On July 29 at UFC 214 Demian Maia is to get his shot at the hotly contested welterweight title. After what seems like an eternity for Maia it would be expected that he would be overjoyed to be given the chance. Unfortunately, he and his team are not happy and honestly, they have every right to be.
In May, Maia was victorious over Jorge Masvidal. The fight went all the way to three rounds and was in many ways a difficult match for Maia. Both Maia and Masvidal took some damage and although Maia took the win, at 39 recovery and the toll a beating takes on the body is one not easy to get over.
Following this win Maia was given his opportunity and in what is to be the co-main event of UFC 214 in Anaheim, California, Maia will be facing Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title. Current titleholder Woodley is known for his excellent wrestling skills and explosive power, deservedly he holds the title and won’t be giving anything away easily. Maia comes into this fight knowing he needs to win. At 39 and struggling with some niggling injuries the grappling specialist knows this may be his last chance to mount a true title challenge.
Knowing he needs this fight to keep his career on track Maia was forced to accept.
In a recent press conference Maia said;
"In this case, it's the shortest camp I've had since joining the UFC, and it is for the most important fight I've ever had here. I accepted the fight because we want to be a champion, [so] we have to plan it out, put in the work and do our best to get there at 100 percent."
At the same press conference, Maia’s head coach had a more damning take on the situation.
"I think when he lost to Jake Shields and Rory MacDonald, despite these being hard fights, there, it's an opinion, I think the UFC kind of gave up [on him] and wanted to use Demian as a ladder for other athletes," Alonso said. "Especially in the fight against Gunnar Nelson. Without going into much detail, [they] insisted we accepted that fight.
"I think people were sure Gunnar Nelson would win and I believe they bet on him. But it was not until the last moment that they wanted to [use Maia as a stepping stone], and the evidence came with the fight against Masvidal, who still thought Demian would be a ladder for other athletes. [But] it is just an opinion."
At this stage in his career, Maia must know this is likely to be his final shot. He’s currently fighting in one of UFC’s most competitive divisions and although he takes an impressive seven fight win streak the timing of this fight cannot do any favours for Maia. Given the history Maia has with UFC it's easy to see why people this he’s becoming a stepping stone for younger more commercially viable fighters.
Maia can go the distance at 214, he all the tools in his arsenal and although he is in the twilight of his career his style will keep him going for as long as he feels he needs to. Maia is a better fighter than UFC currently gives him credit for.
Hopefully, he can prove them wrong and realise his potential with taking the championship.
