Gray Maynard Interview

Gray "The Bully" Maynard is one of the best guys I've ever spoken to. His manner of speaking kinda reminded me of Randy Couture. Below are my favorite parts of our interview for Full Contact Fighter.

I asked him how Gina Carano, herself an Xtreme Couture fighter, will do against Cris Cyborg tomorrow night:

"Hopefully good. She’s a cool chick. I mean…uh…I don’t train…uh...I don’t know."

Fair enough. Here's the article:

Gray Maynard Looking to Finish Roger Huerta
by Matt Kaplan

When Kenny Florian shouted, “Who wants to see fights finished at 155?” after thrashing Alvin Robinson at UFC 73, he was of course speaking rhetorically, but he got his point across. Instead of letting the fight go to the judges, Florian ends it. After all, that’s what fans want to see.

Finishing fights is also what UFC lightweight and former Michigan State wrestling All-American Gray “The Bully” Maynard (7-0-1) wants to see, especially from himself, and especially against Roger Huerta (20-2-1) at UFC Fight Night on September 16.

This, however, may be hard for some to believe.

The reality of fight crowds wanting - and sometimes demanding - to be thrilled is undeniable, and while Maynard’s strength, conditioning, and superior wrestling have won him fights, they haven’t won him the reputation of a finisher.

In his last four contests, Maynard soundly defeated Dennis Siver, Frank Edgar, Rich Clementi, and Jim Miller, but to the vexation of some, Maynard has not finished a fighter in nearly two years. Of his seven pro wins, five have come by way of judges’ favor, including his last four.

But this is not by design. Maynard’s objective, every time he climbs into the cage, he said, is to finish fights.

“Of course you want to finish [the fight]. I see a lot of people trying to end it and gas out, or I see a lot of people have KOs and stuff like that, and they’re just swinging. I think [that against] a lot of guys at the weight class, it’ll be hard to end it. I don’t see too many KOs or tap outs because there are so many tough guys.

“You’ve got Diegos, Clays, Diazes, Joe Daddys, Penns, Edgars. You’re not going to end it, and if you try to, you’re gonna open up, and you’re gonna get KO’d. You’ve got to play it smart.”

Under the tutelage of master strategist and former UFC champion Randy Couture, Maynard has undoubtedly fought smart; by playing to his strengths he has nullified his opponents’ best offensive weapons. Still, fans aren’t exactly drooling over the undefeated Xtreme Couture lightweight.

It seems that playing it smart has resulted in Maynard being pinned with the unenviable “wet blanket” or “lay and pray” labels, the polar antitheses to the exciting styles of a “Fight of the Night” lightweight like Diego Sanchez or Clay Guida. Or even Roger Huerta.

In Roger “El Matador” Huerta, Maynard will meet an aggressive, all-or-nothing crowd favorite, an MMA cover boy whom fans expect to take the proverbial bull – or in this case, bully – by the horns.

Huerta first captivated MMA fans in 2007 with a three-round slugfest against Leonard Garcia, then with punishing TKO wins over Douglas Evans and grappling whiz Alberto Crane, and later that year with a stunning, come-from-behind submission win over Clay Guida.

“He’s a guy that people love. He brings it…He’s had some pretty good scraps. Technically, he hasn’t changed too much, but he’s got heart, and that’s huge. He’s a tough kid and he keeps going.

“I’m training to go in there and whoop [Huerta’s] ass. But if it turns into a war, I’ll be prepared to do that. I train hard. I’m not trying to have it close. That’s not me.”

Thanks in large part to his work with Xtreme Couture boxing coach Gil Martinez, Maynard has added to his offensive repertoire a formidable striking game, as evidenced in his UFC 96 fight against Jim Miller. If that fight showed the MMA world anything, it’s that Maynard is more than just a wrestler.

“I don’t want it to be close at all. With anyone, Huerta, whoever,” he maintained. “I can’t believe it when I hear, ‘Oh, this is gonna be a great fight, an absolute war. It’s gonna be back and forth.’ I’m not training to do that.”

The Maynard-Huerta fight will be the last fight on Huerta’s UFC contract, one he’s chosen not to renew. As for Maynard, he hopes that he – not the judges – will send Huerta packing.

“I’m not going to have a bloody war or just a great scrap,” said an emphatic Maynard. “I’m going to beat him up.”

Spoken like a true bully.

(photo from myspace.com/graymaynard)