There’s been a number of fight announcements for UFC 136 today and the latest one see’s lightweight contenders Joe Lauzon and Melvin Guillard battling it out in what should be an entertaining scrap.
Lauzon announced the news himself via a post on the UG forum. Read his full statement below which does a nice job of setting the fight up.
“You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do. You have to go out and do it.
Melvin Guillard said in a interview he was going to ask the UFC to fight me. I think the media blew it out of proportion a little bit and really ran with it saying he challenged me. I posted a blog saying if thats what the UFC wanted, then lets do it. I have always said, I will fight whoever they want. They are the bosses and they tell me who to fight.
Yesterday, I got a call from Joe Silva saying that Melvin and I were making his job easy and that if I wanted the fight, he thought it would be exciting. I told him again, anything he wants. While no contracts have been signed, verbal agreements have been made.
Melvin challenged. I accepted.
Melvin is on a 5 fight win streak, and has won 7 of his last 8 fights. He’s got wins over tough guys like Jeremy Stephens, Evan Dunham and Gleison Tibau. He is definitely one of the most explosive guys in the division and a ridiculous athlete. He can hurt people in a flash and he starts fast.
If the UFC’s lightweight division weren’t so stacked and congested at the top, I am sure Melvin would have been fighting for a title right around now. I am eager to get in there and get my chance against a guy like that.
One way or another, someone is getting hurt. Pretty much all of his losses in the UFC are to submissions and thats where I really shine. While I’m sure he will be looking for the knockout bonus… I will be looking for the submission bonus. This fight is guaranteed excitement.
Now you all get to see it… October 8th at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas. I think there is also a UFC Fan Expo that weekend. If you can’t make it in person, as you SHOULD, it will be on the main card of the PPV.”
