Former teammates met in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 37 in London, as longtime UFC vet Melvin Guillard took on Michael Johnson. It was a fight between two men who were on the fringe of the Top 10, and the winner could boost his stock with an impressive victory.
The fight had a pace that was the direct opposite of the rest of the card. Whereas the other bouts were fast-paced and exciting for the most part, Johnson and Guillard cautiously engaged each other and were not exactly the busiest fighters.
When it was all said and done, Johnson won a unanimous decision in a largely forgettable bout.
So, what did we learn from this bout between Guillard and Johnson? Let's take a look.
What We'll Remember About This Fight
This fight was the exact opposite of what we all expected. That's what we'll remember about this fight.
This bout was drawn out, with Johnson chasing Guillard down and neither man landing too many strikes. Their lack of total engagement was tough to deal with, especially for the crowd in England.
We all anticipated a much better fight than we got. This was slow and uninspiring.
What We Learned About Guillard
This isn't very common of Guillard, but he just didn't look like a great fighter out there. He was not aggressive, didn't do much of note and was outbanged by a guy who should not have had the striking advantage.
We always knew Guillard was inconsistent in the UFC, but this was one of his least impressive performances as part of the company.
What We Learned About Johnson
He is not a flash in the pan. Johnson is a guy to watch in the UFC lightweight division.
He has now beaten three top guys in a row. This success is coming from someone whom people did not expect much from after The Ultimate Fighter 12, but he has proved them wrong.
What's Next for Guillard?
Guillard is an enigma. He mows down everybody who is outside of the upper echelon in the UFC. It's now or never for him, and he shouldn't take a huge step down in competition.
His original opponent was Ross Pearson, and I would still love to see that fight. Perhaps the stars will align, and they will fight next.
What's Next for Johnson?
Johnson has proved he can hang with top talent. At this point, somebody in the Top 10 would make sense for him.
Nate Diaz is without a dance partner right now and could be a good opponent for Johnson. The winner would take one step closer to the title picture.
