UFC
UFC QUOTABLES: Gray Maynard on UFC 125 draw with Frankie Edgar - "I thought 'Oh my God, I'm the lightweight champ' in the first round"
Jan 3, 2011 - 5:50:02 PM UFC QUOTABLES: Gray Maynard on UFC 125 draw with Frankie Edgar - "I thought 'Oh my God, I'm the lightweight champ' in the first round"

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"The first shot I rocked him with and he was wobbled, I thought it was over. I thought 'Oh my God, I'm the lightweight champ' in the first round. Once he started to grab on to my leg and looked to survive I knew that I could either slow down, start to pick my shots or I could swing for the fences and finish him. I said 'F*** it' and went for the finish. I thought it was pretty close to being stopped. Frankie did a good job at staying around. I felt him go down and I hit him with some big punches. He grabbed onto the fence to pull himself up but I thought there was a good chance to knock him out completely and that's why I went for it.

When I finally heard that we were getting the immediate rematch I felt really good about it. I'm loving the fact that we get to do it again. He's a pretty tough kid and I hit him with a lot of big shots. He took my best punch, I took his and over the course of the fight we threw a lot of artillery. It was a very active fight but that is what we prepared for.

As far as the criticism people can talk because that's what they do. I fight. They don't. It's really that simple. It's my job to go out, win fights, and that's what I have to do. Winning is my main goal and there is nothing that is going to change about that. People also have to understand that not every fight is going to be exciting. There are going to be fights that put on a good show and in the same turn there are going to be fights that don't. Not every bout is going to be a bar room brawl. Then some matchups are slugfests where two guys get in there and fucking let it loose and it's pop, pop, pop. Other fights are technical chess matches where you don't rush in, pick your windows and expose the weaknesses you have planned for. There are entertaining aspects to every fight and most of the time it comes down to stylistic matchups but it all depends on what the person watching is into. I look at an NFL game and I have zero interest in what is going on. I don't like the sport but there are millions of people who are crazy passionate about it. I just go out there and fight. People can say whatever they want."

-Gray Maynard talks to BloodyElbow.com following his split draw with UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and addresses why he went all out in the first round, getting an immediate rematch and the criticism from some that thought their UFC 125 bout would be boring.

Penick's Analysis: For Maynard's sake, it's a good thing he's getting another chance. He really had Edgar as close to being finished as you can come without finishing a fight in that first round, and obviously the frenetic pace hurt him the rest of the way. He did enough to earn the fight on one judges' scorecard and a draw on another, leading to the split draw and the rematch, and he'll have another opportunity to take the belt away from Edgar. And it's a good point he has on the stylistic matchups and the things people like to watch. Not everyone gets equal enjoyment out of every style of fighter in the UFC, and not every fight can be a balls to the wall slugfest that has everyone on their feet. There are different aspects to the game, and sometimes they can't all be employed. But that's why you can never judge a fight just based on the matchup. Time and time again fights considered "boring" on paper deliver excitement, as was the case with Saturday's main event. The rematch is going to be bigger and more appreciated by fans, though, and hopefully the two can put on another excellent fight when they meet again.