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[rivethead]

One Night in Omaha with Clay Guida


Alex Trujillo — Clay Guida’s coach and owner of the Midwest Training Center — does the best Mike Goldberg impersonation I’ve ever heard. He has it all just right. The hyperbolic enthusiasm, the local news weatherman voice inflection, the whole package.

“Coming up next!” Trujillo shouts in his Goldberg voice, and it’s enough to get the whole dressing room cracking up. You can see how it helps to have guy like Trujillo around when you’re trying to stay relaxed before a fight. Soon the talk turns to what it would be like if Goldberg did commentary for porn movies. The consensus opinion? It would be awesome.

This is just part of what I was treated to last night as I shadowed Guida before and after his fight for this Si.com article. It was, to say the least, a unique experience. There are the guys who say that they just love to fight, and then there are the guys for whom it is obviously true. Clay Guida is the latter. Throughout his preparation there was never a hint of anxiety. Little leaguers have more nerves stepping up to bat.

As Guida sat in his dressing room having his hands taped referee Yves Lavigne came by to go over some basics. Just to clarify, Lavigne took out a sheet of paper that he had folded into thirds and held it up against the back of his own head to show Guida where not to strike. Through it all Guida could barely keep from smiling.


They passed the time watching the earlier bouts on a small TV monitor. Guida’s camp seemed appalled at Houston Alexander’s illegal knee strike, among other infractions during the fight. When the referee said nothing they finally chalked it up to “Omaha rules.” Then they praised their good luck that they weren’t taking on an Omaha fighter.

It was conditioning that truly won the bout for Guida. By the third round the frustration and fatigue was all over Danzig’s face, while Guida looked like he had a few more rounds in him. Afterwards he listed off the three different gyms he frequents and too many trainers to count.

“If I could spend as much time training as I do driving back and forth to different gyms, I’d be in better shape than anyone in the UFC,” he said.

After the fight Guida acknowledged that he needs to get better at finishing opponents, admitting that Danzig’s early kimura attempt made him a little more cautious about his ground-and-pound efforts, but said he had been making a conscious effort to be more controlled and less reckless in his fights.

As for his plans to celebrate the victory, Guida said he likes to have “a drink or two” with friends and family. After that it’s off for a quick trip to Vegas, then back in the gym in Chicago by Monday.

And who’s next on his hit list now that he’s downed TUF winner Mac Danzig?

“Everybody,” he said.

Source: » One Night in Omaha with Clay Guida

I think it's interesting that they're using folded paper to illustrate the "mohawk" version of illegal strikes to the back of the head.

I like Guida as an individual, and he fights with relentless energy, but I don't really see him cracking the top tier of the division unless he really goes back to the lab and develops another level of skills. He needs better striking and strike defense; and he sorely needs a better submission game.

rh

[Ubermensch]

Th title sounds like some really gay porn. Hillbilly style!!

[Nebraska]

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Th title sounds like some really gay porn. Hillbilly style!!

[Mac]

Originally Posted by rivethead

Source: » One Night in Omaha with Clay Guida

I think it's interesting that they're using folded paper to illustrate the "mohawk" version of illegal strikes to the back of the head.

I like Guida as an individual, and he fights with relentless energy, but I don't really see him cracking the top tier of the division unless he really goes back to the lab and develops another level of skills. He needs better striking and strike defense; and he sorely needs a better submission game.

rh

Yeah, I've said it for a while now, Guida is more heart than skill. I think Danzig was right when he said Guida was a gatekeeper. Funny thing is, even though Guida won that fight, I still think Danzig is more of a threat to get to title contention than Guida.

[singinkangaroooo]

Originally Posted by Mac

Yeah, I've said it for a while now, Guida is more heart than skill. I think Danzig was right when he said Guida was a gatekeeper. Funny thing is, even though Guida won that fight, I still think Danzig is more of a threat to get to title contention than Guida.

while i agree somewhat with that last part... but i think that Clay looked much sharper on the feet than his fight vs Huerta... I think that if he keeps improving his striking and keeps working on his ability to finish while gettin some sub-d and i definatly could see him in title contention...

while i was watching the fight i noticed that in this fight when Guida put the pressure on.. it stayed on.... my example is whenever Mac was on the fence Clay would throw some punches and a bunch of knees and when Mac coverd up up top he would instantly go for the take down...

im pretty sure that eventually Clay could take anyone down atleast once.. (he is just too relentless to be denied i think he would have a good amount of trouble taking BJ down but i think he could get him down later on in the fight) so after some more time training his BJJ D on the ground he will be a VERY tough opponent to deal with because his wrestling background taught him to to use and manage his weight and with that conditioning it would be a very unpleasant place to be..

and after alittle more training and his striking becomes clean and learns how not to take as many punches while throwing he could become a champion no doubt in my mind... we saw he has some sort of power when he knocked Huerta down at the end of the 2nd round..

but this is all the "IF" game.. so IF he goes in and works his ass off harder in the gym (which would not be a fun workout for anyone) i think Clay could possibly be up for title contention in a few years.. hes only 26 and i think maybe a year or 2 more till BJ is gone from the LW division (just my thoughts)..

/nuthugging wishful thinking

[dbader08]

Clay's Strategy of pushing you up against the cage and staying on you while driving for the takedown is an effective one...But he does need work on his BJJ and his striking....I mean, if he would just work on passing guard and improving his top control a little bit more, he would be alot more effective...and would be able to finish alot of fights that would normally go to decesion.

But if you look at the Clay Guida now compared to the Clay Guida that fought Din Thomas, or the Pre-Ufc Guida, Hes definitely a better fighter imo...he mixes his strikes with his takedowns much better, and he's slightly less wreckless lol

[jhell]

[rivethead]

Originally Posted by Mac

Yeah, I've said it for a while now, Guida is more heart than skill. I think Danzig was right when he said Guida was a gatekeeper. Funny thing is, even though Guida won that fight, I still think Danzig is more of a threat to get to title contention than Guida.

Yeah, if you can't get through Guida, you aren't going to get through Sherk...

I hope Clay continues to improve. With his obvious dedication to conditioning and willingness to learn, he has potential...he needs a good camp and time...

rh