LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight contender Clay Guida (28-11 MMA, 8-5 UFC) used to be a fan of Anthony Pettis (13-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). But for now, at least, the former WEC champ is just a guy on the other side of the octagon.Oh, and that guy made a big mistake asking for "The Carpenter" by name, Guida said.
"He's been in the big show for a little while, but he's about to find out what 'Showtime' is all about," Guida said.
Guida and Pettis are set to clash on the main card of Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale. The fight marks Pettis' UFC debut, and it's a matchup he asked for when his pending UFC lightweight title shot was delayed due to a January draw between champion Frankie Edgar and top contender Gray Maynard.
Guida admits Pettis' decision to fight on rather that wait for a guaranteed title shot is commendable, but that doesn't mean it's not a mistake. A one-time WEC veteran himself, Guida looks forward to showing Pettis the difference between the two promotions.
"I was a fan of Anthony Pettis first," Guida told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Now I'm honored to be able to get in there and show him what the UFC is all about. He's got that WEC belt. I remember my last fight in the WEC before I fought in the UFC.
"He's got a lot of momentum behind him. He's got four wins in a row against some tough opponents. Are they UFC worthy? We'll find out in the coming months. Is he UFC worthy? We'll find out in the next couple of days."
The key to victory, Guida believes, is continued focus on what makes him best: relentless energy and constant forward movement.
"If you look at my record and look at my wins before the UFC, I had a bunch of submission and ground-and-pound TKOs," Guida said. "I'm fighting my fight. … When I attack, 90 percent of the time I get my hand raised.
"[Pettis] is super-confident. He's very creative. He's kind of a counter-striker, but you saw, I think Ben Henderson didn't fight to his advantages. He didn't fight to his strengths. I think maybe he respected Anthony's striking a bit too much and gave him a little bit too much room to work his offense. He ain't going to see that twice."
Training again at the famed Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA camp, Guida said he's been relying on Donald Cerrone, Carlos Condit and John Dodson to mimic the wild unpredictability of Pettis, not to mention his acrobatic attacks.
And while much of the discussion surrounding Saturday night's fight has focused on what more Pettis will need to do to re-earn his previously promised title shot, Guida believes it may be his time to shine.
"I think [asking to fight me] was the biggest mistake he's ever made in his career," Guida said. "I think it's great that he didn't want to sit around and wait because now it could be six months or a year before these guys are ready to go at it again. I think it's great for me, not so great for him.
"My record in the UFC, 8-5, doesn't sit well with me. It drives me more and more everyday. There's always going to be people called a gatekeeper, called a journeyman or things like that. But they're going to find out what the real No. 1 contender is all about.
"Saturday night, after a dominating win – don't let it go to the judges, don't let it be boring, go out there and fight my fight – if I bring the pain, he's going to feel it. And the UFC, Joe Silva, Dana White, they're going to realize who they want for the title shot."
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