For Carlos Condit, the main event of UFC on FOX 21 on Saturday is more than just a chance to earn another title shot.
It also represents a career crossroads for "The Natural Born Killer."
Retirement talk is nothing new for the 32-year-old. Condit's last fight was a five-round classic against welterweight champion Robbie Lawler that ended in a split decision that was closer than a coin toss. The disappointment - and the damage he absorbed - left Condit wondering if that would be his last fight.
Heading into the 40th bout of his UFC career, Condit is looking forward to the challenge of solving Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Demian Maia. However, that excitement hasn't stopped him from looking ahead to his post-fighting future.
"I love this sport," Condit said at Thursday's open workouts, according to John Morgan of MMAjunkie. "It's going to be hard to pull me away. Logically, I've got to figure out something else to do for a career because I can't do this forever, but I've still got a little bit of time. I've still got some fight in me, I think."
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Maia is one of the hottest fighters in the UFC, having won his past five fights. Condit can steal Maia's momentum with a victory, but a loss would leave him with just two victories in his past seven fights. That uncertainty means Condit can't offer any assurances as to what he'll do next.
"I don't know," Condit said. "I'm focused on the next three days, and I think that will have a lot of bearing on what I do after that."
