Melvin Guillard’s almost nine-year UFC run has come to an end.
“The Young Assassin” was released from the UFC on Thursday night, according to his manager Malki Kawa. The decision comes after the 30-year-old lost a unanimous decision to Michael Johnson at UFC Fight Night 38 in London earlier this month.
Guillard (31-13-2, 2 NC) debuted on second season of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2005. Despite losing early in the tournament, Guillard defeated Marcus Davis via second-round TKO in the Finale to secure a spot in the organization. The lightweight fighter went 12-9 inside the Octagon, with notable wins against Dennis Siver, Gleison Tibau, Evan Dunham and Mac Danzig.
The Louisiana native had his ups and downs in the UFC — from testing positive to cocaine to missing weight to switching camps — however, he always remained a fan favorite for his exciting fighting style and dynamic personality.
UFC president Dana White was critical of Guillard’s performance following his loss to Johnson three weeks ago.
“There’s no doubt Melvin ran the entire fight and was incredibly passive, the complete opposite of how he used to fight,” he said. “There was a lot of smack talk leading up to that fight, and those are the fights that everybody gets excited about, and nine times out of 10 they end up like tonight. Those drive me crazy.”
Kawa said Guillard, who wasn’t available for comment, is handling the news well and eager to move forward.
“We’re working to get him signed somewhere else,” he said. “I’m going to do what’s best for Melvin.”
Kawa wouldn’t disclose any potential landing spots for Guillard at this time.