UFC 136: The 7 Most Important Questions Heading into Houston

All the recent talk of Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem and Nick Diaz's disappearance has overshadowed one of the most exciting cards of the year: UFC 136, an event that is headlined by a lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard.

Aside from being an event that looks good on paper from head to toe, UFC 136 will also answer crucial questions that the MMA world is asking. What are these questions? Read and find out!

Will Nam Phan Get Even with Leonard Garcia?

It's widely accepted that Nam Phan was robbed when Leonard Garcia was awarded the split-decision victory at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale in what seemed like a fight where Phan controlled the action.

Both men will get another chance to prove themselves at UFC 136 in a fight that the MMA world will be watching with great interest; it has "fight of the night" written all over it and it has a good "storyline." How could you ask for more?

Is Anthony Pettis a One-Kick Wonder?

Former (and last) WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis shocked the world when he landed a gravity-defying kick off of the cage onto Ben Henderson's face. The "showtime kick" as it was named has since made it into every MMA highlight reel and has given Pettis a substantial boost in popularity.

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make use of that boost; his thunder was unceremoniously stolen by Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

Fortunately for Pettis, he is being given a chance to redeem himself against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136. From this fight, the MMA community will find out if Pettis is the real deal or just a one-kick wonder.

How Will Demian Maia Bounce Back? Or Will He?

Demian Maia suffered a crushing unanimous decision loss to Mark Munoz at UFC 131 back in June. In the Munoz fight, Maia demonstrated an increased aptitude for the striking game.

His UFC 136 fight with Jorge Santiago (a man who Brian Stann proved was overrated, like many fighters from the Japanese circuit) will show how Maia will bounce back from defeat, or if he will at all, and whether he is still ready to contend with the best at middleweight.

Is Dave Herman a Real Prospect?

At 26 years old and with a 21-2 record, which includes a win in the UFC, Dave Herman looks like a real hot prospect.

However, upon closer inspection, his record doesn't hold up to scrutiny. At UFC 136, Herman will face Mike Russow in no doubt his toughest test to date. Just the fact that Mike Russow is his toughest test says quite a lot about the kinds of opponents Herman has fought over his career.

Is Brian Stann Part of the Middleweight Elite?/Is Chael Sonnen Back?

Brian Stann vs. Chael Sonnen is one of the most intriguing matchups on the fight card.

The results of the fight will prove whether or not Stann can contend with the very top echelon of the middleweight division and will also prove if Sonnen is back in the swing of things and ready to have another go at middleweight champion Anderson Silva. 

Is Florian a Choke Artist? Were the Lighter Weight Classes Easier All Along?

There was once a theory put forth by MMA fans that the lighter divisions (featherweight and bantamweight) had a far more shallow talent pool and therefore the top fighters in those divisions weren't as good as the top- or even mid-level fighters from other divisions. Those divisions were the "Mickey Mouse" divisions the same way the AFL was the "Mickey Mouse" league to the NFL.

As proof of this theory, people mentioned Mike Brown's (a UFC washout and average lightweight) defeat of who many thought was the world's top featherweight, Urijah Faber.

This theory will have its greatest test in the form of Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian for the UFC featherweight title.

If Florian manages to take Aldo's title, then a mid-level lightweight who always lost to higher-level competition will have bested one of the top "pound-for-pound" fighters and the theory that the lower weight classes had inferior competition will be proven true.

However, if Aldo crushes Florian and defends his title then the lighter weight classes may have taken the WEC monkey off their back once and for all and Kenny Florian will forever be remembered as a choke artist.

Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard?

The first title fight between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard was one of the most explosive, epic fights in UFC history and was the most amazing lightweight title fight of all time (so far).

When a fight between two fighters who are so evenly matched takes place, there really is only one question on everyone's mind: Who will win? Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard?