A huge knockout victory over Shane Roller tonight at UFC 132 capped off what is now a five-fight winning streak in the UFC for Melvin Guillard. A former Ultimate Fighter 2 contestant, Guillard has now pushed his way up into serious title contention i…
A huge knockout victory over Shane Roller tonight at UFC 132 capped off what is now a five-fight winning streak in the UFC for Melvin Guillard. A former Ultimate Fighter 2 contestant, Guillard has now pushed his way up into serious title contention in one of the most competitive divisions in the UFC.
An excited Guillard talked to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani after the fight.
“I come to knock guys out, man. I’m a finisher. I’m the No. 1 fighter in the UFC at lightweight, that’s a finisher,” he exclaimed. “All the other guys are not really finishing fights.
“Most guys are inconsistent finishers, I go in for the kill.”
After a rough patch that saw him lose two fights in a row in 2007, Guillard has since bounced back by winning eight of his past nine fights. His game plan has been a big reason for that streak as he has become more experienced.
“I’m just mentally patient and physically fierce,” he shrugged. “When the opening is there, I capitalize.”
Now riding the biggest hot streak of his UFC career, Guillard’s confidence is at an all-time high. He appears ready to fight anyone in the division.
“I’ll knock anybody out in this weight class,” he declared.
But he doesn’t want to be given a title shot immediately.
“I want to earn it, man. I don’t want anybody giving me anything. Nobody has ever given me anything in my life,” he explained. “Right now, I really want to fight Jim Miller. He’s my ticket to a title.”
“If I fight anybody else, I won’t feel like it’s right. I feel like Jim Miller’s my No. 1 contender fight.”
Of course, Miller is currently scheduled to fight former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson in August, in what many believe is a No. 1 contenders fight for the 20-2 lightweight. As such, Guillard will have to wait his turn and understands that a loss for Miller could mean a less valuable victory for Guillard himself, if the two eventually do fight.
“If Ben beats Jim, then that kind of ruins it [for me] because if I fight anybody else, I might not get that call… If I beat a guy like Jim Miller and knock him out, I’ll definitely get a call [to fight for the title].”
Guillard and Ben Henderson are good friends, but business is business.
“I’m not saying I want to see Ben Henderson lose, but from a business aspect, I might need him to take that ‘L’ so I can get the ‘W’.”
Bleacher Report’s Nick Caron