Issue 102
June 2013
A young prospect plagued by injuries and a former champion fighting to remain in contention – but who will win the 170lb rematch of 2013?
Dressing like the world’s most dangerous and sharply-suited librarian, the seemingly emotionless, remorseless Rory MacDonald (14-1) has inspired countless comparisons to Christian Bale’s character in American Psycho.
Making his UFC debut in January 2010 armed with a perfect 9-0 record, all inside the distance, the young Canadian superstar-in-waiting has since troubled the judges for a decision just twice in six bouts.
Even then, only the most boneheaded of observers could have questioned the verdict as he completely manhandled blown-up lightweight Nate Diaz for three rounds and spent the same amount of time battering sentimental favourite and UFC legend BJ Penn into potential retirement.
Additionally, colourful veteran Mike Guymon, Brit Che Mills and durable Mike Pyle were all dispatched with ease inside two rounds. Overall, MacDonald has fought six times inside the Octagon, destroying or dominating all but one opponent.
That sole blemish, incurred at UFC 115, was to Carlos Condit where the former WEC welterweight champion came from behind to stop MacDonald with seven seconds remaining on the clock. Originally scheduled to square off for a second time at UFC 158, their inevitable rematch surely awaits later in 2013.
‘Natural Born Killer’ Condit (28-7) is one of the sport’s most dynamic, versatile and exciting finishers, boasting 26 inside-the-distance victories (13 by KO/TKO and 13 by submission) – and a whopping 21 of them in the opening round.
Winning the WEC title in his second fight for the promotion and defending it three times, Condit looked superb in every outing before being moved up to the UFC roster as the WEC welterweight division was dropped.
Since then, he’s gone 5-3, losing only a desperately close decision to Martin Kampmann in a tricky UFC debut; giving Georges St Pierre his toughest battle in years, and then most recently dropping a decision to fellow top contender Johny Hendricks.
Few fighters manage a five-fight UFC winning streak, but Condit boasts one, besting Jake Ellenberger (just about), MacDonald, Dan Hardy (only ever KO’ed by Condit), Dong Hyun Kim (previously unbeaten) and, over five near-perfectly planned and executed hit-and-move rounds, Nick Diaz for the UFC interim title while GSP was on the shelf nursing a knee injury.
After his recent close decision loss to Hendricks, Condit admitted that in both that fight, and his title unification match with St Pierre, his inability to block takedowns had cost him dearly. It was a similar story in that June 2010 fight with MacDonald.
Taken down several times, Condit lost the first round, despite being the much busier striker. In the second round, he was again busy with strikes, but mostly from his back since MacDonald was able to control where the fight took place.
Only in the third, needing a stoppage, did Condit really begin to take over, and only after cutting MacDonald with his ever-precise, always hurtful punches and elbows. Eventually, just seconds from a decision defeat, Condit’s furious onslaught prompted the referee to rescue an exhausted, battered MacDonald.
In the rematch, that takedown defence of Condit’s could be a huge factor once again.
MacDonald’s UFC career has been plagued by a worrying (especially for a fighter so young) number of injuries. A knee injury kept him off UFC 123 and an undisclosed problem nixed a UFC 140 fight.
Later, a nasty cut above the eyebrow delayed his fight with BJ Penn (originally set for UFC 152), and most recent was the neck injury that forced him off UFC 158. Can it all be bad luck or warning signs of a young man training too hard and/or lacking the durability to match his skills? Or is MacDonald simply, and perhaps sensibly, unwilling to fight with injuries that might hamper his performance and cost him a vital win?
Still only 29, Condit can expect a few more years at the top, while MacDonald, at just 23, could conceivably – injuries and circumstances permitting – be in, and winning, big fights and championship matches a decade from now.
Both men are usually hugely exciting to watch and both are right at the top of the UFC welterweight division. Two young, hugely skilled, entertaining competitors with a history – should make for a truly fascinating rematch.
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