Melvin Guillard pulled from WSOF 20, likely cut by promotion
UFC vet Melvin Guillard has been pulled from this Saturday’s WSOF 20 card after WSOF executives were unable the contact the 32 year-old. Guillard was set to meet Ozzy Dugulubgov in the co-main event, but Dugulubgov will instead meet Lucas Montoya on the card.
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A recent outcry by Guillard saw the 50-fight veteran state that he would prefer a UFC contract over a WSOF title. ‘The Young Assassin’ is coming off a split decision loss to WSOF lightweight titleholder Justin Gaethje in a three round contest, which was originally scheduled for five before Guillard failed to reach the 155lbs limit. As a result, Guillard was forced to take a hefty 50% cut from his pay cheque.
“I mean to be honest I still think I won that fight, but when you miss you weight and you don’t finish the champion, of course it can go in his favour,” Guillard said in an interview with Submission Radio, “I just wasn’t in the best shape I should have been in. I had trouble making weight. So all those things played a factor, and then when I missed weight and I wasn’t fighting for the title, I was already mentally beat anyway. You know what I mean? And on top of that, I let them take 50 percent of my purse. So technically speaking I shouldn’t have even gotten in the ring.”
Unhappy with his treatment by the WSOF promotion, the veteran continued his tirade, this time targeting WSOF promoter Ali Abdelaziz.
“[…] On top of that, you know after I agreed to take the fight, [Abdelaziz] promised me a fight like a lot sooner. I was supposed to fight in February and then he kind of reneged on that.”
Now, WSOF executives have been unable to make contact with Guillard, and have taken action by pulling him from the card. Ray Sefo shared the news with MMAjunkie, with Lucas Montoya stepping in to take on Guillard’s original opponent, Ozzy Dugulubgov.
“Obviously, we would have liked to have seen Melvin compete at this weekend’s event, but it’s Monday, four days away from the fight, and we don’t have his medicals, nor have we heard from him. He has not responded to any of requests from our PR team to help promote the show, and we alerted his management team that if we did not receive his medicals by 10 a.m. today, we would have no choice but to pull him from the card, and unfortunately, that’s what we’ve been forced to do.
“With Melvin missing weight in his two previous WSOF bouts, not hearing from him this close to the fight gives us serious concerns as to whether or not he would make weight for this fight either,” Sefo said. “But ultimately, we’re really in a bind because he hasn’t turned in his medicals yet, and that becomes an issue with the commission. So we’re not even sure he’d be able to fight. With all that in mind, we decided we had to make a move today to protect our event.”
Melvin Guillard revealed to Submission Radio that he has been in talks with a number of promotions, but a move back to the UFC is always his objective. Guillard fought 22 times inside the Octagon, holding a 12-9 (1 NC) record. However, Guillard has opened his doors to other options.
“I might even pit stop in Bellator because right now Bellator, from what I’m seeing, I hear they’re taking care of their guys and they’re paying the guys pretty decent.”
