Carlos Condit: “Hardy Had Nothing”

Carlos Condit

Condit takes fan questions in Seattle

Fans asked and Carlos Condit answered Friday at the Fight Club Q&A session in Seattle. “The Natural Born Killer” entered to Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” and didn’t pull any punches on stage.

A day before Dan Hardy takes to the cage to face Anthony Johnson, the largest crowd to turn out for an Ultimate Fight Night wanted to know about Condit’s UFC 120 win over “The Outlaw.” The New Mexico native was happy to share his thoughts on his signature UFC victory.

“He had nothing, at least not that night anyway,” Condit said with a smile after being asked about his first-round knockout of the former title challenger last October before adding, “He dislikes me more than I dislike him, for obvious reasons.”

Even though the fight took place over five months ago, the pair have remained linked in the build-up to Saturday’s event. Hardy has repeatedly stated that he’d like a rematch with Condit, feeling that he’d beat the former WEC champion nine times out of ten.

“It’s weird how guys always say they think they’re better than you after they lose,” quipped Q&A host Joe Rogan. The diplomatic and modest New Mexico native just smiled a telling smile.

Condit has been out of action since the win over Hardy. Slated to face Chris Lytle at UFC 127 in February, an injury forced Condit from the card and set the stage for one of the biggest upsets of the MMA year-to-date. Unheralded Brian Ebersole accepted the slot opposite Lytle and pulled out a unanimous decision down under.

There is nothing currently scheduled for Condit, who has fully recovered from the dislocated knee cap that kept him out of his fight with Lytle, though he has a few opponents he wouldn’t mind having a chance to face now that Zuffa has brought Strikeforce into the family.

“I was supposed to figh Paul Daley before, but I got a staph infection in my hand and it didn’t happen. I’d still like to fight him; I think there is unfinished business there.”

Much to the delight of the assembled crowd, Condit also suggested a meeting with Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, a pairing that received a major pop for the Seattle faithful.

With the Jones-Evans showdown dominating the headlines, a question about meeting fellow Greg Jackson welterweight Diego Sanchez was bound to be asked, and Condit was prepared when it finally came.

“It would have to be a very big fight; a title fight or something like that. Otherwise, probably not.” Condit said the two train together fairly regularly, and while “fighting teammates ultimately boils down to business,” its not a match-up he’s willing to entertain right now.

For now, Condit is just focused on continuing to do what made him a star in the WEC and has him on the rise in the UFC.

“I just want to keep finishing guys. I try to knock guys out so I don’t have to worry about the judges.”