Who the hell is Clay Collard?

By Matt Ward

"Who the hell is Clay Collard?"

This was the question that many fans asked themselves as they witnessed Utah's "Cassius" Clay Collard (6-2-3, 2 KOs) pummel San Antonio's 19-year-old prospect Raymond Guajardo (5-1, 4 KOs) into submission through the first and second rounds on Saturday night's PBC card on FS1. The fight that was stopped at the 1:42 mark of the second round by referee Keith Hughes, as Collard fought like a man looking for the upset as soon as the opening bell rang. For the entirety of the short fight at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, with the exception of a knockdown scored by Guajardo in the first round, Collard looked like a man fighting a boy.

The first knockdown of the contest came in the opening frame when Collard landed a right hand to Guajardo's head. Later in the round, a Collard left uppercut to the head and right hand to the body made Guajardo drop his gloves to the canvas to keep himself up on his feet.

Seconds later in the first round, Collard, looking for the knockout, came forward against the prospect, who clipped him with right and left hooks to the head. Collard pulled himself up from the canvas, and continued to brawl with Guajardo for the remainder of the round. 

The third and final knockdown came in the second round, when an aggressive Collard landed a series of punches on Guajardo, who at this point had blood streaming out of his nostrils. Guajardo desperately tried to keep his guard up and return blows, but was clearly out on his feet when referee Keith Hughes jumped in to stop the contest.

Hardcore fans and insiders in the worlds of MMA and boxing will certainly recognize the name Clay Collard. Before turning to boxing in 2017, Collard had fought as a professional MMA fighter since 2011. With four appearances on UFC cards between 2014 and 2015, Collard currently holds a record of 17-8-1. His notable opponents as a cage fighter include Justin Buchholz, Max Holloway, Alex White, and Gabriel Benítez. Collard went three rounds with Max Holloway in 2014. Holloway went on to capture, and hold the UFC Featherweight Title from 2016 to 2019. 

Collard's last victory as a boxer was also a victory over a previously undefeated fighter, Quashawn Toler on January 3, 2020. He has now been victorious in five of his last six appearances in a boxing ring. 

This fight goes to show that the course of a fighter's career can be altered with one punch, or in this case, several punches. Although, Guajardo's career is far from over, the young fighter must put this setback behind him by getting back in the gym, training hard, and returning to action as soon as he is physically and mentally able to do so.

For those of us who watched Saturday night's broadcast, it was noted on numerous occasions by PBC ringside commentator Ray Flores that Guajardo vs. Collard was supposed to be the 26 year-old-old's final appearance in a boxing ring, as he was preparing to transition into the Professional Fighters League as an MMA pro. During the post fight interview, which was interrupted by a defeated Guajardo to say "thanks" to his supporters, Collard made it clear that he may not be ready to leave prizefighting behind.

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From Octagon to Cinema

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway made his film debut in “Den of Thieves.” It goes to show what winning a UFC title and dominating a division can do for you. Holloway finds himself making his film debut with good company. The movie “Den of Thieves” stars Pablo Schreiber. For those of you living under a rock, Pablo was in “The Wire,” which is one of the greatest shows of all time.

On top of that, Pablo plays a crooked guard on “Orange is the New Black.” Pablo is Spanish for your dad. To all the readers out there, this guy is your dad. Do not Google that! This is a fact that predates Google. The film also stars Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr.

The film is a heist movie with a great plot twist. As someone who has viewed the film, it is worth the watch. Is it going to change your life? Probably not. However, I know that half of you are running around watching “The Bachelor,” or “Biggest Loser,” so you have time in your lives to watch a good movie. This movie is a great heist movie.

(Dustin Johnson circa 1996)

Although Holloway does not have a main role, he kills it in the little screen time he receives. Another pleasant surprise is that Michael “The Count” Bisping makes a cameo appearance as well. I will not spoil the movie, but Bisping also kills it on the big screen.

You may ask why I am writing this piece about two fighters with minor acting roles in a lesser-known film. The reason for this piece is to show how talented the fighters of mixed martial arts are. They are like any other athlete you praise, with the exception that they might have the toughest job in the world.

The UFC has allowed fighters to do so much beyond fighting. Just like all the major sports, we are starting to see the athletes of MMA crossover into acting, commentating, and other professions. Sometimes this sport is looked at and criticized for how gruesome it can be. When blood is spattered in the Octagon, it is easy to lose sight of the individual and what this sport, or match, actually means.

(Hollywood and Sport)

It was great to see Holloway and Bisping share the big screen. I hope the movie does well, and look forward to seeing them in future Hollywood endeavors. It is great to see two hall of fame fighters represent the UFC outside of the sport. We are proud of you boys. In fact, the last time I was prouder of two grown men was when the Ward Brothers finally gave up their shared race car bed. It should be noted that they gave up this sleeping arrangement in 2016, so please spare me the “race car beds are awesome” hate mail.

("Race Car Beds are Awesome")

Special Thanks To:

Max Holloway

(Max Holloway and Sage Northcutt)

Michael Bisping

Meat Sweats Podcast (those boys love bologna)

Race car beds for being awesome

Steve Ward for loving NASCAR

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Dustin's Corner: New Year’s Wish List of Dream Fights

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In.

Happy New Year! With 2018 upon us, we cannot help but think of what could be the best fights this year. In between what is known as nocturnal emissions, I have dreamed about 2018, and the fights I want to see. After careful review, please check out my top ten dream fights below:

#10
Tyron Woodley vs. Georges St-Pierre

As Erykah Badu said, you better call on Tyron(e). Woodley does not get enough credit. When I lay down to sleep at night, I think about him and St-Pierre. After typing that last sentence, I stand by it. Listen up fans, do not worry if I dream of men in my sleep.

This matchup would pit two explosive wrestlers against one another. St-Pierre has bulked up, and looked great in his win against Bisping. Woodley has now defeated Stephen Thompson twice, and awaits a big name fight, which he deserves. This fight would go a long way to cementing Woodley’s status as one of the best of all time. However, no one knows what lies next for St-Pierre.

St-Pierre reminds me of my absentee father. It is the holiday season and one never knows if he will show or not. All of a sudden, you get surprised, St-Pierre appears to fight, much like my father appears in my life. Nevertheless, Woodley would take this fight, and I would love for St-Pierre to get on board.

#9
Urijah Faber vs. T.J. Dillashaw 

Faber coming out of retirement to fight Dillashaw would be a treat to all fans. This fight has all the fixings of an instant classic. Plus, after the rift that Dillashaw has created at Team Alpha Male, Faber has stated he is willing to settle their differences in the Octagon.

(Urijah Faber - UFC.com)

When I think of Faber coming out of retirement to face Dillashaw, I get full pants people. This fight has a little something for everyone. There is the drama of being former teammates, the endless shit talk, and now, a rumor Dillashaw aborted Faber’s love child. One of those items above may not be true. Would Dillashaw entertain this match? I think that due to his lack of draw, he should consider this bout. Faber is a fan favorite and still capable of drawing pay-per-view numbers.

#8
Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman 2.5

I know that this one is questionable, but it is my article, and I will write what I want. Silva, who may be the most talented fighter to ever grace MMA has a lot of mileage on him. He has also recently been popped for violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policies. However, as a fan, this fight has never sat well with me.

In their first match, Weidman knocks out Silva while Silva is clowning him. Up to that point, it can be argued that Silva was dominating Weidman. In the second fight, Silva broke his leg, putting an end to the bout. One wonders if steroids caused brittle bones? Let us not worry about the science behind the previous question. It is neither here, nor there.

This is a fight I would love to see, but it will never happen. At this point, we are not even certain if we will see Silva in the octagon again. He was once again popped for violation of the UFC’s anti-doping policy. However, I will always wonder if he did not clown Weidman, would he have remained undefeated?

#7

Matt Ward vs. Steve Ward

Close friends of the “Brothers Ward” know that this bout has been brewing for years. This rivalry dates back to the early 90's, and while they are both on the decline physically, the general public would still love to see this fight happen in 2018. However, as both brothers now train out of different gyms, we are not sure it will ever happen.

Who could forget the 2014 road trip to L.A. when Steve got pissed over Matt listening to the Jerky Boys, and drinking all of the sake L.A. had to offer. This match also materialized again in 2016, when scandal erupted between the two siblings. Surveillance video revealed Matt Ward doing something that can only be described as huffing Steve’s underpants. An irate Steve Ward pushed Matt, but this domestic disturbance was broken up by the police, leaving the fans curious of what could have been.

#6

Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson

After losing his belt to Garbrandt, we have not seen Cruz back in action. For my money, he is still one of the best in the bantamweight division. Who would not want to see these two tangle again? Fans may remember that Cruz handed Johnson his last loss back in 2011.

(Dominick Cruz - MMAJunkie.com)

Johnson has ran through the flyweight division and needs a challenge. I’m not sure if Cruz could make the weight, but a catch weight bout would be sensational. This is the type of match where belts do not matter. This is a match that would allow both men to get paid, and I’m sure that fans everywhere want to see this match happen. Both fighters are future hall of famers, and frankly, this is the fight that would propel them into the upper echelon of UFC popularity.

#5

Ronald McDonald vs. Hamburglar

Another match that has been brewing for years is Ronald McDonald versus the Hamburglar. This is not just a match made for WWE 2K17; this is a match that all fast food enthusiasts want to see. We all know that gingers are awesome, and as such, Ronald McDonald would be the favorite. He brings food, folks, and fun to everyone.

However, the Hamburglar feels like he has been overshadowed for years. He has a lot of animosity toward Ronald, and feels he should be McDonald’s number one spokesman. If that was not enough, Hamburglar has been accused of gross embezzlement. It is rumored that he has embezzled millions of dollars in hamburgers since the late 80's.

Ronald has been attempting to take the high road. He contends there is no feud between the two. However, those closest to him report that the feud is still alive and well. Even more, the Ronald camp dropped a bomb when they reported to The Weigh-In that Ronald refers to the Hamburglar as a beefer. For those who do not know, that is racially derogatory term for white hamburger enthusiasts. It is shocking to hear the family friendly clown speak with such a tone, but not surprising given the history of these two. Lets hope 2018 is the year they squash the beef.  

#4

Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar

Holloway is fresh off his second successful victory over Jose Aldo. The Hawaiian looks unstoppable and willing to fight anyone. In fact, the last time I was this excited about something coming out of Hawaii was when I first tried Spam. I should also mentioned I am a huge B.J. Penn fan. He was amazing!

Holloway has really grabbed the torch and ran with it, representing Hawaii with extreme dominance of the featherweight division. Who better to test the Hawaiian than New Jersey’s own, Frankie “The Answer” Edgar? One may recall, Edgar had previous success against another Hawaiian, B.J. Penn. This fight bodes the question of can he transfer his previous success against the hard-hitting Holloway? 

This fight was actually supposed to take place, but Edgar recently suffered an orbital bone fracture, forcing him to pull out. This infuriated the Ward brothers as everyone knows, they do not believe in pulling out. We wish Edgar a speedy recovery and truly hope this fight gets underway in 2018. 

#3

Luke Rockhold vs. Daniel Cormier 

While I am aware they train out of the same camp, a fan can dream. Rockhold against Cormier would be an amazing show down. We have two world-class wrestlers who know each other’s game. This fight would promise to be an excellent display of the ground game.

However, it will never happen, but is on my dream list due to Cormier not currently having anyone throw down within his own division. I feel Luke would make a worthy opponent for Cormier. While it will never happen, fans can dream of what it would be like. Both men are highly skilled and truly terrifying inside the Octagon.

#2

Conor McGregor vs. Tony Ferguson

McGregor has his choice of anything he wants to do. He recently said he would be seen inside the WWE. He followed that up with stating his next fight would be an MMA match. With the entire landscape of the sport being his oyster, there are so many options for him to choose from. However, to me, it would make the most sense that he take on Tony Ferguson.

Ferguson is one of the scariest fighters on the planet. He has no flaws in his game. On top of that, he has cardio that lasts for days, which tends to cause problems for McGregor. Whether this fight will happen remains unknown. However, this fight could have just as easily been in my number one slot. 

This fight would promise to be a good ole fashioned slugfest. I for one think that Ferguson could match McGregor on the feet, and more importantly, would be willing to do so. Not only would this match be one of the largest pay-per-view draws, it would require me to constantly change out of my wet pants, should it actually come to fruition.

#1

Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar

No one knows what the future holds for Jon Jones. His punishment for his latest anti-doping violation has still not been determined. Due to this, who knows when, or if we will ever see Jones in the Octagon again? However, all fans want to see him take on Brock Lesnar.

This fight would promise to be the biggest UFC bout of all time. However, both men have their PED issues, which may prevent this dream bout from ever unfolding. If they did square up, it would be amazing. Jon Jones can stand and bang, and he is also capable of wrestling with Lesnar. Jones is so versatile that one wonders if he could dominate Lesnar the way he has the rest of the UFC. 

While I do believe Jones vs. Lesnar belongs in the number one dream slot, it is not likely we will ever see it, truly making it a dream. At this point, I just hope Jones gets to fight again in the UFC. However, if Jones is able of a return, perhaps the two could make arrangements to fight in Japan, where I hear they are a little lax on their performance enhancing drug testing.  

Special Thanks To: 

MMA Junkie

McDonald’s French Fries

Matt Walker and the Meat Sweats Podcast

Joey “Whoa” Lawrence

WWE Spandex (Available for purchase below) - 

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

Dustin's Corner: UFC 218 Breakdown

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

Last weekend was a big weekend in MMA as UFC 218 got underway in the homeland of The People’s Red Head. Brand new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan hosted a dynamite UFC 218 fight card.

The main event was Holloway vs. Aldo II. We are not one to spread rumors, but Aldo has never been the same since the UFC adopted their strict anti-doping policy. You did not hear this from us though. We are sure that everyone prior to the anti-doping age was on the level. By level, we are referring to the Jersey Shore level of Matthew Ward, whom is seen with syringes hanging out of his ass from time to time. (J/K)

(Matt Ward - Not Pictured)

Holloway vs. Aldo II

As many already know, Holloway previously defeated Aldo, but Aldo was granted a rematch for some odd reason. The second fight was everything the fans wanted, with the outcome that was pretty much expected. A three round war ensued, and this fight is now a candidate for fight of the year.

The match opened with Aldo looking good. Aldo threw heavy hands and was landing well. Aldo’s defense also looked good and he was able to avoid most of Holloway’s attacks in rounds one and two. However, much like their first fight, Aldo did not throw his legendary leg kicks, which experts felt would be his key to victory in the rubber match.

By the third round, Aldo slowed, and Holloway looked fresher than the Snuggle Bear during a Downy commercial. Holloway eventually found a home for his attack on Aldo’s face. Holloway earned a third-round stoppage due to punches. If you did not know, Holloway is an animal. He has won 12 straight inside the octagon.

Holloway looks to be tougher than my mother’s overcooked beef during Friday night dinner. One of the dream fights we all want is Holloway vs. McGregor. However, in the post fight interview, Holloway advised his fans that he is operating under the assumption that McGregor will not be returning to the octagon. We can all still dream though.

Alistair Overeem took on Francis Ngannou

This was the co-main event at UFC 218. Overeem, the former champ was looking to regain his position in the top of the division. However, Ngannou has other plans for the hall of famer. Ngannou ended Overeem’s night at 1:42 of round one with a devastating left hook. The hook hit Overeem so hard, that I evacuated my own bowels due to the blow.

Ngannou has put the division and the world on notice. This man is dangerous and highly skilled. Everything is more deadly in the heavyweight division, but Ngannou is still terrifying. After his knock out of Overeem, I find myself locking the deadbolt at night. Following the win, it is rumored that Ngannou will get a title shot against Stipe Miocic. We hope this rumor is true, as the fight would promise to be amazing.

(Dustin Johnson Scared Straight)

Ngannou has put the division and the world on notice. This man is dangerous and highly skilled. Everything is more deadly in the heavyweight division, but Ngannou is still terrifying. After his knock out of Overeem, I find myself locking the deadbolt at night. Following the win, it is rumored that Ngannou will get a title shot against Stipe Miocic. We hope this rumor is true, as the fight would promise to be amazing.

Henry Cejudo vs. Sergio Pettis

Cejudo vs. Pettis went the distance. Pettis is an up and comer who is loaded with talent. However, Cejudo is a crafty veteran who has spent most of this time at the top of the 125-pound division. This fight lived up to it’s billing. Both men are explosive and exciting, and they did not disappoint.

While Pettis did well on his feet, Cejudo took him down and held him down often. Pettis appeared to have no answer for the ground game of Cejudo, and not to take anything away from him, because many in the division cannot solve the Cejudo wrestling game. The final round was more of the same, dominating ground game from Cejudo. The judges felt same, Cejudo won by unanimous decision.

Eddie Alvarez vs. Justin Gaethje

One of the biggest fights of the evening was Alvarez vs. Gaethje. This fight did not get enough hype for my liking. Gaethje is the former long time World Series of Fighting titleholder. He has spent his career undefeated, which many felt was due to lack of competition in the World Series of Fighting promotion.

However, he takes on all challengers, and found himself squaring off against former champion, Eddie Alvarez. Like Gaethje’s mom told him, there would be days like this; he was still devastated by a knock out loss to Alvarez. However, this fight was epic!

Round one starts with Gaethje utilizing leg kicks that had immediate impact on Alvarez. Gaethje also found a home for his punches in the early stages of round one. However, as the round progressed, Alvarez invested in bodywork, which paid dividends not only at the end of round one, but in the later rounds as well.

Round two was perhaps the most exciting round. Gaethje went right back to leg kicks to open the round. Gaethje also found a home for his heavy right hand. However, as he was having success, Alvarez landed a big upper cut. As the round progressed, Alvarez began sitting behind his jab. The round ends with Alvarez once again putting in work to Gaethje’s body.

Round three was thrilling! Gaethje landed huge shots, including two uppercuts. It looked like Alvarez was going down. However, they got into a clench, and Alvarez lands a knee that ended Gaethje’s night. The knee came right through Gaethje’s guard, making Alvarez victorious by knock out victory.

Paul Felder vs. Charles Oliveira

Another fight on the card that went under the radar was Felder vs. Oliveira. Felder, who recently made his commentating debut, returned to action against the dangerous Oliveira.

Oliveira might have some of the most devastating leg kicks in the division. He opened up with them in round one. Oliveira also dragged Felder down, but Felder was able to get back to his feet. Felder had great success on his feet, as he made Oliveira eat a couple of left hooks.

In round two, Oliveira shot for a take down against Felder, with no success. It is unclear whether Oliveira was tired, or what was going on, but Felder’s attack was relentless as they rolled around on the ground. Felder gained the top position and began raining down elbows on Oliveira. The elbows eventually forced Oliveira to tap.

I am so proud of Felder, aka, the Other People’s Red Head. That is right folks, we gingers cheer for one another, when we are not stealing your souls. Of course, Felder has had his ups and downs, but this was a good win. He is really coming into his own, and hopefully a big name fight is next for Felder.

(Dustin Johnson Circa 1989)

Special Thanks To:

Matthew Walker of the Meat Sweats Podcast
https://www.spreaker.com/user/10263246/meat-sweats-1

Pappy Van Winkle

Women who don’t make men wear condoms

Paul Felder for being a ginger titan

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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