Melvin Guillard, a 42-year-old former UFC lightweight contender, returned to mixed martial arts after a five-year break at Ohio Combat League 38 on May 17, 2025. Facing undefeated prospect Josiah Harrell, Guillard suffered a swift defeat, marking his 10th consecutive MMA loss. The fight ended three minutes into the first round when Harrell secured a rear-naked choke after dominating with suplexes.
Guillard, once known as “The Young Assassin,” has not won an MMA fight since 2014. His latest setback has sparked concern among fans about his continued participation in the sport. Despite this, Guillard remains committed, with two more fights booked for June and July 2025.
Guillard’s Difficult Return to the Cage
At Ohio Combat League 38 in Columbus, Guillard, with a career record of 32-23-2, faced 26-year-old Josiah Harrell, who briefly held a UFC contract in 2023 before being released due to a rare brain condition. Harrell showcased his grappling skills, tossing Guillard with suplexes before locking in the submission.
If you’re wondering, Josiah Harrell ran through Melvin Guillard tonight https://t.co/xC0a2sqd4x pic.twitter.com/4IFo6Hyfem
— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) May 18, 2025
Guillard’s last MMA victory was a second-round knockout against Gesias Cavalcante at WSOF 11 in July 2014. Since then, he has faced a string of defeats against fighters like Justin Gaethje and Israel Adesanya in smaller promotions. His most recent fight before this was a 41-second knockout loss to Joe Riggs in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in 2021, where he sustained multiple orbital fractures requiring surgery.
Fans voiced worry on social media, with one stating, “Sucks seeing a dude continue to take this kind of damage cause he has no other way to make money.” Another questioned, “How is he still getting fights?” Despite the criticism, Guillard has scheduled a fight against 5-1 prospect Hunter Smith at Ragin FC 2 in Louisiana in June and a kickboxing bout against 50-year-old Patrick Hutton at Hybrid FC 2 in July.
Guillard’s MMA journey began with promise. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 30, 1983, he excelled as a Class 5A state wrestling champion at Bonnabel High School. He later competed at Colby Community College in Kansas, earning a degree in criminal law. Inspired by his wrestling coach’s MMA connections, Guillard began training for professional fights at 16.
He debuted in the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter 2 in 2005, losing to Josh Burkman but returning to defeat Marcus Davis by technical knockout at the season finale. Over his 14-year UFC tenure, Guillard fought 22 times, facing opponents like Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone, and Jim Miller. His knockout power earned him three Knockout of the Night bonuses, including a 2013 win over Mac Danzig.
After leaving the UFC in 2014 following a loss to Michael Johnson, Guillard’s career declined. He competed in Bellator MMA, World Series of Fighting, and BKFC, but went winless in MMA since 2014. His bare-knuckle bouts included a 2017 victory over Dan Breeze but losses to Jimmy Sweeney and Joe Riggs.
Guillard faced legal issues post-UFC, including a 2018 arrest in Denver for a bar fight assault and domestic violence charges. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to assault charges, receiving two years of probation.
The MMA community remains concerned about Guillard’s health and future. With a decade-long winless streak and a history of injuries, many question whether the 42-year-old should retire. Yet, Guillard’s determination to continue reflects his passion for fighting, even as he faces tough odds against younger prospects like Harrell.
