Bradley Gray Maynard (born May 9, 1979) is an American

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...

who competed in the

Featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, this ...

division of the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

(UFC). Between 2008 and 2011, he competed in a noted rivalry with former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. Maynard competed in college wrestling at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

, and made his UFC debut in 2007.

Background

Maynard's father, Jan, was a two-time Ohio high school state wrestling champion. He also has a sister named Misty. Maynard attended Bonanza High School and Durango High School (

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...

), and transferred to St. Edward High School, Lakewood, Ohio, for two years, where he wrestled for coach Greg Urbas, and excelled in its wrestling program. In 1997, he placed second in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state tournament in the 140 lb weight class for Division I. In 1998, he was the state champion at the 152 lb weight class. His high school record was an impressive 135–16, including being undefeated in his sophomore and senior years. His nickname of "Bully" came from his dog, Hank, a bull terrier he rescued. Maynard wrestled alongside former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at

. They were also roommates. He was

redshirted Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...

in his freshman year. In 2001, he placed eighth at the NCAA Division I Collegiate Wrestling Championship at 157 lb weight class. In 2002 and 2003, he placed seventh. The performance earned the MSU co-captain All-American honors for the third time in his collegiate career. Upon graduation, Maynard ranked 11th all-time in MSU history with 106 career wins and seventh with 26 falls. After not making the 2004 US Olympic wrestling team, Maynard considered retirement from the sport. He was then recruited to be a sparring partner for mixed martial arts fighter and former Lightweight UFC champion B.J. Penn. With his exposure to the new sport, Maynard sought to compete in it. With his wrestling connections, he eventually became a student and training partner of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture.

Mixed martial arts career

''The Ultimate Fighter''

Maynard was a contestant on ''

The Ultimate Fighter 5 ''The Ultimate Fighter 5'' was the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. As with the show's usual format, sixteen prospective mixed martial arts fighters were secluded in a ...

'', which featured Lightweights exclusively. He was selected by B.J. Penn to be on his team and was Penn's pick to make it to the finals. Maynard beat Wayne Weems in the preliminary round. In the quarterfinals, Maynard faced Brandon Melendez in a tough matchup and won the fight with a guillotine choke in the second round. He lost his semifinal matchup in the second round against Nate Diaz due to

guillotine choke The guillotine choke, also known as Mae Hadaka Jime (前裸絞, "front naked choke"; compare to a rear naked choke) in judo, is a chokehold in martial arts applied from in front of the opponent, often on the ground but can also be done while st ...

. As part of '' The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale'' preliminary Card on June 23, 2007, Maynard fought Rob Emerson in a controversial Lightweight fight. Maynard seemed to be in control of the fight in round one. During the second round he picked up Emerson and slammed him to the mat. Emerson immediately tapped out because of an injury to his ribs. The referee believed that Maynard also could not continue because he seemed to have hit his head on the mat and knocked himself out due to the force of his own slam. Since both fighters could not continue he ruled it a "No Contest". UFC President

Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 milli ...

commented, "I know one thing, that Maynard was out cold". Maynard did not agree, and cited the cage-side doctors, who, after testing Maynard, found he had suffered no

concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentratio ...

during the bout.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In his next fight he took on Joe Veres at ''

UFC Fight Night 11 ''UFC Fight Night: Thomas vs. Florian'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 11'') was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on Wednesday, September 19, 2007, at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada ...

'' and knocked him out with the first punch he threw, after nine seconds. It was the second fastest knockout in UFC history (at that time, see '' UFC 102''). Next Maynard won a unanimous decision victory over Dennis Siver at '' UFC Fight Night 12'' earning scores of (29–28, 30–27, and 29–28). At '' UFC Fight Night 13'', he faced lightweight standout Frankie Edgar in the first bout of their rivalry. Maynard won a 30–27 unanimous decision on all cards to hand Edgar his first loss. He used his superior wrestling to control the fight, winning a decision. Maynard also worked as an assistant wrestling coach for Forrest Griffin as part of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest. Maynard earned a unanimous decision over Rich Clementi at '' UFC 90''. In his fight, Maynard once again showed his superior wrestling as he controlled Clementi on the ground for 3 rounds. He did however appear notably disappointed during his post fight interview that he was unable to finish the fight. Maynard then fought at '' UFC 96'', against lightweight Jim Miller, winning by unanimous decision once again, with all three judges scoring the bout 30–27. Maynard kept the fight on the feet inversing his wrestling skills with excellent takedown defense and displayed solid standup skills, particularly looping bodyshot combos. Maynard won against

Roger Huerta Roger Huerta (born May 20, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting in the lightweight division. He initially gained exposure by competing in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator Fighting Ch ...

via split decision at ''

UFC Fight Night 19 ''UFC Fight Night: Diaz vs. Guillard'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 19'') was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on September 16, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Background A previously announced ...

''. During the fight, he had Huerta in a visibly deep kimura, though his opponent refused to submit. Maynard defeated TUF 5

lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight b ...

champion Nate Diaz via split decision at '' UFC Fight Night 20''. Maynard defeated Kenny Florian on August 28, 2010 at '' UFC 118'' via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, and 29–28). Maynard took Florian down at will and controlled him on the mat, thus becoming the #1 contender for the

UFC Lightweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

. In a ''Fight of the Night'' winning contest, Maynard and the champion Frankie Edgar fought to a split draw on January 1, 2011 at '' UFC 125'', resulting in Edgar retaining his belt. Early reports were that the former WEC champion

Anthony Pettis Anthony Paul Pettis (born January 27, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Professional Fighters League. Pettis formerly fought in the Welterweight, Lightweight, and Featherweight divisions of th ...

would receive the next title shot, but Dana White later announced that instead Edgar vs Maynard 3 would be the next lightweight title fight at ''

UFC 130 ''UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background This event was to be the third meeting between Frankie Edga ...

''. On May 9, it was announced that injuries to both forced the fight to be removed from the card. Many consider the second fight with Edgar as one of the greatest fights in UFC history. The third bout between Edgar and Maynard took place on October 8, 2011 as the main event of '' UFC 136''. Maynard was defeated by Edgar via KO at 3:54 of round 4, resulting in the first official loss of his career. After a first round similar to the first round in their bout at UFC 125, Edgar was able to close in on Maynard landing more shots and becoming the aggressor. He finished Maynard with a flurry of punches, starting with an uppercut that rocked Maynard. On November 21, 2011 Maynard's Head boxing coach Gil Martinez told The MMA Show, that Maynard would be leaving Xtreme Couture gym for American Kickboxing Academy. Maynard fought Clay Guida at UFC on FX 4. He won the bout via split decision. Maynard was expected to face Joe Lauzon on December 29, 2012 at UFC 155. However, Maynard pulled out of the bout citing a knee injury and was replaced by Jim Miller. Maynard next faced T. J. Grant at

UFC 160 ''UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held on May 25, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event was a rematch between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and An ...

on May 25, 2013.

announced at the UFC on Fox 7 post-fight press conference that he expects that the winner of the Maynard/Grant fight to get a UFC Lightweight title shot against

Benson Henderson Benson Henderson (born November 16, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who competes for Bellator MMA, currently competing in their Lightweight division. He is a former UFC Lightweight Champion and WEC Lightweight Champion. As of Novem ...

. Maynard lost the fight via TKO in the first round. A rubber match with Nate Diaz took place on November 30, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. Maynard lost via TKO in the first round. Maynard was expected to face Fabrício Camões on August 2, 2014 at UFC 176. However, after UFC 176 was cancelled, Maynard/Camões was rescheduled and expected to take place on August 16, 2014 at UFC Fight Night 47. In turn, Maynard stepped up as an injury replacement for

Abel Trujillo Abel Nazario Trujillo (born September 18, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Background Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Trujillo attended Ri ...

after he pulled out of a bout with

Ross Pearson Ross Pearson (born 26 September 1984) is a retired English mixed martial artist who last competed in 2019. A 26-fight veteran of the UFC, he was a three-time "Fight of the Night" winner and was the lightweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 9 ...

. He lost the fight against Pearson by TKO in the second round. After the loss to Pearson, signed a new, eight-fight contract and moved back to Las Vegas to train at Xtreme Couture. Maynard faced

Alexander Yakovlev Alexander Nikolayevich Yakovlev (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Я́ковлев; 2 December 1923 – 18 October 2005) was a Soviet and Russian politician, diplomat, and historian. A member of the Politburo and Secret ...

on April 4, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 63. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. Maynard faced Fernando Bruno in a featherweight bout on July 8, 2016 at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale. He won the bout via unanimous decision. Maynard faced Ryan Hall on December 3, 2016 at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Maynard faced Teruto Ishihara on July 7, 2017 at The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Maynard returned to lightweight against Nik Lentz on October 6, 2018 at UFC 229. He lost the fight via TKO in the second round after being dropped by a head kick and finished with punches. A year later, Maynard revealed that he had parted ways with the UFC after a tenure which lasted over a decade, covering almost his whole professional mixed martial arts career.

Personal life

Maynard and his longtime girlfriend are currently engaged. Maynard has a daughter, Estella (born 2013). Gray Maynard co-starred in the movie, ''Art of Submission'' with

Ving Rhames Irving Rameses Rhames (born May 12, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his supporting roles as IMF Agent Luther Stickell in the ''Mission: Impossible'' film series and gang kingpin Marsellus Wallace in '' Pulp Fiction''. He also ...

and

Ernie Reyes, Jr. Ernie Reyes Jr. (born January 15, 1972) is an American actor and martial artist, known for his acting work in films such as ''The Last Dragon'', ''Red Sonja'' (1985), as Donatello's stuntman in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', '' Teenage Mutant ...

Maynard appeared on the " Schumacher Family" episode of ''

Supernanny ''Supernanny'' is a British reality television programme about parents struggling with their children's behaviour, mealtime, potty training, etc. The show features professional nanny Jo Frost, who devotes each episode to helping a family wher ...

'' teaching the family's seven-year-old son about MMA at Randy Couture's gym. Maynard also was an Assistant Coach alongside Forrest Griffin and Tyson Griffin with head coach

Rich Franklin Richard Jay Franklin II (born October 5, 1974) is an American businessman and retired mixed martial artist. He is best known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and a former UFC Midd ...

on the last episode of the 11th season of ''The Ultimate Fighter''.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Lightweight Tournament Semifinalist ** Fight of the Night (Three times) ** Performance of the Night (One time) * World MMA Awards **2011 Fight of the Year vs. Frankie Edgar at UFC 125 *

Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...

**Fight of the Year (2011) vs. Frankie Edgar on January 1

Collegiate wrestling

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athlete, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic sports, ...

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges and ...

Division I 157 lb - 8th place out of

(2001) **

Division I 157 lb - 7th place out of

(2002) **

Division I 157 lb - 7th place out of

(2003) ** NCAA Division I All-American (2001, 2002, 2003)

Mixed martial arts record

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–3–1 (1) , Nate Diaz , TKO (punches) , The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate Finale , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:38 ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 10–1–1 (1) , Frankie Edgar , KO (punches) , UFC 136 , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 3:54 , Houston, Texas, United States , , - , Draw , align=center, (1) , Frankie Edgar , Draw (split) , UFC 125 , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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The Ultimate Fighter 5

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Amateur mixed martial arts record

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Pay-per-view bouts

References

External links

Official UFC Profile

Official Site of Gray Maynard

*
Gray Maynard profile at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maynard, Gray American male mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists from Nevada Mixed martial artists from Ohio Lightweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Living people 1979 births St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) alumni American male sport wrestlers Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Background

Mixed martial arts career

''The Ultimate Fighter''

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Personal life

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Collegiate wrestling

Mixed martial arts record

The Ultimate Fighter 5

Amateur mixed martial arts record

Pay-per-view bouts

See also

References

External links