UFC Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale Results: Diego Sanchez Takes Split Decision Over Clay Guida
by Kid Nate on Jun 20, 2009 11:59 PM EDT
in MMA Events
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In a fight that will rank with the best in UFC history, Diego Sanchez took a controversial split decision over Clay Guida.
The rare free TV bout with real title picture implications saw former TUF winner Diego Sanchez faced Clay Guida, a fighter on a three fight winning streak against TUF winners. Both men came into the match with reputations for intensity, conditioning and relentlessness. From the moment of the stare-down it was clear this would be an intense match. But few could have imagined just how intense the fight would be.
Diego Sanchez charged across the ring and immediately battered Guida with punches. The smaller man tried to fire back, but his punches were missing and Sanchez' was connecting again and again. A bloodied Guida responded by getting a double leg takedown, landing in Sanchez' full guard. After bloodying Sanchez' nose, Guida lost control of the position and they were back on their feet. Sanchez immediately renewed the beating, scoring with a high kick that dropped Guida. Guida bravely fought back, but took more punishement before Sanchez got a takedown.
In the second, Guida quickly shot in and got top position. Sanchez fired off elbows from the bottom while Guida worked to score from the top. Guida evaded a kimura attempt before managing to drive Sanchez into the fence and unleashing some ground and pound. The crowd chanted GUIDA GUIDA to show their support for the valiant underdog. Sanchez renewed his elbows from the back and seemed to score. Guida answered with punches from the top while Diego went for an arm bar. Sanchez was covered with blood at the end of the round. Guida was the likely source.
Going into the third round, the announcers said it was likely tied one round each. Guida scored the first clean punch as Sanchez seemed reluctant to blitz in for fear of being taken down. The crowd continued to cheer GUIDA GUIDA even as Sanchez landed a mean uppercut. Guida began to score on the feet, but Sanchez was scoring more. A missed shot by Guida resulted in Sanchez getting Guida's back. As Diego worked for an arm triangle choke, Guida go top position. Sanchez immediately went for a kimura but time was running down as the fighters struggled and Sanchez went for an arm bar only to allow Guida to escape and end the fight scoring with punches from the top.
[UPDATE] by Nick Thomas - From Dana's Twitter: 
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I thought Guida had it won too but there was nothing at all controversial about that decision, the fight was just that darn close. I couldn’t believe Clay made it out of the first round though man he got rocked right off the start.
Nothing controversial about it. Diego clearly won. Clay did nothing on top
by gunranger on Jun 21, 2009 12:01 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
controversial means people are arguing about it
people always argue over split decisions, especially in big fights.
"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"
No one got robbed and honestly regardless of which guy you were pulling for I’m not sure how you couldn’t see that fight going either way. It was a real brawl and both guys left it in the cage.
that means you agree
that any call would be controversial
"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"
Yes any decision would raise a lot of discussion but I don’t see why anyone should be surprised by any judges decision coming out of that one either, there was no robbery and I honestly couldn’t fault any of the judges for what they saw and scored either. This was one of those fights were the only “robbery” was that we the fans didn’t get two more rounds.
That was a really fun fight. Sucks that either guy had to lose after a performance like that.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
I don't think it was controversial..
It was a close fight sure, and I get why one judge scored it for guida..
But it wasn’t controversial, the first round couldve been a 10-8, the second guida clearly won even if sanchez did more damage.
The third, guida ended up on top but he didn’t score points.. Sanchez was the one who pulled guard and attempted submissions, while the only thing that would sway people to score it for guida was the fact that he was on top..
go go
judges actually (finally) rewarding sub attempts. A punch doesn’t always KO someone but it scores. Sub attempts should be viewed a a flurry of punches.
A successful punch does damage even if it doesn’t cause a KO a failed sub attempt doesn’t neccessarily do anything, that should really be a judgement call as to how hard the sub was worked for, how close they got to locking it in and how much of a problem it was for the other guy to defend.
yeah, well clay didnt do anything on the third round..
so they gave it to sanchez in a veryyy close round.
by Anton Tabuena on Jun 21, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I respect all fighters in MMA. But I’m sorry, Clay Guida is the biggest fraud in MMA. His punches have absolutely no intent. He does nothing from the top. Diego clearly exposed that as he did more from the bottom than Guida did from the top. He is exactly like a WWE wrestler. Long hair, makes everything look more impressive. The Diaz and Danzig fights were atrocious. He takes em down and then just runs in circles around him. I am not a fighter and don’t consider myself tough, but I think I could be under Guida for 15 minutes and then go do a photo shoot for Clinique afterwards.
But I will admit, the guy has a lot of heart. One of those people that you say, “Good effort.”
by RollinOnShabbos on Jun 21, 2009 12:10 AM EDT reply actions
Seriously?
He damaged Huerta, he landed a decent shot on Diego. But he out wrestles people. He out works them.
If you land a jab does that count as a hit or doesn’t count at all? It counts so if someone can just jab from the outside and win then Clay can get on top and out work someone even if its just hammer fists from inside the guard.
Yes, he did rock Huerta, but Diaz and Danzig came out of their fights like a million bucks. Guida has an incredible gas tank, but I think he constant “pressure” masks the fact that he does literally almost no damage.
He is absolutely my least favorite fighter in MMA…aside from Sylvia.
by RollinOnShabbos on Jun 21, 2009 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
danzig
could barely stand up he was so tired.
"All I guarantee is Violence" - Wand
So one fighter is more tired than the other so he wins?
by RollinOnShabbos on Jun 21, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions
The problem isn’t the 10-point must system, it’s the criteria used to award each round. Scoring a takedown and doing nothing while on top in the guard shouldn’t be enough to win you a round when the person on the bottom is active yet it so often does.
Diego dominated the fight but because of the terrible criteria the judges have to use Guida almost stole the win.
Yep
If this was in japan, guida wouldn’t have a chance in the scorecards… But I still think even with its flaws, the 10-9 system is better than that, I just hope they score more 10-8’s..
by Anton Tabuena on Jun 21, 2009 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I haven’t enjoyed a fight like that in a long time. I thought Diego won the fight but that fight had no losers. I’ve heard people say that Guida is the gatekeeper of the LW but I think that’s underestimating him. He does l’n’p though which pisses me off. There will be lots of fanposts to debate this I’m sure but congrats to Diego(and his title shot).
P.S. Clay Guida would maul Shinya Aoki
first round was def a 10-8
Guida landed a few good punches in the 3rd but didn’t do anything else. he didn’t get the takedown or try any submissions. Sanchez landed more elbows from the bottom than guida landed punches from the top. Sanchez also tried from like 3 subs which is actually trying to finish the fight
I wish Guida would learn to finish – he’s one of my favorite fighters to watch, and it hurts to see him lose fights because he can’t put them away. I know that’s not what happened here, but he would be higher-ranked if he would do it.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jun 21, 2009 12:20 AM EDT reply actions
I feel like Diego won the first round and Guida won the next two. Consequently, I can’t agree with Diego winning a card – let alone one 29-27. How on Earth does one arrive at that score?
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 12:22 AM EDT reply actions
PS
Guida should rise in the rankings.
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
And props to the UFC for awarding 3 fight of the night awards. I am not sure which the 3rd was, but it would have been a crime to take it away from either Lytle-Burns or Diego-Guida. On a side note, i had the fight 29-28, and that is because I do not know the criteria to score a 10-8 round. It is a shame there are so few of them, and i wonder if a 10-8 should be scored on a 1st round liek that where Diego has Clay close to finished twice, or a 10-8 is more appropriate for some rounds you see where one guy dominates for all 5 minutes.
Clay didn’t do anything in this fight. I have no idea how anyone could possibly score any of the three rounds for Guida. Every significant strike in the fight (not just the first round) was landed by Sanchez, including vicious elbows from the BOTTOM in round two. Sanchez attempted multiple submissions and received no damage, even while under Guida. 30-26 Sanchez.
There should be no doubts.
Diego won that fight. You should see the sherdog boards… WOW. But seriously, guys who think Guida was robbed need to rewatch the fight.
I am
Rounds two and three are judgment calls that I give to Guida, and round one was clear Diego – but I don’t give it to him 10-8. Herring didn’t get a 10-8 round for fucking up Nog (neither did Mir).
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t see how round 3 is a judgment call. In MMA, being on the bottom doesn’t necessarily mean you’re at a disadvantage. JJ guys pull guard all the time. Sanchez was the aggressor, pulling 3 submission attempts while on the bottom. Guida was in trouble the whole time while he was on top. Judges need to stop rewarding LnP fighters.
MMA judges normally call the round for the guy on top, it may not be right but it just is what it is. The fighters know that if you stay on bottom then you will probably lose the round, that’s why it best for them to get out of that position instead of staying there, even if they are more active.
Really? I thought all three judges gave the second round to Guida and that was the round he was on top for most of it.
He won that round because he was in a dominant position raining down punches and elbows. Two guys hitting each other with one guy on top, then the guy on top wins. There’s no controversy here. The third round, Sanchez was on the bottom but won due to his active submission attempts. That’s great judging there.
I guess I need to go back and watch it again then because I thought it was only a minute to a minute and a half and even at that Clay didn’t get the takedown it was Diego going for a choke. The third was the round that was toughest to score for me but to be honest I thought Guida did win (as did a lot of people, including one judge) it was a damn close fight.
You mean failed submission attempts?
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 3:28 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s nights like this that I hate being an MMA, fan that was complete and total bullshit I don’t know who Diego has on the take for these fights but first the Karo decision and now this there is no way a guy can be that lucky.
Clay wasn’t robbed no Condit was robbed in the last fight night, this was armed robbery with assault Guida took Sanchez best shots in the first and then did what he always does. He took him down controlled Diego and pounded him down in the second and out struck and pushed the pace in the third.
Guida won this fight and proved he was everything I said he was he’s a top LW that can beat anyone and it appers unless you land a perfect knee or pay off the judges there is no other way to beat him.
I think Guida won, but I’m not losing my mind over it. 10-8 to Diego is kind of a stretch, but not a crime.
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Guida did get the takedown Diego went to try the choke because he saw an opening and it wasn’t tight Guida defended it perfectly and then proceded to work his gnp.
he missed the takedown...
Deigo tried for the back, Clay reacted well, but was almost choked out….
Diego landed the most significant standing strikes of the fight… went for repeated submission attempts, and did serious damage from the bottom with elbows
Seriously?
If Round 1 wasn’t 10-8 (or even possibly 10-7), what is a 10-8 round?
Do you have to kill your opponent, and have him miraculously come back to life? That was about as 1-sided a domination as you will ever see, complete with knockdowns, staggering, virtually no counter offense at all. How that isn’t a 10-8 to all is beyond me.
Next, to round 2. Guida had “positional control”—so what? This isn’t point jui-jitsu. In jui-jitsu, positions are given points because in theory, you are more likely to inflict damage and/or submit your opponent by obtaining these positions of dominance. Guess what happened? Diego elbowed the crap out of Clay—from the bottom. He wont that round as well.
Round 3 could arguably be a 10-10. Breen’s scoring was right on.
Lesnar-Herring was a 10-8 round – this round was a lot closer than that.
by Derek Suboticki on Jun 21, 2009 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
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