Should Carlos Condit have defended his interim title before fighting GSP?

So GSP is set to make his return sometime in November against interim champ Carlos Condit. Condit won the interim title in February, 7 months ago - 9 by November. I really feel that Condit should have defended the title at least once before fighting GSP to see who is the undisputed champion. Had Condit defeated another top contender to add to his scalp list on top of Nick Diaz I think there would be more debate as to who deserves to be undisputed champ. As it stands GSP is returning after being sidelined for over a year, so there is doubt surrounding whether he will return the same P4P best fighter or whether he will have lost something and Condit is coming off of a controversial win over Diaz. This fight would have a much more positive spin had Condit successfully defended because if he loses to GSP then people may argue his victory over Diaz was a fluke or worse that his detractors were right all along and the judges scored the fight wrong. Although I think Condit won the Diaz fight and earned the interim title, I don't consider him a champion because of his inactivity. I think the decision to hold out until GSP's return was the wrong decision and it would have far more hype and interest if Condit was a fighting champion.

Thoughts?

I've voted Yes but don't really blame him as this could be his only shot.

It's not an incfredibly long wait circa 9 months but i would have preferred he fought inbetween because as you say if he fought and beat another credible opponant the GSP fight would have a lot more hype and interest.

Dan Henderson did the exact same thing.

I'll add that I know Henderson wasn't an interim champ but the belt means nothing as i've never considered Condit a UFC champ of any sort and don't think many do!

agreed.

It would also mean more if GSP beats him as then there really would be no shadow of a doubt who is undisputed champion. Carlos' claim to being welterweight champion is very shallow.

I don't like the idea of interim titles & certainly don't except this idea of undisputed champion for the winner of this fight, the winner will be the UFC welterweight champion. It's not like in boxing where, sadly, there are multiple champions at each weight & is then possible to have one champion with all the belts to make them undisputed. In boxing it just seems to be a money maker for the sanctioning body who get their fee. Diaz vs Condit happened to save the card after GSP was unable to fight & rightly Condit got the chance to fight GSP after defeating Diaz. I don't see that Condit should have to 'defend his title' or fight at all before GSP, why take the risk of a defeat or an injury in the mean time that could put the fight off longer? As for Condit losing I think it proves he lost to the better fighter, the number one at the weight & p4p one of the best the sport has & has no baring on the Diaz fight.