UFC 211: He Could Be UFC Champion, and He Doesn't Throw Punches

Thirty seconds into his fight with Demian Maia, it's already over for Carlos Condit. He may not know it yet, but the end is approaching; unflappable, unyielding, the ancient art of jiu-jitsu given new life by a man who's devoted himself to the religion of martial arts.

Condit had prepared for this moment for two months. He knew Maia would try to push him into the cage. He knew he'd use a single leg takedown attempt to do it. He knew once he was on the ground that Maia would overwhelm and envelop—a human ocean seemingly covering every inch of his body, impossible to escape.

He practiced studiously to avoid it, every day an emotional battle, with frustration boiling over every time his back…