Sherdog Pick’Em Trends: UFC on FX 4

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Thanks in no small part to Frankie Edgar, former top lightweight contender Gray Maynard has not tasted victory in the Octagon since 2010. Players in Sherdog.com’s MMA Pick’Em fantasy game believe that things are about to change for “The Bully” in the UFC on FX 4 main event on Friday, as 71 percent have selected him to defeat Clay Guida at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

Maynard has not competed since UFC 136, when he lost to Edgar via fourth-round knockout in the third meeting between the two rivals. Previously, Edgar and Maynard battled to a draw at UFC 125, while Maynard took a unanimous nod against “The Answer” at UFC Fight Night 13. The 32-year-old Las Vegan remains among the top contenders at 155 pounds thanks in part to victories against the likes of Kenny Florian, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller and Dennis Siver during his career.

Guida fell short in his bid to become the division’s No. 1 contender in November, dropping a spirited three-round decision to Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox 1. Prior to that defeat, “The Carpenter” had won four straight fights, besting Shannon Gugerty, Rafael dos Anjos, Takanori Gomi and Anthony Pettis in succession.

Other Pick’Em Trends for UFC on FX 4:

• An overwhelming 90 percent of participants favor Sam Stout in his rubber match with Spencer Fisher at lightweight. Stout took an exciting victory over Fisher in his Octagon debut in 2006. “The King” exacted his revenge at UFC Fight Night 10, taking a unanimous decision over “Hands of Stone” in yet another action-packed affair;

• A whopping 93 percent of Pick’Em competitors have chosen Brian Ebersole in a welterweight clash against submission specialist T.J. Waldburger. Ebersole has emerged victorious in his first three Octagon appearances, earning wins over Chris Lytle, Dennis Hallman and Claude Patrick. Waldburger, meanwhile, has notched 12 of his 15 professional victories via submission, including his last two in the UFC;

• A solid 71 percent of users like Ross Pearson to make his second effort at featherweight a successful one when he squares off with WEC veteran Cub Swanson. A winner on “The Ultimate Fighter 9,” Pearson won his initial effort at 145 pounds, taking a decision from Junior Assuncao at UFC 141. After a submission loss to Ricardo Lamas in November, Swanson rebounded to capture his first UFC victory in January with a second-round TKO of George Roop;

• In preliminary bouts, players have sided with Hatsu Hioki (92 percent) over Ricardo Lamas, Ramsey Nijem (77 percent) over C.J. Keith, Rick Story (95 percent) over Brock Jardine, Steven Siler (79 percent) over Joey Gambino, Nick Catone (76 percent) over Chris Camozzi, Matt Brown (89 percent) over Luis Ramos, Dan Miller (97 percent) over Ricardo Funch and Dustin Pague (85 percent) over Ken Stone.