Thiago Silva vs Brandon Vera set for UFC 125; Demian Maia to meet Kendall Grove at TUF 12 Finale
Posted on September 8, 2010, 08:40 AM by Daniel CassidyIn exciting UFC news day, it looks as though fans are in for a treat in the coming months with two exciting match ups on the verge of being announced.
Demian Maia vs Kendall Grove
Speaking from his Twitter account, Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove confirmed his next bout will be against Former Middleweight title challenger Demian Maia:"I know he's one of da best that's y I took the fight I'm here to do it big and I know what da f**k I'm doing just enjoy da fight cause I wil". For Grove, this is a serious step up in competition. Since winning the third season of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2006, he has gone to go 6-4 in his last ten fights. While known for his submission prowess, Da Spyder will have his hands full with Demian Maia, who possesses more grappling credentials than you can shake a stick at. Maias is 12-2 overall, his two losses coming against Anderson Silva and Nate Marquardt. Both fighters are set to meet inside The Octagon on December 4th in Las Vegas, on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs Team Koscheck finale, most likely to serve as the headline.
Source: Kendall Grove's official Twitter page
Thiago Silva vs Brandon Vera
It is often said that styles make matches, and this looks to be the case in this bout, as hard hitting strikers Thiago Silva and Brandon Vera are almost certain to meet at UFC 125. Both Lightheavy weights are looking to comeback from losses, Thiago losing only for the second time in his career, against Rashad Evans at UFC 106, while Vera picked up his 5th loss against Jon Jones at UFC on Versus. For Vera, he comes back off a serious injury, a broken orbital bone inflicted on him by the dangerous elbows of Jon Jones, while Silva was most recently forced out of a UFC 117 bout with Tim Boetsch due to a shoulder injury. A win for either fighter could see them put back amongst the top ten in their weight class.
Source: MMAJunkie
Comments
guess Brandon will be fired after this match........
I doubt it, he seems to have 9 lives.
Last chance for Vera's Redemption!
Both fights are great, Silva/Vera is going to be a crazy stand up war, I would say Vera has better muay thai then Silva but less power, I would go wit Vera tho because of his reach and kicks
I was thinking the same thing i don't usually like to see fighters duck fights but I don't wanna see Vera get ko'd by Silva and vice versa i like both fighters and would like to see them get a run going but this fight just shows how stacked the LHW division is. Vera is one of the most talented guys P4P imo unfortunately i don't think he has the mental attributes to go with it not to mention he sucks at adjusting game plans
Figured Vera was gone already. I had already pretty much forgotten about him. Well, hopefully Silva will beat his A** and make it official.
Vera won't be cut unless he gets steam rolled I dont think. He lost a very close decision against Couture and got steam rolled by Jones but so has everyone else so unless he looks terrible out there I'd say Vera can sustain one more loss on his record just judging by his competition - Thiago Silva is no slouch either.
Also this will be a real exciting fight I think
This should be a good war.
I liked Tiago in his first fights, i could se a new Wandaleri been born but he has changed after hes lost to machida. Hope he goes back to that wild stile.
yea Vera vs Silva will be a great fight, good matchup for both fighters and fans :)
I like both fighters, but I Vera more. I know his career has been a stop-and-start thing, but less face (some) facts: Vera was "robbed" of a victory over Randy Couture and took a beating from John Jones; the same beating that "everyone" is getting or going to get; so, you can't fault him for losing to a guy, everyone is losing to or going to lose to.
I hope Brandon wins and demonstrates (to us) his wicked stand-up and some aggression. I've heard Brandon say a number of times...that he's going to leave it all out there, bring it, go back to his old school ways...yet, he never really has. It is (now) time for him to do so. A victory over Silva would be a solid victory, over a solid opponent (certainly in the top ten or six, in the division).
As to Grove vs. Maia - This is a bad fight for KG and he needs a win. I'll pick Maia in this match; just too much for the tall one.
we have had a war of words in the past, but i could not agree more on the vera aspect.
I still remember this is the kid that stopped frank mir in round 1 via TKO. i remember the kid that gave the monster of a human being Asserio Silva a sick Guillotine finish in round 1. I remember the head kick he gave Eillers to send him his walking papers in style. i also remember him being the smallest HW(mass size) to ever finish fights in the HW divison. im rooting for vera he needs to bring his old self back. he needs to remind these forgetful fans that he is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC.
But i gotta disagree on the Grove Maia fight. Maia sucks at closing the distance and getting take downs. Grove has better then average TD defence and an amazing reach advantage. Hes going to slip the jab and keep maia away from him
I do not know how you become one of the best BJJ practitioners in the world but be considered to "suck" at closing the distace and getting takedowns. Did you watch his last fight? Or that pimp takedown on Chael Sonnen?
@ Blunts
Previous wars aside - we are in agreement on Vera.
As to Kendal - all of what you say is ture, however, he lacks KO power. I don't think DM has much to worry about in terms of closing the distance. I see no Nate Marquardt moments in this fight. With that said once in, he could jump guard if he chooses and then it's over.
Maia could lose, but I don't think he will and if he does, it will be by decision. If Maia wasn't stupid enough to get caught by Silva over 5 rounds, I don't see him getting caught by a lesser Spider.
...appreciated your insightful comment(s)
Cheers,
Wing Chun
Vera was great and seemed on the road to at least a title shot, but then it just pretty much fell apart for him. He had some tough fights and some tough decisions. I used to like him quite a bit but heard a little too much of his "I am going to hold 2 belts at the same time" talk, and it got old. He needs to make a bold statement in this fight (not just say he is going to), or else we may be seeing the last of him in the UFC at least for now....
@ Cage
I hear, ya. Agree, totally.
I would like to see him back in his old form though, because he brought some pretty exciting fights. I think he just needs to work on his over confidence a bit.....
thiago sliva via tko 2nd round
im thinking vera man.. people write fighters off to fast these days lol its the worst thing about the MMA fan base. why do fighters loses stick around more then their accomplishments? its insulting lol we have the least respect then any other sports fan base XD
could not agree more I mean look at fans in Japan and fighters in Pride, you can loose 6 times and still be called back if you put on a good fight e.g. Gilbert Yvel i think he was like 2 wins 6 losses in Pride and they were like 4 losses in a row
@ Prince
....great point.
@ blunts
...only as good as your last victory, man.
Part of the problem with the UFC, in my opinion. They'll keep a snooze fighter like Fitch over an exciting fighter like Jardine (for example), because of a couple of losses (to huge opponents)....but did you see the losses, though? Wow, when Jardine loses he doesn't just lose...he gets KO'd. Is there anything more exciting, then that?
The UFC needs to expand it's roster...put on more PPVs, free shows....heck, send some of the lesser fighters out to do shows in cities that are not likely to have a "major' card, in their hometown; put the thing on a web cast...something; think outside of the box a bit Dana.
couldnt agree more. its just tough to write off your favorite fighters you know?
Maia is going use Kendall's long arms against him and get that armbar quick, trust me on that. T Silva vs Vera is a good fight, props to Joe Silva.
My nig thiago is gonna win via TKO
rampage vs thiago silva would be a killer @ss fight