Las Vegan Maynard finally gets title shot

After Gray Maynard defeated Nate Diaz in January to improve to 9-0 as a professional and 7-0 in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, many believed that Maynard had positioned himself for a shot at then-champion BJ Penn’s lightweight title.

The organization instead passed over Maynard to give the title shot to Frankie Edgar, whom Maynard defeated in 2008.

The Las Vegan would probably have been in line to fight Penn next, but Edgar took the belt away in April and a rematch was ordered, further delaying Maynard’s opportunity.

In the meantime, Maynard was given another dangerous contender and promised his chance at the belt with one more win. All he would have to do is beat two-time title challenger Kenny Florian in his hometown of Boston.

Maynard defeated Florian by unanimous decision Saturday and erased any doubts about who would next challenge for the lightweight belt.

“I think I’ve really earned it now, and I like that. Nobody can argue. I’ve gone through all the top guys in the weight class,” Maynard said by phone Monday. “It was a spot where the odds were stacked for him. The betting odds, the crowd, the home court, whatever it was. I’m really proud of that.”

Maynard, who emerged from the bout injury-free, will fight Edgar after the champion successfully defended the title with another unanimous decision over Penn in the main event Saturday night, though he has not been told when or where the bout will take place.

While he is thrilled to finally have his ultimate goal in front of him, Maynard acknowledged his job is not complete — nor will it be with a win over Edgar.

“I’m not trying to pat myself on the back. It’s more like, ‘OK, that was good. Now, let’s keep going,’ ” he said. “The goal is to have the belt and just hold onto it.”

There was even more reason for Maynard and his team to celebrate Saturday night. Randy Couture, the founder of the gym where Maynard trains, embarrassed boxer James Toney, who was making his mixed martial arts debut.

Maynard said the result made him “extra happy” and that the bout went exactly as he and the rest of Xtreme Couture expected, with Couture taking Toney down and exposing the glaring weaknesses in his ground game.

As for his title fight against Edgar, the 31-year-old Maynard doesn’t think he can take much from his unanimous decision victory over Edgar in 2008.

“I get more confidence from how I prepare and train,” Maynard said. “We fought two and a half years ago, and we’ve changed. He’s a tough kid. He’s going to try to hold on to that belt, and I’m going to try to take it.”

■ UFC 124 TO MONTREAL — The wait for a major UFC card to return to Las Vegas just got a bit longer.

A UFC official confirmed a report Monday that UFC 124, a Dec. 11 card that features welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre against Josh Koscheck, will take place in St. Pierre’s hometown of Montreal instead of Las Vegas, the location previously discussed by UFC president Dana White.

UFC 116 was at the MGM Grand on July 3, and the organization returns for the finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” on Dec. 4. The next local pay-per-view event is likely to be UFC 125 on New Year’s weekend, though that card is still unconfirmed.

■ ATHLETIC FAMILY — Local fighter Ulysses Gomez, the younger brother of U.S. World Cup soccer player Herculez Gomez, will make his debut in the Bellator Fighting Championships in San Antonio on Thursday night.

Gomez, who is 6-1 with five submission victories as a pro, will take on Travis Reddinger in the quarterfinals of the organization’s bantamweight tournament.

The event will air tape delayed on Fox Sports West (Cable 49) at 8:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.