Melvin Guillard may have found a permeant base camp at long last. As reported on UFC Tonight by our own Ariel Helwani, Guillard says he’s made the last camp change of his career.
“Remember, we all thought [Guillard] had found a home after his great KO of Mac Danzig in July. He had trained for that fight with the Grudge Training Center after bouncing around for quite some time, gym to gym. We thought, ‘This is great. He looks good coming out of that camp.’ Shortly thereafter he changed camps again. He’s now training out of the American Top Team gym and he lives around that area (Coconut Creek, Florida).”
“He told me he left Grudge, because, basically they couldn’t come to an agreement about how much he owes them. They had a disagreement about the percentage that he had to pay them. They gave him an ultimatum, he said ‘goodbye,’ and now he’s training at ATT. He said he is not moving again. This is his home for life. ATT it is.”
Guillard, who faces Ross Pearson this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 30 in Manchester, insists all the pressure in this fight rests with the Brit. Never lacking confidence, Guillard even jokingly referred to the bout as ‘a free vacation with the wife.’ After saying he used to routinely drop Diego Sanchez in sparring, could a fight with ‘The Dream’ be in the mix with a big win Saturday night?
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Big plans for ’14. Featuring no less than 35 events, the UFC broke off some dates for its gutsy 2014 schedule.
DC doesn’t want Gustafsson in Europe. Daniel Cormier says he’d feel more comfortable making his first cut to 205lbs in the U.S., as opposed to Sweden, the land of saunas. “I don’t want to be making my first weight cut down to 205 overseas. I know what I’m going to need, I want to find saunas here in the United States and all the food that I’m comfortable with in order to make the weight.”
Chat Wrap. Luke Thomas answers your questions while recapping UFC 166 and previewing this weekend’s upcoming events.
Next for Bisping. On the mend with an eye injury, Michael Bisping says he wants the Lyoto Machida vs Mark Munoz winner sometime early next year. “In some ways, this is going to be best thing to happen to me. I know it sounds like a cliche, but I had my career almost taken away, and it made me realize how much I still have left to achieve in this sport.”
Defending the crown. A great technical breakdown of UFC 166’s main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
MEDIA STEW
Dana’s vlog from backstage at UFC 165.
Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 129.
UFC Fight Night 30 open workouts.
Shinya Aoki’s invisible submission.
Highlights from Dare Fight Sports’ October event.
WARNING, liberal dosage of strobe lights.
Cain Velasquez sits down with Daniel Cormier.
Jimi Manuwa talks Ryan Jimmo.
With bonus BT Sport piece.
TWEETS
Getting a little personal.
Conor McGregor Vs Du du Diego Sanchez!! Slick Vs Slur. Easy money is my favourite @UFC
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 23, 2013
@TheNotoriousMMA legitimate question? Who is joseph duffy& artemij? notable wins? All you are is a new money market for @ufc #humblingcoming
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) October 23, 2013
Looking for video.
Joined tge Ahi va el agua show yesterday http://t.co/Zawh8ftVfv
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 23, 2013
What is going on in the top left?
So awesome finally seeing @ufc in @GQMagazine !! The Champ @JonnyBones looking good! #DapperScrapper pic.twitter.com/Z403exEAkb
— Joseph Benavidez (@JoeJitsu) October 23, 2013
Bendo with the first reports out of China.
It was a blast taping for #TUFChina, they have some good young talent over there, was a blast getting to kick it w/ #CungLe too…
— Benson Henderson (@BensonHenderson) October 23, 2013
Quick break.
Back in the gym!! Healthy no injury’s and hungry! helping my brother @SugaRashadEvans all you guys support him!! Nov 16
— TyroneSpong (@Tyrone_spong) October 23, 2013
Sorry to hear, Mr. Struve.
Rest in peace dad, you’re our hero and we’ll never forget you. You showed your lionheart and fought for us with all you had. We love you.
— Stefan Struve (@StefanStruve) October 23, 2013
Stern. Stern, but fair.
#Sentenced to #dieting till December 29th, @ufc 168!
— Siyar The Great (@SiyarTheGreat) October 23, 2013
I’m going with Mexico on this one.
Battle of the singlet. Mexico vs. USA pic.twitter.com/yIbHyj6woH
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) October 23, 2013
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Oct. 23 2013)
NA
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via Connor Ruebusch.
Part one of Heavy Hands this week brings back boxing trainer Luis Monda to discuss the results of Timothy Bradley vs Juan Manuel Marquez, and how Tim Bradley is becoming, like Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather, a master spoiler.
Luis also explains the differences between pure boxing and boxing for MMA, and the similarities.
Finally, a discussion of the “hard right hand” that Luis teaches, as requeste by listeners, including a harrowing tale of Connor hurting his shoulders because he’s scared of the punching bag.
…
Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.