Gray Maynard says he's in no rush to challenge for the UFC's lightweight belt.

With another win this week, he may have to rethink that.

The rising lightweight contender goes up against the formidable Roger Huerta in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night Live this Wednesday, when the mixed martial arts organization makes its debut in Oklahoma City (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Rogers Sportsnet, all channels and in HD).

Maynard (7-0, 1 No Contest) has been steadily climbing the 155-pound ladder ever since he appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 5 in 2007.

In fact, Wednesday will be an interesting night for him. It happens to be the same night as the debut of the new season of The Ultimate Fighter (11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT on Sportsnet), of which he is of course an alum. But the event he's fighting on is headlined by a bout featuring Nate Diaz, who beat Maynard in the semifinals of Season 5 by guillotine choke.

Because that fight happened on the show, and not on the live finale, it does not count in his professional career record. So technically, he's undefeated as a pro.

Just don't tell him that he's never lost.

"Me, myself, no, (I don't consider myself unbeaten)," Maynard admitted. "It was a loss. That was a big loss. It was tough. But … I've been wrestling now probably since I was three or four. You go through losses and a lot of ups and downs. So I have a lot of losses."

He said the opportunity he got on The Ultimate Fighter was a great one and he appreciated it. Though he says the experience was entirely different than what he gets day-to-day as an MMA fighter.

"It's reality TV, but anything but (reality)," Maynard explained. "The training is different. Everything is all changed up."

"I was young, I had only been training for like a year. I didn't know any striking at the beginning or any jiu-jitsu. I knew I had a lot to learn."

Now the Las Vegas native, who wrestled at Michigan State University alongside former light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, does all that learning near home. He trains in grappling at Robert Drysdale Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He says Drysdale, a BJJ black belt "knows jiu-jitsu better than anyone I know."

He has also worked with Gil Martinez out of Las Vegas Elite Boxing Gym for about a year and a half. But he spends most of his time with his team at Xtreme Couture.

His next opponent, Huerta, was last seen in the Octagon over a year ago, dropping a unanimous decision against Kenny Florian that would have given him a title shot. So this is definitely going to be Maynard's biggest fight to date. Yet only on paper.

"Every (fight) is (my biggest to date)," Maynard said. "(Frank) Edgar was a tough opponent. (Rich) Clementi was a tough challenge. That guy is a vet. He was probably the toughest just because he was so smart. Against Jim (Miller), a tough opponent again."

He's not kidding. In bouts against those three -- his past three -- he went the distance in all of them. In fact, he's won his last four fights by unanimous decision. Prior to that he knocked out Joe Veres in nine seconds at a UFC Fight Night in September 2007.

With Huerta, Maynard believes the biggest challenge will be just keeping the pressure on, because Huerta is "real game" and "has a lot of heart."

He says the lightweight division remains a tough right now, with a large group of fighters who are "really good," as well another group of "good guys." He won't say in what group he sees himself; and he doesn't like to do the whole "he beat that guy, but this guy beat that guy" thing. He just feels it's best to let things play out.

Maynard, who turned 30 in May, feels he's got plenty of time to let them play out in his favour, as long as he keeps winning. But for him, it's all about continuing to improve.

"I concentrate on getting a little bit better everyday. If you do that, plans should work," Maynard said. "I have a long time still. I'm not in that, 'I need a title shot now, please, please.' If it happens, it happens. If not I'll just keep plugging away and trying to get my game better."

NOTES: Maynard, who ran into Jason MacDonald last week while the Canadian was in Las Vegas to prepare for his upcoming bout in the MFC, said he expects to see The Athlete back in the UFC before long.

"He's good man, I like him," Maynard said. "He loves to fight and he's good at it. He'll be back."