The rapidly growing official fight card for UFC 132 has added a welterweight bout with major title implications.
Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim will meet inside the Octagon at UFC 132, the promotion announced Friday. The fight has been added to a card that includes a main event of Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber and undercard fights including Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader.
Although most people probably don't think of Condit or Kim as one win away from a title shot, this fight could determine the next No. 1 contender in the welterweight division. If Georges St. Pierre beats Jake Shields later this month, and if he doesn't want to move up to middleweight to fight Anderson Silva after that, the UFC will be desperately seeking new challengers for St. Pierre's belt.
Condit is on a three-fight winning streak that includes a tremendous knockout of Dan Hardy in October. Condit has been lobbying publicly for a title shot and has declared his desire to fight St. Pierre, and an impressive showing against Kim would likely earn him that shot. Kim would be a tougher sell as a No. 1 contender, although he's also on a three-fight winning streak and has a 14-0-1 professional MMA record. An impressive win against Condit would put Kim in the title mix as well.
So the winner of Condit-Kim would probably have to be considered the UFC's best welterweight who hasn't yet had a chance at GSP. And that means Condit or Kim may end up with the next chance at GSP.
Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim will meet inside the Octagon at UFC 132, the promotion announced Friday. The fight has been added to a card that includes a main event of Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber and undercard fights including Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader.
Although most people probably don't think of Condit or Kim as one win away from a title shot, this fight could determine the next No. 1 contender in the welterweight division. If Georges St. Pierre beats Jake Shields later this month, and if he doesn't want to move up to middleweight to fight Anderson Silva after that, the UFC will be desperately seeking new challengers for St. Pierre's belt.
Condit is on a three-fight winning streak that includes a tremendous knockout of Dan Hardy in October. Condit has been lobbying publicly for a title shot and has declared his desire to fight St. Pierre, and an impressive showing against Kim would likely earn him that shot. Kim would be a tougher sell as a No. 1 contender, although he's also on a three-fight winning streak and has a 14-0-1 professional MMA record. An impressive win against Condit would put Kim in the title mix as well.
So the winner of Condit-Kim would probably have to be considered the UFC's best welterweight who hasn't yet had a chance at GSP. And that means Condit or Kim may end up with the next chance at GSP.