Friday, June 19, 2009 | 5:46 p.m.
If You Go
- What: "TUF" No. 9: Team U.S. vs. Team U.K.
- When: Saturday, June 20 (first bout 3:45 p.m. PT, main card 6 p.m.)
- Where: The Pearl at the Palms
- Tickets: $154-$354 ticketmaster or the Pearl box office
- TV: Spike TV (Cox Cable Ch. 29) 9 p.m. ET/PT
- Betting Lines: Guida +220, Sanchez -280; Stevenson +110, Diaz -140 (odds subject to change)
Sun Archives
- Brits proved tough enough for MMA (6-20-2009)
- ‘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)
- Sanchez-Guida to face off at 'TUF' finale (3-30-09)
Expanded Sun Coverage
Beyond the Sun
Diego Sanchez is one scary dude.
They don’t call him “Nightmare," for no reason. Even when approaching the stage for something as innocent as a weigh-in, Sanchez has the look of a wolf ready to kill something and eat it for dinner.
Following a stare-down for the cameras in which their faces were literally less than an inch apart during Friday afternoon's festivities for Saturday's "The Ultimate Fighter" finale at the Palms, Sanchez’s lightweight opponent Clay Guida went to shake his opponent's hand. Sanchez returned the gesture but then began yelling in the face of Guida.
“I don’t know what he said, I don’t pay attention to any of that stuff,” said a smiling Guida afterward. “You can print that too.”
One member of the crowd not impressed with Sanchez’s death stare was Debbie Guida, Clay’s mother.
Debbie makes the trip to all of her son’s weigh-ins and says that his last one, prior to facing Nate Diaz, was scarier because Diaz put his elbows right in Clay’s face for the pose.
“This one was intense but I would have to say his last one was more intimidating for me,” Debbie said. “Nate got down with his arms right in Clay’s face. When I looked into Clay’s eyes I couldn’t read him. Usually I can read what he’s thinking, but I didn’t know what I was seeing in that one and it kind of scared me.”
Sanchez, who is favored to win the fight by around a 3-1 margin, weighed in at 156 pounds. Guida, who approached the stage in his usual high-energy fashion, weighed in at a pound lighter at 155.
Other highlights included a surprise for the only light-heavyweight fight on the card. Mike Ciesnolevicz weighed in at a hefty 208 pounds, 3 pounds over the 205-pound limit. His opponent Tomasz Drwal agreed to fight him at 208, but the extra weight will cost Ciesnolevicz 20 percent of his show money.
TUF contestant Cameron Dollar took the stage minus the infamous Mohawk he’s been wearing during the reality television series. Guess he’s keeping it short for the summer.
And, if you can call this a highlight, Melvin Guillard took the stage in what has to be described as a man-thong. Had it not been for Sanchez, Guillard would have taken the cake for the most disturbing entrance.
Full weigh-in results:
Diego Sanchez (156) vs. Clay Guida (155)
DaMarques Johnson (170) vs. James Wilks (171)
Ross Pearson (156) vs. Andre Winner (155)
Chris Lytle (170) vs. Kevin Burns (171)
Joe Stevenson (155) vs. Nate Diaz (156)
Melvin Guillard (155) vs. Gleison Tibau (155)
Brad Blackburn (170) vs. Edgar Garcia (171)
Mike Ciesnolevicz (208) vs. Tomasz Drwal (205)
Nick Osipczak (170) vs. Frank Lester (170)
Jason Dent (155) vs. Cameron Dollar (154)
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].
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