Gray Maynard Suffers Knee Injury; Joe Lauzon to Face Replacement Jim Miller at UFC 155

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Gray Maynard has pulled out of his UFC 155 clash with Joe Lauzon due to a knee injury. Promotion officials announced the news Wednesday, revealing that Jim Miller will now face Lauzon in Maynard’s stead.

Headlined by a heavyweight title rematch pitting reigning champion Junior dos Santos against former titleholder Cain Velasquez, UFC 155 takes place Dec. 29 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The evening’s main card, which airs live on pay-per-view, will also see rising contender Phil Davis do battle with former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

Miller, 29, posted seven consecutive UFC victories from July 2009 to March 2011 before stumbling against future champion Benson Henderson last summer. The New Jersey native rebounded from the defeat by submitting the hard-hitting Melvin Guillard this past January before tapping to a Nate Diaz guillotine choke on May 5 at UFC on Fox 3.

Lauzon has won three of his last four fights, most recently submitting ex-WEC titlist Jamie Varner on Aug. 4. In his 13 UFC appearances, Lauzon has bested the likes of former lightweight champion Jens Pulver, hard-punching Jeremy Stephens and Guillard. The 28-year-old holds 18 of his 22 victories via submission and has gone the distance just once in his eight years as a pro.