UFC 136 Fight Card: Can Frankie Edgar Finally Beat Gray Maynard?

There is nothing more disheartening to an MMA fighter than losing a fight. But to face a man twice and come away without a win—it is devastating.

At tonight's UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will attempt for a third time to defeat top contender Gray Maynard.

In their first meeting in 2008, the Frankie Edgar present during that fight was very different from the one seen today.  He was not as strong or even as fast, basing his game on his solid wrestling background.

In that first battle of this historic trilogy, Maynard used his size advantage to control Edgar, taking the unanimous decision and handing Edgar his first—and only—loss to date.

Fast forward to January of 2011.

Edgar took the title in stunning fashion, emphatically beating BJ Penn back-to-back and was looking for his second straight title defense against Maynard.

In the opening round of their UFC 125 bout, Maynard came out with a bang, almost finishing the champion in one of the most lopsided first rounds in UFC history.  Miraculously, Edgar survived the onslaught and continued on. 

Looking refreshed in the second round, it was Edgar who pushed the pace, taking down Maynard with ease and landing huge bombs on the challenger.

In waning rounds, a back-and-forth battle ensued with the judges declaring the match a draw.

Now facing each other once again, many analysts have questioned whether Edgar can finally defeat his nemesis.

The size and strength advantage are still in Maynard's favor, and one can argue that he has an edge in wrestling as well.

What Maynard does not possess, however, is the chip on his shoulder.

Edgar is guaranteed to be coming out motivated and fired up for this battle.  Having had the fight delayed so long due to injury, he should be ready to brawl when the bell rings for the main event.

Despite their second match ending in a draw, there were a lot of positives that Edgar can take from it.

His speed and cardio kept Maynard at bay after the first round—an important advantage against a stronger opponent.

Also, his strikes were landing crisp along with his takedowns, two key technical aspects that should bolster Edgar's confidence.

In my opinion, Edgar has a great chance of finally taking the win in the final match of this trilogy.  His speed and ever evolving game should keep the belt around his waist.

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