Will UFC's Dana White Skip Over Gray Maynard For BJ Penn Title Shot Again?

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked lightweight “Bully” Gray Maynard (9-0) will apparently be skipped over by UFC President Dana White again for a UFC title shot versus Fighters.com Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1).

In an interview with MMA Fighting, White named sixth-ranked “The Answer” Frank Edgar (11-1) as Penn’s likely next opponent at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi April 10.

Edgar’s one loss is to Maynard at UFC Fight Night 13 in April 2008, while Maynard remained undefeated with a split decision victory over Nate Diaz (10-6) at UFC Fight Night 20 in Fairfax, Virginia Monday night.

Edgar is coming off a stoppage victory over H.I.T. Squad’s Matt Veach (8-1) at SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas December 5.

Maynard has been Penn’s top UFC challenger since Penn stopped seventh-ranked “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (12-4) at UFC 101 in Philadelpia August 8, but was skipped over in favor of ninth-ranked “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-3) at UFC 107 in Memphis December 12.

Since Penn stopped Florian, Maynard has won decisions over Diaz and “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-3-1) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 16.