...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The UFC Lightweight Championship will be on the line on New Year's Day, as MMAFighting.com reports that Frankie Edgar will defend his title for the second time when he faces Gray Maynard at UFC 125.
The fight was expected to be the next one for both fighters, but the MMAFighting report gives the time and place. UFC 125 is expected to air live on pay-per-view from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The two met once before, at UFC Fight Night 13 in April of 2008. Maynard lived up to his nickname, bullying Edgar through their three round bout and earning the unanimous decision victory. That remains Edgar's only career blemish, but he won three straight fights after that event to earn his title shot at UFC 112 against B.J. Penn.
After capturing the UFC Lightweight Championship, Edgar put on his greatest career performance in the rematch last month at UFC 118 to hold onto the title. Maynard secured his title shot with a victory over Kenny Florian on the card in Boston.
The undefeated challenger has won eight fights in the Octagon, with one draw, and will look for a repeat performance of the first time they met to capture his first Championship in the organization.
Penick's Analysis: I can't see them actually headlining this event with this fight if it's on pay-per-view, but considering they're trying to get Anderson Silva to be on this card as well it would make sense as a double header with this fight and Silva against Vitor Belfort. But it makes for a very good cap off to the year of 2010, and a great beginning to UFC's 2011.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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