It turns out that UFC 229 was the final time fans would see Maynard in the Octagon because the fighter says that he is no longer with the promotion.
“I don’t know – we’re trying to work some stuff out,” Maynard said to MMA Junkie. “(I’m) not with the UFC anymore, so I’m trying to work some stuff out, check what’s going to make sense, and probably be at featherweight. So that’s the next step. It’s wide open. I’ve always dealt with the UFC like on a contractual term, and just kind of who I’m going up against, and basically, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, let’s do it.’ And now that I’m done, I kind of wanted to have a manager and let them deal with it.”
Maynard went 11-7-1-1NC during his time in the UFC and challenged twice for the UFC Lightweight Title, fighting then champion Frankie Edgar to a draw at UFC 125 and then suffering a fourth round TKO loss to Edgar at UFC 136.
The fighter admits that he had some great times in the UFC, but it was just time for both sides to move on.
“Man, it was time,” Maynard said. “It’s been time for a while. And you know, great fights – I had a good time there. But it just really wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I was in my last contract with eight fights. At the beginning, I was in a nine-fight contract. So it’s been a lot of long holds, and there weren’t really a lot of options as I was coming up. Lately, there’s been a lot more options, and it was a mutual deal, and I just moved on.”
There is no word at this time as to where the fighter may sign next, but the free agent is able to go to whatever promotion makes a suitable offer.
