Edgar, Maynard ready to decide winner at UFC 136
Frankie Edgar takes a right from Gray Maynard during the first round of their UFC lightweight title fight at UFC 125 at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight was declared a draw. (Jan. 1, 2011) Credit: AP
Gray Maynard and UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar feel like they've been waiting forever for their rematch.
The two fought to a draw on New Year's Day. On Saturday night, they'll go head-to-head for the 155-pound belt at UFC 136.
"I feel good," Maynard said. "I feel as if I'm prepared. I'm not like: 'Oh I don't know if I did this right. I don't know if I did that right.' Everything is all done, and it's about time to have fun."
Maynard believes he won the New Year's Day fight and was set to get his chance to prove he was the better fighter in May, but the meeting was postponed because of injuries to both fighters.
The undefeated Maynard (11-0-1) handed Edgar (13-1-1) his only loss in their first matchup in April 2008. After the win and the draw, some believe Maynard has the upper hand in this one.
Edgar, of course, disagrees.
"I don't think he has my number," Edgar said. "I think the last fight showed that. If he had won last time then, yeah I'd say he had my number. But I've just got to win. If I go in there and win this fight, I put that to rest."
The draw has left Edgar lacking some of the respect normally afforded to a champion.
"The respect's coming, and it's going to keep growing the better I do and the longer I keep this belt," Edgar said. "And, yes, I try to come into every fight with a chip on my shoulder. Not for any reason, just because I'm eager to win and having that chip on your shoulder helps you do so."
The fighters aren't the only ones ready to get this one done. UFC president Dana White wants to get it over with so he can get other fights in this weight class scheduled.
UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (19-1) and Kenny Florian (16-5) compete in the other marquee matchup on the card for the 145-pound belt.
It will be Florian's third chance at a UFC title, and at 35, some believe it could be his last shot.
"I don't really see it that way," he said. "I'm fortunate that I love what I do. I've been in the UFC a long time, and just to do that is a blessing. I want to compete against the best guys, and that's what I've got here on Saturday night. I'm going to go out there and get it done."
White is looking forward to seeing how Florian will respond to the pressure of this fight after the UFC boss has criticized him in the past for his performance in title fights.
"It's a great fight. Jose Aldo is a finisher," White said. "He comes in to either take your legs out or knock you out. He's 100 percent the whole time he's in there and so is Kenny Florian. I'm not going to get into -- everybody knows what I've said about Kenny in title fights; I want to see Kenny prove me wrong in this one."
Florian doesn't lack confidence despite his struggles in title fights.
"It's going to be a tough fight," Florian said. "Aldo's dangerous, and I expect it's going to be a bloody fight. I'll leave there bloody, but I'll leave there with the belt, too."
Other matches on the undercard include middleweights Chael Sonnen (26-11-1) and Brian Stann (11-3), featherweights Nam Phan (16-10) and Leonard Garcia (19-7-1) and lightweights Melvin Guillard (46-9-3) and Joe Lauzon (15-5-1).
