Condit: I don’t know if I belong here any more

Former UFC interim champion Carlos Condit is smart, 32, and lost five of his last seven fights. After a split decision loss to then champion Robbie Lawler in January, he strongly indicated he was contemplating retirement.

The opportunity to fight Demian Maia on Saturday night in the main event of UFC on FOX 21 was sufficient to get him back in the Octagon. But it didn’t go his way – just two significant punches landed before Maia got the tap in under two minutes.

At the UFC on FOX 21 post-fight press conference, Condit said that could be it.

“I don’t know if I have any business fighting at this level anymore,” said Condit, as transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMA Fighting. “I’ve been at this for a really long time, and the pressure of kind of being one of the top guys for almost a decade, it’s been awesome. I’ve loved being involved in this sport for the time that I have, and I’ve gotten to do what I love for a living for a long period of time. But, I don’t know, man. I don’t know if I belong here anymore. We’ll see.”

“It’s been a long career and I think there comes a point in every fighters’ career that they have to kind of question how long they’re going to continue to do that. And I’ve been doing that for a little while. It wasn’t my night tonight. I don’t know if that’s going to be the swan song for me. Hopefully not. I would hate to go out on a loss like this. I would’ve at least liked to have got in there and put on an exciting show like I usually do.

“But yeah, I don’t know what’s in the cards. I’m leaning towards probably, possibly being done.”

Demian Maia is not known as a devastating striker. His last win via strikes was in 2001. It was his very first fight. One of the two significant strikes that landed was a punch by Maia from top half guard. Condit reported that the shot rattled him, and that is worrisome.

“Honestly, I’ve had a tough career with a lot of fights and I’ve taken a lot of punishment,” said Condit. “And I don’t know if I can continue to take shots, honestly.”

“I’ll probably talk to the people around me, talk to my wife, and kind of make the decision after we’ve had some discussion and then a little bit of assessing of where I’m going, what’s on the horizon.”

“That’s what this sport is, you win and you lose, and ultimately it’s about going in there and testing your skills, and it doesn’t always turn out in your favor. Tonight it didn’t for me.”

UFC president Dana White has long and wisely maintained that if you do not have a burning passion to fight, you shouldn’t do it. Carlos Condit no longer has a burning passion to fight.