Two of the best Welterweight studs on the planet will collide for the first time, as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 170-pound champion, Robbie Lawler, defends his title against Carlos Condit in the main event of UFC 195 on Jan. 2, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It's a fight that will see a couple of the best strikers in all of mixed martial arts (MMA), as both Condit and Lawler have proven that their specialty lies in the stand up department.
When asked to compare his striking arsenal to that of Robbie's, Condit didn't hesitate to admit that "Ruthless" has more power. However, when it comes to diversity of strikes, "Natural Born Killer" has the advantage over the champion.
"I would say I'm more technical and have more of a variety of strikes, but he probably has more power than I do," Condit told UFC.com "He's just really heavy-handed."
Condit mad a successful return to action earlier this year by taking out Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 67 this past May after sitting out more than one year with an injury suffered against Tyron Woodely.
But, the time off wasn't wasted, as Carlos says he worked on himself as an overall fighter
"When you're in training camp you're training for a specific opponent instead of working on your own personal growth as a martial artist," Condit said. "In the time off I was able to focus on the things I needed to work on instead of game planning for a particular opponent.
"When I got hurt there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to come back and come back stronger. I just stayed focused and I never really got into a place where I was in despair. Injuries happen and you have to do your best to recover and come back," he declared.
Now at full speed, "The natural Born Killer" has the chance to claim the welterweight strap to add to his championship accolades which includes the interim UFC title as well as the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 170-pound belt.
One he never lost.
The cherry on top, though, would be going back to his hometown with the official welterweight title and a win over one of the best to ever compete in MMA.
"To fight a guy like Robbie Lawler, who I consider one of the greatest warriors to ever step foot in the Octagon, is an honor," Condit said. "To be able to possibly beat him and bring the belt home to Albuquerque would be incredible."
For all you need to know about the upcoming UFC 195 pay-per-view (PPV) event click here.