TUF 18 Finale sees Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard meet for third time

The rubber match between perennial lightweight contenders and “The Ultimate Fighter 5? participants Nate Diaz (16-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and Gray Maynard (11-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) will take place at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale.

UFC officials today announced the pair have verbally agreed to meet at the Nov. 30 event, which takes place at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center. Bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.

MMAjunkie.com has confirmed with UFC officials that the bout is not expected to serve as the evening’s headliner.

While it’s not officially reflected in the fighters’ records, Diaz and Maynard first met in the semifinal round of 2007's “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” where eventual tournament winner Diaz earned a second-round submission victory via guillotine choke.

The rematch was scheduled for the headlining bout of 2010's UFC Fight Night 20 event, and Maynard bounced back with a split-decision win.

Following the loss, Diaz moved up to 170 pounds for a four-fight stint but has since dropped back down to lightweight, where he built an impressive three-fight win streak before recently losing back-to-back outings to Josh Thomson and Benson Henderson.

Meanwhile, Maynard has gone 2-2-1 since the second Diaz fight, a run that includes a pair of classic bouts with then-champ Frankie Edgar. Most recently, Maynard was dismantled by top contender T.J. Grant.

Featuring women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and her most heated rival, Miesha Tate, as opposing coaches, “TUF 18? premiered Sept. 4 on the new FOX Sports 1 cable network, where it will then air each Wednesday night through the season. Rousey and Tate are the first female coaches in “TUF” history – and they’re coaching teams of both women and men bantamweight fighters, all living in the same house.

For more on The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Nate Diaz)