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12-09-2012, 12:08 AM
COMMON OPPONENT CLAY GUIDA PREDICTS UFC ON FOX 5'S HENDERSON-DIAZ WINNER
BY DANNY ACOSTA ON DEC 08, 2012 AT 6:00 AM ET
UFC on FOX 5's lightweight title showdown at Seattle's KeyArena between champion Benson Henderson (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and challenger Nate Diaz (16-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is a clash of familiar faces for Clay Guida.
"The Carpenter" handed Diaz his first UFC loss at UFC 94 in January 2009 via split decision. And a little more than a year ago, the Chicagoan came up short against Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 after dropping a unanimous decision and opening the door for Henderson to capture the UFC crown in his next outing.
Assessing the virtues of Henderson and Diaz, Guida sees their championship battle traveling the 25-minute distance.
"I think it is going to a decision," Guida told MMAjunkie.com of tonight's headliner. "Hopefully we'll get to see a marathon of cardio and some guys that are ready to throw down for 25 minutes and really deliver on athleticism, technique, tenacity and just a great skillset in both fighters."
Each combatant is prime for long-haul contests. Henderson, 29, has heard the final bell in all five of his UFC contests, including two five-round bouts versus Frankie Edgar. Prior to going 25 minutes in UFC title fights, Henderson went just as long on two occasions in the WEC against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Anthony Pettis, who now meet in a No. 1 contender's bout next month.
The championship experience is an advantage that can't be discounted. However, Guida said it's been a long time coming for Diaz, a 27-year-old fighter known well for his triathlon-bolstered conditioning. The Stockton, Calif. native will be ready to bridge that championship-round inexperience gap despite never going 25 minutes in 23 career contests.
Guida the first lightweight title fight in UFC on FOX history "one of the best cards that we've seen in a long time," a top-notch "treat."
As one of MMA's foremost cardio fanatics, Guida understands its role ahead of Henderson vs. Diaz. The way to reduce Henderson's tireless performance is damage – something Diaz is as great at dishing out as the champion is at avoiding. Diaz's lanky, 6-foot-tall frame doesn't posses the same physical gifts that the stronger, more athletic Henderson brings. However, Guida said Diaz makes the most of his tools.
"His punches have a sting on them because he throws them in big groups," the 30-year-old said. "He uses his body as much to his advantage as he can, and that's what makes him so dangerous. He's very rangy. Once he starts finding his comfort zone on the outside, he starts landing his long jabs and hooks, and starts coming right down the middle. That's when he can start opening up his leg kicks – inside (and) outside leg kicks.
"He can start doing his clinch work then all of the sudden you see his hop tosses and inside step throws coming through. That's when he starts building confidence. His safety zone is being outside and landing four to five, six punches at a time."
The momentum Diaz has while angling for a four-fight win streak and a UFC title requires an imposing skillset to snuff out.
"I think Ben is strong enough and athletic enough to be able to get past the punches, get past the strikes, put Diaz on his back and maybe stay in side control, half-guard, defend against the submissions," Guida said. "We've seen Nate struggle in the past with wrestling-based fighters. We've seen him fight off his back against wrestlers, and if he doesn't catch you with that initial triangle or guillotine, he has a hard time."
Guida believes Diaz's "Submission of the Night" win over Jim Miller in May caught the gritty New Jersey native out of his element.
"It wasn't the Jim Miller we've seen in the past – tactical and fighting with purpose," the Greg Jackson MMA representative said. "He was out there, banged up a little bit, bloody. He was diving in, and that's when the choke came in. I think Ben is going to be more poised, find his kicks outside to close that distance, put him against the fence, work those single legs. If he wants to be successful, anyway.
"If he starts to get tagged on the outside and lets Nate build up momentum, then it might be a different story. I see Ben being able to overpower him and get in ground-and-pound positions."
Diaz, a Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt, has 11 career submission wins, including five "Submission of the Night" award bonuses, in 16 octagon outings. One has to go back five years to find the lone submission defeat on Henderson's record – which actually was just four months into his pro career. Guida said Henderson is one of the most dangerous ground-and-pound fighters in the business. Despite Diaz's decorated ground game, submitting the champion isn't something Guida foresees.
"Ben is one of the hardest guys to submit," Guida said. "I had that dude sown up, I thought, with a couple different guillotines and chokes. He is super, super rubbery, and the guy knows how to defend submissions. He's flexible. It's like trying to choke out an alligator. He just starts rolling and spinning uncontrollably until he's out."
It comes down to the championship experience and wrestling for Guida.
"I'm going with the champ," the nine-year veteran said. "I think he's going to leave with the belt and a five-round decision, but it's going to be a great fight."
BY DANNY ACOSTA ON DEC 08, 2012 AT 6:00 AM ET
UFC on FOX 5's lightweight title showdown at Seattle's KeyArena between champion Benson Henderson (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and challenger Nate Diaz (16-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is a clash of familiar faces for Clay Guida.
"The Carpenter" handed Diaz his first UFC loss at UFC 94 in January 2009 via split decision. And a little more than a year ago, the Chicagoan came up short against Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 after dropping a unanimous decision and opening the door for Henderson to capture the UFC crown in his next outing.
Assessing the virtues of Henderson and Diaz, Guida sees their championship battle traveling the 25-minute distance.
"I think it is going to a decision," Guida told MMAjunkie.com of tonight's headliner. "Hopefully we'll get to see a marathon of cardio and some guys that are ready to throw down for 25 minutes and really deliver on athleticism, technique, tenacity and just a great skillset in both fighters."
Each combatant is prime for long-haul contests. Henderson, 29, has heard the final bell in all five of his UFC contests, including two five-round bouts versus Frankie Edgar. Prior to going 25 minutes in UFC title fights, Henderson went just as long on two occasions in the WEC against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Anthony Pettis, who now meet in a No. 1 contender's bout next month.
The championship experience is an advantage that can't be discounted. However, Guida said it's been a long time coming for Diaz, a 27-year-old fighter known well for his triathlon-bolstered conditioning. The Stockton, Calif. native will be ready to bridge that championship-round inexperience gap despite never going 25 minutes in 23 career contests.
Guida the first lightweight title fight in UFC on FOX history "one of the best cards that we've seen in a long time," a top-notch "treat."
As one of MMA's foremost cardio fanatics, Guida understands its role ahead of Henderson vs. Diaz. The way to reduce Henderson's tireless performance is damage – something Diaz is as great at dishing out as the champion is at avoiding. Diaz's lanky, 6-foot-tall frame doesn't posses the same physical gifts that the stronger, more athletic Henderson brings. However, Guida said Diaz makes the most of his tools.
"His punches have a sting on them because he throws them in big groups," the 30-year-old said. "He uses his body as much to his advantage as he can, and that's what makes him so dangerous. He's very rangy. Once he starts finding his comfort zone on the outside, he starts landing his long jabs and hooks, and starts coming right down the middle. That's when he can start opening up his leg kicks – inside (and) outside leg kicks.
"He can start doing his clinch work then all of the sudden you see his hop tosses and inside step throws coming through. That's when he starts building confidence. His safety zone is being outside and landing four to five, six punches at a time."
The momentum Diaz has while angling for a four-fight win streak and a UFC title requires an imposing skillset to snuff out.
"I think Ben is strong enough and athletic enough to be able to get past the punches, get past the strikes, put Diaz on his back and maybe stay in side control, half-guard, defend against the submissions," Guida said. "We've seen Nate struggle in the past with wrestling-based fighters. We've seen him fight off his back against wrestlers, and if he doesn't catch you with that initial triangle or guillotine, he has a hard time."
Guida believes Diaz's "Submission of the Night" win over Jim Miller in May caught the gritty New Jersey native out of his element.
"It wasn't the Jim Miller we've seen in the past – tactical and fighting with purpose," the Greg Jackson MMA representative said. "He was out there, banged up a little bit, bloody. He was diving in, and that's when the choke came in. I think Ben is going to be more poised, find his kicks outside to close that distance, put him against the fence, work those single legs. If he wants to be successful, anyway.
"If he starts to get tagged on the outside and lets Nate build up momentum, then it might be a different story. I see Ben being able to overpower him and get in ground-and-pound positions."
Diaz, a Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt, has 11 career submission wins, including five "Submission of the Night" award bonuses, in 16 octagon outings. One has to go back five years to find the lone submission defeat on Henderson's record – which actually was just four months into his pro career. Guida said Henderson is one of the most dangerous ground-and-pound fighters in the business. Despite Diaz's decorated ground game, submitting the champion isn't something Guida foresees.
"Ben is one of the hardest guys to submit," Guida said. "I had that dude sown up, I thought, with a couple different guillotines and chokes. He is super, super rubbery, and the guy knows how to defend submissions. He's flexible. It's like trying to choke out an alligator. He just starts rolling and spinning uncontrollably until he's out."
It comes down to the championship experience and wrestling for Guida.
"I'm going with the champ," the nine-year veteran said. "I think he's going to leave with the belt and a five-round decision, but it's going to be a great fight."