Clay Guida announces move down to Featherweight division
Posted on September 28, 2012, 10:08 AM by Mike Drahota
Some exciting news comes today as perennial UFC Lightweight fan favorite Clay Guida has announced he will be cutting 10 lbs. to fight in the Featherweight division. "The Carpenter" has always been known for his fast-paced, never-quit style, and should provide a great amount of excitement to a division that is quickly getting stronger. Guida had the following to say this morning, courtesy of Clay Guida's MMA Agency, VFD Sports:
"The Carpenter is going to explore a new job site at the 145 pound division in the new year. I plan on making a run at the foreman or superintendent position right out of the gates. I hope you guys packed a lunch. It will be nice to finally be one of the bigger guys in the cage. I don't cut weight at 155, and making 145 will be no problem for me. My fans will get to see The Dude put some royal beatings on everyone in the division. I will not be satisfied until the Featherweight belt is mine."
Some positive words from a fighter who always brings it every time out. Guida may have been prompted to move down in weight after losing a lackluster decision to huge Lightweight Gray Maynard last June. Guida has consistently been one of the smaller fighters at 155 lbs. as he noted, and it will be very interesting to see how he responds to fighting smaller fighters on a consistent basis. He intends to challenge for the title immediately, so a fight with Frankie Edgar, who dropped down recently himself, could be on the horizon. The news comes as a welcome find at 145 lbs. with champion Jose Aldo on the shelf with a foot injury and former number one contender Erik Koch sidelined with a partial MCL tear. Guida will find himself near the top of the Featherweight rankings upon his arrival, who will be his first opponent? Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes obviously come to mind. Either way, the Featherweight division just got a ton more exciting over night. Will Clay Guida challenge for the Featherweight title?
HT: VFD Marketing
Comments
Well Clay, you better come to fight and not run or hug. Yeah I know people think you are exciting to watch because your hair flaps around like a woman's. To me you're just another boring wrestler with no knockout power.
What are you talking about? If you look for the guys who can ko everyone so you watch wrong sport. The sport are you looking for its called Boxing or Kickboxing or whatever type in google "striking" i guess you will find a place in a world.
If the woman you know have hair like Guida... feel for you bro
The only place Guida needs to GO DOWN to is a hilbilly club where he can practice his foxtrot for five rounds.
Well I on the other hand love that Aldo is getting more people to fight, and Guida is an exciting fighter, but perhaps is last snooze fest can be contributed to Greg Jackson's win by points gameplan.
Any coach would guide Guida to a points decision.
The guy doesn't have natural KO power, so trying to KO Maynard who has a granite chin (Frankie landed perfect surprise strike) would be a bad idea.
Maynard also has great sub defense, only being subbed once when he was still super green and by Diaz - someone who is miles ahead of Guida in the submission department.
Clay taking down Gray, one of the best wrestlers in MMA, and keeping him there while using constant G&P is hugely unlikely as well.
So, even though it wasn't the most thrilling way, what other gameplan was there for Guida to do except try to tire, frustrate and jab and jog Maynard the full 5?
Just tired of people blaming Jackson for everything - he hasn't won Coach of the Year multiple times for nothing.
DOUBLE SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!
facep.....l.....o.....m
Hopefully he moves camps also.
clay guida and breaking news dont belong in the same sentence.
Makes sense. Runners drop weight more than fighters. Give him 6 months and he'll drop down to bantam. Sooner if he runs, er fights, more.
good move but he'll never be champ. Aldo is on another level
Greg Jackson turned him into a boring fighter. No interest in watching him anymore. Thanks Greg.
name another boring fighter.....i dont think gsp and condit r boring guida is the only one to fight and not engage like a pussy earned respect for grey that night
Last time GSP finished a fighter was just about 4 years ago. That qualifies as boring to me.
Great move for Guida. He will still have a cardio advantage over 9/10 fighters at 145 and it works for his game great - Clay loves to get scrappy takedowns and rough up his opponents but he had trouble doing that too big strong guys like Bendo, Maynard etc. but at FW he will have more of a size and strength advantage,
mendes?
Guida should have moved to heavyweight. He could outrun the big guys as a fat f*ck and still be entertaining.
He should be able to make 145 with one haircut.
lol
Dropping down won't change anything, if Guida's main focus is crazy movement that confuses himself more than his opponents. Greg Jackson knows way more than me but Guida can't time strikes with all that crazy movement and most of the guys at FW seem impossible to hold down because their so good at creating space to escape off their back and create scrambles. Interesting too see how he does
wonder if he could make 135?
cos there is no way he would ever beat Frankie or Aldo!
There's no way Guida walks around at 155. He has always looked like a decent sized lightweight. I seriously doubt he will have the same pace and cardio at 145.