UFC history until the very end when images of Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit appear. This will presumably change from event to event.

The follow-up "Face the Pain" music notwithstanding, were you a fan of the new opening or were you expecting, naturally, something better/different?

Big thanks to IronForgesIron.com for the video.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just conducted a textbook campaign of mixed martial arts (MMA) fights, was an accomplice in a robbery and then exited the scene of the crime.

At least that's the story Nick Diaz will be telling his grandchildren in 30 years.

The main event at UFC 143 on Feb. 5, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, saw a hard fought and close decision victory go to Diaz's opponent Carlos Condit. Diaz felt like he won ... and he wasn't the only one.

Afterward, he was so upset by the decision that he stated he will be retiring from the sport. If he really follows through, it would be a loss for him, as well as for MMA as a whole.

Speaking of losses, let's take a look at the laundry list of losers from UFC 143. It doesn't have to be all "doom and gloom." We can talk winners, too:

WINNERS

Fabricio Werdum -- In his UFC re-entrance, "Vai Cavalo" was given no tomato can by drawing Roy Nelson, one of the toughest guys in the business. Everyone knows this guy is one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world. What they might not know is that his stand up is very good and just keeps getting better. He's now fought two of the best strikers in the heavyweight division in Alistair Overeem and Nelson, and he hasn't really been hurt at all. At UFC 143, Werdum outstruck "Big Country," outgrappled him and outclassed him. He's back and shouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

Renan Barao -- He fought a three round war with a very tough Scott Jorgensen. True, he couldn't put Jorgensen away, but that's easier said than done. Barao outstruck Jorgensen 118 to 58, including several huge spinning back kicks that had the crowd on their feet. He was faster, more precise and just flat out better in every aspect. Afterward, he called for a shot at Dominick Cruz and his championship belt. Of course, this can't happen because "The Dominator" is currently slated to fight Urijah Faber after they coach against each other in the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). The title shot for Barao may not come next, but it's coming soon.

Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit -- I'm gonna keep it short and sweet because I didn't like how this one turned out (scroll down to the "Losers" section for more on this). Despite my disappointment in the results, this was a fantastic fight that mostly lived up the hype.

Stephen Thompson -- In his UFC debut, this new welterweight acquisition made a great first impression by brutally knocking out Dan Stittgen with a pretty head kick in the first round. His karate background was evident, as his unorthodox stance clearly confused his opponent. He kept his hands low, his distance elusive, and he used a beautiful combo that lead to a finish in his inaugural Octagon appearance. I expect big things from this fighter in the future.

Matt Brown -- "The Immortal" looked solid tonight, coming off a loss to Seth Baczynski at UFC 139 on Nov. 19, 2011 in San Jose, Calif. The fight was a war, and it was clear that Chris Cope was trying to make things as chaotic as possible, in the hopes that he might land a chance, finishing blow in one of the scrums. Unfortunately for Cope, it was Brown who landed the first big shot. After catching a leg kick in the second round, Brown countered with a big left hook, then a combination of several other short, quick punches that left Cope crumpled up in a ball on the floor. It wasn't a massive win, but it was much needed and he looked solid in so doing.

Dustin Poirier -- In the early portion of his fight with UFC newcomer Max Holloway, Poirier was kept on his toes by a young prospect, looking to make a name for himself in his debut. The fight saw Holloway getting the better of the stand up in the first round, but eventually, Poirier took the fight down to his world where he was able to pull off a very nice armbar submission from the top triangle position. Very high level stuff. The win is Poirer's fourth consecutive UFC win. He's undefeated in the Octagon and just keeps getting better with each performance.

LOSERS

Alex Caceres -- "Bruce Leroy" was putting on an exhibition of kicks in his fight versus Edwin Figueroa. The problem is that two of those kicks landed squarely in the nether region, eventually meriting him a two point reduction penalty by referee Herb Dean when it happened the second time in round number two. It's a shame, because he really looked impressive overall. You just can't give fights away by doing stuff as dumb as that. Kick me in the groin once, shame on you. Kick me there again -- well -- still, shame on you. Stop that.

Josh Koscheck -- After a long media campaign where Koscheck publicly declared that Mike Pierce essentially didn't belong in the cage with him, he certainly didn't show it at UFC 143, if this is, in fact, the case. He may have notched the split decision win, but it was close -- really close. Afterwards, his victory interview was almost entirely interrupted by the crowd in attendance who seemed dead set on booing him out of the building. While he did try and pretend it didn't bother him, he appeared bothered as he walked out of the cage with his head down. It makes me ask the question: "Is this a guy who wants to be the heel, or has he just embraced it to save face?"

Chris Cope -- Being a tough guy that can take a beating will only get you so far in this sport. He's now lost two UFC fights in a row and is probably on thin ice. In his fight versus Matt Brown, the disparity was very clear. They weren't on the same level. If that's the case, he's going to have a lot of trouble against some of the division's elite. Go ahead. Think of a fighter you could match Cope up against that would be a good fight and would also be one you'd want to watch. Be honest. See what I mean?

MMA Judging -- I'm probably going to get mauled for this. I'm sorry. I don't care. Nick Diaz won that fight. I'm not even a Diaz fan, but come on! He pushed the pace. He was the aggressor the entire fight! He landed the bigger shots and never looked hurt at any point. Was it close? Sure. But I just don't see how you don't give Diaz rounds one, two and five. I'm not buying it. Moreover, how in the hot hell do you give Condit four of the five rounds? It's true that Condit outstruck Diaz by a margin of 146 to 110. But, don't be deceived by that. Of Condit's 146 strikes landed, 104 of them were leg strikes. How many kicks did Diaz absolutely walk through during this fight? How many leg kicks did Condit throw just to keep Diaz at bay and not even intending to do damage? I'll re-watch this fight again later and maybe I'll be less upset about it, but right now, I disagree 100 percent.

Nick Diaz -- I get that he was mad after his loss. It sucked. He felt like he did what he needed to win. He felt like he got robbed. But he probably should have sat on his emotion for a night and made a statement the next day. He also may say he wasn't denigrating Condit's performance by his rant, but he did nonetheless. If he really does retire over this, it will be a crying shame.

So that's my list of winners and losers. Be sure to show me how much better your list is than mine by bringing your well thought out barbs and jabs to the comment section below.

For complete UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action, click here and here.

It's become a familiar sight.

A fighter stands next to a referee, not only battered and bruised, but mentally broken as well. He had just gone through the closest facsimile to hell any Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title contender could experience. For 25 minutes, he was run through the proverbial grinder as fists, elbows, knees and shins slammed into their body. For five rounds, they had their gameplan shattered and their will broken by one of the greatest fighters the sport has mixed martial arts (MMA) has ever seen.

On the other side of the referee stands Georges St. Pierre, beaming and elated as his name is once again -- preceded by "and still UFC welterweight champion of the world" -- called out by Bruce Buffer. Dana White wraps the French-Canadian's belt around the champ's waist and around the Internet, headlines with words like "dominant" begin to pop up.

"Rush" lost to Matt Hughes in his third UFC fight, back when losing to Hughes wasn't an anomaly but the standard. Matt Serra ran through St. Pierre but was thoroughly trounced himself in their rematch. Those two missteps aside, "GSP" has ruled the 170-pound division for nearly a decade now. He's now set to take on Carlos Condit who, by winning last night's (Feb. 4) UFC 143 main event, has become the interim title holder while St. Pierre recovers from a knee injury.

But considering just how good St. Pierre is, does it matter?

Both men in last night's headlining bout have their strengths and flaws. Had Nick Diaz been able to come out on top, we very well could have seen a takedown clinic in November -- or whenever it is St. Pierre returns -- that puts the Stockton native on his back for 25 minutes. Historically, the gameplan has been a tried and true method to win out against Diaz.

Condit's biggest asset is his heart. On paper, he doesn't excel at any one thing. No one speaks of Condit and mentions a world-class guard or K-1 level kickboxing. But once he steps inside the Octagon, he's a tough nut -- perhaps the toughest -- to crack. He hasn't been finished in over five years and when he's come close in the UFC -- the first round of his bout with Jake Ellenberger springs to mind -- he's managed to gut through and survive.

The problem with Condit -- and to extent Diaz -- is there's just about no avenue towards success in a fight with St. Pierre. Although to be fair, the same could be said for any welterweight. Diaz's boxing is sharp but his takedown defense is a liability and as evidenced last night, he still refuses to check leg kicks, preferring to take them flush.

Condit, on the other hand, isn't better than "Rush" at anything. How can the "Natural Born KIller" expect to win and how can we, as fans, expect to get excited for what will likely be another 25 minute shellacking followed by a unanimous decision?

From a promotion standpoint, the UFC must be fuming that Diaz wasn't able to pull out the victory. While a loss to St. Pierre would be almost assured, the former Strikeforce champion would have at least made the road to a bout with "Rush" interesting and compelling. Condit doesn't curse into cameras or flip off audiences. He's almost blue-collar in the sense he quietly walks into the cage, does his job and leaves. An admirable trait for sure but when everyone expects him to loss to St. Pierre, a little flair and drama wouldn't hurt.

I just can't get excited for a "GSP"/Condit showdown. Of course, the newly crowned interim champion could very well defend his title first against the winner of this month's Diego Sanchez and Ellenberger bout and while the "Natural Born Killer" taking on Sanchez or rematching Ellenberger would be great, my interest in either of those two taking on "Rush" is equally low.

It's hard to look at these men as contenders rather than victims.

The anticipation from hardcore MMA fans could not have been higher for the UFC 143 main event last night (February 4, 2012) between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz with the interim UFC welterweight title on the line. Even more people were already getting hyped up for a super-fight between Nick Diaz and Georges St. Pierre.

But someone forgot to tell Carlos Condit that he was supposed to lose.

With both men's incredibly aggressive fighting styles, this fight was hyped up as one of the best of the year, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the result wasn't nearly what many expected.

So how did "The Natural Born Killer" frustrate Diaz and score a unanimous decision and claim UFC gold? More importantly, where do both elite welterweights go next?

Follow me after the jump for our Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz UFC 143 post-fight review and analysis:

There was a large outpouring of anger from many who thought Diaz won, but I'll explain why Condit was the rightful victor. Just follow along.

Diaz has a reputation for being a slow starter and Condit took advantage, peppering the Stockton slugger's legs with repeated kicks while circling away from danger. While Diaz didn't throw many strikes in the first round, he kept a constant pressure on "The Natural Born Killer" by repeatedly channeling him towards the fence with terrific footwork. Condit, though, was not going to let himself be bullied, instead, quickly exploding away from being cornered and resetting again in the center of the cage.

This was a cycle which would repeat itself time and time again throughout the fight. Diaz thrives on cornering opponents along the fence and then unleashing huge flurries of strikes to overwhelm his opponents, but Condit was having none of it. On top of escaping danger, he would make sure to sneak in a big punch to the body or a leg kick in on the exit to make sure he was staying active while retreating.

Condit stuck to the gameplan in round two, although he began to mix in push kicks, front kicks, flying knees and spinning back fists/elbows. Diaz was not happy about this and began to taunt him, dropping his hands to his sides, even slapping the Greg Jackson-trained fighter in the face, but he couldn't get the Arizona native to deviate.

At one point, Diaz finally cornered Condit along the fence, throwing combinations of strikes to the body, but instead of panicking, the former WEC welterweight champion grabbed Diaz behind the head, threw a knee and again circled away from danger.

Rounds three and four were more of the same, except the big difference was Condit became much more fluid and comfortable near the end of the third. From that point on, not only was Condit clearly getting the better of the striking exchanges, he was starting to make infuriate the former Strikeforce standout. Diaz even began shooting in for takedowns, but wrestling is not his forte and he couldn't secure anything significant.

In the final round, Condit was once again well on his way to clearly outstriking Diaz, but he made a mistake and allowed his back to be taken with a minute left in the fight. Diaz tried to secure a choke and then an armbar, but Condit defended well, forcing a scramble at the final horn.

In the end, the judges awarded Carlos Condit a unanimous decision with scores of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46. Here's why I think they made the correct call.

Nick Diaz was never able to find a rhythm - Diaz is at his best when unloading a huge volume of punches at his opponent along the fence. He can sneak in the power strikes to both the head and body because he's overloading his opponent's ability to defend and it's a terrific strategy but Carlos Condit never let him do it. Every time Diaz finally trapped Condit along the fence, "The Natural Born Killer" would escape and reset in the center.

Condit did not pull a Kalib Starnes - Yes, Carlos Condit was on his bicycle for much of the fight, circling away so much he gave the referee a huge workout but he was not running. While backing away, Condit would randomly explode forward with flying knees, punches, elbows and spinning back attacks as well as constantly throwing kicks both to the legs and body. Also, whenever he exploded away from danger when cornered along the fence, he almost always threw a huge punch to the body or a kick before doing so.

Forward movement doesn't mean you win - We've seen this with elusive fighters like Lyoto Machida and he's praised for it, but just because Carlos Condit wasn't moving forwards, doesn't mean he didn't win those rounds. Sure Nick Diaz was constantly moving forward, but he was not outstriking Condit. Check out the Fightmetric report if you don't believe me. The only round Diaz landed more than Condit was the second, and even that was only by three more significant strikes.

Condit never lost his composure - Despite Diaz's best efforts to talk trash, drop his hands, toy with him after the horn and even slap him in the face, Carlos Condit never deviated from his gameplan. He was instructed with a specific method for defeating Diaz and he kept at it despite the Stockton scrapper's best efforts to distract him and force him into a brawl, which is a fight Diaz would have had a much better shot at winning.

Nick Diaz never had a sense of urgency - In the final round, Nick Diaz received some horrible advice from his corner, telling him that they thought he was up 3-1. I don't care how biased you are with him being your brother, you can't do that to a fighter and make him believe he's ahead that badly when the fight is that close. (I actually scored the first four rounds for Condit, although the second round could have gone either way). By giving Nick a false sense of security, he wasn't nearly as aggressive in spending his energy as he could have been. He had plenty left in the tank when it was over. If he had been more active in pursuing Condit, it would have exaggerated his opponent's backward movement to a degree where the judges may have actually given him a few more rounds.

My final thought for those that are disappointed with the result is this. Stop being angry at Carlos Condit for not fighting the exact same way that the last 11 people have when they lost to Nick Diaz. If he had fought his normal style of crazy-aggressive forward action, Nick Diaz would have beat him. Plain and simple, he forced Nick Diaz to fight his fight instead, which was something that no one has done to Diaz in four years. He deserves some credit for that, not vilification.

Okay, back to the fallout of the fights:

For Nick Diaz, he truly only has himself to blame. He did not make adjustments to Condit's gameplan. He didn't pick up the pace despite clearly having plenty left in the tank at the end of the fight and he only checked about 10 percent of the leg kicks thrown his way, if that. Moving forward constantly doesn't automatically give you a win. Sure it looks better, but you have to land strikes too, and he didn't land nearly as many strikes as Condit did.

Diaz said he was quitting MMA in his post-fight speech. We don't know if that's all bluster or raw emotion from disappointment right now. Hopefully he's not actually going to step away because he's still one of the best in the world. There are still several great fights for Nick Diaz which practically promise excitement. One possibility is the upcoming loser of Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger. The other is the winner of Martin Kampmann vs. Thiago Alves and the last one could be a rematch with Carlos Condit depending on whether or not the fans demand it.

For Carlos Condit, that was the picture perfect use of a gameplan to defeat a very tricky fighter. He never allowed Diaz to get into any sort of rhythm, he took advantage of a defensive liability and battered Diaz with leg kicks and eventually got comfortable enough to start mixing in combinations of his own. He earned this victory and no one should take it away from him simply because they wanted a Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre fight more or they wanted the fight to be more action-packed.

Next up for Condit will most likely be Georges St. Pierre depending on whether or not the champ is recovering as quickly as we've heard. Another possibility could be the winner of Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger for one defense of the interim title or, while it's a long shot, a rematch with Nick Diaz. It all depends on how Georges St. Pierre's recovery is going. Either way, there's plenty of opportunity for interesting fights in a suddenly very wide open division.

So what did you think, Maniacs?

Despite my best efforts to persuade you otherwise, do you still think Nick Diaz won last night? Will Diaz stay retired? How will Carlos Condit fare against Georges St. Pierre if he indeed faces the reigning champion next?

Sound off!

For complete UFC 143 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

"Mike Pierce, I knew he was a tough kid coming into the fight, but to be honest, I really didn't have the urge to fight him because he is down there on the ladder. It was a lose-lose for me you know, but I am down for challenges and I found a way to win. It's not the prettiest thing but you can't have knock out everytime. To the crowd out there and everybody who hates me, ***k yourselves. I'm sick of being nice you know, I'm sick of it. You know, I go out of my way to be nice to fans, I go out of my way to let them get to know me, but, you want to keep booing? I'll keep being a dick. You want to come at me, I'll come at you. Don't come up to me and get an autograph from me then. Stay away, don't come up to me. You know, I know I got fans out there, but all these pricks out there at the Mandalay Bay tonight, I'll walk down the street and they will all be like, "Oh Koscheck!" F*** you! I'm definitely ready to take on the winner of tonight's fight. I think it will be a different matchup than tonight with Pierce. I think I'll be able to let my hands go and use a lot of wrestling and just go at it you know. I think the winner is going to fight again, so why not let Josh Koscheck have that fight?"

-- You don't like Josh Koscheck? Well, guess what, he doesn't like you, either. After his split decision win over a very game Mike Pierce last night (Feb. 4, 2012) at UFC 143 in Las Vegas, Nevada, "Kos" tells UFC.com that he is sick of being nice to fans and there will be no more Mr. Nice Guy. Koscheck, who has always had a love-hate relationship with fans, had never really vented on the boos he often receives, but after the "Sin City" crowd showered the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product with boos after a very close split decision win, he didn't hold back any punches. And, apparently, it was the straw the broke the camel's back. So a word of advice to you autograph seekers out there, if you aren't a true "Kos" fan, do not come up and ask for an autograph and expect get one if you recently booed him. It just ain't happening. Anyone think Josh is going too far with his comments? Or do you actually side with his harsh sentiments?

The sun has set on yet another Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. And for the first time since April 2008, the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has a new (interim) welterweight champion not named Georges St. Pierre.

His name? None other than Carlos Condit. However, it very well could have been -- and in some eyes should have been -- Nick Diaz.

Condit squeaked by the Stockton, Calif., slugger in the UFC 143 main event, backpedaling for essentially five rounds and playing a strategic -- and apparently very effective -- game of keep-away for five full rounds. The "Natural Born 'Kicker'" slipped punches, circled and countered with effective strikes and kicks, while keeping his distance and refusing at all costs to get trapped along the fence.

Diaz was, unsurprisingly, the aggressor throughout the entire interim welterweight title fight. He walked down Condit and attempted to corner him up against the cage, or at the very least, get him to exchange in the center of the Octagon. He soon began to talk trash, throw up his hands and bait Condit into fighting his fight.

Condit never bit. Not even a nibble.

On the contrary, Condit was remarkably disciplined and stuck to his gameplan. And midway through the third round he appeared to find his groove, loosening up and starting to score points with the judges. He found a home for his leg kicks, as well as another for his shin on Diaz's grill more than a few times.

Mix in some nice, creative strikes in short bursts, and it was a recipe for success.

Condit got himself in some trouble in the final minute of the fight, getting tripped and letting Diaz -- a very dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt -- take his back and work for a fight-ending submission. Condit defended the choke well, and then the following arm lock, to seal his split decision victory and earn an invitation to unify the belt against St. Pierre later this year once "Rush" is fully recovered from recent knee surgery.

Party pooper.

Diaz, meanwhile, was so upset with the decision that he declared that he was "done with MMA." It was clearly an emotionally-charged statement and one that he will likely revise in the days, weeks and months ahead as the bitter taste of controversial defeat begins to wane.

Maybe.

In the co main event, heavyweights Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson collided in what turned out to be an exciting, back-and-forth slugfest that ended with the Brazilian's hand raised in victory after 15 minutes of action.

It would have ended sooner if Nelson's chin wasn't made out of otherworldly, indestructible material, but alas, "Big Country" can take one hell of a punch ... and crushing knees, too. Werdum connected kneecap-to-nose on more than one painful occasion, even making it squirt blood all over Nelson's big belly.

Yet somehow, someway, Nelson remained upright and kept trudging forward, looking to land one big shot and rip a Hail Mary victory from the clutches of defeat. It never came.

Werdum -- who hadn't seen the inside of the UFC's Octagon since Oct. 2008 -- went on to earn a unanimous decision, but it certainly wasn't without a fair share of shaky moments. Nelson rocked him with a few good 'ole fashion haymakers, but he managed to recover quick and notch a very important victory that will get him on the heavyweight contender radar.

And if we're lucky, maybe Frank Mir's radar, too.

Before their welterweight showdown, Josh Koscheck promised to be the first man to finish the resilient Mike Pierce. He didn't honor that promise last night. Not even close. In fact, he's fortunate that he left "Sin City" with a win.

Pierce essentially fought his fight, closing the distance and boxing up "Kos" in the clinch, as well as alongside the cage. He even pumped the jab, finding a home for it early and often right on the face of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA)-trained fighter.

Koscheck appeared puzzled, uncomfortable and unsure of how to go about putting points on the judges scorecards. He eventually came to his senses and resorted to his bread and butter, high-level wrestling, to land several very important takedowns, which if he didn't land, more than likely would have cost him the fight.

Even though Koscheck didn't really do much with the takedowns, they were a critical component of his split decision victory. One that will keep him on the up-and-up in the welterweight division, whether MMA fans like it -- or agree with this evening's decision -- or not.

It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't as easy as he predicted, but he got the job done. Someone get Johny Hendricks on the horn immediately: That's a match to make, all things (Jon Fitch) considered.

Renan Barao doesn't just look like a complete psychopath, but he kind of fights like one, too. The Nova Uniao-trained fighter lost his first-ever MMA fight way back in 2005 and hasn't looked back since, reeling off a ridiculous 27 consecutive victories.

Make that 28.

Barao stormed past Scott Jorgensen, a former number one bantamweight contender, in a very fast-paced, exciting fight that went the distance despite the Brazilian's best efforts to end it sooner. He drilled "Young Guns" with several blistering strikes, but Jorgensen was just too durable to go home early.

Jorgensen appeared to abandon his biggest strength (wrestling) early, opting instead to sling leather with his much more accomplished striking counterpart. Either that, or he determined that Barao's takedown defense was just too good to continue testing.

Regardless, Barao punched, kneed and kicked himself to a another solid victory. In the process, he clearly established himself as perhaps the most serious threat to Dominick Cruz's 135-pound world title. He wants a chance to fight for it, shrieking in Portuguese after his win, "I WANT THE BELT!" but he'll have to take a spot behind Urijah Faber.

After that It would most likely be wise to do what the man says and give it to him. Immediately. Before someone gets hurt (again). He's scary.

After suffering a terrible in-cage knee injury during a fight against Aaron Simpson more than two years ago, it appeared that the MMA career of Ed Herman was on the fritz. "Short Fuse" had dropped three of four bouts and it didn't appear that The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 alum would be able to make a significant contribution to the 185-pound division moving forward.

Mindless mularkey, Maniacs.

Herman, riding a two-fight win streak, strutted into the Octagon last night to battle Clifford Starks, a strong, undefeated wrestling-minded fighter who would certainly test the tension of his surgically-repaired knee ligaments with takedown attempts and scrambles.

However, Herman beat him to it, securing two takedowns after the pair traded leather throughout most of the first rounds, the second of which led to a rear naked choke submission finish. In fact, Starks seemed content to stand and trade with Herman, landing several hard shots that probably would have dropped lesser competition.

It was certainly a much different, and much improved, performance from Starks in the striking department since his unanimous decision win over Dustin Jacoby in Oct. 2011. But, unlike that fight, it didn't get the job done against a dangerous, well-rounded fighter like Herman.

Stick with what works. Herman did and now he's back in the thick of things, most likely earning another televised fight in a future against a notable opponent. His hard work to turn his career around is paying off.

And it could not have come at a better time with the middleweight division in need of a talent injection.

That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" in the comments section below.

Do you agree with the Diaz-Condit decision? Is Diaz really done with MMA? Does Werdum have what it takes to make a run at the title? Who should "Contender Killer" Koscheck fight next? Is Barao a future champion in the making? Let's hear it, Maniacs.

Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 143 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Diaz vs. Condit" event right here.

While you're at it, check out our fight-by-fight recaps, video highlights and immediate reactions for UFC 143:

Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz

UFC 143 results: Carlos Condit wins controversial decision over Nick Diaz to win interim welterweight title Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit full fight video highlights from UFC 143 Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum UFC 143 results: Fabricio Werdum outstrikes Roy Nelson en route to decision win Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce UFC 143 results: Josh Koscheck earns split decision win over Mike Pierce Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
UFC 143 results: Renan Barao cruises past Scott Jorgensen for decision win Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks UFC 143 results: Ed Herman submits Clifford Starks in the first round

Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 143 results recap of the Facebook/FX "Prelims" right here.

With a resolute commitment to a smart gameplan, Carlos Condit outpointed Nick Diaz via unanimous decision to win the interim welterweight title at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As the pair squared off Saturday night (Feb. 4, 2012) in the UFC 143 main event, expectations were high for a grueling dogfight, given both men's recent showings. But, Condit flipped the script, using movement and picking spots expertly to take the duke on scores of 49-46 (twice) and 48-47.

At press time, it was unclear whether the newly-minted interim champ would wait until November to square off against injured champion Georges St. Pierre, whose recovery from a knee injury temporarily vacated the title. But regardless of whom he faces next, "The Natural Born Killer" showed a heady blend of composure and toughness in turning back a determined Diaz, who pressed forward for most of the bout in search of meaningful exchanges that rarely materialized.

In the co-main event, Fabricio Werdum showed improved striking and a potent Muay Thai clinch in a unanimous decision of Roy Nelson. The heavyweights spent most of the fight on the feet, with a tiring Nelson unable to effectively land his trademark overhand right for much of the fight.

Instead, Werdum used kicks and workmanlike hands to pile up a points lead that carried him to an impressive and much-needed win in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Here's a closer look UFC 143 competitors graded out:

Carlos Condit: A
Perspective is everything in assessing a fighter's performance, especially in the context of how he'll execute compared to previous opponents' failure to do so. And on that score, Condit aced the test. It's been 11 fights and four years since anyone had much success standing against Nick Diaz, when K.J. Noons cut and stopped the Stockton battler. Using movement and constantly attacking Diaz's lead leg, Condit refused to be sucked into the kind of extended, mano-a-mano exchanges that almost always leaves Diaz' opponents the worse for wear. Carlos seemed to have an alarm that went off whenever his back was against cage, prompting him to slide off, and he stuffed Diaz' handful of weak takedown attempts, to boot.

This was an outstanding gameplan designed to maximize Condit's strengths in leg kicks and a move-diverse attack, while minimizing Diaz's tendency to win volume-based exchanges and gritty punchouts. It worked perfectly.

The downside is that while he looked pretty good tonight in defusing the ultra-tough Diaz, there weren't many stylistic clues to compare how he'd do against St. Pierre. The longtime welterweight kingpin is a completely different style, suffused with overpowering wrestling and explosive athleticism, but Condit will need a great gameplan to win that fight, as well. Tonight, he came up in a high-pressure situation and executed to the letter. He also kept his cool in the closing moments of the fifth, as Diaz finally got him down, took the back and attempted a rear naked choke. Tonight was the culmination of a long road for Condit, proving he belongs with the elite of the 170-pound division.

Fabricio Werdum: B+
A rejuvenated Werdum has always lacked solid stand up, but he put it together tonight against Roy Nelson. With perhaps the best bottom game in the heavyweight division, his campaign at heavyweight might go as far as his stand up takes him.

He's no prime bomber just yet, however, and seemed conscious of doing just enough to win rounds and dictate exchanges -- a future match against a heavy-handed wrestler might reveal more from Werdum. He's a very talented heavyweight who seems to evolve only to come up flat in performances, but tonight was one of the better performances of his career given low expectations coming off his dreadful decision loss to Alistair Overeem.

Mike Pierce: B+
The hard-nosed welterweight fought an excellent, overachieving-style bout against Josh Koscheck, and nearly won it, losing a razor-thin split decision. Pierce mitigated Koscheck's strengths by forcing a rough, down-and-dirty fight. Using his quick, heavy hands to get off first, he mixed in enough takedown attempts to keep Koscheck off-kilter in spots, though the former UFC title challenger did enough to nick the decision on the judges' cards. Coming in as a heavy underdog, Pierce did better than most people thought, and with a meaningful exchange his way, could have easily won this fight.

The UFC's welterweight division is definitely in flux right now with GSP's absence and Condit as the interim champ. Pierce should definitely be in line for another big-name fight to show his mettle once more; with all five losses via decision, he's a tough customer that showed it tonight.

Ed Herman: B+
Veteran middleweight got his third win in a row against upstart Starks, after eating some heavy leather in early exchanges. Herman's been around the block twice and then some, and his experience proved a huge factor here. After getting nailed readily in the bout, Herman used a nice trip-takedown after Starks' mental lapse offered the opening in a clinch, which was essentially the beginning of the end which led to a rear-naked choke submission win in the second. Herman's standup has improved from non-existent to semi-reliable, but his defense against strikes is presently backed up by a strong chin and little else. He'll head a lot more head movement and stand up to succeed against the better class of the division.

Renan Barao: B+
With a clear-cut decision win over Scott Jorgensen, Barao upped his record to 28-1, and steps into the elite of the 135-lb. division. The victory wasn't easy, as his early dynamism and excellent lower-leg kicks couldn't discourage the resolute Jorgensen, who simply kept coming and forcing him to work. With a wonderful talent like Renan, the first thing you want to see if how he adjusts in a tough bout he can't win early; those adjustments are precisely what he'll need if he gets a title shot, which may be later this year after Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber finished their rubber match next spring.

With a boatload of experience and now 5-0 under the Zuffa umbrella, Barao may competing for a belt fairly soon. Like most Nova Uniao fighters, he has outstanding striking with great takedown defense, with an uncanny ability to dictate range and the timing of exchanges. He'll need to improve on those to challenge for a title, especially against the wily champ Cruz, who is the master of those tactics.

Scott Jorgensen: B-
An honest product that always gives you a full day's work, Jorgensen came on strong down the stretch against the dynamic Barao, forcing trades after it was clear a takedown simply wasn't going to happen. Outmatched in terms of striking ability, the former world title challenger kept pressing, as Barao tired somewhat, and landed some decent shots in a revealing bout. As was evident in his decision loss to champ Dominick Cruz, Jorgensen's limited reach and size make it tough to him to strike at distance against rangier foes, but he's durable and persistent enough to make them work throughout, because he never quits.

This was a piece of matchmaking designed to force Barao to prove he's ready for the elite of the 135-lb. division and show what kind of resilience he'll have in tough distance match, and it succeeded on both counts.

Josh Koscheck: C+
Kos had little to gain and everything to lose tonight, especially as he's lost twice to Georges St. Pierre and is nowhere near another title shot as long as GSP is champ. But the talented welter bit down and rode out a surprisingly tough challenge from the motivated Pierce. Like fellow veterans and victims of GSP in Jake Shields and Jon Fitch, Kos will probably have to face a long line of upstart talent at 170, and as Johny Hendricks showed against Fitch, a loss could be a major setback in an already-uphill campaign to get a title shot. Kos didn't shoot for takedowns early enough in the bout and apply his amazing wrestling abilities, and looked somewhat flustered in exchanges. Veterans know how to grind out a close win, which he ultimately did, but this wasn't Kos at his best tonight.

Flipping off the crowd in his postfight interview didn't help, either, as he could've taken the high road in making nice with fans. If there's any mystery as to why they boo the talented Koscheck, he's the only one contemplating it after tonight.

Nick Diaz: C+
Diaz has never been satisfied when the judges' decision goes against him, and tonight was no different. Saying he's "done" with the sport in his postfight interview is hopefully a heat-of-the-moment statement, because he remains one of the game's most talented and exciting fighters. That being said, he was outstruck and outworked tonight just enough to lose a convincing decision. If there's a definite hole in the "Stockton Style" that Nick and brother Nate Diaz use, it's the availability of the lead leg to be repeatedly punished, followed by movement to force him to chase and reset.

Denied the pocket-range exchanges that have defined his signature wins in recent years, Diaz was unable to get extended combinations off, while Condit piled up points as he picked spots, landed cleanly and scooted away. Another longtime Diaz weakness, takedowns, flared up against as he was unable to get Condit to the mat until the final moments of the bout. His outstanding jiu-jitsu might have been able to swing the momentum of close rounds his way if he'd been able to get Condit to the mat.

Retirement talk aside, this was a somewhat flat performance by an outstanding fighter facing a guy with a great gameplan. Diaz remains a highly bankable fighter with a loyal fan base. It will be interesting to see future opponents try and replicate the Condit gameplan. Attempting to do so is probably easier said than done.

Clifford Starks: C-
Unbeaten coming into the bout, Starks showed much-improved standup, drilling Herman and planting the seeds for what seemed a huge win over the veteran. However, as Herman simply refused to bend, Starks came a bit unraveled, and paid for it, with a takedown that led to the fight-ending submission. A huge middleweight with solid wrestling, Starks' first loss is a good learning experience for him and should motivate him to work on correcting the mental lapses that led to the takedown and defeat. He's got some good basic tools, but didn't utilize them in a fight that was very much winnable until it went south on him. Fortunately for him, 185 pounds is the UFC's thinnest bench in terms of depth, so he'll have time and leeway to develop as he continues to learn the game.

Roy Nelson: C-
A relatively svelte 246, Nelson never recovered by a first-round barrage of knees and numbing punishment from Werdum, and was reduced to heaving the occasional punch with few effective weapons. Nelson looked somewhat like the tired and heavier version that was decisioned by Frank Mir, and Werdum's outstanding guard work on the one occasion Nelson did get top position stifled future considerations of going there later in the fight.

A very flat showing by Nelson, who was unable to adjust to Werdum's surprisingly good standup, especially with his kicks. This may have been a bad style matchup for Roy given the fact that he couldn't fall back on wrestling to ride out rounds and the decision. That's something that's definitely an option against future opponents he can't outstrike, but it wasn't one tonight.

For complete UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.

Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

"This is just another step toward my ultimate goal of being among the best mixed martial artists in the world. [Nick Diaz] was talking, I was landing punches, you know? I think I was winning. No matter how much he talked, I was hitting him hard, I was hitting him solid. That's what I came here to do: I didn't come here to talk. From the very beginning, I broke that leg down. I chopped his leg, chopped his leg, chopped his leg, so even if he had the cardio, he didn't have the wheels. I've got a lot of work to do, and a lot more improvements to be made. Georges St. Pierre is a true champion, he's the best in the world. It's huge."

Newly-minted UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit had a gameplan to defeat Nick Diaz in the UFC 143 main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he was sticking to it no matter what the fiery Stockton, Calif., slugger said inside the cage during their five-round battle. It was clear that Diaz was growing impatient with Condit's wise strategy, which comprised circling away from Diaz, countering and refusing to get backed into a corner and beaten up. In fact, Condit's feet barely stopped moving all night (Feb. 4, 2012), turning in a very disciplined performance even when Diaz threw up his hands, stuck out his chin and dared the "Natural Born Killer" to get down and dirty. He remained focused and resolute even when the fans in attendance began to grow a little restless. His defensive offense, however, eventually won them over, as well as the judges sitting ringside, who awarded him a controversial unanimous decision that -- at least on paper -- appeared to be accurate. With the win, Condit sets up a future date with reigning division champion Georges St. Pierre later this year to unify the belts. One that will take a similar effort of remaining upright and off his back if he intends on achieving his ultimate goal. Easier said than done, but he'll have more than enough time to work up yet another effective gameplan.