Gray Maynard can now resume his quest for gold.
The UFC lightweight contender today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that his doctor has given him the green light to resume training.
"I've been cleared," said Maynard (10-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC), who mentioned October's UFC 136 event as a possible return date.
The Las Vegas-based lightweight injured his knee in preparation for a highly anticipated rematch with lightweight champ Frankie Edgar (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) at UFC 130. The injury came to light after Edgar withdrew from the bout with a back injury, which delayed the meeting until further notice.
Maynard said that a reported knee surgery never happened and that he instead treated the joint with rehabilitation, though he did undergo surgery in Los Angeles for an elbow injury.
This past week, Edgar's reps told MMAjunkie.com the champ has been cleared to fight and could be ready to fight by October, presumably for UFC 135, though the event already has a headliner with a light-heavyweight title bout between champ Jon Jones and ex-champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at its helm.
Maynard instead pointed to a different possibility.
"Houston makes sense, but I don't know if that's what the UFC wants," he said. "I just wait until I get the contract."
Houston, of course, is the site of UFC 136, which takes place Oct. 8 at the 19,000-seat Toyota Center.
Edgar and Maynard fought to a split draw this past January at UFC 125 in a fight considered by many to be an early candidate for "Fight of the Year" honors. Edgar was nearly knocked out in the first round but came back to even out the scorecards. Maynard believed he had done enough to win the fight but admitted to running low on gas in later rounds.
UFC president Dana White initially put down the idea of an immediate rematch but later changed his mind – to Maynard's great relief – and booked the UFC 130 match.
"The Bully" holds a win over Edgar from three years ago at UFC Fight Night 13.
Source: UFC title hopeful Gray Maynard cleared for training, UFC 136 return possible