UFC President Dana White (Photo by Chris Unger/DWCS LLC)
It looks like Chase Hooper ended Clay Guida’s UFC career.
According to the UFC Roster Tracker, Guida, 43, has been removed from the promotion’s active roster.
Hooper defeated Guida via first-round submission in December 2024 at UFC 310. The loss was Guida’s third straight loss in the Octagon and the UFC has apparently called for a stop to his run with the organization.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 21: Clay Guida prepares to fight Denmark’s Mark Madsen in a lightweight … [+]
Guida is in the 22nd year of his MMA career and he has been with the UFC since 2006 when he left World Extreme Cagefighting. No one currently on the list had been part of the organization any longer. Guida has a record of 38-25 professionally, and he is 18-19 with the UFC.
When Hooper saw the news on social media, he reacted with a sad emoji.
Another current UFC fighter, Terrence McKinney, paid his respects to Guida at X.
Hooper has been on a tear. The MMA reporter turned legitimate lightweight has suddenly won four fights in a row.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 07: Chase Hooper is interviewed by Joe Rogan after his win against Clay … [+]
He could be ready for a step up in competition. With another win or two, he could find himself in the Octagon with a ranked lightweight.
In Guida’s career, he made his mark by competing in some exciting fights. During his career, Guida won ten performance awards and participated in six major fight nights.
Guida’s epic fight with Diego Sanchez in the Ultimate Fighter season 9 finale was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.
LAS VEGAS – JUNE 20: Diego Sanchez (black shorts) def. Clay Guida (white shorts) – Split decision … [+]
Guida won Strikeforce championship gold in March 2006 when he defeated Josh Thomson by unanimous decision to win the vacant lightweight title. Guida lost the belt in his first defense to Gilbert Melendez.
He was never able to rise to that level with the UFC. However, he shared the Octagon with the likes of Nate Diaz (win), Kenny Florian (loss), Sanchez (loss), Rafael dos Anjos (win), Takanori Gomi (win), Anthony Pettis (win), Benson Henderson (loss). ), Gray Maynard (loss), Chad Mendes (loss), Brian Ortega (loss), Joe Lauzon (win), Charles Oliveira (loss), BJ Penn (win), Jim Miller (loss), Bobby Green (loss) and Michael Johnson (win).
Guida was a respectable 7-9 against that group. It could be argued that no one in Guida’s weight class has had a more impressive schedule during his career.
In his entire career, Guida was stopped only twice. Ortega scored a nasty KO win after a follow-up knee and punch in 2016. Mendes stopped Guida with punches in 2013.
Guida’s main Achilles heel was submission defense. While he was an accomplished grappler in his own right, Guida was submitted 12 times. Five of those performance losses came via back-to-back chokes.
Guida’s release comes just days after the 2010 release Guida’s model was released in EA UFC 5.
The Illinois resident hadn’t commented on social media until early January 16, but recently, he posted a video of himself fishing for swordfish. It looks like a lot of fun, and so was watching Guida fight.
