Sherdog’s Top 10: Best Title Fights
C.J. TuttleJul 10, 2014
Frankie Edgar had all the answers at UFC 136. | Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
10. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
UFC 136 “Edgar vs. Maynard 3”
Oct. 8, 2011 | Houston
The UFC 136 main event was the final chapter in the Edgar-Maynard trilogy and provided a much-needed conclusion to a rivalry that saw a second match end in a draw.
Maynard, the superior wrestler, came out with guns blazing, as he landed an uppercut flush to Edgar’s chin. This was followed swiftly by a knee to the head of the incumbent champion. The first round went completely in the Maynard’s favor, culminating with two knockdowns for the challenger. However, much like Edgar’s nickname, “The Answer,” implies, he fought back. Over the next two rounds, the fight shifted from Edgar eating shots to a one-sided boxing match. Then in the fourth round, the New Jersey native kicked it into overdrive, and with 1:20 remaining, “The Bully” began to fade. Edgar went for the kill shot. A flurry of four right hands, followed by lefts for good measure, forced referee Josh Rosenthal to step in and stop the fight.
Edgar’s triumph brought a definitive conclusion to a memorable sequence of fights. He went on to suffer back-to-back losses to Benson Henderson, resulting in his decision to downshift to 145 pounds.
Number 9 » Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg