Can Rick “The Horror” Story Win The Carlos Condit Sweepstakes?

A whirlwind of well-placed elbows, punches, knees and kicks had battered Thiago Alves so badly last Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 67 that the cage side physician called for the fight to be stopped at the end of the second round. That whirlwind of bones and flesh came courtesy of Carlos Condit. Condit, once the interim UFC welterweight champion, was making his return to the Octagon following a yearlong absence due to injury. Watching Condit deliver what seemed like a never-ending onslaught of pressure was remarkable to say the least. He did not appear to have lost a step in his absence attacking with a ferocious pace that was exciting and mesmerizing. Entering this fight, he was ranked 4^th in the official UFC rankings and it seemed he wanted to prove he still deserved that slot. Condit’s performance may have been spectacular but that doesn’t change the fact that he is just 2-3 in his last five fights (all though one was due to a knee injury) and the UFC welterweight division is more competitive than ever. He obviously isn’t next in line for a title shot but being ranked inside the top 5 and coming off a performance as dominant as this gives him a great deal of value and value is something that all fighters want.

With Condit proving he is still the fighter many remember and having that number 4 ranking next to his name in the promo package, there will be no shortage of fighters looking to matchup with him. In fact, following his win Saturday night, you might say the Carlos Condit Sweepstakes was officially opened! Come one, come all! Any fighter in the top-ten is welcome! Fighters like Matt Brown, Tyron Woodley, Jake Ellenberger and Demian Maia. Any of these fighters would make for a good matchup at welterweight and Condit would have a good chance against any of them. However, if I were allowed to play matchmaker I would have my eye on a Pacific Northwest standout, a man who has recently began reinventing himself, a man who hold wins over four of the top fifteen welterweights in the UFC. I am talking about Rick “The Horror” Story.

Rick Story has changed a lot about his fight game over the last year. He has changed his base camp, leaving Vancouver, Washington’s Brave Legion in favor of working with highly regarded coach John Crouch at The MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona. Story has worked to shape his skills and not just relying on the pure athleticism and strength that got him to the show in the first place. Making a decision to change everything about your fight camp (including location) when you are already a well-established veteran of the sport can be terrifying for some. Story had to step back from his coaches, his teammates, and a gym that he owned when making this decision. This showed great maturity on Story’s part and is a testament to his character. Additionally, Story has mended relationships with old friends and training partners and can now be seen working along side UFC standout Mike Pierce at Rose City FC in Portland.

Since making these adjustments, Story has won two straight inside the Octagon and on the 27^th of June in Hollywood, Florida, he will look to make it three in a row. If Story manages to do that, there is no reason he shouldn’t be first on the list when it comes to potential challengers for Carlos Condit. With that being said, a matchup with a fighter the caliber of Condit will not be easy. Condit’s striking skills have outdone some of the best boxers in the sport and nearly gave him a stoppage win against the greatest welterweight of all time, Georges St. Pierre. Add to that a jiu jitsu game that is excellent both off his back and on top and you have a fighter who is worthy of the moniker, “Natural Born Killer.” A lot has to happen for this fight to be put together but assuming the cards fall just right, Story could be the fighter with value that everyone is chasing.