tumblr analytics

UFC 118 In the News


kenny florian beard 300x261 UFC 118 In the News

  • UFC 118 Results & Live Play-by-Play - Sherdog.com will report from the TD Garden in Boston, Mass., at 7:30 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 118, which is headlined by the anticipated Frankie Edgar-B.J. Penn rematch and Randy Couture vs. James Toney.
  • Pros Pick: Couture vs. Toney - The Ultimate Fighting Championship turns back its clock to its primitive years with a traditional martial artist-versus-boxer showdown, as Randy Couture meets James Toney at UFC 118 “Edgar vs. Penn 2” on Saturday at the TD Garden in Boston.
  • Video: UFC 118 Weigh-ins - Frankie Edgar and B.J. Penn made weight on Friday at the UFC 118 weigh-ins.
  • UFC 118 results, updates and live play-by-play TONIGHT (Aug. 28) for 'Edgar vs Penn 2' -

    Ufc118res-2_medium

    Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 118: "Edgar vs. Penn 2."

    Quick results of the preliminary fights will begin to flow around 8 p.m. tonight (Aug., 28, 2010) and round-by-round coverage of the main card pay-per-view (PPV) action is set to start at 10 p.m. ET! Our coverage of the Spike TV "Prelims" special will begin at 9 p.m. ET.

    If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 118 results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off.

    Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

  • UFC 118 post-fight press conference video airs LIVE on MMAmania.com following 'Edgar vs Penn 2' -

    56558706 2  medium UFC 118 In the News

    UFC 118: "Edgar vs. Penn 2" from the TD Garden in Boston, Mass., is set to go off tonight (Sat., Aug. 28) live on pay-per-view (PPV) beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

    Immediately following the event, promotion president Dana White and a handful of participating fighters will be on hand for the UFC 118 post-fight press conference, which is now embedded below (after the jump) for an approximate 1:30 a.m. ET start time.

    A replay will also be available below for those who turn in early or miss the live broadcast altogether.

    Be sure to tune in for post-fight reactions from all the major players as well as up-to-the-minute results of all the post-fight bonuses including "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night."

    Check it out below.

    Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com

    For UFC 118 live results and play-by-play click here.

  • Couture, Toney Official for UFC 118 - Randy Couture and James Toney, arms at their sides, stared coldly at one another in front of a few thousand fans. They did not shake hands » Recap & Video

    UFC 118 Previews: Main Card | Prelims | Primer | Fight Week With Couture & Edgar | Breen Chat | Roundtable
  • UFC 118 weigh in photos gallery for 'Edgar vs Penn 2 ' -

    Ufc118weighin_james_toney_medium

    Props: Heavy.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)

    To check out the official UFC 118: "Edgar vs Penn 2" weigh in results click here.

  • Economy bites into UFC's summer business (Yahoo! Sports) - Dana White is a bit surprised that UFC 118 wasn't an automatic sellout.
  • UFC 118 Weigh-In Results - UFC 118 “Edgar vs Penn 2″ weigh-ins took place on Aug. 27th at the TD Garden Arena in Boston. All fighter made weight. MAIN CARD Frankie Edgar (154) vs. B.J. Penn (154) Randy Couture (220) vs. James Toney (237) Kenny Florian (156) vs. Gray Maynard (156) Marcus Davis (170) vs. Nate Diaz (171) Demian Maia [...]
  • UFC 118 Preview: The Prelims - Cowbells and prelim breakdowns are two things the world could always use more of. It is with that absolute truth in mind that I’m lacing up a custom-made preview for the prelim lineup of UFC 118 “Edgar vs. Penn 2.”
  • Homecoming King: MMAmania.com UFC 118 interview exclusive with Kenny Florian -

    Kenny-florian_medium

    Home field advantage doesn't quite yield the same benefits in mixed martial arts as it does in say, football.

    But it certainly doesn't hurt.

    When perennial top UFC lightweight contender Kenny Florian graces the Octagon on Saturday night in front of his hometown fans, a distinct feeling of comfort and confidence will come over him. Will pressure come with it? Maybe. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

    With another shot at 155-pound gold on the line at UFC 118 against Gray Maynard, Florian is well aware that he can't take receiving title shots for granted. Should he win, Kenny will most likely fight for the UFC lightweight championship for a third time. He can't let this opportunity pass him by. 

    And he doesn't plan to.

    MMAmania.com talked to Kenny a couple months ago where we discussed his fight with Gray Maynard and UFC 118 as a whole more in-depth. You can read that interview here.

    This time, KenFlo talked to MMAmania.com about the benefits of fighting in his hometown, what it's like working with Firas Zahabi and Georges St. Pierre, the evolution of MMA training and more.

    Have a read:

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): When we talked a couple months ago you said you thought the fact that you are fighting in your hometown of Boston would be a benefit. Is that still the case with just a week before the fight? How are the ticket requests coming?

    Kenny Florian: It's really not that bad, you know. Thankfully with each fight I get more experience and dealing with everything outside of the actual fight becomes more and more easier. It's great too because I'll be near home where I can eat what I'm used to, I'm comfortable with all my surroundings and I get to stay at my own home. It's a lot better than being cooped-up in some hotel room. For the purpose of cutting weight and things like that, it's certainly a benefit. And obviously I'm very comfortable with this city.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): UFC UK boss Marshall Zelaznik recently told ESPN that if BJ wins decisively against Frankie and you beat Gray, he thinks BJ would probably move up to welterweight because of how your first fight went. Does that comment bother you at all?

    Kenny Florian: I don't know if that's true or not. I'm not sure how close Marshall is to BJ and how privy he is to his career decisions. It's irrelevant to me though. I'm here to fight the best. If BJ is around, than that's great. But a lot of things need to happen for that scenario to even play out. He needs to beat Frankie Edgar, I need to beat Gray Maynard. I don't really like talking about hypotheticals.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Were you surprised by the Takanori Gomi vs. Tyson Griffin fight and how it played out? Do you think Gomi was better than when he fought you or is your stand up just that much better than Griffin's?

    Kenny Florian: I don't think I'm that much better than Griffin or Gomi. I just think style wise Griffin didn't match up with Gomi that well. Griffin is a guy who likes to get in your face and be toe-to-toe and he's doesn't use as much movement. Both guys like to stand in front of each other. Against Gomi, I had the advantage of being the bigger guy with a longer reach. I was able to establish my jab and Gomi just couldn't get a rhythm, he had to be very careful with the takedowns too. I was able to thwart his offensive game as well. I think that was the difference. Styles make fights and it just happened to be my night. Griffin just picked the wrong type of approach against a guy like Gomi.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): I want to ask you again about training with Firas Zahabi and the Tri-Star team with Georges St. Pierre. Training with that camp I would think has improved your wrestling tremendously. Is that the one thing you would say that has evolved in your game the most since the switch?

    Kenny Florian: I would actually say more than anything else Firas really changed my whole striking style. He was very much in accordance with Peter Welch in the fact hat I needed to be doing more boxing. He broke me down physically to what I need to do to not beat most of the guys, but all of the guys in the lightweight division. We spoke about it after the BJ fight. This guy is just on a completely different level than anyone I've ever worked with when it comes to striking. That's why I made the decision to work with him. But my wrestling has improved 100% too because of the wrestling partners I have. Obviously training with Georges St. Pierre and having access to the Montreal Wrestling Club with the world-class guys they have there is huge. Just being able to drill with them has completely overhauled my wrestling game. The move has really changed my game, there's no doubt about it.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): In a recent issue of Fight Magazine you talked about how MMA is a century behind boxing in terms of training. Elaborate on that for me if you would. Do you think guys like Firas Zahabi are the future?

    Kenny Florian: Yeah, I definitely think so. There are some things that boxers do really well. My comment on that really had to do more with the technical aspect of boxing. It's very standardized. The technique has been refined and streamlined. A lot of people in mixed martial arts have different approaches, which is good. But I'd say 80% of them are wrong. I think that's where we are still new compared to boxing. But when it comes to training, I think boxing is very old school. They do a lot of silly things like running and rope work. Those are things that have been done for years and have been done by all the champions before today's current crop. There are very few guys who do high-level training. Many Pacqiuao I would say is one of them. Doing real functional conditioning, you know? Stuff that will actually help them in a fight.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Does watching what happened at UFC 117 between a striker like Anderson Silva and a wrestler like Chael Sonnen, though they are extremes in their skill set, affect your approach to fighting a dominant wrestler like Gray Maynard?

    Kenny Florian: Yeah, for sure. Chael is a phenomenal wrestler, as is Gray. Anderson certainly doesn't have the experience in wrestling like Chael, as I don't compared with Gray. But I think I have a lot of rest training partners that have helped me improve in that. I've been working on my wrestling and drilling very hard now for a couple years. I know I have the best sparring partner in the world to prepare for Gray, Georges St. Pierre. There's no way Gray is gong to be stronger than GSP. There's no way he's gonna be a better wrestler than Georges. He's not gonna be faster. He's not gonna be bigger. Those are all things I know I'm prepared for. Training with Georges has given me a lot of confidence going into this fight. Hopefully I can show my wrestling has improved tremendously. I'm honestly going out there with the expectation to out-wrestle Gray. I don't know if that's gonna happen, but my goal is to out-wrestle him.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Talk about training with GSP a bit. What's it like working with someone who just seems to be in a different stratosphere when it comes to preparing for a fight. How far along in his career do you think he is? Still room for improvement?

    Kenny Florian: There's definitely still room for improvement with Georges. He's still getting better. As good as his wrestling is now, it's getting better. His jiu-jitsu is getting better. His striking is getting better. He's always working on developing new things. They work on new things for ach fight. He definitely hasn't reached his peak yet, which is scary. The kid works so hard. He's one of the hardest working fighters in the game, if not the hardest working. Training with Georges is inspiring. It brings out the best in me. Even if I'm not going with him but I know he's on the mat, I feel like I have to step it up. It's a weird energy when he's in there. We push each other a lot. He's helped me tremendously. Both physically and mentally.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Alright, with out giving too much away, how do you see the fight playing out? Do you think he'll stand and trade with you or shoot for the takedown the first time he has a chance? How does this one end?

    Kenny Florian: I'm not sure really. It depends on what he wants to do. I think Gray knows this is a huge fight for him. The title shot is maybe closer to him than me. That's probably what he's feeling. I think he'll do whatever he can to get the win. He'll try to stand with me in the beginning, keep it close on the feet, and make sure its not a bow out, then look for takedown late in the round to steal the round. I think that's the approach he'll take. Gray's not he most exciting fighter, that's not a knock on him. He's undefeated. But I think we'll see a boring game plan from him. That's what he needs to do if he wants to get the win. Be boring and play his typical game that's made him successful.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Thanks again for your time Kenny. Any sponsors or websites you'd like to plug?

    Kenny Florian: Thanks man. I want to thank TapouT. Check out kennyflorian.com. Fans can check me out on Twitter @Kenny_Florian. And of course thanks to Florian Martial Arts Center, Firas Zahabi, Peter Welch, Jonathan Chaimberg and the Montreal Wrestling Club.

  • UFC 118 predictions, preview and analysis -

    Ufc118poster_medium

    The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first ever event in the state of Massachusetts is set for this Saturday night (August 28) at the TD Garden in Boston. UFC 118: "Edgar vs. Penn 2" will air live on pay-per-view beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

    Newly crowned 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar will defend his title for the first time in the featured fight of the night against BJ Penn, the man he claimed the belt from less than five months ago at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi.

    Heavyweight boxing champion James "Lights Out" Toney will make his mixed martial arts debut in the co-headliner opposite UFC Hall of Famer Randy "The Natural" Couture. Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard will also battle it out in a lightweight number one contender eliminator bout.

    As usual, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of event beginning with the pay-per-view telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night.

    To help get you better prepared for the festivities I've provided some analysis and predictions for the main card below.

    Check it out:

    Frankie "The Answer" Edgar vs. BJ "The Prodigy" Penn

    Despite the loss at UFC 112, I still believe BJ Penn is the top 155-pound mixed martial artist in the world, and when he's motivated and focused, he's very close to unbeatable. I didn't see that from him in Abu Dhabi. I didn't see a motivated and hungry champion. I believe he overlooked Frankie, and it cost him a close decision.

    With his motivation and focus back, I think Edgar is in trouble. BJ's attitude coming into this fight reminds me of when he fought Jens Pulver the second time. The title, redemption, his legacy: none of those things seem to matter all that much to him right now. He seems focused on one thing, Frankie Edgar.

    BJ has to find an answer for Frankie's stick and move routine. He's going to have to find ways to cut the cage off. He's going to have to be much more crisp with his counter striking, and he's going to have to counter with some two and three punch combos instead of just trying to land one big punch at the end of an exchange.

    Edgar's speed, footwork and boxing skills make those things very difficult to accomplish, but BJ definitely has the tools and the talent to win this fight in a stand up battle. However, if he's having similar troubles getting off with his punches in this fight like he did at UFC 112, then he's going to have to humble up and find ways to involve his jiu-jitsu.

    The good news for him is, if he can get the fight to the ground, he is far and away the better fighter in that area. Edgar has solid wrestling, but on the mat BJ doesn't have many equals in the 155-pound division. His flexibility and grappling skills make him one of the top ground technicians in the sport.

    I think that's where BJ separates himself in this match up, and I think that's where he has the best chance to win this fight. However, I still think he's absolutely capable of winning a stand and trade battle with Edgar, and if he's having success in the exchanges, he might not have a reason to take the fight to the ground.

    The important thing for BJ is to recognize that he has the skills and the size to dictate where this fight goes. He can't just stand back and allow Frankie to do whatever he wants like he did at UFC 112. BJ has to push the pace more, get up in Frankie's face and bully him a little bit like Gray Maynard did. He's capable of taking away Frankie's speed with that type of attack. If he has to use a lot of clinching and grappling, then that's what he should do.

    The point is, BJ has the tools to win this fight in any area. I see no reason to believe that a hungry and motivated BJ Penn won't leave that Octagon with the belt back around his waist on Saturday night.

    Final prediction: BJ Penn via decision

    Randy "The Natural" Couture vs. James "Lights Out" Toney

    This fight doesn't need much analysis. Most MMA fans are confident that we have the right guy representing our sport in the first big time clash of MMA vs. boxing, and the outcome seems like a foregone conclusion. Couture is going to represent the sport the same way he always has, like a respected champion.

    The main theme here is going to be: Can Toney stay on his feet long enough to score a knockout? And my answer to that question is an easy one.

    No.

    Randy Couture is a hall of fame mixed martial artist who has made a living out of out-wrestling fellow world class mixed martial artists. He's been training wrestling and MMA at a world class level for most of his life. He could come into this fight drunk, blind and injured and he'd still be able to take Toney down. It's second nature to him.

    James Toney is going to get taken off his feet, and then he's going to get submitted. The end.

    Final prediction: Randy Couture via submission

    Kenny "Ken-Flo" Florian vs. Gray "The Bully" Maynard

    Kenny Florian is going to surprise Gray Maynard with his ability to defend his takedowns and deal with his strength. Training with GSP on a regular basis will certainly help you improve in those areas, and it's going to show in this fight.

    I don't think you can completely eliminate takedowns from the equation with Gray Maynard, but Florian specializes in taking away his opponents biggest strength. He'll be well prepared to keep Gray at a distance in this fight.

    Take those two things away from him and Maynard is forced to trade strikes with Florian. While Gray's hand speed and boxing have become very dangerous weapons for him, I don't like his chances at all in a kickboxing match with Kenny.

    I don't know how aggressive Kenny will be with his kicks, but he's going to have to use them at some point if he's going to win the striking battle. The key will be to stick and move when he uses his kicks so Maynard can't catch one and use it against him.

    I see this fight going the entire fifteen minutes, and I think Florian's takedown defense and striking from the outside will be enough to claim the decision and another shot at BJ Penn.

    Final prediction: Kenny Florian via decision

    Demian Maia vs. Mario Miranda

    Maia made his name in the UFC by submitting his first five opponents, including top contender Chael Sonnen at UFC 95. But in three starts since then, albeit to some stiff competition, he hasn't been anywhere near as successful finishing fights with his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu attack.

    However, this is going to be the fight where he gets back to doing what he does best.

    Miranda has shown that he has the talent to belong in the UFC. He has good length and excellent athleticism. His striking is solid and he's a Brazilian, so jiu-jitsu is in his blood. He's a well rounded, dangerous fighter. But he's out-classed on the ground in this fight.

    Maia has improved his striking since joining the UFC, but he's not going to trade blows with Miranda. This is a fight that he's going to want to get in and get out. He wants to work his way back up the ladder, and finishing fights quickly is the best way to do that. Plus, he's just giving up too much length and speed to his fellow countryman on the feet.

    Look for Maia to get this fight the ground A.S.A.P. and work for submissions from there.

    Final prediction: Demian Maia via submission

    Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis

    Marcus Davis says he has better boxing than Nate Diaz, and I believe him. But, I can't help but think back to the way Mike Swick was able to use his reach advantage to out-strike and out-grapple him back at UFC 85, not to mention the Ben Saunders beatdown at UFC 106. And I can't help but think that Diaz can potentially have similar success on his feet and on the ground in this fight.

    Diaz's boxing has steadily improved since graduating from TUF, and like his brother, he uses his length well. Against a shorter guy like Davis, that is a big weapon to have in your arsenal. Diaz should use more kicks in this fight as well to keep Davis at a strikeable distance. I can definitely see Davis having some trouble getting inside on him without getting beat to the punch or tied up.

    When they do get tied up in clinch situations, Davis' strength should provide him an advantage, and he should be able to take Nate down from there if he wants to. But it's not like he has the ability to take him down and grind out a decision. If Davis does get Diaz to his back he's liable to get submitted if he stays there for too long.

    However, I think he's over confident in his strength advantage with Diaz coming up from 155, and I think he may have a false sense of security on the ground because of that, especially from the top position. If Diaz starts bothering him on his feet with his reach and Davis elects to go for takedowns, I think it's a definite possibility that Diaz pulls off some type of submission.

    If not, I like Diaz by decision. Length has always been a problem for Davis.

    Final prediction: Nate Diaz via decision

    That's a wrap. Sound off with your predictions in the comments section below.

  • BJ Penn: 'I'm pretty damn motivated right now' -

    Penn-edgar_medium 

    Props: Heavy.com

    Quoteworthy:

    "A motivated BJ Penn is somebody not to mess with, and you know what? I'm pretty motivated, I'm pretty damn motivated right now... Everybody wants to talk about how hard they train going into their fight, and I just want to tell you how hard I rested going into this fight."

    Heading into UFC 118 one of the big questions, as with any other BJ Penn fight, is how motivated will BJ Penn be? There was talk after the first Edgar fight of just how little respect BJ gave his opponent and how he may have taken Frankie Edgar too lightly. Penn talked not about how hard he trained, but instead how hard he rested. Is BJ Penn really taking this fight as seriously as he should be, or will the joke be on BJ on Saturday night?

  • UFC 118 weigh in results for 'Edgar vs Penn 2' -

    2vm97q9 medium medium UFC 118 In the News

    Despite whispers that BJ Penn was struggling to make the weight cut, no one pulled a "Thiago Alves" and failed to hit their number. Not all the fighters looked great though, as even Kenny Florian admitted on Twitter: "Looking like Skeletor but I feel like "Master of the Universe". But all fighters are on weight and ready to rumble tomorrow night in Boston.

    UFC 118 will feature a rematch for the lightweight title between B.J. Penn and division champion Frankie Edgar in the main event of the evening. Former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture will introduce professional boxing champion James Toney to the Octagon in the co-featured fight of the night.

    Check out the complete UFC 118 weigh in results and a video replay after the jump:

    Main event:

    155 lbs.: Frankie Edgar (154) vs. BJ Penn (154)

    Main card (Televised on PPV):

    265 lbs.: Randy Couture (220) vs. James Toney (237)
    155 lbs.: Kenny Florian (156) vs. Gray Maynard (156)
    185 lbs.: Demian Maia (184) vs. Mario Miranda (185)
    170 lbs.: Marcus Davis (170) vs. Nate Diaz (171)

    UFC Prelims (Spike TV broadcast):

    155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (156) vs. Gabe Ruediger (155)
    155 lbs.: Nik Lentz (155) vs. Andre Winner (154)

    Under card (May not be broadcast):

    185 lbs.: Dan Miller (185) vs. John Salter (185)
    170 lbs.: Nick Osipczak (171) vs. Greg Soto (170)
    170 lbs.: Amilcar Alves (171) vs. Mike Pierce (171)

    Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 118 beginning with the PPV telecast at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 28. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night.

    It’s going to be a fun night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 118 coverage you can handle.

    Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com.

  • Bully Beatdown: MMAmania.com UFC 118 interview exclusive with Gray Maynard -

    Graymaynardinterview_medium

    Gray Maynard doesn't like to talk a lot. He doesn't really joke around too much. He isn't in the fight game to put on a "show."

    Gray Maynard likes to brawl. And brawling he does well.

    With an undefeated record of 9-0, no one has been able to solve the riddle that is "The Bully." With a powerful and dominant wrestling game, size that makes you think he's a 170-pounder, and a team surrounding him that is second to none, Gray Maynard has all the makings of a future champion.

    At UFC 118 this Saturday night, August 28, in Boston, Massachusetts, he'll have the opportunity to move himself one step closer to becoming just that. Standing in his way is perennial top contender Kenny Florian. A man that knows all to well what it means to fight for a title. Should Gray get by KenFlo, a shot at 155-pound gold is his.

    But before he steps inside the Octagon opposite Florian, Maynard was kind enough to talk with MMAmania.com about finally getting to fight for a title shot, the Randy Couture vs. James Toney bout, his game plan coming into his own match and more.

    Check it out:

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Thanks for your time Gray. I have to first ask you about UFC 117. Seeing as how wrestling served Chael Sonnen so well, does that make a strong wrestler like yourself rethink your strategy for a fight regarding how much you try to stand and trade vs. how much you stick to what you do best?

    Gray Maynard: I actually didn't see the fight, but I heard about it of course. Chael used his wrestling great in that fight. But I'm confident wherever the fight goes. We have a game plan and that's the plan I'm gonna keep. Either way, stand up or on the ground, I'm happy.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Does fan criticism like what Jon Fitch has been receiving for his style of fighting have an effect on how guys like you with a wrestling base choose to perform?

    Gray Maynard: No, not really. Just because you have people who complain about whatever, it doesn't matter. You have people who all they do is talk s---, talk s---, talk s---. But this is a sport. This is people's jobs. You have to do what you have to do to be successful with whatever tools you have.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): How do you see the rematch between Frankie Edgar and B.J Penn shaking out? You're familiar with both guys having beaten Edgar and trained with Penn.

    Gray Maynard: I think Penn will come out and make a couple changes to pull off the win. It won't be easy, but I think he'll take it.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Regarding getting a title shot, were you at all bothered with Frankie getting the shot instead of you back at UFC 112 and now Penn receiving an immediate rematch over you?

    Gray Maynard: Not really. It is what it is. I love my job. I have Florian coming up which will hopefully give me my shot. I'm happy. I'm ready to get it on. I'll get that belt.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): I think I know the answer to this, but is there a guy you'd rather face?

    Gray Maynard: Whoever has the gold around his waist. Either one is fine with me. I don't care who I fight, just as long they have the title.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Figured that. I want to ask you about Randy Couture. You're obviously pretty close with him training at his gym. Talk about that fight. Is there anyway James Toney makes it out of the first round?

    Gray Maynard: Obviously, it'll be tough. But, he's got a puncher's chance. I'll give it to James Toney. That dude can crack. He has fought for a long, long time. He's good and he's accurate. He definitely has a puncher's chance. Other than that though, no, he doesn't have a chance. Randy is gonna have to stand with him a little bit, but the plan is obviously to take him down. There's gonna be some punches thrown, and that's where it's gonna be dangerous. I guarantee Randy is not gonna pull a Floyd Mayweather and try to stick and move with him. He's got a plan and he'll employ it perfectly.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Your last fight against Nate Diaz back in January at UFC Fight Night 20 was contested almost entirely in the feet. Is it safe to say we're going to see some of your patented physical wrestling this time out?

    Gray Maynard: Yeah, for sure. Nate has jiu-jitsu that's a little different than Florian. He's tricky and long. It was more of a judgment call for me. Why take that chance with Nate on the ground? Florian has a good top game, but he's not gonna be on top, so I'm not really concerned with it. I'm not worried about the ground game with him.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Aside from your wrestling and Kenny's striking, talk about the advantages coming into this fight for you and for Kenny.

    Gray Maynard: Florian is good. He's got a good all-around game. He poses a problem because he's a lefty. For guys like Clay Guida and Takanori Gomi, they just didn't know how to deal that. But I've fought four southpaws in a row now. Rich Clementi, Jim Miller, Roger Huerta, Nate Diaz, and now Florian. Kenny will be my fifth. It's getting easier for me. They're always a pain in the ass because you have to change up everything. If you don't have a coach who knows how to deal with it, you're gonna get caught because they are a chance of pace. But it is getting easier. I think this is the perfect time for this fight. 

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Do you see the fact that the fight is taking place in his hometown of Boston as a benefit to you or to him?

    Gray Maynard: It's a benefit for him if the crowd can get into the cage and jump me. That's about it. The crowd doesn't matter to me and I hope it doesn't matter to him. I don't pay attention to the crowd. If he does, then obviously he's got other problems to deal with.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): OK, how do you envision the fight playing out? How about a friendly prediction.

    Gray Maynard: It plays out differently in my head everyday. I go through knockouts, submissions, all kinds of stuff. You never now how it'll go until fight night. And I like that. You can't have one ending set your mind. We're gonna get in there and scrap and whatever happens is fine by me.

    James Kimball (MMAmania.com): Thanks again for your time Gray. Do you have any sponsors or a website you'd like to plug?

    Gray Maynard: Sure, thank you. My website is graymaynard.com. I'd like to thank my sponsors Everlast, MMA Elite, Kid Dangerous, XCap, and of course all the guys at Extreme Couture. Fans can follow me on Twitter @GrayMaynard

  • gray maynard 200x300 UFC 118 In the NewsSimilar Posts:

    Tell 'Em: email link UFC 118 In the News Digg StumbleUpon Facebook Google Bookmarks Yahoo! Buzz Fark MySpace Reddit Twitter

    Post a Comment

    Your email is never shared. Required fields are marked *

    *
    *