Fishing for a title shot

By Brett Okamoto

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | 4:55 p.m.

There’s a fine line between a professional mixed martial arts career and a taken seat at the end of the bar.

At least that’s the case for UFC lightweight Clay Guida.

“I had no idea whatsoever this was going to happen,” Guida said of his professional fighting career. “It was by complete accident. If it hadn't happened I’d probably still be sitting on a barstool after work in my dirty jeans telling some lame construction story.”

That’s not the case, though, as Guida will take on one of the UFC lightweight’s top contenders in Diego Sanchez on Saturday at this weekend’s Ultimate Fighter Finale. The fight will take place at the Pearl at the Palms.

It’s a long way from the Alaskan fishing boats and carpentry jobs that kept Guida occupied following his wrestling career at Harper Junior College in Palatine, Ill.

Following one of his fishing excursions, Guida came home to see his older brother, Jason, fight Adrian Serrano in Ottawa, Ill., on July 26, 2003.

When he arrived, Guida found out that one of the amateur lightweights had backed out of a fight. Despite having no MMA background, let alone training, Guida stepped in to fill the slot.

“Someone fell out in the lightweight division. I offered to take his place,” Guida said. “I had two hours notice, no experience except my wrestling background. I went out there and had fun though; got choked out in the first round, but I had a blast. That was pretty much it — been going to the gym since then.”

Guida has since built a 25-6-0 record, including a 5-3 mark in the UFC. After dropping three of his first five fights, he’ll ride a streak of three straight wins into Saturday’s contest.

Sanchez (22-2-0) is favored and has been told by the UFC that he would earn a title shot against the winner of the lightweight title fight between B.J. Penn and Kenny Florian in August by defeating Guida.

But Guida is hoping that offer would be extended to him with a dominating win of his own.

“I’m going to that fight in August and hopefully they’ll be introducing me as the next contender,” Guida said. “Right now, I think it’s my time. There’s not enough room for other people in the lightweight division, and I believe I’m the toughest fighter. I’m a force that’s coming and nothing’s standing in my way.

“Nothing against Diego, but he’s going to pay dearly Saturday night.”

Guida will have to deal with Sanchez’s southpaw stance and explosive striking power. Sanchez may look to take the fight to the ground where he’s shown a very effective ground-and-pound game.

As always, Guida will rely on his relentless pressure to dictate the fight. Although he’s not known for knockout power, Guida’s aggressiveness is known for causing problems with his opponents.

“My style is one I don’t think people can train for,” Guida said. “I come out 110 miles an hour and I make sure people don’t have the same work ethic as me. He just earned a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and I congratulate him for that. I’m a white belt. I probably always will be. I’m not a jiu-jitsu guy. I’m a fighter.”

It doesn’t take long listening to Guida to understand that it really doesn’t matter that UFC has offered a title shot only to Sanchez for a win Saturday night. He’s truly treating it as his own opportunity for a chance to become the best lightweight in the world.

Now that would be a bar story.

“Hands down, no question this is the most important fight of my career,” Guida said. “It’s what I think about night and day. I look into the future and I see a title shot, but nothing is going to happen until I beat Diego in short fashion.”

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].