21 of the biggest rivalries in MMA history [UPDATED]

Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar

There are some fights that will go down in the history of the UFC as legendary. So is the case with Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 2. These two men have a history with each other. They have fought three times in their careers, and it seems that the fights with each other in some way paved the way for their careers since.

Edgar and Maynard both came into the UFC with extensive wrestling backgrounds. When they were first scheduled to meet both were undefeated and both had the potential of being superstars of the division. The first fight took place in April of 2008 at UFC Fight Night 13. Maynard dominated Edgar and won by unanimous decision on all scorecards. Following the loss, Edgar went on a winning streak and obtained the lightweight title when he defeated BJ Penn.

With the strap around his waist, Edgar secured another shot at the only man who had beat him, Maynard. The second fight was scheduled for Jan. 1, 2011 at UFC 125. The fight was everything fans had hoped for. A tough back and forth between two warriors who didn’t give up. In the beginning rounds, it looked as if Maynard had Edgar hurt, but he would continue to fight and the result was a draw. Following the fight UFC president, Dana White called it the greatest fight ever. It earned Fight of the Night and Fight of the Year honors.

Having a draw made the need for a rematch necessary. The fact that the second fight was so amazing also made a rematch a perfect idea. The third fight was set for UFC 130 but unfortunate both fighters suffered injuries so the bout was moved to UFC 136 on Oct. 8, 2011. This time it was Edgar who finished Maynard by fourth-round KO. Edgar served Maynard his first professional loss and successfully defended his belt.

Edgar retired following his loss at UFC 281.