Dana White: ‘I’m not looking to chase Gray [Maynard] out of the game or anything like that’

BANGOR, Maine – After going undefeated for his first 11 professional MMA fights — nine of which occurred in the UFC — the end may be closing in on Gray Maynard. “The Bully” suffered his third knockout loss in a row against Ross Pearson at UFC Fight Night 47 in Maine on Saturday night, a trend that spells out the writing on the wall for fighters in their twilight.

This particular one came in the second round, as Pearson — who was rejiggered into a fight with Maynard when his original opponent Abel Trujillo was forced off the card with an injury — landed a hard right hand that Maynard walked into. He crumpled in similar fashion that he did against T.J. Grant and Nate Diaz.

Maynard had taken nine months off between the Diaz KO and Saturday’s fight, which was originally supposed to be against Fabricio Camoes. During that time he visited the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to have a battery of neurological tests done, to make sure he was healthy enough to compete. He was cleared to fight, and looked pretty good against the Brit Pearson through the first round. He was moving and picking his shots, and was implementing his wrestling before Pearson caught him in the second.

Afterwards, in the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White he would be speaking to Maynard about whether or not he should continue fighting.

“Obviously he came here to fight, and he’s been cleared medically to fight, I think the kid is healthy,” White said. “But, you know, it’s probably a discussion we might have. I’m not looking to chase Gray out of the game or anything like that. I’ll talk to him though.

“These guys go through extensive medical testing and we know getting knocked out isn’t good for you. But we’ll see. He’s a young guy, he’s talented, we’ll see what he wants to do.

The 35-year old Maynard did not attend the press conference. Going into January 2011, Maynard was the top contender in the lightweight division, and he put on an epic fight with then-champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 125. After an early barrage from Maynard, in which Edgar narrowly escaped the first round, the fight ended in a draw. The trilogy fight, held at UFC 136, began the spiral for Maynard, who was knocked out by Edgar in the fourth round. He did follow that up with a victory over Clay Guida in Atlantic City in June 2012, which now stands as his last victory.

BANGOR, Maine – After going undefeated for his first 11 professional MMA fights — nine of which occurred in the UFC — the end may be closing in on Gray Maynard. “The Bully” suffered his third knockout loss in a row against Ross Pearson at UFC Fight Night 47 in Maine on Saturday night, a trend that spells out the writing on the wall for fighters in their twilight.

This particular one came in the second round, as Pearson — who was rejiggered into a fight with Maynard when his original opponent Abel Trujillo was forced off the card with an injury — landed a hard right hand that Maynard walked into. He crumpled in similar fashion that he did against T.J. Grant and Nate Diaz.

Maynard had taken nine months off between the Diaz KO and Saturday’s fight, which was originally supposed to be against Fabricio Camoes. During that time he visited the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to have a battery of neurological tests done, to make sure he was healthy enough to compete. He was cleared to fight, and looked pretty good against the Brit Pearson through the first round. He was moving and picking his shots, and was implementing his wrestling before Pearson caught him in the second.

Afterwards, in the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White he would be speaking to Maynard about whether or not he should continue fighting.

“Obviously he came here to fight, and he’s been cleared medically to fight, I think the kid is healthy,” White said. “But, you know, it’s probably a discussion we might have. I’m not looking to chase Gray out of the game or anything like that. I’ll talk to him though.

“These guys go through extensive medical testing and we know getting knocked out isn’t good for you. But we’ll see. He’s a young guy, he’s talented, we’ll see what he wants to do.

The 35-year old Maynard did not attend the press conference. Going into January 2011, Maynard was the top contender in the lightweight division, and he put on an epic fight with then-champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 125. After an early barrage from Maynard, in which Edgar narrowly escaped the first round, the fight ended in a draw. The trilogy fight, held at UFC 136, began the spiral for Maynard, who was knocked out by Edgar in the fourth round. He did follow that up with a victory over Clay Guida in Atlantic City in June 2012, which now stands as his last victory.