Clay Guida entered the Octagon at UFC on FOX I on the best stretch of his UFC career, not having lost a bout since December of 2009.
But that all changed when Guida found himself in an all-out-war type of fight with Ben Henderson in front of a sold-out Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Henderson rocked Guida early, as he dropped to the ground but recovered by holding his ground in the grappling position.
As action continued, it was obvious that Guida was no match for Henderson's strength, as he failed to take him down time and time again.
Eventually, Guida would take his opponent down, but Henderson made his way back to his feet immediately.
Guida may have put on a show for his fans, but he failed to capitalize on the biggest opportunity of his mixed martial arts career.
Moving forward, there are several questions Guida will need to answer.
The questions must start with the possibility of Guida dropping to the featherweight division.
While it may not be an option that he is currently willing to examine, Guida has been the gatekeeper of the 155-pound weight class since entering the UFC in October of 2006.
And a drop to the 145-pound weight class wouldn't be as nearly as difficult as some fans may think.
Guida must also answer how he can improve his standup.
While "The Carpenter" has demonstrated some of the most explosive strikes in the lightweight division, he's only capitalized on the knockout blow five times in 41 career bouts.
If Guida is to ever be more than the gatekeeper of his respected weight class, he'll need to improve his standup and avoid being taken down.
If Clay Guida can continue to focus on the areas at hand, he could very well find himself making another run towards UFC gold.
Pau Gasol Lamar Odom Baron Davis Blake Griffin Chris Bosh Mario Chalmers
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