Carlos Condit won't return to UFC until 2017, unless...

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title picture just doesn't feel the same without longtime veteran Carlos Condit in there throwing hands, but it's easy to understand why the "Natural Born Killer" is looking to take some time off.

In addition to resting his brain, the Jackson-Winkeljohn product is coming off a split-decision loss to Robbie Lawler at UFC 195, one in which a lot of folks in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community scored in favor of Condit (see the scorecards here).

That's why a title fight is the only thing that will lure him back before 2017, according to his conversation with SiriusXM radio (via MMA Fighting):

"I don't think it would be until next year. I've got some stuff going on between now, and the end of the year, that I probably won't have time to be in a training camp. Early next year possibly, but I'm in shape. If Tyron Woodley or Robbie Lawler get hurt, I'm ready to jump in there and fight for the title again if need be. But as far as a scheduled fight it wouldn't be until next year."

2017 is popular among fighters these days.

While Condit keeps himself occupied outside the Octagon, Lawler will move on to face Tyron Woodley in the UFC 201 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, scheduled for July 30, 2016 inside Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia (more on that showdown here).

But should "Ruthless" or "Chosen One" get hurt and pull out ...