UFC Betting Sites – The Best MMA Online Bookies
UFC best betting sites and the best MMA odds and gambling news
Tonight at UFC 144, Takanori Gomi made both an in fight and career comback when he defeated Eliji Mitsuoka by second round TKO. Gomi was nearly submitted in the first round, but found a way to survive and came back in the second. Following th…
Tonight at UFC 144, Takanori Gomi made both an in fight and career comback when he defeated Eliji Mitsuoka by second round TKO.
Gomi was nearly submitted in the first round, but found a way to survive and came back in the second.
Following the fight, Gomi stated he wanted to bring the UFC lightweight title to Japan.
Gomi will have a long way to go before he’s in a title fight, but here are some fights he could take to get him there.
(Come to think of it, we’d watch this again.)
Perhaps Melvin Guillard has made some DRASTIC improvements to his ground game since joining up with the Blackzilians, or perhaps he simply has some sort of autoerotic asphyxiation fetish, because the hard hitting lightweight recently told MMA Weekly that he wants his next fight to be a rematch against Joe Lauzon, whom you may recall, dropped Guillard and finished him with a rear-naked choke in just under 50 seconds of their UFC 136 bout. According to Guillard, the loss is the only in his career that he felt he truly should have won. Here’s what “The Young Assassin” had to say:
In the 10 losses I have in my MMA career, I haven’t rematched anyone I’ve lost to. Not once, I’ve never really cared for rematches because I felt they won, now I’ll move on. Right now, I’m at the point where this fight means something to me, I have something to prove against Joe Lauzon, so this is a rematch I’m asking for. Right now, I’m looking to watch the fights in Japan and I’m praying that he loses to (Anthony) Pettis because I want a rematch against Joe Lauzon. I don’t want to fight nobody next but Joe Lauzon. I don’t even care how it goes, I just want to see Pettis win and I want an immediate rematch with Joe Lauzon. Hopefully, I can get that rematch by fourth of July in Vegas.
Join us after the jump for a few more interesting musings from Guillard’s interview.
(Come to think of it, we’d watch this again.)
Perhaps Melvin Guillard has made some DRASTIC improvements to his ground game since joining up with the Blackzilians, or perhaps he simply has some sort of autoerotic asphyxiation fetish, because the hard hitting lightweight recently told MMA Weekly that he wants his next fight to be a rematch against Joe Lauzon, whom you may recall, dropped Guillard and finished him with a rear-naked choke in just under 50 seconds of their UFC 136 bout. According to Guillard, the loss is the only in his career that he felt he truly should have won. Here’s what “The Young Assassin” had to say:
In the 10 losses I have in my MMA career, I haven’t rematched anyone I’ve lost to. Not once, I’ve never really cared for rematches because I felt they won, now I’ll move on. Right now, I’m at the point where this fight means something to me, I have something to prove against Joe Lauzon, so this is a rematch I’m asking for. Right now, I’m looking to watch the fights in Japan and I’m praying that he loses to (Anthony) Pettis because I want a rematch against Joe Lauzon. I don’t want to fight nobody next but Joe Lauzon. I don’t even care how it goes, I just want to see Pettis win and I want an immediate rematch with Joe Lauzon. Hopefully, I can get that rematch by fourth of July in Vegas.
Guillard also stated that his dislike for Lauzon has dramatically increased over the past couple months thanks to Twitter, go figure. Apparently Lauzon had some less than nice things to say about Guillard in the wake of his first round submission (also by rear-naked choke) loss to Jim Miller at the inaugural UFC on FX event. Shortly after the fight was over, Lauzon posted, “Some people never learn…that looked familiar.” That statement, along with several other comments Lauzon made expressing his frustration over Guillard’s claims that the loss was a fluke seem to have angered Guillard to no end:
Lately on my Twitter some posts have been popping up and I’m like what the hell is this? So I’m looking and next thing I know it’s people talking about Joe Lauzon hit the nail on the head, he was right, so I went in and read the article and all of a sudden he’s blasting me talking about he slapped me and he choked me out, and Melvin’s going around telling everybody I got lucky.
I never said the dude got lucky. I said it was a good fight, I always gave Joe Lauzon the respect that was due, and I thought he was the better guy that day. Did I think the fight was a fluke on my part? Yeah, the fight was a fluke on my part, but I never took anything from him. So I guess he misinterpreted what I said.
Guillard has grown so heated over Lauzon’s recent comments, in fact, that he has threatened to violate the CP ban of bringing back your old self when discussing his future pans for “J-Lau.”
The new me, I’m trying to be respectful and handle it the right way, but at this point right now I’m kind of fed up with it. The old me is about to come out on Joe Lauzon. He’s about to take Rich Clementi’s place of being that guy that I just don’t like.
If you recall, Clementi and Guillard had an epic war of words before, during, and after their UFC 79 battle. If you also recall, Clementi won that fight by way of REAR-NAKED CHOKE. Afterward, Clementi and Guillard nearly came to blows yet again when Clementi told Joe Rogan in the post fight interview that Melvin “still hadn’t learned his lesson.” Ironic.
What do you guys think? Does Guillard deserve another shot at Lauzon, or should we be talking about the fact that a man who was being touted as the next lightweight title contender not too long ago is now asking for rematch against an opponent who would hypothetically be coming off a loss? Discuss.
-J. Jones
Following Melvin Guillard’s loss against Jim Miller at the UFC on FX event, I saw a lot of “Melvin Guillard is wasting his potential” discussions.I beg the question, why do we think he’s wasting it? Is it possible for people to think Guillard isn’t as …
Following Melvin Guillard‘s loss against Jim Miller at the UFC on FX event, I saw a lot of “Melvin Guillard is wasting his potential” discussions.
I beg the question, why do we think he’s wasting it? Is it possible for people to think Guillard isn’t as good as we think he is or want him to be?
I’ll start off by first examining Guillard’s record. Looking over it, you’ll see Guillard has only defeated three upper-level, talented lightweights.
His win against Gleison Tibau was by way of split decision (and also occurred in 2009), and his victory against Dennis Siver could be disputed by Siver’s move to 145 pounds. You could also say Siver wasn’t the same fighter in 2007, as he compiled a 1-3 record en route to being released by the UFC.
So, that just leaves his bout against Evan Dunham as his lone victory over a higher-level, talented fighter.
It seems as though Guillard has lost sight of what helped turn his career around—a move to Jackson’s MMA. Guillard has switched over to the Imperial Athletics camp, and while there are a handful of good fighters in that gym, it’s clear that Rashad Evans is their “top dog.”
The argument of staying at Jackson’s versus leaving is up for debate, but regardless of where Guillard trains, it’s clear that he isn’t going to break into the “title-contender” echelon of lightweights in the UFC.
He’s one of the most explosive fighters in the game and has unparalleled athleticism. He has the KO power in his hands and is always one second away from ending a fight.
But, it’s clear that all those traits aren’t enough to make Guillard a top-level fighter. Every time he gets close, there’s always someone there to knock him off the ladder.
Instead of focusing on why Guillard is wasting his talent, we should realize that this is the best Guillard will be.
Yes, he has the time to turn around his career, as he’s only 28 years old. But if he hasn’t reached his peak potential by his 42nd career bout, what makes us think he’s going to do it now?
It’s a shame to see Guillard not be able to transfer his physical tools into technique, but that just doesn’t seem like it’s possible for him right now.
Just as Jackson’s MMA resurrected Guillard’s career, perhaps he will find his second wind and own up to all the potential MMA fans have placed upon him.
Until then, stop thinking he should be fighting for a world title and enjoy the ride.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
If potential always equated to success, Melvin Guillard would be a UFC champion.The world of sports is a complicated place. It isn’t always about being the bigger, stronger or more explosive athlete. There are numerous intangibles that separate a champ…
If potential always equated to success, Melvin Guillard would be a UFC champion.
The world of sports is a complicated place. It isn’t always about being the bigger, stronger or more explosive athlete. There are numerous intangibles that separate a champion from a contender.
UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is far from being the biggest and strongest in the division, but his willingness to fight through adversity in back-to-back title bouts against Gray Maynard propelled him to succeed at the highest level.
Anderson Silva, who is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, went backstage and sparred two extra rounds immediately after a lackluster performance in his October 2008 win over Patrick Cote.
After dominating Dan Hardy for five rounds at UFC 111, Georges St-Pierre was more concerned about fixing problems with his submission technique than celebrating his fourth consecutive title defense.
These are just a few examples of a champion’s mentality. Fighters like Silva, Edgar and St-Pierre aren’t seeking momentary success. They are looking to achieve all-time greatness.
What is Guillard looking to achieve?
After an impressive five-fight win streak, the former Greg Jackson pupil is coming off back-to-back submission losses to Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller. Coincidentally enough, both losses came in the first round by rear naked choke.
From purely a physical perspective, Guillard has all the tools you could ask for in a fighter. He’s strong, explosive, a terrific wrestler and a dangerous striker.
With all of the physical tools in place, what’s keeping Guillard from succeeding at the highest level?
Most people will point to holes in his submission game. In his most recent submission loss to Miller, Guillard acknowledged his submission woes and vowed to improve his weaknesses.
“Give me about a year man; just be patient with me, and I’ll submit someone,” Guillard said at the postfight press conference for UFC on Fox.
With over 40 bouts under his belt, Guillard is one of the most experienced fighters on the UFC roster. Why has it taken this long for him to take his submission game seriously?
Great submission artists have been a thorn in Guillard’s side throughout his entire career. In 10 losses, nine of those bouts were ended by submission.
Regardless of overall success and accolades achieved, it is important to stay grounded and remain an avid student of the sport.
There is nothing more important than the mental aspect of fighting. Champions never stop learning and evolving. Knowledge fuels confidence, which enables a fighter to perform at the highest level.
Is Guillard doing everything he needs to do in training to perform at the highest level?
Guillard and his trainers are the only people who can truly answer that question. The potential is definitely there, but Guillard has some serious work to do in shoring up submission deficiencies.
How bad does he want it?
So far, we know not as bad as Miller and Lauzon.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Filed under: UFCFor Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outsta…
Filed under: UFC
For Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outstanding. He’s a finisher, with 15 stoppage victories in 21 career wins. His only three losses have come to Frank Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson — a UFC champ, and two No. 1 contenders, respectively.
Now, it’s time for Miller to get over the hump. At least mentally, he’s there. After beating Melvin Guillard at last Friday night’s UFC on FX 1, he said that he believes he’s the “most dangerous lightweight in the world.”
His aggressive, hard-charging attitude is proof of that self-confidence, even if he’s struggled at times against the best 155 has to offer. The same can’t be said for Guillard, who has now lost two in a row and seems to panic whenever he hits the ground against a submission threat.
All six of Guillard’s UFC losses have come by way of choke submission — three rear naked chokes, two guillotines and one triangle, if you’re scoring at home. After recently moving his training camp to Florida, he has a new jiu-jitsu coach. Guillard is now 28 years. He’s not so young anymore, so he’d be wise to take some time off and work intensively on his ground game. If he doesn’t shore up that problem, he’s destined to be what he’s always been, a million-dollar standup fighter with a 50-dollar ground game. That might sound a bit harsh, but Guillard’s tapped out nine times in 42 career fights, an unacceptable ratio for a top-level fighter.
Jim Miller
Realistically, there aren’t many names in front of Miller on the UFC depth chart. The two most notable — Edgar and Henderson — are locked into a fight, and Miller’s not quite in position to challenge for the belt just yet anyway. That leaves only a few likely matchups. We only have to go back a few weeks ago to find a fellow lightweight that has worked his way into the title picture. He’s on a similar timeline so the duo should be ready to fight around the same time, and the fight makes sense when you look at where they stand within the division.
Prediction: Miller faces Nate Diaz
Melvin Guillard
The best thing Guillard could do is take time to work on his shortcomings. Work in a gi. Go to Brazil. Treat it like an illness in need of a cure, and go wherever the remedy is. Guillard has been an incredibly active fighter during his recent UFC career. Since December 2007, he’s fought 12 times — once every four months or so. While that’s been great for his bank account, perhaps it would have benefited him to take longer stretches between fights to address overall development. It’s hard to criticize Guillard so much when he rattled off wins in eight of nine prior to his recent skid, but it would be a bigger shame to fail to capitalize on all of his potential.
Prediction: The UFC puts him in a fight with another striker, say, Sam Stout
Josh Neer
Did you know that Neer is younger than the “Young Assassin,” Guillard? Perhaps it’s because Neer has been around for almost nine years, but the veteran strikes me as someone who’s a bit older. Neer showed that poise in his win over Duane Ludwig, weathering an early storm to take the fight into his world and winning by submission. That makes it five straight wins for Neer, who voiced an interest in a fight with Brian Ebersole afterward. That’s a good matchup, but I have another idea.
Prediction: Neer faces Mike Pyle
Mike Easton
Easton certainly brings with him a palpable energy and a strong presence. Now 2-0 in the UFC octagon after a spirited fight with Jared Papazian that should have earned the Fight of the Night award, he hasn’t yet faced anyone that fans find recognizable, so it may be time to throw a bigger name at the “Hulk.”
Prediction: He faces Yves Jabouin
Pat Barry
Beating Christian Morecraft may not be a signature win for Barry, but it was important in that it showed he could survive a sustained ground attack. Similar to Guillard, Barry has shown brilliant standup but folded when the fight went to the mat. That came to an end on Saturday, when he withstood a choke and an arm bar to return to his feet and KO Morecraft. While we can’t write him into the heavyweight title picture, at least it’s a positive sign of evolution. Working with the DeathClutch grapplers, he should continue to improve. That’s a good thing, because it won’t get any easier for him.
Prediction: He faces Gabriel Gonzaga
Khabib Nurmagomedov
The 23-year-old Russian moved to a perfect 17-0 with a third-round submission win over Kamal Shalorus. Most impressive was the fact that Nurmagomedov outwrestled an excellent wrestler. His striking can best be characterized as unconventional. Against Shalorus it was effective, as he out-landed his opponent 59-18. Given his age, Nurmagomedov has time to improve. His next fight should come against someone of similar UFC experience.
Prediction: He faces John Cholish
Charlie Brenneman
Brenneman scored another grinding victory, keeping the fight on the mat for most of the contest and working Daniel Roberts over throughout the duration. Brenneman’s next bout should come against another strong wrestler, perhaps forcing him into a fight that will see how far his striking has come along.
Prediction: He faces Dong Hyun Kim
You’d think that a move from Jackson’s MMA to Imperial Athletics, aka The Blackzilians, would be the reason why Melvin Guillard dropped a second straight bout by rear-naked choke at the UFC’s debut on FX, but the reality is that the move had nothing to…
You’d think that a move from Jackson’s MMA to Imperial Athletics, aka The Blackzilians, would be the reason why Melvin Guillard dropped a second straight bout by rear-naked choke at the UFC’s debut on FX, but the reality is that the move had nothing to do with Guillard losing to Jim Miller.
Guillard lost because when the time came to answer questions about his submission defense, his submission defense just was not there. But, there are a few other things to consider.
Guillard had a shot to put it all together, and he was on his way to winning the fight with a big knee and a few punches that would have knocked anyone else out. So, definite props go to Miller for showing that he’s still got a hell of a chin.
Also, Guillard does still have a good wrestling game—which he has used in the past—but many figured that he was probably going to want to stand with Miller; as good as Guillard’s wrestling was, he would still be playing into MIller’s strength by trying to work his wrestling game on a talented submission artist like the Sparta-born Miller.
So on one end of the spectrum, Guillard hurt Miller and did what he needed to do once he realized that his opponent was injured, which was to finish him on the spot.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, he handed Miller his back on a silver platter, and the result was another highlight-reel-submission win for Mr. Miller.
Don’t get it twisted, though; Guillard’s departure really had nothing to do with this because Guillard had lost fights as a Jackson boy as well.
Guillard has a great camp with some great fighters, but he still was unable to defend Miller’s submission attempts. And that’s why we wonder exactly what is going on in Guillard’s head, considering he has come all this way, and yet, he’s still unable to avoid submissions on his own free will.
If the move to the Blackzilians isn’t the problem and if submission defense isn’t the problem, Guillard would be wise to figure out what the problem is and fix it. Otherwise, he might find himself out of the UFC before he knows it.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com