UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit. February 4, 2012. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas. Georges St-Pierre was originally scheduled to defend the Welterweight Championship against Nick Diaz. St-Pierre withdrew on December 7, 2011 with a torn ACL. Carlos Condit was elevated from the undercard and faced Diaz for the interim WW title.
Condit defeated Nick Diaz by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) in a fight that divided the MMA world. Condit used a kick-and-move game plan throughout five rounds; Diaz was the constant aggressor but could not pin Condit down for sustained exchanges. Condit outlanded Diaz 159-117 in total strikes. Diaz retired in disgust immediately after the decision was announced.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: February 4, 2012
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (also known as UFC 143; titled St. Pierre vs. Diaz before GSP withdrew)
Attendance: 9,015; Gate: $3,000,000 approx.
Main Event: Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz — UFC Interim WW Championship (5 rounds) — original: GSP vs. Diaz
Result: Condit def. Diaz — UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) — CONTROVERSIAL; Diaz retired in disgust post-fight
Notable: GSP torn ACL withdrawal; Max Holloway UFC debut (lost to Poirier); Werdum def. Nelson UD; Barao def. Jorgensen; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
Nick Diaz had been booked against GSP after his return to the UFC at UFC 137. St-Pierre suffered a torn ACL in training and was announced as withdrawn on December 7, 2011. Carlos Condit, who had been scheduled against Josh Koscheck, was elevated to the main event for the interim title. UFC Primetime returned to promote the fight on FX. Diaz came in as the betting favourite.
Main Event
Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz — UFC Interim WW Championship
Condit’s game plan from round one was to kick and circle. He avoided the cage and denied Nick Diaz the sustained clinch-and-brawl exchanges Diaz prefers. Diaz pressured forward with his hands down, trying to bait Condit into trading. Condit did not take the bait and continued moving and landing kicks.
By round five, Nick Diaz managed a takedown and locked in a body triangle, looking for a rear-naked choke. He could not finish the submission before the final bell. The scorecards read 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46 for Condit. Diaz immediately stated post-fight that he was done. The decision generated substantial debate about whether the game plan constituted ‘running’ or effective striking and movement.
Co-Main Event
Fabricio Werdum vs. Roy Nelson — Heavyweight
Werdum controlled the striking and ground game across three rounds, winning 30-27 on all scorecards. He landed knees and a more diverse striking arsenal than expected. Nelson’s power could not find Werdum’s chin. Werdum’s UFC HW career trajectory continued upward.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Stephen Thompson def. Dan Stittgen — KO — R1 — WW; Thompson’s UFC debut
Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper — Decision — R3 — MW
Matt Riddle def. Henry Martinez — Decision — R3 — WW
Matt Brown def. Chris Cope — Decision — R3 — WW
Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres — KO — R1 — BW
Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway — Sub (Triangle-Armbar) — R1, 3:23 — FW; Holloway UFC debut
Main Card
Ed Herman def. Clifford Starks — Sub (RNC) — R2, 1:43 — MW
Renan Baraõ def. Scott Jorgensen — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — BW; Baraõ unbeaten UFC streak continues
Josh Koscheck def. Mike Pierce — Decision (Split) — R3, 5:00 — WW
Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — HW; Co-Main
UFC Interim WW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Carlos Condit def. Nick Diaz — UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) — Condit earns Interim WW belt and GSP unification shot; Diaz retires in disgust post-fight
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz — $65,000 to each fighter.
KO/Performance: Various — $65,000 per recipient.
Records & Milestones
Max Holloway UFC debut — lost to Dustin Poirier by submission in round one; Holloway became UFC FW Champion in 2017 and made five title defences.
Stephen Thompson UFC debut — first-round KO win; Thompson became a perennial WW top-five contender and two-time title challenger.
Carlos Condit earns Interim WW title — first interim WW champion since Matt Serra in 2007; earned unification fight vs. GSP.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 143’s main event was the first major test of how judges and fans evaluate movement-based fighting versus aggression-based fighting. Condit’s game plan was effective on output and accuracy; Nick Diaz’s game plan relied on making Condit stand still and trade, which Condit never did. The argument about whether Condit was ‘running’ or competing effectively defined the post-fight discussion for months.
Nick Diaz's retirement was not permanent. He returned to fight GSP at UFC 158. But the pattern of retiring after losses, combined with the passion behind each statement, made every Diaz retirement announcement feel simultaneously credible and temporary.
FAQ
Why was UFC 143 not the GSP title fight it was supposed to be?
Georges St-Pierre suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during training and was announced as withdrawn on December 7, 2011. Carlos Condit was elevated from the undercard to face Nick Diaz for the interim welterweight title.
Was the Condit vs Diaz decision at UFC 143 controversial?
Yes. Nick Diaz pressured forward for five rounds and appeared to land big shots when he connected. Condit moved and circled for most of the fight, landing kicks and avoiding exchanges. Judges awarded Condit the decision. Diaz and many fans felt he had done enough to win by aggression.
Who made their UFC debut at UFC 143?
Two notable debuts: Max Holloway (lost to Dustin Poirier by submission in R1; future UFC FW Champion) and Stephen Thompson (won by KO in R1; future WW top contender).
What was Nick Diaz's reaction to the decision at UFC 143?
Diaz immediately announced his retirement in the post-fight interview. He stated he was done with the sport. As with previous retirement announcements, he later returned to compete.
What happened to Condit after winning the interim title at UFC 143?
Condit earned an unification fight against UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre. The fight took place at UFC 154 in Montreal in November 2012, where GSP defeated Condit by unanimous decision to unify the belts.
References
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