On ESPN’s “MMA Live” show, Kenny Florian confirmed that he will be going up against Gray Maynard at UFC 118 which will take place in Florian’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. It’s heavily rumored that the victor of this bout will become the #1 Contender to the UFC Lightweight Title. BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar are having their rematch at UFC 118, so it’s likely the next lightweight title fight will be decided by the end of that night.
Check out a quick breakdown of the fight “after the jump”…
Kenny Florian (13-4-0) is on a two-fight win streak, coming off of victories against Clay Guida and Takanori Gomi. Florian grabbed everyone’s attention with his dominant victory over Takanori Gomi at Fight Night 21, absolutely dominating all aspects of the fight.
Gray Maynard (9-0-0 and 1 No Contest) is undefeated inside the octagon, last claiming victory over submission-ace Nate Diaz in a controversial decision. Many believe the reason Maynard didn’t receive a title shot before Frankie Edgar is because his resume was not impressive enough. With a victory over an elite lightweight like Florian, Maynard can solidify his spot as #1 Contender.
In an interesting note, Kenny Florian’s last three victories have come from submissions, all rear-naked-chokes. Gray Maynard has never been defeated, let alone submitted. He was able to neutralize Nate Diaz’s submission skills, but Kenny Florian’s BJJ is a whole different story. Their styles compliment each other, and it has potential to be fight of the night.
