1. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
Edgar -150
Finally, the waiting is over.
More than a year after they fought to a draw at UFC 125, Edgar and Maynard will fight for a third time, and hopefully break the logjam that has gummed up the lightweight division works like a kilo of Wisconsin sharp cheddar.
Here’s the thing with this one. Edgar has heart and endurance for miles. He is thelittle engine that could. He has impeccable footwork, almost peerless speed and the sharp hands to carve you up. He’s not the champion for nothing.
And now for the “but."
We all saw the way Maynard manhandled Edgar in the first round. We also saw how Edgar fought back. Nevertheless, that first stanza left no doubt (at least in my mind) of who the better fighter was when all other things were equal. And, of course, none of this is to mention the fact that Maynard defeated Edgar in their first engagement.
To put it another way, I don’t think the undefeated Maynard will let Edgar off the hook again. Maynard probably has a slight edge in grappling. And he has the size and strength advantage. And if you think that doesn’t matter much, ask Demetrious Johnson what he thinks about it.
That’s right. The alarms, they don’t stop coming. Once UFC 136 is all said and done, Dana White will have bestowed the gold on not one but two new recipients. Mark it down.
Prediction: Maynard by first-round TKO. Knockout of the Night, right here.