Florian, who fights out of Brookline, lost by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) to the 31-year-old Maynard, who improved his overall MMA record to 11-0 and cemented himself as the No. 1 contender for the lightweight championship.

Maynard said that with an opportunity like this one, there was no choice but to ignore the hostile reaction from Florian’s home crowd.

“You can’t let it affect you,’’ Maynard said. “I’ve got bills. I’ve got all that stuff.’’

For Maynard, the fight went as planned.

In the first minute and 15 seconds, the fighters circled the Octagon and slowly felt out the rhythm of the match. Arms were extended with more calculation than malice as each attempted to gain a feel for his opponent. Florian broke the lull with a sharp left foot to the side of Maynard’s head, but following the blow, the slow pace resumed.

Punches to the head were finally landed by both at the 2:07 mark of the five-minute first round, and with both fighters in close quarters, Maynard latched on to Florian and drove him into the side of the Octagon. At the 52-second mark, Maynard, a former All-American wrestler, was finally able to lift Florian up and slam him to the mat.

The tactic was one that Maynard wanted to use entering the match. The goal was to make Florian come to him.

“He doesn’t chase a lot,’’ Maynard said after the victory. “I wanted to make him chase.’’

Maynard explained that his goal was to make Florian impatient, and then make him pay for his mistake.

The second and third rounds mirrored the first. Both fighters circled the ring before returning to close quarters, and by the two-minute mark of each round, Maynard had forced Florian to the mat, where he could land a series of punches and elbows.

At one point late in the third round, it looked as if Florian, a jiu-jitsu expert, had used his feet to lock Maynard’s arm in hopes of creating a situation in which he could force Maynard to submit. But Maynard slipped free twice, and by the end of the round, he was awarded the victory by the judges.

The win makes Maynard the No. 1 contender for the UFC lightweight championship. His 11-0 record includes wins over Roger Huerta and Frankie Edgar, whom Maynard defeated by unanimous decision in April 2008.

“I’ve beaten all the top guys,’’ Maynard said. “I’m ready.’’

The win itself was gratifying for Maynard, who described Florian as “a tough kid,’’ but he said that winning the match on Florian’s turf was cause for even greater celebration.

“All the odds were stacked against me,’’ he said. “All the odds. That’s a blue-collar win for me, and I’m blue-collar.’’