Maynard-Diaz III headlines TUF Finale
For a time, Nate Diaz spoke about bowing out of the Nov. 30 Ultimate Fighter Finale event in favor of his 10-year high school reunion. As it turns out, choosing the future over the past was the right decision for Diaz, whose fight with Gray Maynard has been bumped to headliner status after several changes in the UFC calendar.
Diaz-Maynard II replaces the originally intended main event of Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez, a flyweight title match which has been shifted to Dec. 14 in order to headline that show.
The fight, first reported on Sunday's edition of FOX Sports Live, will be contested as a three-rounder as a concession to the limited preparation time remaining.
That move was necessitated by a knee injury to lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, who was forced out of a match with Josh Thomson.
Got all that?
Want more confusion? Officially, this will the second match between Diaz and Maynard, although it will be the third time they fight.
The first came season five of The Ultimate Fighter, when Diaz defeated Maynard by guillotine choke submission, but those bouts are considered exhibitions by the Nevada state athletic commission, so they do not count on official fighter records.
In Jan. 2010, the two met again. This time, Maynard came out on top, defeating Diaz in a disputed split decision. During the bout, Diaz out-landed Maynard 77-53, and in every round, but still lost.
Maynard (11-2-1, 1 no contest) has only won once in his last four fights, and is coming off a first-round knockout loss to TJ Grant in May. Diaz also needs a win, also coming off TKO loss, his to Josh Thomson in April.
