Claudio Puelles believes Clay Guida will be in “for a rough night” at UFC Vegas 52, wants top-15 opponent next

Claudio Puelles was surprised when he got the call to fight Clay Guida.

Puelles is on a four-fight win streak and is 4-1 in the UFC and after his last win, which came by stoppage, he wasn’t sure what would be next for him. He thought he might get a top-15 opponent, but what he thought was more likely was for him to face another prospect where the winner would then get a top-15 opponent.

Yet, when Puelles got the offer to fight Clay Guida in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 52, he jumped at the chance to face the legend.

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“He’s been around forever and I was very happy when I got the fight,” Puelles said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I’ve been wanting to fight a big name for a long time and I got my opportunity and I will make my best out of it… I didn’t think I’d get a name like this, I thought it would be another prospect not a guy like Guida. This is my chance to fight a Hall of Famer.”

Once training camp began, Claudio Puelles had his training partners pressure him the entire time so he can be prepared for Clay Guida. Along with that, he knows even if he hurts Guida he can’t force anything as the veteran has proven to be durable, but Puelles remains confident this will be a long, rough night for Guida.

“I mean, I might finish, I might not,” Puelles said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes all three rounds, but I see myself on top after three rounds. He’s going to feel I’m strong and it will be hard to get me down. He will be in for a rough night.”

If Puelles does get his hand raised against Guida, he believes a top-15 opponent would be next for him.

“I better be in the rankings after this, for sure,” Puelles concluded. “If I don’t I will be surprised. We will see in the post-fight interview in the Octagon if I call someone out. But, this is the win that gets me more noticed. After this one, they have to give me a ranked opponent.”

Do you think Claudio Puelles will beat Clay Guida at UFC Vegas 52?