Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard will square off at UFC 136 in what is already one of the most anticipated bouts of 2011.
This won’t be the first time these two fighters met. Not even the second. UFC 136 will be the third time Edgar and Maynard will meet.
The first time these two mixed martial artists met was at a UFC Fight Night in April of 2008. Less talked about then, Maynard left Broomfield, Colorado victorious, giving Edgar the first defeat of his career.
Since then, Edgar has gone on to defeat UFC veteran B.J. Penn to be declared the UFC lightweight champion. Maynard went on to defeat notable opponents in Roger Huerta, Nate Diaz and Kenny Florian.
After both fighters went on unbeaten streaks, they crossed paths and met again at UFC 125 in what would end up being one of the greatest bouts in UFC history.
In a five-round battle, Maynard dominated action early, rocking the lightweight champion in the very first round.
All but down and out, Edgar battled back to win the second round, making it known to all why he was champion of the 155 weight class.
The tides turned when Maynard took advantage of the third round as it appeared he was well on his way to being declared the new champion of the lightweight division.
Edgar had other plans when he locked in a guillotine choke that nearly put Maynard to sleep. Maynard somehow broke loose from the submission and both fighters headed to the fifth and final round.
Both fighters were drained, but that didn’t stop them from swinging away at one another. After a few failed takedowns, the final bell rang as the results where now in the hands of the judges.
The judge’s scorecards read 48-46, 46-48 and 47-47, declaring the bout a draw.
An immediate rematch was put into place as both fighters will meet at UFC 136 in an epic grudge match.
The only question that remains is, can Edgar and Maynard deliver the excitement again?
Absolutely.
Edgar knows his days of being a UFC champion may be numbered and will be in the best shape of his life. The same came be said for Maynard, who appears much larger than the champion.
They key to this grudge match is who can set the tone. Maynard, who let Edgar battled back to a draw, won’t make the same mistake twice.
While this fight is unpredictable, expect similar excitement as when these two last met at UFC 125.
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