In a rematch from their semi-final bout on Season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter, Gray “The Bully” Maynard will look to avenge his loss when he meets the ever-confident Nate Diaz in the main event at UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11, 2010 in Fairfax, Virginia.
Diaz submitted Maynard with a guillotine choke in their first meeting, but the loss did not count against Maynard’s record because it took place as part of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. Diaz will look to hand Maynard his first professional loss by defeating him once again.
Maynard (8-0-0, 1 NC) has yet to lose inside the UFC, but has been criticised for his inability to finish fights in recent outings. Though he has been competing against elite-level opposition, Maynard’s last five fights have all gone to the judges.
He holds successive victories over top contender Frankie “The Answer” Edgar, tough veteran Rich “No Love” Clementi, submission standout Jim Miller and the ever-exciting Roger “El Matador” Huerta; the latter of whom Maynard defeated by Split Decision at UFC Fight Night 19 in September.
Maynard appears to be just one win away from a title shot, but his fate hinges on a victory over Diaz, who has won five of his eight UFC fights by submission.
Diaz (11-4-0) seemed to be on the fast-track to a title shot himself until his plans were derailed by Clay “The Carpenter” Guida, who edged Diaz by Split Decision at UFC 94. A second loss, against former title challenger Joe “Daddy” Stevenson at the TUF 9 finale, dropped Diaz from a top contender to a fighter who desperately needed a victory.
After a shaky first round, Diaz got his much-needed win when he submitted rival “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard in the main event at UFC Fight Night 19. The win was a step in the right direction for Diaz, but he will need to dispatch of Maynard if he wants any shot at competing for a title in the near future.
While Maynard’s wrestling has allowed him to take down and smother most of his recent opponents, Diaz works best when fighting off of his back and his previous submission of Maynard was proof positive of that.
Maynard may look to keep the fight standing, but Diaz’s unorthodox style has posed problems for many of his past foes and may frustrate the more technical Maynard.
Should Maynard defeat Diaz, he is all but assured of receiving a title shot, but a loss would be detrimental to his rapid rise up the ranks. Diaz is less likely to get a crack at the title right away, but defeating Maynard would send a message to the rest of the division.
UFC Fight Night 20 takes place on January 11, 2010 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia.