Another season of TUF is on its way, and the UFC will draw viewers in with an impressive Fight Night card, with two compelling headliner matches. Our appetizer to the main event feast will pit the returning Roger “El Matador” Huerta against Gray “The Bully” Maynard, in what will likely be Huerta’s last fight in MMA. The aspiring actor has one more fight on his contract, and the UFC isn’t giving him an easy night of it by putting “El Matador” against the Bully With Maynard being an undefeated wrecking machine in the division, we’ll have to see if Huerta has what it takes to leave on a high note. The main event will feature more middle fingers and rude gestures than any in living memory, with Nate Diaz throws down with Melvin Guillard. Both are young, angry men with a world of potential, and this could signal the rise of a new power in the Lightweight division if either can win convincingly. So, lets take a look at the televised card and see what the UFC is serving us up on Spike:


Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard:

TUF 5 winner and Cesar Gracie brown belt, Nate Diaz has had a rough time in the cage as of late. After his victory against Manny Gamburyan to win the TUF 5 contract, Diaz began carving a warpath through the Lightweight division, submitting his next three opponents before a turning point against Josh Neer. In the fight, which earned Fight of the Night honors, Diaz was put on the mat time and again by the much larger Neer, served up brutal punching volleys on the feet, and narrowly escaped defeat several times. Diaz took a split decision in the highly competitive fight, but wasn’t so lucky against his next opponent. The fireplug Clay Guida was able to outwork and avoid the submission attempts against the BJJ ace, taking a split decision, and dealing Diaz his first loss in the octagon. In his next fight, he went against TUF 2 winner Joe Stevenson, and was dealt another decision loss. With two losses in a row, Diaz back is to the wall here as he will look to put a stop to Melvin Guillard.

Sometimes known more for his out of ring situations than his actual talent, Guillard is one of the most explosive athletes in the Lightweight division. Possessing lightning reflexes, thunderous power, and a background in wrestling, Guillard has battled through over thirty fights in seven years, and has had eight outtings in the UFC, going 5-3. Guillard’s last fight was his biggest triumph though, as he returned from nearly a year away from the octagon, a torn ACL, and six months in jail to go against one of his toughest opponents to date in Gleison Tibau. Scoring a split decision victory over the ATT fighter, Guillard finds himself headlining this card against Nate Diaz, and on his second step on the road to redemption in the eyes of the fans.

There is more attitude in the cage here than any time I can think of, as both guys are known for being angry young men, and it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out in this fight. Guillard brings a definite speed and power advantage here, but Diaz has some very fundamentally sound BJJ, which has proven to be a problem for Guillard in the past. Its anyone’s guess what will happen if Guillard’s fist connects with Diaz’ jaw, or Guillard finds himself on his back after a formidable judo throw from Diaz.

My Pick: Nate Diaz via Submission.

Diaz is one of the most fundamentally sound BJJ grapplers in the UFC, effortlessly flowing through transitions and making use of him long limbs to lock submissions from impossible angles. His primary structure is a weakness against high-level grapplers though, as his transitions and attacks become predictable, allowing him to be set up for takedowns and submissions himself. Guillard, despite a blue belt in BJJ and a wrestling background, doesn’t hold that level of technique though, and if he can’t flatten the sturdy Diaz early, will find himself engaged in a submission battle he can’t win. Diaz should lock on a tight triangle early in the first round, putting himself back into the big picture of the UFC Lightweight division.




Roger “El Matador” Huerta vs. Gray “The Bully” Maynard:

Roger Huerta came into the UFC with a record of 13-1-1-1, and a reputation as a merciless bruiser. A technical striker with a sprawl and brawl style, Huerta earned Fight of the Night honors in his very first UFC bout, taking Jason Dent to a decision, and making it the first of six consecutive wins in the octagon. His greatest victory would come against Clay Guida in his sixth fight in the UFC, where after dropping the first two rounds, Huerta came out guns blazing to wobble Guida and sinking a rear naked choke for the win late in the fight. After losing to Kenny Florian via decision, Huerta decided to leave MMA to pursuit an acting career, Huerta took a year off, filming the Tekken live action movie, but returning to the UFC fold to finish his contract. In what could be his last fight in MMA, he’ll go against a TUF fighter and monster wrestler in Gray Maynard.

Coming into the UFC off of TUF 5, and with one of the best wrestling credentials at Lightweight, Maynard has shown in his last five outings, that he isn’t be taken lightly. After a bizarre No Contest against Rob Emerson, accidentally knocking himself out on the mat while slamming Emerson, he was given another chance, and another fight against Joe Veres. Nine seconds into that fight, he landed a crushing hook that sent Veres to the mat and from there piled up four more victories over the likes of Frankie Edgar, Rich Clementi, and Jim Miller. In that last fight against Miller, he showed a vastly improved boxing game that should have the division worried, and should worry the long-sidelined Huerta.

This is an odd situation, as Huerta doesn’t intend to keep fighting, and his mindset will have a huge effect on this fight. On one hand, he could go half as hard in training and be taken apart by a very serious Maynard, or he could come into this thing looking to make a statement and leave on a high note with a stunning defeat over a top prospect. A motivated Huerta is a dangerous fighter, and Maynard could be facing his toughest test to date here.

My Pick: Gray Maynard via decision.

Huerta is a powerful and technically superior striker, but not by so much as to make Maynard a gimmie on the feet. With the combination of ring rust, and being placed against a foe that’s proven to be a foil for him in the past, Huerta is going to be in over his head here against an ever-improving Maynard. Look for Maynard to work some of the sweet science on the feet and set up his unstoppable takedowns, earning yet another decision and taking a step closer to the top of the Lightweight ladder.




Carlos Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger:

The last WEC Welterweight champion, Carlos Condit came into the UFC with huge expectations. A muay thai fighter with a lethal BJJ bottom game, Condit worked over the WEC Welterweight ranks, looking nearly invincible in all of his outings, and sinking submissions on Kyle Jensen, John Alessio, and Brock Larson in the organization. When the WEC’s larger weight classes were absorbed by UFC, Condit was given a shot in the main event against Martin Kampmann, and lost a split decision in an exciting bout. Starting off his UFC career with a loss, Condit was planning a return against Chris Lytle, but injury forced Lytle aside, and Condit must try his hand against a newcomer to the organization.

A Team Quest fighter and journeymen MMA competitor, Jake Ellenberger makes his debut in the UFC after twenty-five fights in nearly every major organization in the world. Cutting his teeth in regional shows in the US, and using his ground and pound and striking skills to great effect, he eventually found his way into the IFL as an undefeated fighter. That didn’t last long though, as he lost his debut to Jay Hieron and went 2-2 overall in the organization, as well as fighting around the world at the same time. Coming into the UFC on a four fight win streak, Ellenberger will look to take another win home to Team Quest, and make an indelible mark on the UFC.

We’ll see what Condit has picked up in his time with ACS, as he showed a definite weakness for clinch takedowns in his last fight, and Ellenberger is not someone you want to play a clinch grappling game with. Condit will need to keep this at a distance where his muay thai will make him too dangerous to engage and avoid the strong suit of Ellenberger. If Ellenberger wants to make this a successful debut, takedowns to side control, and some colossal ground and pound will be the order of the day, as Condit is too multifaceted to approach any other way.

My Pick: Carlos Condit via submission.

Ellenberger, on paper, has a clear advantage here in the grappling department, but putting someone like Condit on their back is never a safe bet for fifteen minutes. Condit should be able to re-establish guard after a takedown and lock on a triangle late in the first round, showing the UFC Welterweight division that WEC’s king is here to stay.





Tim Credeur vs. Nate “The Rock” Quarry:

TUF 7 contestant and general hard-nosed fighter, Tim Credeur was knocked out of his TUF contract shot twice in his run on the show, by both Jesse Taylor and C.B. Dollaway, putting him in the tough position of a one fight contract if he was to lose in his first bout. Credeur seized the opportunity though and crushed cast mate Cale Yarbrough to earn his rank in the Middleweight division of the UFC. Taking a young Nate Loughran to school at UFN: Fight For The Troops; forcing his opponent to quit on the stool, he found himself facing another incoming prospect soon after in the form of wrestler Nick Catone. Catone proved to be no match for the calm Credeur though, and was dismantled on the mat and forced to tap not once, but twice, although the first time he submitted, the referee didn’t see it. With yet another victory under his belt, Credeur has been sent into deep waters against a time-tested fighter in Nate Quarry.

A fellow TUF contestant, although from season one, Nate Quarry has had hard battles outside, as well as inside the octagon. Being knocked off the show due to injury, he was given an opportunity to fight at the Finale, and after putting Lodune Sincaid down, earned two more victories before being given a title shot. It what would be an ill-fated attempt, the too-green Quarry went in against Rich Franklin, and suffered a highlight reel beating and knockout. Having been suffering with a back injury for quite some time, Quarry went in for an experimental surgery that could have very well ended his career, but after nearly two years out of the cage, he returned to fight former foe Pete Sell. After a shaky first round, Quarry went on to knock out Sell yet again, and then defeated Kalib Starnes in one of the oddest matches in history, taking a 30-24 decision over a rapidly fleeing opponent. Quarry’s winning ways would come to an end though at the hands of Demian Maia, who took the former Team Quest fighter down for the submission, and sending him back to the drawing board. Against Jason MacDonald, he would fare much better with a brutal ground and pound stoppage, and another chance to show the world what The Rock is here to stay.

Both men are long in the tooth for the sport, and have similar characteristics as far as toughness and pure heart. Style wise, they couldn’t be more different though, with Credeur being a functional kickboxer with a BJJ black belt, and Quarry being a heavy handed striker with a clinch grappling background. Both men have the ability to knock the other silly, and either could finish the fight from top position, be it from an arm lock or elbows. The only sure thing is that neither will give an inch in this bout.

My Pick: Tim Credeur via decision.

This is the toughest fight to call on the card, as you can’t picture either guy folding for the other, and both have holes in their games. Which Quarry can flatten someone with a punch, he has a predictable style that the improving Credeur could potentially get around and make the match difficult for The Rock. Conversely, Credeur is sometimes too comfortable off his back and might allow Quarry to land shots on him, forcing a stoppage or earning him a decision. The main issue though is that Credeur is the more complete grappler, having an excellent bottom game, whereas Quarry is a fair ways behind the MMA learning curve in the grappling department. Credeur can keep things even on the feet, set us subs from top position, and work from bottom to land a submission or work for the decision.