Guillard, Miller Cleared for UFC on FX Headliner

The careers of two high-caliber lightweights will intersect in the Music City.

Melvin Guillard tipped the scales at 156 pounds for his pivotal matchup with Jim Miller (155) in the UFC on FX 1 headliner on Friday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The six other fighters slated for main card duty, welterweight co-headliners Duane Ludwig (170.5) and Josh Neer (171) among them, also hit their contracted weight requirements without issue at Thursday’s official weigh-in.

Long viewed as one of the most physically gifted lightweights in the sport, the enigmatic Guillard has not fought since UFC 136 in October, when he lasted less than a minute in an embarrassing and damaging submission loss to Joe Lauzon. The defeat snapped his five-fight winning streak. A two-time “Knockout of the Night” award winner, Guillard holds a 10-5 mark inside the UFC. The 28-year-old New Orleans native has not suffered consecutive losses in more than four years.

Miller has posted 15 wins in his past 17 outings. The AMA Fight Club-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt last fought at UFC Live 5 in August, when a unanimous decision defeat to former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson halted his seven-fight winning streak. A two-time “Submission of the Night” award winner, the durable Miller has never been finished in 23 professional appearances. The 28-year-old Sparta, N.J., native owns a 9-2 record in the UFC.

UFC on FX 1 “Guillard vs. Miller” -- which airs at 9 p.m. ET on the FX network -- will also feature a heavyweight tilt pitting Pat Barry (242) against Christian Morecraft (256) and a bantamweight duel pairing the once-beaten Mike Easton (135) with onetime King of the Cage champion Jared Papazian (135.5). Three hours prior, Fuel TV will carry the remaining six preliminary bouts: Jorge Rivera (185.5) vs. Eric Schafer (185), Kamal Shalorus (155.5) vs. Habib Nurmagomedov (155), Charlie Brenneman (170.5) vs. Daniel Roberts (170.5), Fabricio Camoes (157.5) vs. Tom Hayden (155.5), Pat Schilling (145) vs. Daniel Pineda (145) and Nick Denis (135.5) vs. Joseph Sandoval (135).

UFC on FX 1 “Guillard vs. Miller”
Friday, Jan. 20
Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, Tenn.

Melvin Guillard (156) vs. Jim Miller (155)
Duane Ludwig (170.5) vs. Josh Neer (171)
Pat Barry (242) vs. Christian Morecraft (256)
Mike Easton (135) vs. Jared Papazian (135.5)
Jorge Rivera (185.5) vs. Eric Schafer (185)
Kamal Shalorus (155.5) vs. Habib Nurmagomedov (155)
Charlie Brenneman (155.5) vs. Daniel Roberts (155.5)
Fabricio Camoes (157.5) vs. Tom Hayden (155.5)
Pat Schilling (145) vs. Daniel Pineda (145)
Nick Denis (135.5) vs. Joseph Sandoval (135)