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Melvin Guillard: Respect for the UFC Warrior

By Sean Farrell

Many face hardships in what we call life that define and shape us into who we are and what we become. Fighters embark on a career path that comes with many trials and hardships as well as maintaining a life outside the ring.

There are fighters who have movie like careers like Rocky Balboa and there are fighters who suffer from major losses and personal problems such as death, jail, and drugs as in the case of the “Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard.

Guillard was a star high school athlete in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a state champion wrestler at 152 pounds, as well as one of the city’s finest high school linebacker’s in football. After high school, Guillard remained in New Orleans where he started his professional mixed martial arts career.

In 2005, when hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, Guillard was one of many tragically affected by the storm. Guillard’s family evacuated several days before the storm hit but Melvin couldn’t leave his fiancée who worked for the sheriff’s department behind who was forced to remain on duty.

That decision ended up being a life altering one for Guillard as the storm destroyed much of the city, Guillard noticed out of a window of the building he was in that the water levels were an estimated six feet deep. Guillard witnessed police officers transporting inmates from a city jail on pontoon rafts ignoring the screams and pleas of help from the elderly and women with babies they passed by. Guillard knew of a bridge about a half mile away and decided the only thing he could do is help those who needed it.

He jumped out a window and swam to the bridge to investigate the situation because he knew the grave danger the people were in including himself, comfortable in survival mode from many childhood camping trips with his father, Guillard gathered materials from storm debris and make shifted a raft to transport people to the bridge.

Desperate for a drink and food Guillard pushed on knowing many were relying on him for survival, Guillard safely escorted the 90 plus people in his building to the bridge to safety from the water. Another problem would arise however as emergency help wouldn’t arrive for three more days and the Louisiana heat, Guillard out of desperation commandeered an abandoned water company truck and supplied people on the bridge with water.

Guillard then had no choice but to break into a convenience store for food and milk, TV media was crucial about looters during Katrina but Guillard viewed this as necessary to survival for the group. During Guillard’s many trips for food and supplies, he came across an elderly man who was very weak who happened to be diabetic and had no insulin. Guillard gave the man water and helped him lean against a railing and tried to find help to obtain medicine for him.

Upon his return Guillard saw the elderly man had passed away in the same position he left him in still clutching the water he had given him just before he left his side. Guillard witnessed many deaths until they were rescued, something he never thought he would ever have to witness.

Life for Guillard was forever altered, he saved many lives as well as saw many taken away leaving him changed forever. He was signed by the UFC after the disaster and made his debut that November winning his debut by TKO stoppage over Marcus Davis via cut. Guillard started his UFC career at 3-1 all three victories by knockout. He was then given his chance to showcase his capabilities against a top UFC fighter in Joe “Daddy” Stevenson at “Ultimate Fight Night 9”. Stevenson submitted Guillard in 27 seconds leaving many to wonder if Guillard was not ready for top level talent.

Guillard would face more difficult times as his post fight urinalysis showed very high levels of benzoylecgonine the main chemical found in cocaine, the levels were so high they indicated that Guillard was under the influence during the Stevenson fight. Guillard suffered an eight month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but they did not end there for Guillard. Four months later, in August of 2007, Guillard would find himself in trouble with the law as he was placed under arrest for a parole violation stemming from a previous drug charge. Guillard then went through court proceedings and athletic commission trials as he awaited his return to the Octagon.

Rich Clementi faced Guillard in first fight back from the suspension. It was a heated trash talking battle between the two leading up to the fight that ended in a one sided submission for Clementi. After two consecutive defeats, along with his troubles outside the cage, many people believed he would be headed back to the minors. Melvin went to a smaller organization and won a fight, however that was short lived, as he was called back to the UFC where he managed two consecutive victories and aligned himself with a top contender in the UFC lightweight division.

His streak hooked him up with Nate Diaz at “Ultimate Fight Night 19”. The win streak gave momentum to Guillard and he was determined to be victorious in that fight, but Diaz had other plans. Melvin came out strong in the first, blasting Nate with hard punches, but when the bell sounded to initiate the second round, Guillard was gassed. He came out of his corner flat-footed and unfocused, looking winded and tired. Guillard admitted that he could not regain his composure between rounds and he was attempting to get his breathing corrected during the second round. Diaz pounced on him and defeated Guillard in the second round by submission. He, himself, knew he needed to change, he saw his potential was not being utilized to its capacity. He knew he had time to mix things up.

Guillard had the talent to compete with anyone in his division, but a mental breakdown was preventing him from defeating elite talent, and it was then that “The Young Assassin” would move from California to New Mexico to train under elite trainer, Greg Jackson. Guillard felt Jackson’s Martial Arts and the fighters that train there could only improve his fight game, and more importantly, Jackson himself could increase Melvin’s mental toughness. Guillard joined Jackson open-minded with intent of becoming an elite fighter, and it is working thus far. Since his arrival at Jackson’s, Guillard is 3-0 and his clearly a more focused, patient fighter who believes in himself. “The Young Assassin” is currently exploiting his full potential and he found himself pitted against one of the UFC’s top prospects, Evan Dunham.

Dunham had no answer for what Guillard had intent on doing to him leading to a first round knockout victory for Guillard at UFC’s “Fight for the Troops 2”. Melvin Guillard has proven if you want to change your life for the better certain sacrifices are required for that to happen. Guillard has never placed the blame from his issues on another soul but himself, He never blamed his usage of drugs on his father’s passing or anything else, he accepted that it was his decision and he took full responsibility when the punishment was handed out. Melvin Guillard is a fighter many need to respect for the person he has become and not the person he was turning out to be. Guillard can only inspire hope to anyone facing hard times and maybe just maybe the “Young Assassin” can keep up this pace and win the championship to make his story complete.

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