Luke Thomas had a chance to talk to Melvin on MMA Nation Radio and Guillard made it very clear that he doesn't feel like Lauzon can handle fighters who pressure him:
Luke Thomas: How do you think Joe Lauzon responds to physical punishment?
Melvin Guillard: Man, you know what? All I know is the guys that I did see him fight, when guys were just as scrappy or when guys get in his face, he folded under pressure. He's one of those guys that will try to impose his will early but when that doesn't work, he looks for a way out. With me, I know damn well he ain't about to come impose his will on me. That ain't happening. I'm definitely gonna impose my will and I'm gonna try to beat my record of a minute and a half this fight. I knocked Shane Roller out in a minute and a half and I'm gonna try to beat that record. I'm gonna try for the quickest knockout ever. Hopefully I can just walk and punch him in the face and he just falls.
You can read the full transcript of the interview (or listen to the audio, if that's your thing) over at MMA Nation.Melvin Guillard: Man, you know what? All I know is the guys that I did see him fight, when guys were just as scrappy or when guys get in his face, he folded under pressure. He's one of those guys that will try to impose his will early but when that doesn't work, he looks for a way out. With me, I know damn well he ain't about to come impose his will on me. That ain't happening. I'm definitely gonna impose my will and I'm gonna try to beat my record of a minute and a half this fight. I knocked Shane Roller out in a minute and a half and I'm gonna try to beat that record. I'm gonna try for the quickest knockout ever. Hopefully I can just walk and punch him in the face and he just falls.
I think Guillard is spot on though. Other than the Jeremy Stephens fight, Lauzon has not done well against pressure fighters, and as I covered the other day, the guys Joe has been beating in the UFC aren't exactly world beaters. It seems crazy to say it given what everyone thought about both men just a few years ago, but Guillard is likely just out of Lauzon's class.
Don't forget to check out Dallas Winston's great breakdown of the Lauzon/Guillard fight right here on Bloody Elbow.