UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III

Supremacy in the lightweight and featherweight divisions will be determined in October. But before the first bell rings, the work takes place in the gym, where Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, Jose Aldo, and Kenny Florian count down to UFC 136.

Submission specialist Eric Schafer returns to the Octagon not only with his world-class ground game, but in a new division, against Aaron Simpson, who has both knockout punching power and stellar wrestling acumen.

Some fighters are at their best when their backs are pinned against the wall. Mike Massenzio and Steve Cantwell fit that description perfectly, and you can expect an all-out battle between these middleweights.

Some fighters may talk the talk, but lightweight contenders Melvin Guillard and Joe Lauzon are two fighters who have lived up to words that say their only Octagon intent is to finish their opponents as quickly and spectacularly as possible.

Featherweight on the rise Darren Elkins knows life at 145 pounds will keep getting tougher, including tonight’s opponent, Chinese fighting pioneer Tiequan Zhang, who will try to end things quickly with his deadly submission game.

Well-rounded middleweight contender Jorge Santiago, one fighter who can honestly claim to be comfortable wherever the fight goes, and is a dangerous handful for any opponent, meets the most feared grappler in the middleweight division, Demian Maia.