Bleacher Report’s Robert Gardner:UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar will meet Gray “The Bully” Maynard for a third time on May 28. Not only will Edgar be looking to defend his UFC title but he will also be looking to finally avenge …
Bleacher Report’s Robert Gardner:
UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar will meet Gray “The Bully” Maynard for a third time on May 28. Not only will Edgar be looking to defend his UFC title but he will also be looking to finally avenge his only career loss.
Edgar and Maynard first met back in April 2008 with Maynard picking up the win via unanimous decision. After that loss, Edgar went on a tear, winning his next three fights and earning a shot at then-UFC Lightweight Champion, BJ Penn.
Is a stunning upset, Edgar defeated Penn at UFC 112 then drove the point home by dominating the legend in his first title defense at UFC 118.
Edgar then met Maynard for the second time at UFC 125. After Edgar fought his way out of trouble in the first round, the two would battle back and forth leaving the judges no other choice but to rule the epic battle a draw.
UFC 130 is set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 28.The main event on the card will see UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) defend his title against challenger Gray Maynard (10-0-1-1).The two have met twice in …
UFC 130 is set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 28.
The main event on the card will see UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) defend his title against challenger Gray Maynard (10-0-1-1).
The two have met twice in the past. The first bout, in 2008, resulted in a unanimous decision win for Maynard.
Edgar would rebound from that loss to go on to defeat BJ Penn for the UFC lightweight title in April of 2010. Edgar and Maynard fought for that title on Jan. 1 of this year, battling to a majority draw. The result put the title back in the hands of Edgar and drew an immediate rematch.
Also appearing on the main card of UFC 130 will be Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill in a light heavyweight fight that is developing into somewhat of a grudge match as the fighters and their respective camps have been exchanging words since the fight was announced.
MMA H.E.A.T.’s Kayrn Bryant caught up with “Big Country” Roy Nelson at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto for a quick Q&A session regarding his upcoming heavyweight fight with Frank Mir at UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III and the secret to…
MMA H.E.A.T.’s Kayrn Bryant caught up with “Big Country” Roy Nelson at the UFC Fan Expo in Toronto for a quick Q&A session regarding his upcoming heavyweight fight with Frank Mir at UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III and the secret to keeping a healthy mullet.
After almost a year of waiting for his next fight, “Big Country” makes his first octagon appearance since his fight with Junior Dos Santos in August of 2010.
Nelson engaged in a heavy-handed brawl with the TUF 13 coach, which he lost via unanimous decision but has nothing to be ashamed of.
Along with Dos Santos, Nelson put on the kind of show that both fans and UFC President, Dana White like to see and his fight before last, Nelson won the KO of the Night bonus against Stefan Struve.
On May 28, 2011, Nelson will take on former two-time UFC heavyweight, Frank Mir in a fight that many are looking forward to after Mir’s lackluster, knock-out performance against Mirko “CroCop” Filipović.
Bryant mentioned Nelson being a down to earth guy who is very “relatable” to which Nelson replied, “We all put our pants on the same way.”
She then asked Nelson what his answer is when people say that he doesn’t “look like a fighter.”
“I’m not wearing a football jersey or baseball jersey. That’s usually the look,” was Nelson’s response.
Some speculate that Nelson’s power is in his hair, much like the biblical figure, Samson.
According to Nelson, it’s all in the preparation and styling of his “spectacular” plumage. “It’s just good shampoo…a couple of combs a day. It’s just got to be healthy.”
Nelson’s mullet is healthy indeed. It looks like he’s grown it a few extra inches since his last fight. “It’s business in the front and all party in the back,” he said.
Nelson said that he enjoys “giving back to the fans” at the UFC Fan Expos. “They’re the ones that actually make our sport; no fans, no sport.”
Bryant asked Nelson if he and his upcoming opponent were “friendly.” Nelson said, that he and Mir have known each other for 11 years, that Mir and his wife come over for visits and they “talk all the time.” He even had Mir autograph a picture for him.
Nelson says that this is not a fight he especially wants, being that he and Mir are long time buddies. He compared their friendship and the fight to Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans with Nelson being Rashad and Mir being Jones.
Make sure to check back with BleacherReport.com/mma for more UFC 130: Egdar vs. Maynard III fight card news and live coverage.
Gray Maynard will face Frankie Edgar for Edgar’s UFC lightweight title at UFC 130 on May 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight will be Maynard’s third bout against Edgar. The first time the two met, in 2008, Maynard proved victorious, defeating Edgar by u…
Gray Maynard will face Frankie Edgar for Edgar’s UFC lightweight title at UFC 130 on May 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight will be Maynard’s third bout against Edgar. The first time the two met, in 2008, Maynard proved victorious, defeating Edgar by unanimous decision.
The two battled again at UFC 125 on January 1 of this year, and fought to a five-round majority draw. The draw resulted in Edgar retaining the UFC title he won from BJ Penn at UFC 112. The loss and draw with Maynard are the only two blemishes on the record of Edgar (13-1-1).
Maynard ran up his impressive record of 10-0-1 (one no contest) facing some strong lightweight fighters. “I fought who they wanted me to and I asked for the top guys,” Maynard told MMAFA.TV. “If you look at it now, in the top 10, I’ve fought about four of them: (Jim) Miller, Edgar, Nate (Diaz), (Dennis) Siver. I’ve never had an easy fight. I don’t like to explain that because either you know it or you don’t.”
Maynard does not see Anthony Pettis, the last WEC lightweight champion, as having the same pedigree as he does.
“Let’s look at who he’s fought. Ben Henderson is the best name. And I don’t mind fighting him; I don’t care if I win the belt and then I have to take him on,” Maynard continued. “But for me, guys like Miller, Melendez and all of these guys who have been on the f***ing grind, fighting the best competition for the past few years…that’s what I look at.
“Who have you fought? I don’t care about how good you looked when you fought a scrub. That doesn’t matter. If a guy isn’t good then you’re not supposed to look good. And for me, (Pettis) has fought one good guy in Ben, and he isn’t proven yet. He’s tough as hell, but we’ll see.”
Pettis is currently scheduled to meet Clay Guida on June 4 during The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 finale show. If he is able to get past Guida he will be next in line to fight for the UFC lightweight title.
When talking about his January 1 fight with Edgar, Maynard thinks he knows where things went wrong. “I’m still kind of new to all of this,” he said. “What happened when I caught Frankie in the first round, that’s never happened to me before so I didn’t know what to do. Next time I will. It’s a learning process and I’m still learning.”
The lightweight contender also spoke about his relationship with Rashad Evans, a fighter he roomed with during his college wrestling days at Michigan State University. “A lot of people have Rashad wrong. He’s the most down-to-earth guy, unbelievably nice,” Maynard said. “Rashad is my boy and he’s a real person. I like real people. I hate fake people. Absolutely hate them.”
UFC 130 will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 28, the main card will be broadcast on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 pm ET.
When Frankie Edgar and Grey Maynard first met, it was on the under card of a “UFC Fight Night.” There wasn’t any fanfare, slick promotional videos or “Countdown” specials or even much media attention. Maynard out-wrestled …
When Frankie Edgar and Grey Maynard first met, it was on the under card of a “UFC Fight Night.” There wasn’t any fanfare, slick promotional videos or “Countdown” specials or even much media attention.
Maynard out-wrestled Edgar to a unanimous decision that night while Kenny Florian and Joe Lauzon fought in the main event (just think about that for a moment).
When they met again, it was in the main event of UFC 125. This time, Edgar was the reigning, defending UFC lightweight champion, having just dethroned longtime LW kingpin BJ Penn in back-to-back fights. Maynard was the unstoppable juggernaut/lay n’ pray artist of the LW division, plus he held that earlier win over the champ.
While their title fight was undoubtedly significant, it was viewed as something of a “dud” UFC PPV. Fans and media wondered if the taciturn Frankie and the unexciting Grey would generate enough interest to keep UFC 125 from bombing on PPV.
What a difference a fight makes.
When Frankie Edgar and Grey Maynard meet at UFC 130 for the third and presumably final time, it will be in one of the biggest UFC PPVs and most-anticipated title matches of 2011.
Their second fight—and first battle for the UFC LW crown—at UFC 125 was an early contender for Fight of the Year (really early when you consider it happened on January 1st).
In my opinion, that’s an honor it still holds. No fight so far this year has delivered as much drama and excitement as their five-round war, which fittingly (some would say disappointingly) ended in a split draw, about as inconclusive a finish as one can have in an MMA contest short of a doctor’s stoppage.
Luckily for fans, we get to see them do it one more time. The question for LW champion Frankie Edgar remains the same, however: Can he find a way to overcome the only man to ever best him inside the Octagon?
Now, the stakes are even higher, as Frankie’s record vs. Grey is 0-1-1.
For Frankie, this fight is everything. It’s his whole legacy, even more so then the Penn fights. Win, and he’s firmly planted at the No. 1 LW and one of the top fighters in all MMA. Lose, and he’s ejected from the LW title picture, possibly forever.
Can Frankie find “The Answer” to Grey Maynard when the men square off for the “three-match” in Las Vegas?
Here are five reasons why the pride of Toms River, New Jersey could surprise fans and critics, as he frequently does, and walk out of UFC 130 with five pounds of gold still strapped around his waist.
UFC 130 will take place on May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight card will be headlined by a UFC lightweight title fight between the champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard. The two met in a championship b…
UFC 130 will take place on May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fight card will be headlined by a UFC lightweight title fight between the champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard. The two met in a championship bout on January 1 of this year that ended with Edgar retaining his title due to the fight being scored as a majority draw.
Edgar and Maynard had met earlier in their careers as well, fighting on a UFC card in 2008, with Maynard taking a unanimous decision victory.
Also appearing on the card will be a light heavyweight battle between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill. This fight could develop into somewhat of a grudge match as the fighters and their camps have been exchanging barbs since Hamill was moved into replace Thiago Silva after questions arose regarding Silva’s UFC 125 urine test.
The main card, which will be broadcast on pay-per-view will be rounded out with the following fights:
