One of the many mentalities possessed by fighters that fans have a hard time understanding is their ability to exchange blows with an adversary in an attempt to incapacitate him/her and still end up hugging respectfully after the rumble. Though some competitors have a difficult time separating business issues from personal ones, UFC lightweights Donald Cerrone and Melvin Guillard are not among them as they plan to prove this Saturday night in co-headlining action at UFC 150.
Guillard and Cerrone trained together for years at Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico though “The Young Assassin” now calls the Blackzilian camp his home. Still, the two still consider themselves friends to this day. However, when the cage door closes in Denver this week they plan on going as hard as possibly until one man falls.
“Is the friendship going to conflict with the fight? Absolutely not. Ya’ll wanna see fireworks, it’s going down,” said Cerrone in an interview with the UFC. “I’m going (there) to win. So is he. So it’s not like I’m gonna hit him less because I know him, we trained together. I’m gonna hit him more because I know where he’s weak.”
Guillard Expecting War with “Cowboy” Cerrone
“I am honored Melvin stepped up. He could have said ‘We trained together, we’ve sparred, he knows my style, it is in his hometown…’ but he stepped up right away. He’s a warrior. He’s a man,” praised Cerrone of his friend-turned-temporary-foe, adding, “When I heard he’d stepped up I called him up to thank him. I was like ‘Thanks for being a warrior and letting me have this fight that I wanted so bad’.”
Cerrone and Guillard are both coming off decision victories after having impressive winning streaks snapped. Each is a noted finisher of foes with Cerrone owning fourteen stoppages in eighteen total instances of success and Guillard with 21 in 30.
Check out the interview with Cerrone below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
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