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Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and contender Gray Maynard pose for photos during the UFC 125 pre-fight press conference Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010, at MGM Grand.
Friday, Oct. 7, 2011 | 4 p.m.
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HOUSTON — Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard have gone through this formality enough.
Moments after both made weight at the Toyota Center for their UFC 136 main event bout, they got face-to-face and posed for their stare down photo. It seemed like the 100th time over the last three years, but in reality only the sixth or seventh.
It’s a combat sports ritual, but one most fighters only have to go through once or twice per opponent. Maynard (155) and Edgar (154.5), however, are inexorably linked at this point as they put the finishing touches on their trilogy of bouts.
Maynard beat Edgar by unanimous decision when they met at UFC Fight Night 14 three years. They fought to a draw at UFC 125 nine months ago. The final chapter comes Saturday in a lightweight championship bout.
“The time for preparation is done,” said Maynard as he cracked a smile. “Let’s have some fun.”
The crowd greeted the Las Vegas native with a warm reception. The majority of fans also cheered Edgar, but the champion surprisingly received some boos as well.
For his final comment before the fight, Edgar decided to make a play on Maynard’s “The Bully” nickname.
“I’m part of the anti-bully movement,” Edgar said. “Let’s put him to the curb.”
The other championship bout on the card, a featherweight tilt between Jose Aldo and Kenny Florian, featured a less intense stare down. Aldo (145) and Florian (145) haven’t grown weary of each other yet.
But Aldo did seem to take offense to Florian telling the crowd that he would leave town with the belt Saturday night.
“He’s an amazing athlete and well-prepared,” Aldo said through a translator. “But I’m going to be twice as good.”
Former middleweight top contender Chael Sonnen (185.5) received the loudest reaction from the fans as he made weight for his bout against Brian Stann (186). It was a mixture of cheers and boos, illustrating the polarizing nature of Sonnen’s personality.
No words were exchanged between lightweights Anthony Pettis (154.5) and Jeremy Stephens (155), but the two got inches away from each other and scowled.
Check below for full results from the UFC 136 weigh-in.
Lightweight Championship Bout: Frankie Edgar (154.5) vs. Gray Maynard (155)
Featherweight Championship Bout: Jose Aldo (145) vs. Kenny Florian (145)
Middleweight Bout: Chael Sonnen (185.5) vs. Brian Stann (186)
Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard (155.5) vs. Joe Lauzon (155.5)
Featherweight Bout: Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (145)
Middleweight Bout: Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185)
Lightweight Bout: Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
Heavyweight Bout: Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Featherweight Bout: Tiequan Zhang (146) vs. Darren Elkins (145)
Middleweight Bout: Aaron Simpson (186) vs. Eric Schafer (185.5)
Middleweight Bout: Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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