UFC 125: Resolution | 2011.01.01 | Las Vegas, Nevada Discussion
Main Card | Lightweight · 155 lbs | MMA
Clay Guida defeats Takanori Gomi via Submission at 4:27 of Round 2
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Guida
Submission
Round 2
"The Carpenter" "The Fireball Kid"
27-11-0 | Pro Record At Fight | 32-6-0 | ||
Climbed to 28-11 | Record After Fight | Fell to 32-7 | ||
-145 (Slight Favorite) | Betting Odds | +120 (Near Even) | ||
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Nationality |
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Johnsburg, Illinois | Fighting out of | Tokyo, Japan | ||
29 years, 3 weeks, 3 days | Age at Fight | 32 years, 3 months, 1 week, 3 days | ||
156.0 lbs (70.8 kgs) | Weigh-In Result | 155.0 lbs (70.3 kgs) | ||
5'7" (171cm) | Height | 5'8" (173cm) | ||
70.0" (178cm) | Reach | 70.0" (178cm) | ||
Gym | Kugayama Rascal Gym |

- Bout Information
- Event: UFC 125: Resolution
- Date: Saturday 01.01.2011 at 10:00 PM ET
- Referee: Josh Rosenthal
- Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Enclosure: Octagon
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Bout Billing: Main Card (fight 7 of 11)
- Pro/Am: Professional
- Weight: 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
- TV Commentary: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan
- Broadcast: Aired Live on Main Card
- Post-Fight Interviewer: Joe Rogan
- Guida Total Disclosed Pay: $122,000
- Gomi Total Disclosed Pay: $50,000
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Event Links:
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Bout Links:
Guida vs. Gomi Wiki Update Wiki
The relentlessly energetic Clay "The Carpenter" Guida utilized a bewildering new strategy of constant movement and atypical patience to confuse and eventually choke out the legendary Takanori Gomi via Guillotine in the second round of their UFC 125 clash. It proved an interesting, if unexpected, stylistic encounter in what was confidently but wrongly billed as a striker vs. wrestler exchange.
Gomi, in his third fight in the Octagon, no doubt expected a vintage performance by Guida involving "The Carpenter's" relentless pressure, takedown attempts against the cage, and furious punching exchanges. Though Guida looked his typical charged-up self entering the cage that first night of the New Year in 2011, he had no such plan in mind. Instead, straight from the opening bell Guida began to feint repeatedly in an almost over-exaggerated style on the outside, bouncing on the balls of his feet and bobbing levels up and down with his hair swinging wildly about him. Gomi, expecting an immediate onslaught, was instead forced to wait patiently on the outside, cocked and ready to fire but without a clear target. Guida was feinting from such a distance that he looked to be almost disengaged in a pointless show. But as the round wore on the cleverness of Guida's strategy began to prove itself. Gomi began to look irritated and bothered. Guida darted in between long spells of inaction, either catching Gomi with a heavy strike or shooting in for a takedown, only to dance back out before Gomi could effectively engage him.
After a first round that Guida notched 10-9 due to Gomi's almost complete inability to find him, the same strategy began to play out in the second. Guida mixed up darting shots with takedown attempts from the outside, all the while a whirling dervish of motion and energy bobbing to and fro. Finally, in the midst of a ground exchange initiated by a Guida takedown late in the round, Gomi slipped into a beautifully devised Guillotine that Guida offered him while Guida was mounted. Guida was confident enough in the choke to relinquish top position, where he sunk in the arm-in Guillotine with little more than thirty seconds left in the stanza for the tap.
The bout's unorthodox nature was outdone only by its import for Guida's career, who seemed once again to perpetually alternate big wins and big losses in his lightweight journey. Gomi, meanwhile, faced questions about both his UFC preparedness -- he now stood at 1-2 in the promotion -- as well as the level of polish on his ground game. With the win, Guida became the second man to choke out "The Fireball Kid" after Marcus Aurelio improbably did so years beforehand in Pride.
Guida vs. Gomi Fight Predictions
Videos & Highlights
Interview | Clay Guida video interview post-fight UFC 125 report dead link
Watch this post-fight interview as Clay Guida talks about choking out Takanori Gomi at UFC 125.
Interview | Takanori Gomi Interview Video Ahead of UFC 125 report dead link
Video interview with Takanori Gomi where he discusses his opponent Clay Guida and his eye towards reaching the UFC lightweight title.
Guida vs. Gomi Fighter Tweets
If fighters from this bout were talking on Twitter before or after the fight, this is where you can find it. Below are all the Tweets we've recorded near the date of the bout.
- MusclePharm Sports Wear Now Available at https://musclepharm.com/cart/ http://fb.me/LwXltWo6
- 4 days, 16 hours, and 23 minutes
- after
- Follow my guys!! @safeauto @silverstarnow @travisbrownemma, @johnfosco @mmastop
- 4 days, 13 hours, and 15 minutes
- after
- Thx 4 the support guys!!! Big win and I owe it all to my team and my fans!!! I feed off the support!! Thx!!!
- 2 days, 15 hours, and 28 minutes
- after
- If my fans are wondering.....guess what!? I'm soooo ready!!! I am looking 4ward to hearing the GUIDA chant Jan 1. I love my fans!!!!!
- 5 days, 22 hours, and 18 minutes
- before