UFC Vegas 44: Clay Guida vs. Leonardo Santos: Prediction and Analyses

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Arunaditya Aima

Dec 2, 2021 | 5:30 AM EST

UFC Vegas 44: Clay Guida vs. Leonardo Santos: Prediction and Analyses

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Arunaditya Aima

Dec 2, 2021 | 5:30 AM EST

UFC Vegas 44 will feature an interesting lightweight clash between Clay Guida and Leonardo Santos. Both are true veterans of the sports and elite-level grapplers. The fight between these two is sure to be an exciting one.

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Guida started his MMA career way back in 2003. He has had a total of 57 fights in his career and had already fought 29 times before signing with the UFC. ‘The Carpenter’ signed with the promotion in 2006 and has been with them ever since. Guida has wins over the likes of Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis, and Rafael dos Anjos. However, Guida since joining the UFC has been unable to get a winning streak going. He is 1-3 in his last four fights and would look to get back to winning ways.

Leonardo is a veteran of the sport. He started in 2002, but after his bout, he returned to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won the World Cup four times between 2002 and 2005. In 2006, he decided to return to MMA full time and made his UFC debut in 2013. Santos went on an eight-fight undefeated streak in the promotion, but lost his last fight against Grant Dawson. The 41-year-old will look to beat a tough opponent like Guida and get the momentum back.

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UFC Vegas 44: Clay Guida vs. Leonardo Santos

This is a battle between two men that are happy grappling and taking the fight to the ground. Guida has a total of 36 wins in his career, out of which 13 have come via a way of submission. ‘The Carpenter’ has a takedown average of 3 per 15 minutes. However, his striking accuracy is an issue at only 33 percent. His takedown defense stands at 70 percent, which can trouble Santos.

Santos is currently 18-4-1 in his professional career and is a 4th-degree black belt in BJJ. Coming into the fight, he has lost just once in the UFC, but his last loss was via TKO. He has a definite advantage over Guida when it comes to striking and lands at 45 percent. His 88 percent takedown defense is nothing but impressive. However, at 41-years-old, age seems to be catching up with the Brazilian. He seems to be slowing down lately, and that can be a massive advantage for Guida.

Prediction: Clay Guida to win via unanimous decision

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Arunaditya Aima

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Arunaditya Aima is an editor at EssentiallySports, where he works to bring clarity and depth to sports storytelling through the pieces he edits. With a Master’s degree in Sports Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in the field, he combines newsroom discipline with a deep-rooted passion for sports. During his time at EssentiallySports, Arunaditya has taken on multiple roles across the editorial pipeline. He began as a writer covering Ultimate Fighting Championship before transitioning into editorial responsibilities, including serving as the primary editor for National Basketball Association coverage. His experience across writing and editing allows him to approach stories from both a narrative and structural perspective. Before his editorial work in digital sports media, Arunaditya worked as a producer at Firstpost under the Network18 Group umbrella, gaining experience in newsroom production and broadcast-oriented storytelling. Across roles, he focuses on refining sports coverage through strong editorial judgment, attention to detail, and a commitment to presenting the game in ways that resonate with readers.

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