I really used to like Gray Maynard, but after the Nate Diaz fight — I lost a bit of respect for the guy. The reason why was that he didn’t want to fight BJ Penn, who was the UFC Lightweight Champion at the time. Then when Frankie Edgar beat BJ Penn, Maynard comes forward like he’s the #1 contender. All of a sudden he wants to fight for the title. Why the change of heart? Kind of weird, but Kenny Florian isn’t Frankie Edgar. Here are the reasons why Florian will be the bully, not Maynard: 

1. Florian has a superior stand up game

Florian has improved his boxing, seen in the Takenori Gomi fight. He imposed a nice jab to keep the distance and put some great combos together. Now, add that to some lethal leg kicks — you’ve got a handful and Maynard knows that. Maynard only has boxing and heavy hands. He’ll try to get inside and clinch / work against the cage, but that won’t happen when the jabs keep him at bay.

2. Maynard’s wrestling will be nullified 

Maynard will obviously want to get the fight to the ground. If he’s able to catch Florian and successfully get him to the ground, he’ll have a lot of work to do from there. Florian has a wicked ground game, especially off his back. His Brazilian Jui-Jitsu is impeccable, and Maynard will have to continue to defend reversals and submissions. He won’t be able to do much on the ground and he’ll get frustrated.

Read more