MMA veteran Clay Guida was looking to continue his winning run against Rafa Garcia on the main card of UFC on ESPN 44 in Kansas City, Missouri.
UFC on ESPN 44: Clay Guida vs Rafa Garcia
Round 1
Guida starts firing right away. Garcia with a low kick. Guida lands a nice right overhand. They are throwing down in the middle of the cage. Low kick by Guida. Garcia fires back. Check overhand right from Guida. Another right hand from Guida. Garcia with a jab and low kick. Guida with a leg kick and eats a jab. Good footwork from Guida to keep circling Garcia. Garcia gets a left hook in and a right hand. Garcia with a low kick. Garcia lands a big right hand. Jab from Garcia. Jab from Garcia and another one to keep Guida at range. Garcia finds a way to clip Guida every time he tries to get close. Nice right hand by Garcia. Jab from Garcia pops Guida. Another jab from Garcia and another one.
Round 2
Garcia with a jab and huge uppercut. Guide gets a left hook in. Big uppercut from Garcia. Jab from Garcia. An uppercut and right hook by Garcia. Guida with a low kick. Nice counter left from Garcia. Jab from Garcia. Right hook from Guida grazes the face. Guida shoots but doesn’t get the takedown. Nasty jabs from Garcia keep Guida at range. More jabs from Garcia. Nice jab from Garcia and another two. Garcia lands a jab. Guida gets a jab in. Right uppercut from Garcia followed by left hooks. He lands right hooks. Guida eats a heavy jab and one more. Big jab and right hand from Garcia. Garcia with a right hand and a hook. Nice overhand right from Garcia.
Round 3
Garcia opens with a counterjab. Guida shoots for a takedown, doesn’t get it. Guida lands a right hook. Guida eats an uppercut trying to enter in. Garcia to the body. Heavy leg kick from Guida. Garcia with a thigh kick. Garcia hits to the body. Guida gets a jab in. Short right hand and a cross from Garcia. Guida tries to takedown but doesn’t get it. Uppercut from Garcia and a jab. Short right hook from Garcia. Uppercut from Garcia. Guida struggles to get in pocket. He’s eating strong jabs. Garcia is going heavy with his strikes. He lands a three-punch combo and goes for a takedown off the fence. Doesn’t get it but continues to land punches. They get back in the middle.
Official Result: Rafa Garcia defeats Clay Guida by unanimous decision (30-27 x3).
Check out the highlights below:
There's nothing like @ClayGuida getting ready to fight 😅 #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/wmsYei8NyO
— UFC (@ufc) April 16, 2023
Two in a row for Rafa Garcia!
He takes the unanimous decision over Clay Guida to open the #UFCKansasCity main card pic.twitter.com/b7q8M27hdu
— UFC (@ufc) April 16, 2023
Clay really had us in the first half 😮💨 #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/g6fuTwkaAb
— UFC (@ufc) April 16, 2023
