UFC Releases Veteran Gray Maynard
Gray Maynard has been a staple of the UFC’s lightweight division for several years. However it seems those days are over, as he reveals he was released by the company.
Maynard was once considered one of the best lightweights in the world. He had an incredible rivalry with Frankie Edgar, even handing the Answer his first loss. Moreover, he went undefeated in his first twelve professional bouts, competing in the UFC since 2007.
Unfortunately, it seems that his days in the UFC are over, as Maynard revealed to MMAJunkie recently. Speaking in an interview, he revealed his status as a free agent. In addition to that, he expressed uncertainty in what the future currently holds for him.
“I don’t know – we’re trying to work some stuff out,” Maynard said. “(I’m) not with the UFC anymore, so I’m trying to work some stuff out, check what’s going to make sense, and probably be at featherweight. So that’s the next step.
It’s wide open. I’ve always dealt with the UFC like on a contractual term, and just kind of who I’m going up against, and basically, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, let’s do it.’ And now that I’m done, I kind of wanted to have a manager and let them deal with it.”
Maynard was a contestant on the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighter, where he made it to the semifinals. Following a No Contest start, he went on an 8 fight winning streak. On the other hand, his later career was not as good, having lost 6 of his last 8. This will be a big change for him, as 20 of his 22 pro fights have been under the UFC banner.
Good luck to Gray Maynard in his future fighting endeavors.
