Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard @ Fight Night 19

UFC Fight Night 19 Lightweight Bout

Nate Diaz is frustrated. He’s lost consecutive fights, or in his words, “wrestling matches.” Luckily, he won’t have to worry about his next opponent hunting for the takedown because Melvin Guillard wants to keep every fight standing. Diaz vs. Guillard should serve as the co-main event for Fight Night 19, but rumors have it possibly being the actual main event.

Diaz has come crashing down from his fast rise up the UFC Lightweight ranks. Prior to his consecutive losses, Diaz racked up wins over Rob Emerson, Corey Hill, Gray Maynard, and Manvel Gamburyan on the way to winning The Ultimate Fighter 5. He continued his positive momentum by submitting UFC veterans Kurt Pellegrino, Junior Assuncao, and Alvin Robinson. Diaz stepped into the role as a main eventer for the first time at Fight Night 15 against Josh Neer, putting forth a “Fight of the Night” effort and picking up a close decision victory. Diaz stood at 5-0 and was possibly a few fights away from earning a title shot. But, Clay Guida stifled Diaz in his next fight and clung on to a decision win, ending Diaz’s title aspirations for the time being. Diaz looked to redeem himself against a struggling Joe Stevenson, but once again fell victim to a stronger wrestler intent on stuffing Diaz’s offensive attacks. Diaz possesses the talent to be a future champion, but it may not come at 155. It’s obvious that Diaz needs to put on some muscle in order to hang with the top contenders in the division. Regardless of the future, Diaz has to be happy with his next matchup. Guillard will not shy away from contact, yet still has numerous holes in his repertoire that will have Diaz licking his chops.

Guillard’s journey in the UFC has been filled with peaks and valleys. He can win “KO of the Night” honors or get submitted within the first minute of a fight. This is the “all or nothing” style of Melvin Guillard. Guillard would love to keep this fight standing and test Diaz’s chin. He should be able to evade Diaz’s initial takedown attempts, but cannot get caught up in a clinch game because Diaz is as crafty as they come with trips and throws. Guillard is intent on showing fans that he has matured not only as a fighter, but as a person. We will see if he can resist the temptation of getting into the pre-fight banter that the Diaz brothers are renowned for.

source: mmafrenzy