UFC Fight Night 20: Gray Maynard Versus Nate Diaz Official

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked lightweight “Bully” Gray Maynard (8-0) will matchup versus Nate Diaz (10-5) at UFC Fight Night 20 at the Patriot Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and will air on Spike TV January 11, the UFC announced Monday.

A co-main-event fight is also scheduled between The Ultimate Fighter 8 winner Efrain Escudero (12-0) and another undefeated 155-pounder Evan Dunham (11-0).

Xtreme Couture’s Maynard, a contender on the verge of a title shot through a potential win, climbed to 8-0 going sixth straight in the UFC with a split-decision win over “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-3-1) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City back in September. Maynard first faced Diaz during the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter suffering a submission loss during the semifinals.

Diaz is now returning to the octagon with momentum following his submission of “Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (22-8-2) at UFC Fight Night 19. Diaz dropped two fights via decision following a five fight winning streak on the heels of his winning season five of The Ultimate Fighter over “Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-3).

Escudero is undefeated now twelve fights deep into his career. Winner of The Ultimate Fighter season eight title by defeating Phillipe Nover (4-1) via unanimous decision, Escudero recently stunned American Top Team’s “Magrinho” Cole Miller (15-3) in a first round KO at UFC 103 in December.

On the other side of the cage, Dunham defeated Swedish lightweight Per Eklund (14-3-1) during his debut at UFC 95 on February 21 followed by a tough split-decision win over American Top Team’s “Maximus” Marcus Aurélio (18-7) at UFC 102 in August.

Thus far the two main event fights were the only two bouts officially released to the media but eight additional bouts are anticipated to finish out the bill.