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In one of the bloodier UFC fights in recent memory, Clay Guida wrestles with Diego Sanchez during their lightweight bout on June 20, 2009.
Monday, June 22, 2009 | midnight
Ultimate Fighter Finale
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Diego Sanchez won the main event at "The Ultimate Fighter" No. 9 finale. Britain's Ross Pearson and Team U.K.'s James Wilks are the Ultimate Fighter winners for season 9.
Fightcasters
Mayweather postponed, UFC 99, TUF 9
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Las Vegas Sun reporters Brett Okamoto and Andy Samuelson break down recent boxing/MMA news. This week: Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, UFC 99 and The Ultimate Fighter No. 9.
Sun Archives
- Sanchez defeats Guida in bloody battle (6-20-2009)
- Brits proved tough enough for MMA (6-19-2009)
- Scary Sanchez stares down Guida at weigh-ins (6-19-2009)
- ‘Daddy’ Stevenson ready to bring big win home (6-20-2009)
- Sanchez on deck (6-18-2009)
- Guida fishing for his own title shot (6-16-2009)
Expanded Sun Coverage
Out of all the reporters and family members who waited patiently for Clay Guida to emerge from his locker room Saturday night after getting stitched up over his right eye, there was one person among the crowd who needed to see him most.
The guy responsible for the stitches -- Diego Sanchez.
"I just want you to know that I have the utmost respect for you," said Sanchez, whose voice shook with emotion. "We are blood brothers now. Thank you."
No matter where the explosive Sanchez's career goes from here on out, chances are he will never forget the battle Guida gave him at the Pearl at the Palms on Saturday.
The three-round fight went from what appeared to be headed for a sure knockout in the first 30 seconds to an all-out, split-decision brawl the judges awarded to Sanchez.
Known as one of the most intense fighters in the UFC, Sanchez's demeanor prior to this fight proved it. "The Nightmare" seemed nightmare-ish throughout the week.
But as he addressed a small crowd at the post-fight press conference, it was clear he had been humbled by Guida's courage.
"That guy's got a couple hearts in there," Sanchez said. "I hit him with some knees, kicks and uppercuts that were right on the button and he kept coming. I wasn't prepared for him to survive the onslaught I put on him in the first round."
If the UFC does come through with a title shot offer for Sanchez -- an honor he says he both deserves and expects -- it's hard to ask for a better fight to prepare him for it.
Even the simple challenge of making weight is still a science to Sanchez, who has fought just two fights in the lightweight division. In anticipation for what he knew would be a fight that would test his ground game, Sanchez strategically bulked up a little bit prior to the fight.
He was 6 pounds heavy the morning of the weigh-in and said he had trouble losing the final two. It took a treadmill workout and an intense session in the sauna to get down to the 156 pounds he tipped in at on Friday.
"This fight gave me more experience, it gave me the full three rounds in the cage and it gave me a little more experience dealing with the weight cut," Sanchez said. "Now I know if put that hard of a pace on my training and add more muscle, I have a mindset of what I can expect."
Sanchez is planning to travel to Philadelphia for the lightweight title fight between champion B.J. Penn and top contender Kenny Florian on Aug. 8.
Prior to his fight with Guida, Sanchez said it would be "common sense" that he would get the next title shot because he already defeated Florian in 2005 and would be a legitimate threat to defeat Penn.
If given a choice between the two, Sanchez said he would rather fight Penn, a fighter he says he has a close relationship with.
"I'm hoping B.J. wins. If he wins I'll get to fight a guy that's been a UFC legend," Sanchez said. "I will be in Philadelphia in person, right there at ringside watching every second of the fight. Me and B.J. are homies. I think we have very similar personalities.
"Fighting a rematch with Kenny Florian would be cool but I'd rather fight a legend than a guy I already beat."
As for Guida, the road from here may not be clear but he has certainly proven a worthy opponent for the top fighters in the lightweight division.
At the very least he can be counted on to not give up.
"One word man: heart," said Guida, when asked how he managed to keep going Saturday. "My family came here, when those guys are cheering me on I'll never stop."
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.
B.J. vs. Diego would be fine. I still expect Sanchez to fight once more to help him hype his upcoming fight, sort of like what Thiago Alves did in taking the Koscheck fight. We all knew that Alves was going to fight St. Pierre (or, at least, was who the UFC wanted to fight Georges), but they needed to keep him fresh and increase his visibility as much as possible, and fighting Koscheck did that.
It'll be interesting to see who Sanchez ends up fighting while in line for the title shot. He may get Frankie Edgar (though it really should be Gray Maynard, given that Maynard beat Edgar and seems to be the best of those lightweight wrestlers), because Edgar has a great deal of credibility. He may get Stevenson, as Stevenson has gained a lot of traction among fans.
Still, should be fun.
Also, the photos are awesome. Props to whoever took them.