5 Questions We Have About TJ Grant Ahead of UFC 160

TJ Grant will take on Gray Maynard at UFC 160 with a lightweight title shot on the line.

UFC President Dana White made the announcement that the lightweight tilt would have title implications at the UFC on FOX post-fight press conference in April. With other potential contenders in the wings, it was a surprise.

Grant is 4-0 in the division and has the second-longest win streak behind the champion. Maynard is ranked No. 3 in the world. This will be Grant's first time against an elite lightweight, and it will be his chance to make a name for himself.

These are five questions we have about Grant as he heads in to his UFC 160 contender's bout.

Is He Marketable?

If we did not have photos of Grant would you be able to pick him out of a lineup?

Can you recount his four lightweight victories or recall who he beat in those fights?

I would venture to guess that not many fans can, and that's a problem. The UFC has placed Benson Henderson on the Fox shows to make him a bigger star. That is smart. However, if Grant wins on Saturday to earn a shot, how will that translate to PPV buys?

Are fans really going to line up to purchase tickets for TJ Grant? He has not been as visible as other lightweights. We have not heard or seen him pop up in many interviews to promote this big lightweight fight. Is that because he prefers to not be in the limelight, or is it because fans don't care?

Winning is fantastic, but make no mistake that being a marketable fighter plays a huge role in promoters' eyes. If he wins but remains unappealing to the casual fans it is possible that his promised title shot could be taken away.

Can He Handle Maynard's Power?

Gray Maynard is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, fighters at 155 pounds. He generates a lot of power in his strikes, and that very nearly allowed him to capture the lightweight title on two separate occasions.

General thought would be that Grant can indeed handle his power. After all, he went three rounds against Johny Hendricks and managed to stay conscious. However, things are not always directly comparable, and if Maynard connects flush it won't feel good.

Maynard tends to use more of a straight boxing style. Since leaving Xtreme Couture, he has trained with the likes of Jose Aldo and the American Kickboxing Academy. There is no doubt he picked up some new tricks along the way.

Grant has looked excellent on his feet in recent fights. He has shown a more diverse attack than Maynard, but, with his power, he doesn't need to land a succession of strikes to pick up the stoppage. All it takes is one.

If he chooses to strike with Maynard, we will most likely see how well his chin holds up. 

Will He Be Able to Stop Maynard's Wrestling?

In spite of Grant's recent striking showing, he is still primarily a grappler. The same goes for Maynard.

The true interesting battle in this fight is what will happen if the fight hits the mat.

Maynard is the better wrestler of the two, and, if he is successful in his attempts, he can decide where the fight takes place. That's a big advantage for "The Bully." He has a big fallback to help him in case Grant gets the better of the fight on the feet.

If Maynard takes the fight to the ground, can Grant be effective off his back, or will Maynard's top game be too smothering? We have seen him stifle many quality grapplers in the past.

Frankie Edgar, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, and Kenny Florian each had a hard time with Maynard being on top. It may not be pretty, but it's effective. If Grant wants to win, he must find a way to threaten Maynard with submissions or fight his way back to the feet.

Does He Deserve a Title Shot with a Win?

Grant is currently ranked No. 6 in the division and will meet the No. 3 lightweight at UFC 160. Does a fifth-straight win really earn him a title fight?

At best, he would jump to Maynard's current position. He would be getting a title shot because of the state of the division and not really because he's the top contender. No. 1-ranked lightweight Gilbert Melendez just dropped a decision to the champion, and No. 2-ranked Anthony Pettis will be challenging Jose Aldo for the featherweight crown later this year.

Even Donald Cerrone is ranked ahead of Grant, and he is coming off a loss in his last fight.

I am not trying to take anything away from Grant, but should he jump right in to a title fight, or should he have to face one of the other contenders to determine a true top contender? The decision to award him a title shot, should he win, seems like the need for a fresh challenger instead of picking the right one.

If Grant is able to impressively dispatch of Maynard, he will quell the questions about his sudden contendership status.

Is He an Elite Lightweight?

Again, I'll restate that he is 4-0 in the division and the No. 6-ranked lightweight. But does that make him elite?

A win over Maynard may confirm that he is, but his current opponents do not answer that heading into UFC 160. Evan Dunham and Matt Wiman are his two best lightweight opponents, but they have not proven themselves as top level either. They are all very talented fighters, but it's a different ballgame at the top of the division.

What Josh Thomson did to Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox in April is what elite lightweights do. He proved himself. Grant gets his opportunity against Maynard. He doesn't have to finish Maynard, but he must show that he worthy of a title shot.

The lightweight division has a lot of talent in its ranks, but it lacks a wealth of true top contenders. Grant can add his name at UFC 160. No one quite knows if he is a true elite 155-pounder, but Maynard will make sure to answer that question on Saturday.