UFC lightweight Melvin “TheYoung Assassin” Guillard (25-8-2) will apparently step in for an injured Kenny Florian at next months UFC Fight for the Troops 2 event to face Evan Dunham.
News of an injury to Florian appeared this afternoon, and now Heavy.com is reporting that Guillard has been tapped as his replacement.
Guillard had been scheduled to face Yves Edwards on the preliminary portion of the January event, and will now likely move to the televised portion of the card against Dunham.
“The Young Assassin” has won three straight, going 6-1 in his last seven fights. He last appeared at UFC 119 against Jeremy Stephens in what many thought would be a “Fight of the Night” candidate, but the bout left many fans disappointed with the lack of explosive action. Guillard would win a split decision. He also defeated Waylon Lowe by TKO at UFC 114 and earned a unanimous decision over Ronnys Torres at UFC 109, while losing to Nate Diaz by submission in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard in September of 2009.
No official word has come down from the promotion as of yet, with no rumors on whether Edwards will be given a new opponent and stay on the card, or if the Guillard vs. Dunham fight will become the new main event.