Diego "The Carpenter" Sanchez, V.S. Clay "The Nightmare" Guida

I'm sure everyone who saw this fight is in agreement, it was a good battle. There is no doubt about Diego as a lightweight contender and no question that Guida has game.

After watching easily one of the best fights of the year, it seemed to me as though these two warriors must have agreed to exchange nicknames for a day.

From the outset Diego seemed to follow the blueprints of a laid out plan which had him constructing a victory with sharp, accurately placed blows and good measured foot-work, much like say a carpenter, deliberate in his actions. Most opponents would have been blown away, but sometimes plans don't always work out as easily in reality as they do on the drafting table.

There's another side to the name switch-a-roo story. Hello "Nightmare" Guida, coming back with the ridiculous pace that is his forte. Not stopped by sharp combos or a massive on the button head-kick, Guida puts on the ground and pound pressure. Now, although Guida is behind on the cards, he continues throughout with the same crazy pace. At some point, although he may not admit it, Diego must have thought, "What can stop this guy, this nightmare?!"

Diego Sanchez will go on and fight his way up the ranks and in my opinion get a title shot because he seems to have taken away the doubts that always accompany a weight cut, and the kid can fight. It also doesn't hurt that he is marketable.

Clay, on the other hand, does not advance, but yet is not moving down, simply because he is super exciting to watch. This guy always promises a battle, which is the reason we love watching. Win or lose, it's a war.

Looking at the skill sets of the light weight division, I would like to point something out. If Clay Guida were to get a title shot in the future, I feel this would give him a huge advantage due to the fact that this guy looks super fresh after a three-round, fast-paced war. Now it's my feeling that he could do this for two more rounds, easy.

If, in fact, he could do this that puts the pressure on the other guy to be prepared for a stupid pace for five rounds against a game guy with a good chin. I'm not saying that Clay, at this point, has all the tools to hold the belt for a significant period. However, I will say that if all the fights were five-rounders, you would most definitely see Guida's stats go way up, due to that incredible cardio and heart.