Melvin Guillard Says He’s the Best at 155 Even Without a Belt, Calls for Fight with Joe Lauzon

Guillard vs Roller at UFC 132

Mr. DeMille, Melvin Guillard is ready for his close up.

The one time ‘Ultimate Fighter’ competitor has gone from mid-card talent to main event star over the last few years, and with Guillard’s latest bone rattling knockout of Shane Roller at UFC 132, the New Orleans native is due for a title shot.

Just when people thought they could predict the future for Guillard, who had always been exciting but not always fought up to his potential, he joined up with Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. The two top trainers have now built a Frankenstein like monster with devastating KO power and an overall MMA game that just keeps getting better.

Every time Guillard connects with his fists, knees or feet, he’s sending a message to the best fighters at 155lbs.

“I’m a finisher. I’m the best 155er at finishing fights. I respect a lot of guys in my weight class, but you’ve got Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, and you get a lot of these guys and they get in there and bang with these guys and they’re not even rocking them. Frankie Edgar got rocked by Gray Maynard, and then Gray couldn’t even finish him,” Guillard said during an interview with MMAWeekly Radio.

“I pay attention to small details like that. Because I know when my time comes, and it will come, when I hit somebody and they fall, I’m going in for the kill.”

Improvement and growth are the keys to Guillard’s success. In previous runs, Guillard relied on pure talent and athletic ability to get him wins, but now he’s paying attention to his coaches, becoming a student of the game, and the end result is a wrecking machine that destroys UFC lightweights.

It would be hard to argue Guillard’s stature in the division when talking about title shots. Currently, Jim Miller is the only other lightweight with the winning streak and credentials to be in the top contender spot.

But much like Miller’s attitude when it comes to staying busy and keeping active, Guillard has no plans to sit and wait for a title shot. As a matter of fact, he wants to fight, fight and fight some more because he knows his blade will only get sharper with every strike across the stone.

“I want to fight on this Houston card coming up. I just want to stay focused on the task at hand, and that’s getting better. I’m telling everybody now the longer it takes for them to give me a title shot, the better I’m going to be. By the time I fight for that title, I feel sorry for whoever’s holding that belt,” Guillard stated.

“The old Melvin that’s getting caught in submissions, and getting taken down, and letting people control him, those days are over with.”

Guillard, who is from New Orleans, even mentioned that he would be happy to accept a fight on the upcoming card in September headlined by Jake Shields and Jake Ellenberger.

While there aren’t many names out there currently viable in the division that aren’t already booked for fights, Guillard has at least one name on his list of potential opponents.

“I don’t want to try to throw a name out there, but I was thinking maybe I could ask them to fight Joe Lauzon,” Guillard said. “Right now technically nobody else is available, he already fought and walked away with a submission of the night victory, he didn’t take any damage in his last fight so maybe he’ll want to take the fight.”

Whoever the opposition is, Guillard vows to be ready to continue his winning streak, and his Hannibal like march towards the title.

The message he’s spreading goes to everyone in the division, including UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard.

“I am the best 155lber in the UFC right now,” Guillard said. “I just don’t have a belt around my waist just yet.”

Damon Martin is the lead staff writer and radio host for MMAWeekly.com.
Follow @DamonMartin on Twitter or e-mail Damon a question or comment.

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