Gray Maynard vs Dennis Siver Set for UFC Fight Night 12

“The Ultimate Fighter 5’s” Gray Maynard will take on German fighter Dennis Siver at a UFC: Ultimate Fight Night 12 event planned for Jan. 23.

A source close to Maynard told MMAjunkie.com of the bout. Additionally, Bodo Elsbeck from Siver’s camp confirmed the bout. UFC: Ultimate Fight Night 12 features a main event between Mike Swick and Josh Burkman and airs live on Spike TV.

As MMAjunkie.com reported, Maynard was expected to fight fellow collegiate wrestler Matt Grice at the event, but the former University of Oklahoma Sooner apparently turned down the bout. Instead, Maynard will fight a submission specialist from the German-based OC Fight Team (oc-fight-team.com). Maynard, part of Randy Couture's Xtreme Couture team, was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” where the 28-year-old posted victories over Wayne Weems in a preliminary fight and Brandon Melendez in the shows quarterfinals. However, eventual show winner Nate Diaz defeated Maynard in the show’s semifinals.

Maynard, a wrestling teammate of Rashad Evans at Michigan State Univerity, next fought Robert Emerson at The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale in June, but the fight was ruled a no-contest when Maynard slammed his opponent to the mat. Emerson worsened a pre-existing rib injury and was forced to verbally submit, but Maynard temporarily knocked himself out in the process, prompting a ruling of a no-contest.

Maynard most recently scored an impressive nine-second KO of newcomer Joe Veres at UFC: Ultimate Fight Night 11 in September. His opponent, Siver, made his octagon debut at UFC 70: Nations Collide with a first-round submission loss to Jess Liaudin. However, he bounced back at the UFC’s next U.K. show with a second-round KO of Naoyuki Kotani at UFC 75: Champion vs Champion. Six of Siver’s 11 victories have come via submission. He’s won four of his past five fights.

Source: mmajunkie.com