Feuds, Beards & Cameroon Rule UFC 79
Guillard vs. Clementi
Dec 28, 2007
Melvin
Guillard (Pictures) vs. Rich Clementi (Pictures)
Because no main card is complete without a contrived bad blood battle, Melvin Guillard (Pictures) and Rich Clementi (Pictures) will finally step away from the keyboard and settle their score inside the Octagon.
The basis for this heated feud stems from some inflammatory e-mails
that Guillard (20-6-2, 1 NC) sent Clementi. The feud came to a head
when the two met face to face, and Guillard exhibited some less
than Victorian etiquette by supposedly sucker punching
Clementi.
Not exactly surprising when you consider Guillard's rapid rise in popularity has only exacerbated the character flaws he put on full display during his stint on "The Ultimate Fighter." Despite being universally acknowledged as a tremendous physical talent, Guillard's own vanity and poor life decisions have left a once-promising career in limbo.
Equally in need of a turn around is Clementi (29-12-1), who holds a 2-3 record in the UFC and, despite excelling against mediocre fighters, has consistently failed when stepping up in competition.
At 30 years of age and competing in a division that skews younger than Disney's target demographic, Clementi can ill afford any more missteps in the UFC. A loss to Guillard would likely send him back to the minor leagues, which he has struggled to escape.
Luckily for Clementi, the game plan for beating Guillard is obvious: Don't trade strikes. It certainly sounds simple enough, but Guillard, despite lacking refined grappling, can be a handful to corral. His athleticism and strength is often more than enough to stuff takedowns.
The heated nature of the rivalry between these two may also lead to Clementi being a bit more willing to trade strikes than he should be. Either way, Clementi lacks the dominant grappling ability to put Guillard away, and we've seen that the "Young Assassin" is capable of quick knockouts when his opponents are less than stellar wrestlers.
Barring any cocaine-induced hallucinations, Guillard should be able to keep this fight standing where he can tee off on Clementi and score a knockout early in the second round. With that, this rivalry can take its place alongside legendary feuds of the past such as Hector and Achilles or Seinfeld and Newman.
Because no main card is complete without a contrived bad blood battle, Melvin Guillard (Pictures) and Rich Clementi (Pictures) will finally step away from the keyboard and settle their score inside the Octagon.
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Not exactly surprising when you consider Guillard's rapid rise in popularity has only exacerbated the character flaws he put on full display during his stint on "The Ultimate Fighter." Despite being universally acknowledged as a tremendous physical talent, Guillard's own vanity and poor life decisions have left a once-promising career in limbo.
Those poor decisions led to an eight-month suspension when Guillard
tested positive for cocaine following a disappointing submission
loss to Joe Stevenson.
Although Guillard has remained contrite over his actions, it
remains to be seen if this is the fight that will signal a turn
around many are rooting for.
Equally in need of a turn around is Clementi (29-12-1), who holds a 2-3 record in the UFC and, despite excelling against mediocre fighters, has consistently failed when stepping up in competition.
At 30 years of age and competing in a division that skews younger than Disney's target demographic, Clementi can ill afford any more missteps in the UFC. A loss to Guillard would likely send him back to the minor leagues, which he has struggled to escape.
Luckily for Clementi, the game plan for beating Guillard is obvious: Don't trade strikes. It certainly sounds simple enough, but Guillard, despite lacking refined grappling, can be a handful to corral. His athleticism and strength is often more than enough to stuff takedowns.
The heated nature of the rivalry between these two may also lead to Clementi being a bit more willing to trade strikes than he should be. Either way, Clementi lacks the dominant grappling ability to put Guillard away, and we've seen that the "Young Assassin" is capable of quick knockouts when his opponents are less than stellar wrestlers.
Barring any cocaine-induced hallucinations, Guillard should be able to keep this fight standing where he can tee off on Clementi and score a knockout early in the second round. With that, this rivalry can take its place alongside legendary feuds of the past such as Hector and Achilles or Seinfeld and Newman.
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