Melvin Guillard
Two fighters coming off “Fight of the Night” performances have been matched against one another as Melvin ‘The Young Assassin’ Guillard (30-11-2) and former WEC champ, Jamie Varner (20-7-1), have been booked in a lightweight bout for next months The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale.
Officials with the promotion announced the bout at UFC.com on Thursday night.
A match between two fighters coming off of Fight of the Night performances has been verbally agreed to as former WEC champion Jamie Varner takes on the “Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard at the Ultimate Fighter Finale on FX.
The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale is expected to take place on December 15, 2012 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event features a heavyweight bout between opposing coaches Shane Carwin vs. Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson, as well as the final matches for the reality television series.
Guillard, once one of the top ranked lightweights in the division, is looking to improve on a 1-3 record over his last four and is coming off a knockout loss versus friend Donald Cerrone at UFC 150. Guillard and the ‘Cowboy’ battled for 76-seconds at the Colorado event, with ‘The Young Assassin’ looking as if he’d finish Cerrone but was caught with a headkick. Guillard earned his last win in July at UFC 148, defeating Fabricio Camoes.
Varner suffered a disappointing third round submission loss to Joe Lauzon last August at UFC on FOX 4, replacing a Terry Etim at the Los Angeles event. Varner looked to have the better striking, despite breaking his hand in the second, but was caught with a triangle choke submission in the third, forced to tap at 2:44 of the round. Varner made a successful Octagon return in his previous fight, finishing Edson Barboza at UFC 146 via second round TKO after replacing Evan Dunham.