Title: Farewell to UFC's Longest-Serving Vet as Losses Mount
Chase Hooper seemingly concluded Clay Guida's UFC journey. As reported by the UFC Roster Tracker, Guida, at 43, was removed from the promotion's active roster. This apparent drop comes following Hooper's first-round submission victory over Guida in December 2024, at UFC 310. This was Guida's third consecutive Octagon loss, prompting the UFC to apparently put a halt to his tenure.
Guida, with an impressive 38-25 professional record, has been a UFC fighter since 2006, joining the promotion from World Extreme Cagefighting. He remains the oldest active fighter in the UFC roster, having showcased his skills in the sport for 22 years. Guida amassed a 18-19 record with the UFC.
Chase Hooper, a surging lightweight, seemed to absorb the news of Guida's dismissal with a sad emoji in response. Meanwhile, fellow UFC fighter Terrence McKinney paid homage to Guida on X. Hooper has managed four consecutive wins, potentially setting him up for a higher-level opposition in the Octagon, should he secure a couple more victories.
Throughout his career, Guida has competed in numerous thrilling bouts. He has garnered ten performance bonuses, showcasing his ability to deliver exciting fights. One such memorable battle was his nail-biting UFC Hall of Fame-inducted encounter with Diego Sanchez on The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale.
In Strikeforce, Guida clinched the vacant lightweight title in 2006 by defeating Josh Thomson via unanimous decision. However, in his first title defense, he lost the belt to Gilbert Melendez. Despite failing to reach elite status within the UFC, Guida shared the Octagon with some notable opponents – including Nate Diaz, Kenny Florian, Rafael dos Anjos, and Chad Mendes – showcasing a formidable strength of schedule throughout his career.
Guida's record against those opponents was commendable, with a tally of 7-9, a figure that could argue for an impressive record for a fighter in his weight class. Guida was primarily stopped through strikes only twice, by Brian Ortega and Chad Mendes, with the former achieving a nasty KO in 2016.
Submission defense, however, was Guida's downfall, with 12 submission losses catalogued during his career, five of which were via rear-naked choke. Nonetheless, just days before his UFC release, Guida's 2010s-inspired model was unveiled in EA UFC 5, marking a digital tribute to his decorated career.
As of early January 16, Guida had not publicly commented on the dismissal, choosing instead to post fishing videos and footage of himself reeling in a swordfish. Regardless of his future endeavors, Guida's combat career brought excitement and entertainment to MMA enthusiasts across the globe.
The UFC Roster Tracker reported that the UFC released Clay Guida from its active roster, following his first-round submission loss to Chase Hooper at UFC 310. This decision came after Guida experienced three consecutive Octagon losses.
Dana White, the UFC president, hasn't addressed Guida's departure publicly yet. Meanwhile, UFC fighter Chase Hooper expressed sadness on social media about Guida's dismissal.
With Guida's release, the UFC has cut ties with one of its longest-tenured fighters, who joined the promotion from World Extreme Cagefighting in 2006. Guida, now 43, remains the oldest active fighter in the UFC roster.
UFC 312 is approaching, and with Guida out of the picture, it's unclear who will step up to challenge rising lightweight stars like Chase Hooper and Terrence McKinney. Pending their performance in future fights, these fighters could potentially face off at UFC 312 or any other upcoming event.
