Melvin Guillard: "I'm One of the Best 155ers. I'm the Strongest. I'll Stand Up With Anyone in the UFC"
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 14, 2009 3:49 AM EDT
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PrintMelvin Guillard will be facing Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC Fight Night 19 this week. He spoke about being more than happy to give Nate's wish of a stand up battle:
"As far as Nate, there's been rumors that he's been begging Dana White and Joe Silva to get him somebody that he can stand up and bang with. I'm going to see if he's a man of his word. If he really wants to get in there, we can get us the Fight of the Night, or hopefully I get a Knockout of the Night if he really wants to get in there and stand up and bang.
I'll stand up with anybody in the UFC. I honestly feel I am one of the best 155ers. I'm the strongest. Even looking back at a lot of the 55ers that fight, a lot of them land punches but they're not knocking anybody out. If you look back at the majority of my fights, I knock out 90% of anybody I hit if it stays on the feet. I'm not worried. I think more than anything he's coming into this fight worried about my punching power."
While he prefers to keep it standing, he thinks that he wouldn't have any problems if Diaz wants to take it to the ground:
"I noticed he has a lot of trouble with wrestlers, so my game plan really is to go in there and bang with him, but anytime he tries to take it down, I'm just going to turn it into a wrestling match, and I'm just going to out-wrestle him the whole three rounds. It can be the fight that he wants, or it can be the fight that he's going to hate."
He expounded on this when he talked to ufc.com:
"Everybody knows I am a great wrestler, but I’m also a great striker and I want to have a good stand-up battle. I mean, if he really wants someone to go in there and stand up and bang with him? I’m that guy... I know my boxing’s way better than his, and it’ll be a short night for him if he wants to go that route. But man, I know how it goes in a fight. Once a guy gets hit by me, his whole game plan goes out the window. Nobody can withstand my right hand."
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Meh
I seriously doubt that Nate’s gonna come out looking to bang. The minute he gets Melvin to the ground, this fight is his. But Guillard is ALWAYS dangerous standing.
Supporting all Las Vegas MMA. Xtreme Couture FTMFW.
'09 is the year of the FW's.
Well, the odds on Guillard are +200, so the bookies think his highest chance of winning is 33%…
He’s explosive so obviously he’s best against the slower guys and ones that don’t put the pressure on, but Nate tries to put pressure on his opponents. So i see Melvin taking him down when he feels vulnerable, and that could be all that Nate needs to win the fight. A one in three chance sounds about right for Melvin, if a bit generous.
Stand and bang stand and bang stand and bang...
MMA seems to have a whole lot of guys who just want to “stand and bang”. Someone should clue them into this new sport called “boxing” if they want to stand and bang.
I want ground fighting in my MMA.
BOOSH
by Farthammer on Sep 14, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
maybe you missed the part where he talked about wrestling?
there’s a huge difference between this, and the MarcusDavis/ChrisLytle agreement..
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 14, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
No, I saw that
He also said he will only do that if Diaz tries to take him down. He didn’t say he would employ takedowns first.
He wants a stand and bang fight, and I am tired of guys saying they want to stand and bang.
BOOSH
In this situation it's warranted
Melvin’s best way to win this fight is to knock Diaz out. His ground game sucks and he destroys peoples faces standing.
Guillard said this on the UFN 19 conference call:
I wrestled 13 years… went undefeated in my high school career… I know for a fact I’m a better wrestler than Nate."
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 15, 2009 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions
right...
so why not outwrestle a guy and win a sure thing? Because he wants to be “exciting” and possibly get a FOTN bonus or KO bonus, that’s why.
The point is to win, not to be exciting. Both is great, but win above all.
BOOSH
no not really..
He think’s he’s a better wrestler, but he thinks he has the biggest advantage standing up because he thinks that anyone who he hits will go down..
you’re putting too much meaning on the things he’s saying. haha.
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 15, 2009 4:00 AM EDT up reply actions
No. He says he wants a good stand up battle, but if he has to, he’ll just outwrestle him and win. You’re not putting enough meaning into what he is saying.
BOOSH
uhhhh... cause he's a striker? so he prefers a stand up war?
What if Vera/Rampage/Evans/whoever said he wants to stand up with his opponent, but if his opponent wants to take him down then he’ll wrestle him since they’re better at wrestling anyway?
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 15, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
weoweoweo wins again
Even a broken clock is right two times a day.
by Chris Toffer on Sep 15, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I would say great for those three. We’re talking about Cokenose GUillard here, not 2 past champions. Until you get to that level, I suggest you win the best way you can.
Also, one of those names is not like the other 2.
BOOSH
uhh so you insult the guy to prove a point?
The best way he can is a stand up war.. does anyone think that the best thing he should do is to take Nate down???
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 16, 2009 1:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Sorry Melvin, but you suck on the ground. You are a 155 pound Melvin Manhoef. Dangerous as hell as long as the fight is standing, but easy pickings once it hits the ground.
Nate will stand and exchange for a little while, then clinch up and land one of his sweet judo throws, and then submit him shortly thereafter.
his jits isn’t that great but it’s serviceable.. His wrestling is pretty good too, better than Diaz’s I think..
by Anton Tabuena on Sep 14, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
his jits isn’t that great but it’s serviceable.
LOSS Josh Neer (Triangle choke)
LOSS Joe Stevenson (Guillotine choke)
LOSS Rich Clementi (Rear naked choke)
Call me crazy, but I think Melvin needs a little work when it comes to protecting his neck.
LOSS Rich Clementi (Rear naked choke)
One of the best RNCs ever, IMHO.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
I really wish there was an ani-gif of that. I’ll have to see later if I have that fight on my HD, maybe I can make one.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
by mythbuster on Sep 15, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Wish I knew how to add text to animated gifs...
“He still ain’t learned his lesson. Look at him. Get the hell out of here!”
“Go practice jui jitsu, Melvin.”
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
But Diaz’s weak hips are gonna be a field day for him if he doesn’t leave his neck out.
I’m hoping for Nate to get his record going again though.
Nate’s “weak hips” have been good enough to hit a massive hip toss in just about every one of his fights. Nate’s wrestling may suck, but he is sneaky as hell with those judo throws.
agree stevie
Even a broken clock is right two times a day.
by Chris Toffer on Sep 14, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Aren't those awesome!!?
But yeah, I’m definitely talking about the kind of leverage and hip base of wrestling. He gets the throw but can’t capitalize and eventually gets scrambled-out from under.
I hope he’ll just choke Melvin out though.
I put my fake money on Melvin. I think Nate stinks.
"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock
Sure
I’d put my fake money on Melvin, but my real money on Nate ;)
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
I agree that he is one of the best at 155 on pure athleticism & stand up fighters.. His weakness has always been his ground game and his lack of motivation. He’s hit and miss.. sort of like Belfort.. Has all the potential in the world and does great with it when he feels like it. But often times get’s unmotivated easily ..
I hope for his sake he worked out some of those demons.. because he is truly a talented kid. But he’ll get exposed on the ground the minute he slips up mentally..
8-29-09
Keith Jardine is now known as "The Dean of Antihistamine" because he is always sleeping early in fights..
Why do fighters say one-fifty-fiver? It’s short in print, but pretty damn awkward to say.
Is it because they don’t like referring to themselves as lightweights?
Most of ‘em drop the ’one’ and refer to themselves fifty-fivers or the weight class as fifty-five.
The reason they don’t use the term lightweight is because the standardization of the weight classes is a fairly recent phenomena. UFC, Pride and Shooto all had different weight ranges that they referred to as ‘lightweight’.
LOL
I find myself doing the same thing when taking photos with fighters or with people at my school… Ha!
I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
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Daley/Guillard
Is anyone reminded of Semtex Daley? Both have good/very good stand up but a pretty basic ground game….
Melvin has three things going for him
1: A lot of power
2: A lot of confidence
3: err umm okay, two things.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
4-10. The green Power Ranger guy will be in his corner for this fight
by StevenGiles on Sep 14, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
3. Great hand speed
4. Explosive and powerful wrestling (particularly in scrambles)
Nate’s still going to tool him, but Melvin’s got a ton of natural gifts.
I don’t know that either his hand speed or wrestling is any better than the average MMA fighter in his weight class.
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
I definitely think they both are well above average. His wrestling in particular is very effective. He’s not the most technical guy in the world, but he is VERY difficult to hold down due to his athleticism.
What are you basing that on?
http://www.ufc.com/MelvinGuillard
His last fights he won a split decision over Gleison Tibau, a KO over Dennis Siver (power), and two losses via submission. Where are you getting this ‘difficult to hold down’ and above average hand speed and wrestling from?
Mind you, I said they are not better than the average MMA fighter in his weight class, not the average person.
Against Clementi
Against Tibau (who he won a split decision over)
weoweoweo is the best… and I <3 Vera cause he is pogi.
Agree with this
Melvin is not a great wrestler. He gets out-grappled by any competent wrestler in the octagon whenever i watch him fight.
Anyone remember Josh Burkman? No? Well Josh ‘Who’ Burkman outgrappled him EASILY on TUF when Melvin would have been alot fresher with regard to his ‘wrestling’ roots.
Maybe Melvin learned the ‘Kick him off like you in prison and he tryin to get your booty’ techniques during his stint in the big house
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Sep 15, 2009 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Guillard talks a ton of smack every time he fights (when he’s not doing lines as part of his pre-fight training regimen). I love seeing him lose by submission each and every time. Any guy he hasn’t blown out in the first minute or so (other than Tibau in what was a garbage decision) has tapped him, it seems like. seeing Clementi do the hand on the back of the neck push off as he stood up was pretty damn gratifying, i must say. and I 2nd all the comments about it being MIXED MARTIAL ARTS. if you don’t like fighting strong wrestling pedigrees, go fight in a stand up only sport, damn.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei.
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by theworldsoldestsport on Sep 16, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions
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