Trainer: UFC 171's Carlos Condit suffered ACL tear / partially torn meniscus, out of action 'for some time'

If you ever want an example of how fickle the fate of a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter can be, look no further than the case of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Carlos Condit over the past seven days.

Just one week ago, Condit was the No. 2-ranked 170-pound fighter in UFC. And he was potentially 15 minutes away from an opportunity to earn another opportunity to challenge for a world title.

Now, Condit is staring down knee surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process, according to a recent "UFC Tonight" report. Condit's trainer, Greg Jackson, revealed "Natural Born Killer" suffered a torn ACL and a partially torn meniscus in his UFC 171 match against Tyron Woodley (watch full fight video highlights here) this past weekend.

No mention of surgery was made in the report, but that tends to be standard operating procedure with ACL tears.

In fact, ACL injuries can be potential career changers. Although some athletes -- such as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and former UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre -- have come back from similar injuries looking no worse for wear, there are plenty of athletes who haven't had such luck.

For example, former UFC bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz blew his ACL in early 2012 and he has yet to make his return to the Octagon, spending more than two years on the sidelines dealing with setbacks. Even more heartbreaking, the long layoff caused Cruz to be stripped of his 135-pound title.

While no timetable is currently known for Condit's recovery, Jackson estimated it would be "some time" before he returns to competition.