MILWAUKEE – It all could have been so simple. Then Ben Henderson went and messed everything up.
The former WEC lightweight champ won his second straight in the UFC, dispatching Jim Miller – one of the most vocal critics of the WEC’s lightweights at the time of the merger with the UFC – with relative ease on Sunday night.
But Henderson’s win over Miller in the co-main event of UFC on Versus 5 did more than just make a statement about the quality of the former WEC 155-pounders. (Donald Cerrone shared the victory stage with Henderson after improving to 3-0 in the UFC in 2011.) It eliminated Miller and his seven-fighting winning streak, which would have reached eight had he beaten Henderson, as the easy choice for the next No. 1 contender in the UFC’s lightweight division.
Instead of a clear-cut top pick to face the October winner of the Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard rematch, there’s a tight pack at the top – including Henderson and Cerrone. But Henderson, for the most part, said he would leave that top contender decision in the hands of the UFC and let his win over Miller do the talking for him.
“I just want to make sure I get my hand raised and I’ll do my talking inside the cage,” Henderson said. “But what do you guys think? (I beat) the No. 1 contender, and that kind of a performance? You tell me. What does Dana (White) think? What does Joe Silva think? What does Sean Shelby think?”
Henderson told MMA Fighting at the post-fight press conference he believes there are several fighters clamoring to get the shot now that Miller has to go back to Square One, including Cerrone and his teammates at Greg Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, N.M.
“Jackson’s camp has some tough 155-pounders,” Henderson said. “I think the top guys are (Clay) Guida, (Melvin) Guillard, probably myself. But whoever. Whatever.”
Cerrone took a quick shot at Miller’s criticism of the WEC lightweights before saying he believes Henderson should be next in line for his domination over the previous presumed top contender.
“We’re not the little brother, right? I think the little brother just beat up the big brother. It feels good for the WEC boys to be back on Versus making it happen,” Cerrone said. “I think Ben is next – unless he wants to fight me. That would be the only other thing.”
A Cerrone-Henderson matchup next would not be out of the question, though the UFC might not want to pair up two of its newest stars-in-the-making so soon. Henderson and Cerrone have fought twice before, each time with the WEC’s lightweight belt on the line. Cerrone’s last two losses have come at the hands of Henderson – once by decision for the interim title, and once by guillotine in their rematch.
Cerrone saw his winning streak hit five with a quick and dominant TKO against Charles Oliveira, one of the UFC’s most highly touted young talents. His five straight wins now stand right next to Guillard’s five straight, though two of Cerrone’s came to close out his WEC career.
Guida has four straight wins, including an upset of former WEC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis in June. Other fighters with four straight in the division include Nik Lentz and Jacob Volkmann, though neither have been as high profile as Guida.
Guillard is scheduled to fight Joe Lauzon at UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in Houston, the same night as the Edgar-Maynard rematch. Guida does not yet have his next fight scheduled.
The 155 pound division has always been one of the deepest in mixed martial arts and right now is no different. At the beginning of the year it seemed pretty clear what direction the lightweight division was going—Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard wo…
The 155 pound division has always been one of the deepest in mixed martial arts and right now is no different.
At the beginning of the year it seemed pretty clear what direction the lightweight division was going—Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard would battle for the prestigious UFC lightweight title with the winner facing WEC’s final lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
As with most things in life, nothing goes according to plan. Fast forward a mere 227 days later and the lightweight title picture is a tangled web of uncertainty.
Last night, the consensus top contender Jim Miller put his seven bout unbeaten streak on the line against former WEC lightweight champ Ben “Smooth” Henderson.
Keyboard warriors and media aficionados considered this to be a tune-up fight for the AMA Fight Club product, but it appears that Henderson didn’t get the memo.
Both men brought the action with a highly competitive opening 10 minutes. On my unofficial score card they tied it with a round a piece heading into the final stanza.
Henderson made sure there were no questions about the winner with his actions in the final-round battering a tired Miller which earned him a 10-8 round on one of the judges’ score cards.
The MMA Lab product is unbeaten since joining the UFC and after dominating the former top contender can make a serious claim to being the top challenger following the Pettis-Maynard rubber match.
However, he is not alone. Both Clay Guida and Melvin Guillard also have the ability to challenge for the throne.
Guida stretched his winning streak to four bouts with the biggest win of his career spoiling the coming out party of the final WEC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
Guillard appears to be in the best shape of his career since hooking up with Greg Jackson—collecting five straight victories, three of them by way of stoppage.
“The Young Assassin” wasted no time looking to get back into the octagon following his July stoppage of Shane Roller taking a bout with jiu-jitsu ace Joe Lauzon.
With their impressive credentials and winning streaks, any of them would be fine challengers for the title. It seems we will have to trim the fat to find the real top contender.
Since Guillard has already agreed to a bout with Lauzon it makes sense to match the other contenders up in a title eliminator.
Both combatants have been known to throw caution to the wind and put on thrilling performances inside the cage and this would be the best way to find the true No. 1 contender.
MILWAUKEE – The logjam in the UFC lightweight division thanks to the Frankie Edgar–Gray Maynard draw has been far-reaching.
Clay Guida knows plenty about it. He’s been on one of the division’s best tears, with four straight wins. But if he wants a title shot, he’s got to wait until the dust finally settles.
After dismantling Anthony Pettis in June, Guida positioned himself for a possible title shot. But he believes Jim Miller is ahead of him in line, and he has no problem waiting for his moment to come.
“Jim Miller is the frontrunner, and maybe Ben Henderson – we’ll see what happens tomorrow night,” Guida said Saturday during a fan Q&A in Milwaukee. “I’m not in a rush. I’ll be (in the UFC) five years in October. When the time comes, we’ll be ready and it’ll be the most exciting lightweight title fight you’ve ever seen.”
Miller and Henderson fight in the co-main event of UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee on Sunday. Miller’s seven-fight lightweight winning streak has him likely next in line for the Edgar-Maynard winner, but a Henderson upset could throw a wrench in the works – and could open the door for Guida.
Guida said he does not yet have his next fight booked – perhaps a strategic move on the UFC’s part, waiting to see what happens between Miller and Henderson.
But Guida has no qualms with saying Miller is ahead of him in line – even though Miller hasn’t been named the official next title challenger yet.
“Jim Miller’s just been a wrecking ball,” Guida said. “He ran through Kamal Shalorus, which I thought would be his toughest test. It’s an interesting matchup. I’ve won four in a row, but right now Jim Miller is the frontrunner for next contender. But don’t sell Ben Henderson short. He’s a gamer.”
While suffering through The Change-Up this weekend, I started thinking about the hypothetical situation of MMA fighters switching bodies. Obviously, one fighter would get the short end of the stick, like in all relationships, but other than that, it’s all good news from there. Imagine the man with a warrior spirit and broken body upgrading for a newer model. Imagine the heavy-duty gas-guzzler being replaced by a tiny, eco-friendly, electric car. Imagine experience and youth joining forces to reign terror on anything that steps in its way. So who most deserves a cinematic body-swap? Read on and find out…
BJ Penn and Brock Lesnar
Advantage: Baby Jay
For years, Penn has been criticized for his lack of self-discipline and willingness to stay in shape. Switching bodies would solve that problem and create what might be the best heavyweight in UFC history. A Nova Uniao Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with explosive striking and a granite chin, Penn has everything that Lesnar wishes he had. The Prodigy would be a wrecking ball at heavyweight if he had Brock’s body — as long as the viking took the diverticulitis thing with him. If he had to keep the illness during the switch, then I guess we could all agree that we’d like to see Josh Koscheck trade bodies with Brock.
(Unlike the rest of us, the eye candy in the back decided to open her eyes for Cyborg.)
While suffering through The Change-Up this weekend, I started thinking about the hypothetical situation of MMA fighters switching bodies. Obviously, one fighter would get the short end of the stick, like in all relationships, but other than that, it’s all good news from there. Imagine the man with a warrior spirit and broken body upgrading for a newer model. Imagine the heavy-duty gas-guzzler being replaced by a tiny, eco-friendly, electric car. Imagine experience and youth joining forces to reign terror on anything that steps in its way. So who most deserves a cinematic body-swap? Read on and find out…
BJ Penn and Brock Lesnar
Advantage: Baby Jay
For years, Penn has been criticized for his lack of self-discipline and willingness to stay in shape. Switching bodies would solve that problem and create what might be the best heavyweight in UFC history. A Nova Uniao Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with explosive striking and a granite chin, Penn has everything that Lesnar wishes he had. The Prodigy would be a wrecking ball at heavyweight if he had Brock’s body — as long as the viking took the diverticulitis thing with him. If he had to keep the illness during the switch, then I guess we could all agree that we’d like to see Josh Koscheck trade bodies with Brock.
Roy Nelson and Clay Guida
Advantage: Nelson
The TUF 10: Heavyweights winner is in a slump following back-to-back losses against JDS and Frank Mir. You remember seeing ‘Big Country’ sucking wind and basically collapsing after the final horn, right? I can’t remember another fighter looking worse in the Octagon besides Kimbo. We know from the JDS fight that Nelson is capable of eating punches and asking for more while his black belt in BJJ is evident when the fight hits the mat. Question: Why doesn’t he win more? Cardio? Heart? Answer: Both.
Wrap up Roy’s knowledge, passion, and skill inside the body of Clay Guida and you’ve got yourself a force to be reckoned with. The Carpenter is the most fuel efficient guy on the roster, and his thick neanderthal-esque skull will provide the x-factor in Nelson’s game. Wishing you had Mo Lawal’s oxygen supplier in your corner will become a thing of the past as a “new” lightweight makes a mad dash for Edgar’s title. The only question that comes to mind when pondering this swap of bodies is whether Roy will keep Guida’s famous hair or go for a mullet.
Gina Carano and Cristiane ‘Cris Cyborg’ Santos
Advantage: Fans
Not to take anything away from the budding Hollywood actress, but Cyborg is a genetic freak and the more skilled female fighter. But what Carano lacks in MMA dominance, she more than makes up for in beauty and star-power. Gina Carano is hotter than a Tezpur Chili on the Scoville Scale and because Cyborg would get Carano’s body while keeping her wicked awesome skills, Chyna would have to give the title of ‘9th Wonder of the World‘ to Santos. Makes perfect sense to us. Honestly, this one actually should be a movie.
Jim Miller and Chael Sonnen
Advantage: Miller
The 20 and 2 AMA product is overdue for a title shot. (You could argue that Clay Guida deserves one first after defeating former #1 contender Anthony Pettis, but you could also argue that Strikeforce won’t be swallowed up by the UFC next year.) Jim Miller is riding an incredible seven-fight win streak, leaving behind a pile of game competitors. So why no shot at the belt yet? Consider this: walk around your local mall or sports bar and ask random dudes who Jim Miller is. “Isn’t he that ‘Bully Beatdown’ guy?” is probably how most would respond.
Apparently top-notch technique and continued success just aren’t enough. What’s missing? The personality to make people want to see you compete — and remember when you do — and the charisma to captivate an audience both in and out of the cage. Enter Chael Sonnen, aka Senor Chael. Problem solved. The only downside is that if we do get to see Silva vs. Sonnen 2, the pre-fight hype will be downgraded from AAA to AA+.
Wanderlei Silva and Jon Jones
Advantage: Wandy
Of all the fighters who we’d love to see switch bodies, this might be our favorite. We are unabashedly huge fans of ‘The Axe Murderer’ and wish he could somehow drink from the mystical Fountain of Youth to prolong his storied career as one of MMA’s coolest/scariest dudes.
Jon Jones has the largest reach of active UFC fighters. Do you even understand the possibilities of what that kind of wingspan could do when combined with one of the sport’s most lethal strikers? This would literally be the second coming of Wanderlei Silva! Look, we know he’s still got the itch to fight. New body, fresh outlook, old scores to settle.
Is Jonny Bones getting the short end of the stick? Absolutely. But look on the bright side — at least he won’t have to duck Rashad anymore.
UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard is the fighter to watch, the fighter to beat at 155 pounds the way he tells it. Since “The Young Assassin” arrived in the UFC as a member of The Ultimate Fighter season two, his brash personality and at…
UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard is the fighter to watch, the fighter to beat at 155 pounds the way he tells it.
Since “The Young Assassin” arrived in the UFC as a member of The Ultimate Fighter season two, his brash personality and athleticism propelled the Louisiana-native into a select group of MMA fighters that are either loved or hated. Six years later, a matured Guillard touts training at Greg Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico for his new perspective on himself and the lightweight class.
“I’m an unstoppable force right now and I’m confident to say that about myself. It’s not gonna be easy. No it’s not gonna be easy by far,” said the 28-year-old to Bleacher Report, “but there’s a lot of great 55’ers right now in the UFC and out of the UFC. It’s like I said, it’s anybody’s ballgame. It’s all about who makes a statement and right now I’m ready to make a statement.”
Guillard rides a four-fight win streak—and has taken seven of his last eight—into Saturday night’s bout versus Shane Roller at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC 132.
Roller, a three-time All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University, successfully transitioned from the WEC to the UFC with a Knockout of the Night performance against Thiago Tavares in March. The come-from-behind KO didn’t impress Guillard, who insists his knockouts happen while he’s imposing his will—not coming from behind. He asserts late rally knockouts have stolen bonuses from him before too. When the two face off on Spike TV, Guillard plans to show Roller how to score a real Knockout of the Night while fighting off the decorated wrestler with his wrestling and his judo.
“I know Shane Roller isn’t near as fast as I am,” he said.
The two-time Knockout of the Night winner believes he’s already at the top of the lightweight contender crop. It’s not the same bravado of his youthful days in the UFC, but a declaration from a fighter with a wealth of experience approaching his prime. In Roller, he sees a fight to stay busy and continue building his fan base more than to prove he’s a contender, something he asserts he’s already established.
“The more fights I win, the more money I make of course, and the more opportunity the fans will get to speak for me. I’m definitely a person that fights for the crowd, fights for the fans. When that opportunity is given to me, no one can ever question it and say, ‘Did they give Melvin a title shot or did he earn it?’ It’ll be self-spoken,” said Guillard.
He began fighting professionally as a teenager and while his official record dates his career to 2002, he boasts 15 years of experience. Splitting time at Keith Jardine’s Mean 1 MMA in addition to Jackson’s, Guillard swims to open up his lung capacity, runs the mountains for explosive energy and even adopted teammate UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre’s affinity for gymnastics to “reinvent the wheel” for himself and his training. It’s all the name of preparing Melvin Guillard to seize a crown he views as sized for his own head—something he’s grown into during his UFC tenure.
“If I would have become a champion five years ago, I would have messed my life up. I probably wouldn’t even be talking to you right now,” he said. “I would have been a has-been like numerous guys. There are guys that became champions and you never hear from them again.”
With contenders like Clay Guida and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in his camp and in his weight class, Guillard reveals a promise between the teammates that the only way they would fight is for the belt, currently held by Frankie Edgar.
“I’m not gonna put my life on hold and one day have a kid and tell my kid, ‘Oh well, your dad would have been a great champion but I opted not to take the fight because I didn’t want to fight my teammate.’ It’s everybody’s dream to be a UFC champion,” said Guillard. “I don’t want nobody to take my dream for me and I wouldn’t want them to not take an opportunity if I was a champion.”
“We the people of CagePotato.com, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Bans, insure comments section Tranquility, provide for the common noob, promote the general Lack of Welfare, and attempt to secure the Blessings of Dana to ourselves and our readers, do ordain and establish this Comparison of fighters and fireworks for the Potato Nation.”
There are plenty of MMA fighters out there who love to bring the pyrotechnics to the cage, lighting up their opponents for the enjoyment of the fans and the pleasure of a paycheck. In honor of Independence Day weekend — and our new friends at Wild Turkey — here’s a list of actual 4th of July fireworks that remind us of some well-known scrappers. Celebrate safely, and please try not to lose any fingers.
Call ’em what you want, these small novelty fireworks are perfect for youngsters. You throw them against a wall, floor, or sleeping grandparent, and they make a satisfying POP! Cool, huh? It’s hard not to think of a ‘Snap-n-Pop’ and not think of these guys, whose limbs unfortunately made the same noises in their past fights.
Roman Candles: Clay Guida
Excitement. Power. Flash. Seemingly unending performance. Fun. Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida is more than your average firework. Hey may not blow up any doors but rest assured he’s always going to be a crowd favorite. No one has ever had a Roman Candle war or watched a Guida fight and not had the time of their life. For every colorful ball that is emitted from the candle, Guida whips his hair back and shoots in for a takedown. Regardless of what happens, they both just keep going until the final bell. When messing around with either, be careful; someone usually ends up a bloody mess.
“We the people of CagePotato.com, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Bans, insure comments section Tranquility, provide for the common noob, promote the general Lack of Welfare, and attempt to secure the Blessings of Dana to ourselves and our readers, do ordain and establish this Comparison of fighters and fireworks for the Potato Nation.”
There are plenty of MMA fighters out there who love to bring the pyrotechnics to the cage, lighting up their opponents for the enjoyment of the fans and the pleasure of a paycheck. In honor of Independence Day weekend — and our new friends at Wild Turkey — here’s a list of actual 4th of July fireworks that remind us of some well-known scrappers. Celebrate safely, and please try not to lose any fingers.
Call ‘em what you want, these small novelty fireworks are perfect for youngsters. You throw them against a wall, floor, or sleeping grandparent, and they make a satisfying POP! Cool, huh? It’s hard not to think of a ‘Snap-n-Pop’ and not think of these guys, whose limbs unfortunately made the same noises in their past fights.
Roman Candles: Clay Guida
Excitement. Power. Flash. Seemingly unending performance. Fun. Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida is more than your average firework. Hey may not blow up any doors but rest assured he’s always going to be a crowd favorite. No one has ever had a Roman Candle war or watched a Guida fight and not had the time of their life. For every colorful ball that is emitted from the candle, Guida whips his hair back and shoots in for a takedown. Regardless of what happens, they both just keep going until the final bell. When messing around with either, be careful; someone usually ends up a bloody mess.
Snakes: Jon Fitch
Much like those awful expanding snakes, Jon Fitch‘s fights are predictably dull, and when it’s all over you’re left feeling like you just wasted your money. They stay on the ground and do not emit sparks, flares, any form of projectiles, or any sound, but may induce sleeping. That should sound familiar to anybody who has endured the cruel and unusual punishment of a fifteen-minute, semi-clothed preview of War Machine’s next film, also known as a Jon Fitch decision victory.
Does that say Brown Pride?
Tanks: Cain Velasquez
The UFC Heavyweight champion has much in common with the super elite tank fireworks. For instance, both are short, stocky, and pack a mean punch. Both prefer to end their wars decisively with a brutal finish. Moreover, neither is going to be steamrolled anytime soon. For the fans, there’s just nothing like seeing a complete beast like Brock Lesnar getting manhandled by the sturdy, stoic Velasquez.
Bottle Rockets: Shane Carwin
I’ll spare you from the incredibly lazy innuendo and instead offer up this little nugget; Shane Carwin’s best stuff lasts about as long as it takes for a bottle rocket to scream through the BBQ smoke, reach its apex, explode, and fall to the ground. Carwin always delivers in the first round but don’t expect much beyond that. Although the action is short-lived, the excitement and hype leading up to launch time is furious because we know something potentially incredible is going to happen.
Firecrackers: Jose Aldo
The Brazilian champion has shredded his opponents by going undefeated for nearly six years, leaving most of his opponents second-guessing why they even took the fight in the first place. Weighing only 145 lbs., this tiny explosive does severe damage to his opponents legs with his expertly placed kicks (*BANG BANG BANG*!) and jacks your face up with his crisp striking (*BANG BANG BANG*!). Just like the Black Cats pictured above, don’t let the size fool ya…one mistake can cost youdearly.
Sparklers: “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
I believe the phrase is “All Sizzle, No Steak.” Sure, his weigh-ins and entrances are flashy and entertaining, but the overall performances leave a little to be desired — kind of like the gas station sparklers your dad brought home when you were a kid. Still, it’s hard not to feel patriotic when watching them.
Catherine Wheel: Chael Sonnen
Legend has it that the firework got its name from an instrument of torture, the breaking wheel, on which St. Catherine was martyred. I’m not sure who that broad was or what that has to do with Chael Sonnen but I do know this: both are really, really good at going in circles, both literally and figuratively. Mr. Sonnen, as his PO calls him, and Ms. Wheel have that X factor that mesmerizes audiences leaving them wanting more. Despite their obvious limitations and shady past, you’d give your last dollar to see them one last time if the opportunity presented itself.
Smoke Bombs: Ben Askren
Ahh, the smoke bomb. You fail to do any actual harm, instead you’d much rather annoy the hell out of everyone in reach. Such a colorful little brat, full of spunk and enough sulfuric smoke to gag a dolphin. Similarly, Askren’s wrestling prowess envelops his hapless opponents causing them to retort to their high school wrestling knowledge — which by the way is weak sauce. Once you’ve been attacked by one of these bad boys you might as well give up any hope of impressing the ladies. C’mon, I mean look at the army dude above me. He just lost 10 bro points for being in the same picture as a purple haze. (That still beats getting dry humped for fifteen minutes by a white dude with a ‘fro though.)
Fountains: Diego ” The Vision” Sanchez
The Class 1.4G explosive is highly reminiscent of the very first Ultimate Fighter winner. I’m not suggesting that all Diego Sanchez is capable of is shouting as he cartwheels into the distance — that’s just one similarity among others. Of all the pyrotechnics one could legally obtain without being licensed by the ATF, fountains display the most heart. From the initial ear-piercing scream to the crackling sparks to the changing colors and shooting flares, they leave it all out there. Like Sanchez, they do everything they physically can to put on an unforgettable performance and make you get up out of your seat and cheer. Damn, they’d fly if only they had wings. The Vision may be mentioned in the same breath as the firework displays in Montreal, San Jose, or Honolulu but until then, we’ll gladly accept the fountain that is Sanchez and enjoy every breathtaking moment.
MILWAUKEE – It all could have been so simple. Then Ben Henderson went and messed everything up. 
MILWAUKEE – The logjam in the 
UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard is the fighter to watch, the fighter to beat at 155 pounds the way he tells it. 
