Fighters Only

Issue 099

March 2013

Winnebago-living UFC 145lb’er Clay Guida, reveals how fast cars, hard rock, and a thriving hat collection keep him from beating up the cast of Jersey Shore.

CARS

What was the first car you owned and how much did it cost?

“It was a 1985 Cutlass Supreme. If you looked in the back, it was basically like a cop car because the windows didn’t roll down (laughs). It didn’t cost me anything because it was a hand-me-down from my brother and sister.”

What car do you own now and what made you buy it?

“I have my every day car, which is the Ford Flex – an SUV-type car. It’s basically a wagon, kind of like the family truck, so it’s great for vacations. I got a little hot rod too though. It’s a 1987 Buick Grand National.”

If you could have any car in the world, what would you drive and why?

“You know what, I think I’d have a 1968 GTO. It would be silver with black racing stripes. I’ve always liked old muscle cars. I’ve always thought they were really sharp. Those things are mean, really hardcore.”

If you could pimp out your ride with any sort of gadget in the world, what would it be?

“I’ve also got 40-foot, 2007 RV Winnebago, so I’d put a hot tub in there! After sparring and stuff it’d be pretty awesome to jump into one of those. That’d be pretty sweet.”

MUSIC

What kind of music are you into?

“I’m into a lot of stuff, man. Phish and The Beatles are a couple of my favourite bands. As of late, I’ve been listening a lot to this band called Pepper from Hawaii. They’re kind of a reggae, hip-hop, and rock all mixed together. Obviously, I love punk and hardcore punk, and of course, good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll man.”

When you fought Takanori Gomi at UFC 125, you came out to My Hero by the Foo Fighters, and some people believed Gomi was one of your favourite fighters coming up in the sport and that maybe it was an ode to him.

“Yeah absolutely, it was a little bit of everything. I always looked up to Gomi so that was part of it. He was always one of my favourite fighters growing up, and still is. I watched him go through the lightweight division and smash everyone there, and it was awesome to see him fight in Japan again. Also, there was a title fight on the card and we were in Vegas so I knew it was going to be a rockin’ crowd. Everyone loves that song and I love to walk out to songs that get the crowd going too. Sometimes it’s fun to get a little emotion out of the fans.

“I rarely ever use the same song back-to-back for a fight. I’ll play Foo Fighters, Alkaline Trio, and so on. I always try and mix it up and I like to keep the crowd guessing.

“I get asked all the time about what song I came out to and that’s a good feeling, because I like to walk out to stuff that people enjoy. It’s part of the whole experience the whole UFC experience nowadays.”

If you could be in any band ever, what band would you have been in and what instrument would you have played?

“Instrument would have to be the drums. Playing with Mötley Crüe would have been bad ass, or Metallica. Playing drums with a rockin’ band from back in the day like Led Zeppelin would be great too.”

What song is your guilty pleasure?

“Man, there’s so many (laughs). Maybe something by The Beatles, that song, Let It Be. It always reminds that things are going to be OK, no matter how tough it might seem.”

TV

What TV shows have you been watching recently?

“I got four of them, Breaking Bad, it’s a great show starring Bryan Cranston and it’s set in New Mexico where I train at Jackson-Winkeljohn’s MMA. It kind of hits home as they cook crystal meth up in a Winnebago – and I live in a Winnebago (laughs)! It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is hilarious, and you’ve got to love Eastbound & Down and The Office too. Those are my four favourites.”

Have you ever managed to meet any of the cast of Breaking Bad?

“As a matter of fact they let us go on set and myself, Joe Stevenson and Isaac Vallie-Flagg were in a few webisodes with Saul Goodman. We got to meet Bryan Cranston who plays Walter White in the show and he’s very nice. We also got to meet Aaron Paul who plays Jesse Pinkman, who is a meth head turned good guy. I met him at the airport in Chicago heading back to Albuquerque too, we were on the same flight. I got him to sign my boarding pass (laughs).”

If you could be in any TV show past or present, what would it be?

“I’d be in Jackass (laughs). Me and my buddies have done some of that stupid craziness too but didn’t have a camera rolling. They beat us to it.”

What’s the worst TV show you’ve ever seen which has made you question humanity?

“It has to be Jersey Shore, without a doubt (laughs).”

STYLE

Obviously you’ve got the long flowing hair look going on, do you ever wear hats to try and control it when you don’t want it flowing all over your face?

“As a matter of fact, I wear hats all of the time. I’ve got a lot of hats of my favourite bands. I’ve got some Phish hats and other band hats. I’m a bit of a collector. In my room at home and my RV, I have baskets full of hats. I’ve got a few college wrestling teams and what not. I try and keep a hat of all the major events I go to.”

What type of shoes are you into? You strike me as the kind of guy who wears skateboarding sneakers?

“If I’m not wearing sandals, I’m wearing skateboard branded shoes. I tend to wear shoes by DVS.”

Why skate shoes?

“They’re super comfortable and cushy, they’re also great for when I’m pushing around on my skateboard too.”

Do you own a lot of band T-shirts?

“Oh yeah, just about every concert I go to I get something. I’ve got a drawer full of Phish T-shirts, some Grateful Dead tie-dies, a bunch of Sublime and Rise Against tees too. A lot of band tees.”

FLICKS

What type of movies are you into?

“I’m into a lot of films by The Coen Brothers. Obviously The Big Lebowski is my favourite movie. A great film that I saw last year was Argo, and I really love The Social Network. That was a powerful movie when it came out and you got to see some up and coming actors like Jesse Eisenberg who are doing big things now.”

If there was a movie made about your life who would you play you and why? You being a Big Lebowski fan it’s only appropriate that lead actor Jeff Bridges plays the older version of you.

“(Laughs) Definitely, he can play the older version of me. Daniel Day Lewis might be a good choice. I’m a big fan of him in Lincoln and There Will Be Blood, My Left Foot and when he plays Butcher Bill in Gangs of New York. He’s one of my favourite actors and he looks like my dad too.”

What was the last movie you watched and what did you think of it?

“I just saw Lincoln. I thought that was pretty good. I’m not too familiar with historical politics and all that sort of stuff, so there was a lot of stuff in the courtrooms that I couldn’t really follow too closely. I wish they’d focused a little bit more on stuff that was war based but it was very well written. It has an incredible storyline and told the tale of the North and the South.”

If you could punch any actor in the face, who would it be and why?

“I know this guy’s an athlete, but I’d love to punch Ron Artest in the face, that Metta World Peace guy. However, if it comes to actors then I’d love to punch any of those guys from Jersey Shore, and have Julie Kedzie beat up some of the girls (laughs).”