UFC 136: Frankie Edgar comes back from the brink – again – to demolish Gray Maynard

Frankie Edgar will eventually be a Hall of Fame mixed martial artist. In an incredible turnaround – mirroring his first title fight with Gray Maynard – Edgar looked to have been finished by vicious uppercuts in the opening round, yet miraculously he came back to dominate, then demolish Maynard by knocking him out in the fourth round. Edgar has everything. Movement, cardio, an incredible chin and the lion heart of a proven champion.

Dana White reckons Edgar is the best boxer in MMA. "It was better than Rocky. He is the Arturo Gatti of MMA. Frankie Edgar is No 2 in the pound for pound list," said White. "Anderson Silva is only better because he has not lost since 2006. He came back from being nearly knocked out, and stopped Gray Maynard. He's incredible."

"It's a real honour to be talked about in the same breath as these other guys. That's Dana's opinion, and it a personal thing," said Edgar. The little man from New Jersey held on to his UFC lightweight title after a horrific first round when he looked close to being knocked out. Edgar does not know the meaning of the word 'quit'. His incredible fitness – and chin – got him through the final two minutes of that torrid opening stanza, and after his head had cleared, he moved and boxed brilliantly. He must have been 10-8 down after the first round, but by the end of round three, he had popped Maynard's head and body off, and had drawn level in the contest. Maynard was mesmerised by his movement. Edgar then caught Maynard with three right hands to the head in the fourth, and the challenger crumpled like used clothes falling into a suitcase. Edgar pounced on him, and the fight was over. It was a staggering turnaround. Edgar deserves every plaudit which comes his way.

UFC 136: Brilliant Chael Sonnen rips Brian Stann apart on the ground

On a brilliant night of fights, arguably one of the best UFC events ever staged for dramatic showdowns, Chael Sonnen was just imperious, stamping himself back into contention for a middleweight title re-match with Anderson Silva, of Brazil. Sonnen submitted Brian Stann by arm triangle in the second round after a wrestling clinic. Sonnen came straight out, going for Stann, got the takedown, and eventually gained side control.

So funny,too. Sonnen had said of the War Hero: "He's an American hero he's gonna get a red, white and blue ass-whipping". Sonnen did exactly that, wrestling the life out of Stann, who was tested to the core on the ground. Sonnen was utterly dominant on the ground, and at one point in round two, with Sonnen in control, there was a terrible decision by the referee to stand them up. It might have cost Sonnen the fight, but he slammed Stann straight into side control. One of the great characters in MMA – Sonnen immediately called out Silva. "Anderson Silva, you suck." He challenged UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to a loser leaves town match on Super Bowl weekend. It is likely to be one of the biggest selling pay per view events in the history of MMA.

UFC 136 Telegraph Picks as Houston blasts off with Frankie Edgar Jose Aldo and Chael Sonnen

TELEGRAPH PICKS

EDGAR, ALDO, SONNEN, PHAN, LAUZON, MAIA, PETTIS

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: United States Anthony Pettis vs. United States Jeremy Stephens

Middleweight bout: Brazil Demian Maia vs. Brazil Jorge Santiago

Main card

Lightweight bout: United States Melvin Guillard vs. United States Joe Lauzon

Featherweight bout: United States Leonard Garcia vs. United States Nam Phan

Middleweight bout: United States Chael Sonnen vs. United States Brian Stann

Featherweight Championship bout: Brazil José Aldo (c) vs. United States Kenny Florian

Lightweight Championship bout: United States Frankie Edgar (c) vs. United States Gray Maynard

Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard meet in a rematch of their January title bout which was declared a split draw. Maynard dominated the first round before Edgar rebounded to get a draw. Should Edgar defeat Maynard, it will be his third straight lightweight title defence, equalling the feat of BJ Penn, who equals that in the UFC history of lightweight fights. Maynard remains the only fighter to have defeated Edgar (in a non title fight in 2008), and dominated the first round of their title fight before Edgar rebounded to earn the draw and retain his belt. The rematch was scheduled to take place in May, but both fighters pulled out with injuries. So, finally, they are set again, in Houston, Texas…

Gray Maynard, meanwhile, and indeed, Kenny Florian – fighting at featherweight, his fourth weight division – both seek to become the fourth and fifth Ultimate Fighter participants to win a UFC title. For Florian, it is his third, and probably last, shot at a UFC title as challenger. He has distinct reach and height advantages over Jose Aldo, the livewire champion from Brazil. Since The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale, Florian is 0-3 in title and number-one contender bouts, while 12-0 in all his other fights in the UFC. Is Ken-Flo just a tad short of championship material ? We will find out tonight, when he puts it all on the line. He must do against Aldo.

Aldo makes his second title defence, and fourth, if you include the time he held the belt during his reign in the WEC, before it merged after being bought out by Zuffa, owners of the WEC. Also has not been beaten in the last five years, has been on a run of 12 straight victories, nine of which have been by knockout.

Hugely significant on this card, too, is the return of Chael Sonnen – for the first time since dominating middleweight champion Anderson Silva for four rounds before losing with a minute to go by submission in August 2010. Sonnen was suspended twice for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, which he disputed. His opponent, the All-American war hero Brian Stann, looks to improve to 4-0 since dropping to middleweight. The winner is expected to earn a middleweight title shot against Silva.

UFC 136: Frankie Edgar – Gray Maynard threw the kitchen sink at me and could not put me away – he fears that

Frankie Edgar spoke to Telegraph Sport ahead of his defence of the UFC lightweight title against Gray Maynard in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night, the headline event at UFC 136.

Frankie, how does it feel facing Gray Maynard for a third time and twice in a title fight?

It’s quite strange. We’ve been in there so many rounds with each other we now know each other’s moves pretty well. But I still have to prepare in the same environment but a different camp, a different style and, strangely, they know a bit more about you and you know more about them. It equals things out but the bottom line is that a training camp is still the same thing and you push yourself to the limit.

Maynard almost had you knocked out in the first round in the last fight, have you watched the fight back?

Yes, I wasn’t aware in that first round. I was in survival mode…I don’t remember much of it but I was proud of the way I was able to bounce back. You don’t want to have too many of those rounds in your career. I looked at the tape and I studied what I did wrong in that first round and what he did well and I will try to negate it this time.

What did the corner do between rounds to get you back and focused?

There was no voodoo (laughs). They made sure they caught my eye and made sure I was listening to them and then calmed me down to get me through it.

In those moments, as in the first round, pretty much you don’t remember very much at all and you don’t really remember much of it afterwards.

Will this mean a change of strategy this time, a game of chess between you and Maynard?

Yes, I definitely think it will be more strategic given that we have been there so often against each other but the baseline for me is that I’ve got to sort all my skills. The best things I can do in a fight. I don’t know what plan he’s going to come in with. So the best way for me to prepare is to have the me in every facet of the game. If I can do that, I’ve prepared properly.

The second time you defeated BJ Penn defending the lightweight title, you were more dominant over him. What do you put that down to?

More than strategy it was my confidence going into that fight. The first time against BJ – you are in there against this great champion who has this presence. There is an aura there. Once I knew I could beat him, the second time I faced him I felt that I had a presence. That last fight with Gray, to get through it and show my toughness has only helped my confidence that much more.

Aren’t you talking about the heart and mentality of a champion?

Absolutely. Sometimes champions just wipe through everybody but don’t get to show it [their toughness and resilience]. I got to show it. In that way I was very fortunate.

If you beat Gray Maynard this time would you consider doing what Randy Couture and BJ have done and go for holding two belts in different weight divisions? Does that interest you?

It’s intriguing to me. As a competitor who doesn’t want to test themselves in every which way possible. To go up to 170lbs might be a bit tough. I’m already a small 155lbs fighter so 145 is definitely an option for me. I’d like to play it out against all the best 155 fighters first and see how that goes but you know if the UFC approached me, I’d be into it [against Jose Aldo].

Can you make the weight easily at 145?

I wrestled at 141 in college five or six years ago and I’m not bigger than I was then so I don’t think it would be a problem for me.

A fight between yourself and Aldo [or Kenny Florian] is one the fans would be fascinated by especially as you and Aldo are highly ranked in the pound-for-pound list. What do you think?

Look, obviously I cannot look past Gray Maynard because if you take your eyes off your next opponent you can lose the belt that quickly.

Why is Gray Maynard talking a bigger fight this time?



He was this close [puts thumb and forefinger an inch apart] to being a champion the last time we fought so he really needs to talk himself into it this time. He didn’t get there – I didn’t let him. I was about as close as I could be to being put away. He threw everything and the kitchen sink at me, and he didn’t put me away. I don’t know if that scares him or what, but that’s why he is pumping himself up.

Has life changed a lot for you since becoming the lightweight champion? Are you still working with your father in his plumbing firm?

You know – I don’t anymore. I’m so busy with my MMA career, and I don’t plan to go back up on the roofs or under sinks plumbing. I plan to do something in the fight world for the rest of my working life. My life hasn’t really changed a lot in the last 18 months, I hang out with the same kids I hung out with at high school and when I’m not fighting or in training camp I’m at home where I have two young sons.

Finally, Frankie, would you be pushing to be on the card when MMA is finally sanctioned in New York for an event at Madison Square Garden?

Of course that would be massive for me. I grew up in New Jersey and I’ve been going to the city all my life. I train in the city two to three times a week and New York City is like a second home to me. Madison Square Garden is known as one of the world’s most famous arenas for fights and has all that mystique going right back to the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fighting there. It would be an amazing experience to be involved in such an event.