UFC 125 Results: Clay Guida Discusses Keys to Victory Over Takanori Gomi
In this video with Sherdog.com (still cam would help, fellas), UFC lightweight Clay Guida explains how he beat Takanori Gomi at UFC 125. What stood out for me was the "cleanliness" of Greg Jackson's game plan. My sense is that he took what Guida was naturally predisposed to do and already doing in fights, but refined the technique and repurposed the use. I've always felt Guida's movement was certainly helpful, but not necessarily part of a larger attacking system.
I think any talk of Guida challenging for a title is not really worth discussion (certainly not now), but Guida's carved out a nice niche for himself. He wins competitive fights and when he doesn't, his fights are nevertheless entertaining. His blue collar background and identity mesh perfectly with his fan-friendly fighting style. For a fighter who is likely to never wear UFC championship gold, this is the next best thing. That's one hell of a win and he's one hell of a commodity for the UFC.
37 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Very savvy fellow
looks like he does and quotes “The Big Lebowski” in his win speech.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Jan 3, 2011 12:43 AM EST reply actions
Even though he may not win the title
I’ve very impressed with his improvements since joining Jacksons. He has finished his last three, his longest finish streak in the UFC. I think he may not win the title, but him challenging may not be so far out of the picture.
I think Guida is kinda in the same spot as Lytle. Two veteran gatekeepers who have always made good fights, but are now actually looking like they could rejoin the title hunt very soon.
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
- T-Rex
Will he lose fans on the way?
I would have bought the PPV for this fight alone. Unfortunately Jackson’s game plan made it a horrible fight to watch. When I think of Guida I think of someone always trying to move forward and push the pace, with punches, dirty boxing against the cage, or GnP. I don’t think of half a dozen punches and 3 kicks thrown in a round.
yea but those 3 punches and kicks landed to devastating effect
whereas the old Guida would whiff on most of his shots.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
I'll take Guida v3.0 (Jackson edition)...
..over Guida v1.0 (Lay ’n Pray edition).
V2.0 (Hellfire Fury edition) was pretty fun, but not so productive.
Koscheck has frosted tips.
like this. I wouldn’t mind seeing him against Sherk either
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13
by Noah'sArk on Jan 3, 2011 1:22 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Guida's striking will always be his biggest liability
but I think has has the ability to take anyone down in the lw division. I think his wrestling is sorely under-valued. The fact that he has tightened up his ground game and worked hard on improving his submissions makes him a threat to anyone in the division IMO.
One more win and I think he absolutely deserves a title shot
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13
Is Clay Guida a big 155er? Maybe I just get ahead of myself with the 145lb division coming to the UFC, but if Guida could make the weight I think he could go from an upper level gatekeeper at 155 to a real contender at 145. I can’t wait to see how 135/45/55 end up at the start of 2012 compared to how it is now.
I saw through his plan about 10 seconds into the fight.
Gomi fucked up and got sucked into the Greg Jackson Gameplan™ because he had never faced a fighter up to that point whose goal is to dance around and get tiny shots in every now and then so that he doesn’t get reprimanded by the ref.
Gomi needed to cut off the cage and push the pace, similar to what Rampage did against Machida. I suggest that Gomi watch that fight to learn what to do against elusive fighters in a cage.
I guess you missed the part where he used that movement
to set up surprisingly effective striking against an infinitely better striker, used those attacks to set up take downs, used Gomi’s escape from the ground to set up another stand up blitz. Then did it again in the 2nd except used the take down to set up a submission. fucking brilliant decisive fighting.
When you get the finish you are immune to criticism of your game plan.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Jan 3, 2011 2:02 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't miss any of that..
I was just kind of indifferent to it I guess :/
you don't like to see a very dangerous fighter
completely neutralized and then beaten inside of two rounds?
are you from the “let’s nail their feet to the floor and test some chins” school?
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Fuck is that a real school, How do I enroll?
by RoB_ex on Jan 3, 2011 2:29 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Don't confuse it with the...
..“Nail his hands to the wooden cross” school.
Kimo runs that one.
Koscheck has frosted tips.
I just don’t like seeing what happens with certain fighters once they are under Greg Jackson’s tutelage. Yeah, they win, I just don’t like watching it. I know there are still some exceptions to the rule like Stann, Condit, Bones etc, but two major standouts for me would be Guillard’s fight with Stephens, Evans against T. Silva and now this one with Guida and Gomi. I can appreciate what they’re doing, I just don’t like to watch it.
So Melvin should have gotten into a slugfest with a huge power puncher who excels in those kind of brawls instead of using superior speed and technique to move in and out and not get hit? Evans should have thrown away his wrestling to strike with Silva because it worked so well against Machida? Guida shouldn’t bother hitting guys with poweful, meaningful strikes and submitting guys?
I just don’t get it. I personally love it when a fighter gameplans and watching a fighter fight intelligently.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13
by Noah'sArk on Jan 3, 2011 2:41 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I can see
not liking Guillard-Stevens or Evans-Silva but I don’t see Guida-Gomi at all similar. Melvin and Evans fought for points and never went for a kill. Guida went for and got the kill.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Jan 3, 2011 2:53 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Yeah he finished the fight, I know
I was just anticipating the Guida I saw fight Diego. I was ready for the fight where the whole arena spontaneously burst into flames the moment the two of them collided inside the Octagon as Rogan put it. I’m well aware of the fact that it would have been foolish for Clay to do test his chin like that and all. I also noted that Gomi was at fault for playing into the gameplan perfectly by not cutting off the cage and allowing Guida to stay outside of Gomi’s range doing his monkey dance. I just knew after about 30 seconds that Guida was going to stay out of Gomi’s range for the most part and had that sinking feeling and said “Here we go again, the Greg Jackson Gameplan.” I’m far from the Just Bleed mindset, the Cruz/Jorgensen fight actually entertained the shit out of me, and I was even entertained by the Mayhem/Shields fight that gets called a snoozer by so many people. It’s just that something about how certain fighters with that Jackson Gameplan seem like they’re fighting disingenuously or something. I just see one of those fights and and it’s like something inside of me tells me there’s something wrong with this. It’s almost on an instinctual level.
Guida got his ass handed to him vs Sanchez.
If his gameplan was to repeat that tactic, he’d want to quit the game and be a crossing guard.
Koscheck has frosted tips.
I know a lot of people thought clay guida was really boring
but he was just picking his shots and trying to be spontaneous. Kept gomi guessing
My friends call me charmin because I took a shit on the backseat of my car...next to a church, while little kids played.lol
Guida USED to be boring.
In the old backhumper days when he’d just outcardio guys and roll around on their tramp stamps.
Then he went crazygotnuts. I kinda prefer this middle ground.
Koscheck has frosted tips.
This^
The early Guida lost to Gil because he was out wrestled and he had yet to turn the knob to 11. Then he was the hyper-active wrestle/shadow boxer who’s own energy allowed him to be put in situations where he could get submitted. Now. w/ the Jackson Camp honing his skill set, focusing his unlimited energy and teaching him proper BJJ technique Guida is a force. He may not ever win the belt, but he sure will weed out those on the way to the belt.
I like energy, but I love focused energy. That is Guida now. I like power, but I love focused power. That is what Stann showed against Lebon…… I can play this game w/ GSPand Jones also, but I digress.
by F'n Clownshoes on Jan 3, 2011 3:53 AM EST up reply actions
Impressive win, but if he keeps moving like a chicken with its head cut off, I’ll quickly start cheering against him. What a horrible way to fight.
doubt he will
i think Guida said it was game planned. Making Gomi feel uncomfortable and agitated by his movement was brilliant. I highly doubt he would move like that against a light footed kick boxer or a well balanced wrestler.
by F'n Clownshoes on Jan 3, 2011 8:31 AM EST up reply actions
Let’s hope not. That was some of the most horrible-looking standup since Gerald Harris leaning to the side style.
it was deliberately designed to keep Gomi off balance
and keep him from landing one of his one punch KO’s
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
oh, side note
remember the monkey style fighter from Bloodsport, yeah that’s what he reminded me of.
by F'n Clownshoes on Jan 3, 2011 8:34 AM EST up reply actions
I was thinking about the monkey style guy from Bloodsport as well. But I thought that’s what Gomi should have done.
Guida’s gameplan seemed to be “just be weird”. Like Jackson told him you’re weird anyway, so let’s go with that and throw stuff at him he won’t know how to respond to. And it worked brilliantly.
Gomi is one of my all time favourite fighters, and it was genuinely painful to watch him just stand there punching air with a giant questionmark floating over his head.
So that was my thought, don’t bother trying to find your range, that doesn’t apply now. Just outmonkey him. He wants to get weird, get weird. Have a capoeira fight, or get on all four and monkey roll kick him and gorrila pound him on the ground or something. Make everyone in the stadium facepalm from the absurdity of the fight.
I bet Guida trained to be weird against traditional opponents. I’d love to see what happens if his opponent counter-weirds him. ;P
by Peter Nathaniel Fury on Jan 3, 2011 10:22 AM EST reply actions
Facing a guy like umm, let's say Pettis
who has a genuinely awkward but quite legitimately effective stand up style and uses capoeira styling in his fights. I’m fairly certain Jackson would say take down, punch, rinse, repeat.
by F'n Clownshoes on Jan 3, 2011 10:53 AM EST up reply actions

by 




















