Carlos Condit Makes Move to Team Jackson

MMAJunkie.com has confirmed that Carlos Condit has made the move to Team Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Condit commented that the move was for personal reasons involving family back home:

"I had some family stuff going on back in Albuquerque, and the move back home was the best thing for me and my family right now," Condit said.

Condit says that he is taking a lot away from his experience in Arizona and still sees potential in making visits back to Tempe, Ariz., to train.

"I learned a lot while training at Arizona Combat Sports," Condit said. "I feel that my wrestling definitely improved out there. There were a lot of great guys to train with, and it helped me step up my game.

"But as I said before, my personal circumstances have changed, and I needed to come back home to Albuquerque. It's just lucky for me that one of the best camps in the world is out here."

Arizona Combat Sports had definitely been a solid fight camp for Condit over the past year. His wrestling was one of the key elements in his skill-set that was lacking. Normally, Condit would resort to his dynamic grappling ability to submit wrestlers such as Brock Larson, but as with any great athlete -- well roundedness is ultimately a key to greatness.

The story also comments on the fact that Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone had made some public comments regarding Condit's move to Arizona Combat Sports, a camp that houses WEC champion Jamie Varner. The primary problem, however, to moving back to Team Jackson is the potential conflict between Condit's aspirations to be the welterweight champion with Georges St. Pierre working with the team.

I think this is a great move for Condit within the framework of his personal problems back home. Some fans will likely believe Condit is masking some bigger issues with the camp rather than personal issues, but I'd give Condit the benefit of the doubt. I don't believe the problem with St. Pierre is an issue at all either, considering the fact that St. Pierre spends the majority of his training camps in Montreal versus New Mexico.

I think Nate Marquardt is a fighter that could be beneficial to Condit's skill-set. While Marquardt is a bigger fighter, he has the knowledge of strength and conditioning, striking, and a black belt jiu-jitsu game that will help Condit fine tune his own for the competition in the UFC. The rest of the talent pool at Team Jackson will only help Condit acclimate himself to the UFC's tougher competition over the WEC.