By: Chris Taylor

Longtime UFC lightweight standout Clay Guida (29-13 MMA, 9-7 UFC) is dropping down a weight class and will now compete in the UFC’s featherweight division.

Clay’s representatives at VFD Sports Marketing announced the news today stating that Guida has opted to drop to the 145lb featherweight division. A debut date and opponent have not yet been confirmed by the UFC, but it is expected that his featherweight debut will take place sometime in the new year (2013).

Guida’s decision to drop down a weight class comes after suffering back-to-back losses in the lightweight division. After winning four straight fights, which included victories over notable fighters Takanori Gomi and Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, he lost a title-eliminator bout with Benson Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 back in November. Then in June, he suffered a split-decision loss to former title challenger Gray Maynard in a rather forgettable UFC on FX 4 headliner.

The former Strikeforce Champion, Guida, will look to return to his crowd-pleasing ways when he enters the ‘Jose Aldo dominated’ featherweight division. Guida has racked up five “Fight of the Night” bonuses and two “Submission of the Night” awards during his UFC career.