Following UFC 153 victory, Demian Maia looking to fight Nick Diaz or Jon Fitch
Posted on October 19, 2012, 09:02 PM by Mike Drahota
With his impressive submission victory over Rick Story last weekend at UFC 153, Demian Maia regained a lot of credit for his return to his roots of BJJ. The finish not only garnered him a victory in his new weight class of Welterweight, but it immediately put all 170 lb. fighters in the UFC on notice that Maia could be a force to be reckoned with. Now, Maia comes out today with the statement that he is ready to take one of the division's top-level fighters:
"I think Nick Diaz and Jon Fitch that opponents would surely have much name this division and I would climb fast. The others, I think they are marked with struggles, but these two guys are certainly very tough and they would have proved much I climb in the division. I think the two have much jiu-jitsu. Both with Nick as with Fitch. Both are good with that, just that I feel more focused on the Fitch's wrestling than with his jiu-jitsu, and Nick is a guy more with boxing than jiu-jitsu." - via MMAMania.com
Fitch is another fighter that got back on the winning track at UFC 153 following a lengthy layoff after being knocked out in a mere twelve seconds by Johny Hendricks at last year's UFC 141. His grinding style may match up interestingly with Maia's talents. And who can forget Diaz, whom Dana White said would have to face a top-ranked Welterweight before he gains his much sought-after title shot. Diaz is set to return next February pending his reinstatement.
Maia obviously has much respect for the wrestling of Fitch and the boxing of Diaz, and a fight would either would mix up the top of the division quite nicely after the true titleholder is decided between Georges St. Pierre and Carlos Condit at UFC 154 next month. With Maia, Fitch, and Diaz all looking to get into the title mix, Welterweight continues to have quite the logjam towards the top. Who should Maia face in his next bout?
Photo: CombatLifestyle.com
Comments
****in' A
God speed master! Pra cima dos caras!!
Maia-Fitch, Maia by submission. Maia-Diaz, no idea....
I don't think Maia could sub Fitch. This dude is tough as nails he's almost impossible to submit.
Well he better be impossible to sub, cause if Maia won't then no-one will... Then again, Fitch got submitted by Mike Pyle in his first fight.
Are you serious?
Fitch got submitted by Pyle with an RNC in 2002--10 YEARS AGO when he was a greenhorn. It was the ONLY time Fitch was submitted in his long career ( 24-4-1-1) --his first fight.
How is that relevant today?
Maia can sub Fitch all day.
fitch is tough n great on d ground but maia could sub any1 in da world.i would much rather watch maia vs fitch then maia n diaz .it would be a very interesting fight IMO
Maia couldn't submit Munoz or Weidman at MW--he lost to them--though they were both decisions.
Fitch is a big WW and as good a wreslter as Munoz or Weidman.
I am not saying it is impossible for Maia to submit Fitch--but it is unlikely given Fitch's wrestling and submission defense history.
Well, it's that much more exciting of a match up then. Does anyone at WW have better bjj skills than Maia? I don't know.
Not sure about pure BJJ, but MMA grappling I'd say GSP is a bit better.
On Fitch vs. Maia I'd go with Fitch. I don't see Fitch ever being submitted for the remainder of his career.
First time ive ever heard someone request a fight with Fitch. Must be looking to prove something on the ground. Diaz would be a bad match up for Maia
How would Diaz be a bad match up?
Diaz obviously has stand up advantage but isn't a big hitter, that combined with Maia's graniet chin will lead to Maia surviving on the feet.
Nick has average at best wrestling and Maia is man handling guys like Kim and Story so if Maia wants it down it goes down.
Diaz has a amazing ground game but I think it doesn't stack up to Maia's.
Maia vs. Diaz = Maia via sub or dec. IMO
People keep saying Diaz isn't a powerful striker but I disagree. He has a good number of KOs. I agree that Maia probably wins that one via sub or ground control decision bit if it stays standing ir is Diaz's fight IMHO.
You should watch some of Diaz's fights . Ask Lawler or Zorommskis or Daley if he hits hard. Nick is not easy to take down and is dangerous if he is. I don't see anyplace maia has an advantage. A fight with Diaz would go much the same as his fight with Silva, clowning included
Claiming Diaz has no power shows an extreme dismissal of details. Diaz has stopped Shamrock, Daley, and Lawler with strikes (all notoriously hard to TKO). He also gave BJ the worst beating of his life on the feet, and forced Condit into changing his style dramatically from the rest of his career.
On the wrestling you are exactly right, but Diaz has above average submission defense at worst (were talking about a guy with multiple grappling wins against BJJ legends). Subbing him is certainly not out of the question for Maia, but its much more likely he would get a decision. However, that involves going a whole 15 minutes with Diaz wearing him down.
I for one don't see Maia having much to offer against Diaz, but I wouldn't mind watching.
Guys calm down.... I said he isn't hitter and you translate that in to no power?
Tell me a time he went out there and KO'd someone with one shot?
He stops guys witrh an accumilation of strikes, that can stop someone just as easy as a power punch but it still stands that he doesn't throw bombs when striking.
DM is a god damn human python with a computer brain at 170, now if he could work on his double leg and foot work he could be champ when GSP goes to 185.
Maia will beat GSP.
He could have the tools to beat GSP, but it might be like the Koscheck fight and he will get jabbed to death
i think maia has a goodt chance of working his way to a title fight, the guy is a great fighter
Im impressed he really opens alot of possible fights,but the Diaz fight Id love to see a ground war.
I believe Maia could establish himself as a top 5 WW and get a title shot if can continue to improve his defensive striking skills. He has taken down bigger guys at MW like Sonnen and once the fight hits the ground he is easily one of the most dangerous in all of mma.
I think he'd have a hard time with Diaz's boxing. Especially since Nick has a sick ground game.
What a legend calling out two real tough fighters. I think he'd have the edge over both of them on the ground. If he couldn't get Diaz down though he could be in trouble.
Not sure he could handle Fitch. Love him or hate him he is a long established top 3 fighter. Sure he got caught by a KO punch but in MMA that can happen to anyone. Add in the fact Fitch is the hardest fighter in all of MMA to submit and Maia's chances don't look good. Add in another fact that Fitch is determined to lose his boring tag and attain another crack at the belt I think Maia stands little chance, but then there's not many WW's that I think would have much of a chance against Fitch apart from the top 4 or 5 in the division and Maia is nowhere near that yet despite an impressive first outing at WW and I am a fan of his.
Against Diaz I'm the same as MindKontrolle I have no idea how that fight would go down. I would like to see Diaz Fitch for a #1 contender bout to meet the winner of Condit - GSP. Maia should fight at least once more before he has a crack at the elite then maybe a #contender bout down the line against Mac Donald assuming they both win their fights to that point.
How on Earth is Maia going to get Diaz to the ground? If he had GSP's takedowns, I'd say it would be a great fight for Maia... IMO Diaz would just give him hundreds of those pitter-patter punches until he's punch drunk and eventually TKO'd. And even if he *did* get Diaz on the ground, Diaz is slick enough to get avoid submissions and get it back to the feet. After all, we're talking about a guy who caught Gomi with a gogo-plata while he was stoned, LOL.
Ballsy Mr Maia, IMO he wins both fights
Agreed and since no one else has said it, Damian Maia is the next WW champion regardless of who he fights to get there.
I came across these comments on another site about Fitch. I thought them good enough to copy and paste for you all to read.
Actually, Jon Fitch isn't playing it as safe as everyone makes him out to be. Look at Chael Sonnen's record; he's another high level wrestler who hangs out in people's guard and beats them up. Sonnen, however, doesn't manage to even make his opponents look like they've been in a fight because he does almost no damage, and he's been submitted by triangle choke 8 times. Jon Fitch is hanging out in a position that gives anyone with a BJJ game tons of options for control and submissions, and he is so good they can't utilize any of them.
If you were going to go by Demian Maia's last few fights against certain BJJ black belts, you'd have no idea that Maia was any good at submitting people, because all they are trying to do is hold position and defend the submission. They have too much respect for Maia's dominance on the ground to try to attack at all, because they don't want their attempts to get reversed.
Similarly, i think Fitch's fights aren't as exciting as they could be because the fighter on the bottom isn't trying to really fight back. They're trying to either wait for an opening that will never come to escape to their feet or waiting for the ref to stand them up, and that is boring. You're there to fight, so fight back. Contrast that to Fitch's fight with Diego Sanchez. That fight was incredible and fast paced even though Fitch was fighting exactly the same way as he always does. The difference was that Sanchez wasn't willing to lay there and take it. He made Jon work for his victory rather than handing it to him, and that's what made it exciting for everyone.
Followed by:
Hey Taliban! Finally an MMA intelligent Fan who actually knows what he is talking about.Gr8 ****ing comment "J".I am sick and tired of ppl bitching and complaining about Fitch,GSP,Torres,Shields.I dunno why ppl say fitch and GSP are lay and pray fighters coz I personally never seen either of'em lay and pray ever they always work on the ground and ground and pound or looking for subs.You know these new generation of MMA Fans crossed over from WWE about the same time as Lesnar came over to MMA.Well these are fans who are only fans because it's"Cool" to be a UFC fan these days.Well these new fans all they want to see is fighters get knocked out cold get broken arms and legs ,they want to see blood,blood and more blood,but they really have no clue what is MMA all about.I;ve been a fan since 93 and it really piss me off that now days after a fight when a fighter wins"only"by decision they have to Apologize for not Knocking out their opponent in the in cage post fight interview with Joe Rogan.Just look what happened to Demian Maia lately he went away from his roots of Jiu Jitsu and try to be a Stand up fighter well he lost 2 of his last 3 fights and haven't had a finish in his past 5 or 6 fights.I remember I used to love watching him submitting guys.His Jiu Jitsu was real exiting to watch coz the high level of it!!!.Well anyways I guess it wont be any better either and these idiotic"Fans"keep booing World Champions because they refuse to brawl with way less talented fighters!!!All the best to u Taliban Cheers
I agree azzkika.
I have always been a fan of Ftich--though his grinding style makes it difficult to be a fan.
Fitch wears out his opponents--and if he were fighting 5 round fights, I am convinced he would have more finishes on his record.
People who call his style lay and pray reveal that they are biased and not paying attention.
Fitch is always trying to improve position, and although his BJJ could be more offensive--Ftich lays on the G'nP. BJ Penn retired after receiving a constant barrage of elbows to the face in the 3rd round of his match with Fitch. There is no doubt that if that fight had been a 5 rounder, BJ would have been finished--or quit.
The assumption among some MMA fans is that a decision means the fight was boring or that nether fighter tried hard enough--but this is simply not true.
In the ground war with Paulo Thiago, Fitch fought another BJJ black belt and it was a wild chess match ending in the 3rd with Thiago flattened out and Fitch with an RNC--but the bell rang just before he could get a tap.
Fitch has also had wars with Thiago Alves--actually finishing him in one of their fights. Ftich beat Diego Sanchez, Ahiro Gono, Mike Pierce, and Erick Silva--and had a draw with BJ Penn--which Penn was lucky to even survive the 3rd round.
Fitch is one of the toughest fighters at WW and has been for a long time--despite his style's unpopularity with the fans. Fitch is a decent guy, with a blue-collar work ethic.
I find it a tragedy that he is so misjudged and hated by some MMA fans.
BTW: A fight with Maia would be epic.