UFC lightweight Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (27-8-2, 1NC) is one of the more exciting fighters to watch in the 155 pound division, having won sixteen of twenty-seven fights by (T)KO. One of the biggest victories for him, was his first round TKO win over Evan Dunham this past January.
Guillard was expected to meet Yves Edwards on the January 22, UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 event, but an injury to headliner Kenny Florian opened up an opportunity for “The Young Assassin” to step up and replace the former number one contender. Guillard made short work of Dunham, one of the rising stars in the lightweight division, finishing the younger fighter with knee strikes at 2:58 of the first round, which also earned him the “Knockout of the Night” bonus.
In an interview with Tapology.com, Guillard said that win helped to really open some doors for him, financially as well as within the 155 lb division.
“I’ve always had the confidence. To me personally, I think the Yves Edwards fight would have been a bit more challenging than the Evan Dunham fight. I trained with Edwards for about four years and he was like a mentor to me, so it would have been a little more nerve-wracking for me. Of course [it was] because after I knocked him out like that a lot of things changed. I got a new contract, the UFC gave me a marketing deal, and a lot of doors opened up for me after knocking him out….I’m definitely a contender right now whether they [UFC brass] want me to be or not. I will finish what I started. I will get my title this year. I think they love watching me fight. I think once I win the title they will back me, especially since I’m marketable.”
Guillard is scheduled to meet Shane Roller in July on the main card of UFC 132 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.