UFC Newark fight to watch: Jim Miller vs Clay Guida
Long time veterans of the UFC lightweight division Jim Miller (30-13 1NC) and Clay Guida (35-18) will throw down at UFC on ESPN 5 which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this Saturday (August 3rd).
The 35-year-old Jim Miller will enter the UFC octagon for a record breaking 33rd time this weekend. During his time with the promotion Miller has amassed several big name wins over the likes of Melvin Guillard, Joe Lauzon and Thiago Alves. After dropping four straight, Miller has rediscovered some form picking up wins in two of his last three bouts. Last time out he put on the performance of the night when he got the quick submission victory over Jason Gonzales at UFC Fort Lauderdale back in April.
His opponent the 37-year-old Clay “The Carpenter” Guida was the inaugural Strikeforce lightweight champion before making the switch to the UFC in 2007 and becoming a fan favourite during his 24-fight run. A wild style which has earned him a fight of the year award and six fight of the night bonuses. Primarily a 155’er Guida’s unsuccessful stint at featherweight ended in 2017, since then “The Carpenter” has won three of his last four, picking up a decision victory over MMA legend BJ Penn last time out.
After 59 UFC fights its a miracle we haven’t already seen this one. Let’s take a look at how each of these men can get it done at UFC Newark this weekend.
Jim Miller is a well rounded fighter capable of winning this fight on the feet or the ground. A southpaw with a tendency to get into brawls Miller isn’t known for his KO power but can certainly cause Guida trouble with his kickboxing. He’ll look to utilize his striking arsenal to keep the heavy pressure game of “The Carpenter” at bay, softening up his opponent with volume strikes over three high paced rounds to pick up the decision. A strong jujitsu player Millers most likely route to a stoppage victory is on the mat. With 16 submission wins on his record, including pulling off rear naked chokes during his past two wins. Guida is no slouch on the mat either and Miller will need to hurt him on the feet early and often to open up opportunities to lock up a submission.
Clay Guida became a fan favourite for the several crazy brawls he was involved in during the early parts of his UFC career. In recent years we have seen a significant style change as Guida has shifted back towards his greatest strength which is wrestling. Unlike Miller “The Carpenter’s” route to victory is more clear. A grinding style he will hunt the takedown for every second of this fight as he tries to impose his impressive top game and work towards breaking his opponent to get the tap.
Speaking ahead of his co-main event slot at UFC Newark Guida talked up the potential jujitsu exchanges. “It’s going to be like a tornado. It’s just going to be a matter of time until this fight hits the ground. It’s going to be a whirlwind, it’s going to be like tumbleweeds flying around there. Two masters on the ground, and it’s going to be something to see”.
Both fighters although past their prime are capable of lighting up the Prudential Center this Saturday night. Jim Miller and Clay Guida have been involved in some of the best fights in UFC history and at this point are perfectly matched heading into this long awaited fight.
Perhaps we’ll see two veterans of the sport roll back the years and give UFC fans yet another iconic fight. The winner will be able to move towards a top 15 lightweight ranking, whereas the loser will likely be contemplating retirement in this high stakes co-main event at UFC Newark.
