‘TUF 6’ Down to Danzig, Speer

Roger Huerta (Pictures) vs. Clay Guida (Pictures)
If you're Latin and watch MMA, odds are the UFC's marketing department has successfully brainwashed you into thinking Roger "El Matador" Huerta (19-1-1, 1 NC) is the second coming of Julio Cesar Chavez.

The drawback to Huerta's premature coronation has been the perception that Dana White is playing Don King to Huerta's Chavez by keeping his prized prospect from the deep end of the lightweight pool. There will be no floaties or lifeguards on hand, however, when Huerta takes on Clay "The Carpenter" Guida (22-8).

Known as much for his Geico caveman haircut as his hyperactive ground-and-pound, Guida made his UFC debut in a rollicking match against Justin James (Pictures), which he won via rear-naked choke in the second round.

The Jimmy Durante-level chin and explosive wrestling ability that Guida showed off led to matches against UFC veteran Din Thomas (Pictures) and Tyson "Joe Rogan said I have a badonkadonk" Griffin. Despite losing hard-fought decisions against both men, Guida proved his mettle and was thrown back into the wringer against PRIDE castaway Marcus Aurelio.

Forsaking his usually brazen headfirst style in favor of a more disciplined approach, Guida handled Aurelio with surprising ease by working behind a strong jab and keeping the Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout from gaining the top position. That cautious style will last about as long as new coke against Huerta.

Behind the megawatt smile and heartwarming childhood story that have made Huerta into the UFC's great Latin hope is a fighter who, at just 24 years of age, has proven his worth inside the Octagon.

Sporting a flawless 5-0 record in the UFC, Huerta has taken on a myriad of fighters from grappling phenom Alberto Crane (Pictures) to Alaskan wrestling powerhouse Doug Evans (Pictures). In both of those bouts, Huerta showed infinite adaptability as he used his combination of slick grappling and powerful striking to bulldoze his way to victory.

Impressive performances aside, Huerta has yet to meet a fighter of Guida's caliber in the UFC. It will be particularly interesting to see how these two handle facing an opponent who can maintain the torrid pace that they are accustomed to.

There is no disputing that Guida has a distinct edge in the wrestling department. Huerta was soundly outwrestled by the relatively unknown Doug Evans (Pictures) and generally has no problem with being forced to work off his back.

That may prove worrisome for Guida, who has a pair of recent submission losses to Shooto standout Yusuke Endo (Pictures) and MMA's Don Imus, Tristan Yunker (Pictures). Huerta will not lie prone on his back as Aurelio did against Guida and will force scrambles during which Guida's suspect submission defense could be exposed.

If Guida feels compelled to avoid Huerta's grappling, he will still have to contend with El Matador's superior striking. While Guida's boxing has improved considerably, he remains one-dimensional on his feet and is likely to find Huerta's combination of powerful kicks and knees difficult to overcome.

Conditioning should be of no concern for either fighter. Count on this bout coming down to whether Guida can effectively use his ground-and-pound to neutralize Huerta's offensive arsenal.

If Guida's submission defense wasn't such a question mark, he'd be a solid favorite, but Huerta should force him into plenty of uncomfortable spots on the ground while getting the better of any exchanges. A late submission in Huerta's favor shouldn't surprise anyone, but a more likely end to this surefire fight of the night is a decision win for Dana White's Latin meal ticket.