Clay Guida Not Contemplating Retirement, Feeling Better Than Ever Ahead Of UFC Newark

Recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee and 53-fight veteran Clay Guida says he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt, and the idea of retirement is the last thing on his mind as he gets set to take on another veteran this weekend in Jim Miller at UFC Newark.

The 37-year-old fan favorite made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut back in 2006 and has notable victories over Nate Diaz, Rafael dos Anjos and Anthony Pettis. “The Carpenter,” who only competed once in 2018, made his return to the Octagon this year beating another veteran in B.J Penn back in May via unanimous decision and looks to take down another UFC mainstay this weekend.

Ahead of his bout with Miller on Saturday night, Guida said he’s in the best shape of his life and that he’s continually makes strides regarding his skillset (via MMAJunkie.com):

“A lot of other people talk about the big ‘R’ word, retirement,” Guida told MMA Junkie. “That’s as far away for me now as it has been in my career. I’m in better shape now than when I was in 21, I’m in better shape than when I was 25. I’m more focused, I’m just understanding the game now more than ever. I’m making improvements every camp and every time I step in the cage. I’m just having so much doing this right now and one fight at a time is definitely a good description, and come Saturday you’re going to see a much more improved ‘Carpenter.’”

Guida said he’s looking forward to testing his skills against the wily Miller and was surprised that the two veterans have taken this long to meet each other inside the Octagon given their long history with the promotion:

“It’s great to be back towards the top of the card where Jim Miller and I were for a long time,” Guida said. “He’s had longevity in the sport, he’s fought the who’s who and I think we have like nine or 10 mutual opponents. It was just a matter of time until we got in there and tangled horns.

“It’s going to be like a tornado. It’s just going to be a matter of time until this fight hits the ground. It’s going to be a whirlwind, it’s going to be like tumbleweeds flying around there. Two masters on the ground, and it’s going to be something to see.”