It was the perfect setup for what should be one of the best fights of the UFC 94 card this Saturday in Las Vegas – a little post-fight press conference last September in Nebraska featuring two of that night’s big winners – lightweight standouts Clay Guida and Nate Diaz.
But as soon as the questions starting coming at Diaz, who had just decisioned Josh Neer, the Ultimate Fighter season five winner’s brother Nick took offense to talk of a Guida vs Diaz fight and pulled his younger sibling out of the presser.
Guida simply shook it off as he continued being interviewed solo.
“Nick and Nate have a personality all their own, and everyone knows that,” said Guida of the Diaz brothers. “Their interviews are right in your face, they don’t hold back anything, and I hope that doesn’t hold them down in the sport. I know them as tough fighters, two of the toughest out there, and I love their style, but sometimes their attitudes get remembered more than their fights, and to me, that’s not a good way to be known in the sport. I’m not sure if Nick didn’t want his brother to get bombarded with questions that he wasn’t ready for that night, or maybe he didn’t want to give up anything in an interview too early after fighting less than a half hour before. It’s one of those things where you never really know what’s going on inside their heads.”
One thing’s for sure though – it lit a bit of a fire under ‘The Carpenter’.
“I’m not sure if they were looking for a bigger name or a tougher fight, but if they think I’m something to sneeze at, they’re gonna be in for a rude awakening on January 31st.”
As 2008 wound down, the Guida vs Diaz fight was made official for this weekend’s Georges St-Pierre vs BJ Penn mega-card, and regardless of any media hype or not, this is a fight that really needs no added hyperbole - Diaz, unbeaten in the UFC since winning TUF 5, taking on the hard-charging Guida, winner of two in a row and three of his last four. In fact, the only fight Guida lost in that stretch was one he was winning handily against Roger Huerta in December of 2007 before ‘El Matador’ roared back to score an improbable third round comeback victory.
It was that fight that changed Guida. No longer was he content with just being exciting for the fans and putting on memorable bouts. He needed to win every time out, and that meant either taking his opponents out, or putting 15 minutes of pressure on them that would leave no doubt in the eyes of the judges.
In 2008, Guida put his new attitude into motion, stopping France’s Samy Schiavo in the first round in April, and then scoring a near shutout victory over The Ultimate Fighter season six winner Mac Danzig.
“Everyone knows that I come out guns blazing, looking to put people to sleep and finish them, and just make it uncomfortable for them in there,” said Guida, 24-6. “You see some guys like (light heavyweight contender Lyoto) Machida, he finishes guys, but sometimes he goes to a decision and they’re pretty much always one-sided for him. If they’re gonna go that distance with me, I’m gonna bust the guy’s face and the judges are gonna know that it’s clear-cut who won.”
And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so Guida has every intention of getting into the face of the 23-year old Diaz, who has had issues in the past with fighters who can match his pressure, like Kurt Pellegrino and Manny Gamburyan. Guida doesn’t hide the fact that his gameplan is based on exploiting that on fight night.
“That’s the key to all my fights, and it’s just making someone miserable and having them look for a way out,” he said. “When they look over to their corner and they have that frustrated look, I know it’s time to turn up the heat and try to go for the kill. He’s definitely got the reach advantage and he likes to pepper guys with what’s almost a jab-hook, and he likes to keep stuff in your face, but I’m gonna get inside and rip body shots, and I’m gonna throw everything with the intentions of dropping this guy and testing his chin. I’m really looking to see what he’s got for a chin and to see how his standup is coming along. Eventually it’s going to go to the ground, and people know what skilled grapplers we are, but I’m not gonna get caught up in his game.”
Guida’s confidence-level appears to be at an all-time high, and when you hear him break down Diaz’ game – both standing and on the ground – it’s clear that the Illinois native has not only done his homework, but that he’s chomping at the bit for Saturday night to come. He knows that a win gives him back-to-back victories over TUF winners, five overall wins in the Octagon, and a spot in the ever-crowded lightweight title mix. And though he’s not counting his chickens before they hatch, he’s ready to start working his way towards the top of 155-pound ladder.
“(If I beat Diaz) I don’t think the UFC will be knocking my door down for a title shot, but I think it puts us right in there,” said Guida. “Kenny Florian’s at the top right now, Sean Sherk’s back in the mix, Gray Maynard is probably getting pretty close right now, and when they call me, I want to be legit. I don’t want them to say “BJ (Penn) is gonna run through so and so.” I want them to say “okay, this is gonna be the most exciting lightweight fight ever, Clay Guida’s gonna be headlining the pay-per-view, and it’s gonna be a dogfight.” I want them to know that I’m dangerous, not afraid of anybody, and a definite force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division.”
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