The Threat of Demian Maia
When Vitor Belfort pulled out of his title fight with Anderson Silva a week ago to undergo shoulder surgery, names such as Chael Sonnen, Randy Couture, and Yoshihiro Akiyama were being thrown around as possible replacements. When it was finally confirmed that Demian Maia would be fighting for the UFC Middleweight title against Anderson Silva in Abu Dhabi at UFC 112, disappointment echoed throughout the MMA universe. There was disappointment not because Maia isn’t a great fighter, but because the match between Belfort and Silva held such promise. Since bursting on the scene at UFC 12, Belfot has decimated opponents with his boxing, and it was felt that if any man at 185 could out strike Silva, it was Belfort. But Belfort’s out and Maia’s in, and he’s just as big of a threat on the ground as Belfort was on the feet.
Maia has no chance of out striking Silva like Belfort did, but his chances of submitting Anderson on the ground are excellent; making for a fight that won’t have the fireworks of Belfort/Silva, but certainly the suspense. With a 12-1 record, 6-1 in the UFC, Maia has eight of his wins coming via submission, six of which came in the first round. His only loss came after he threw a sloppy flying knee that was countered by an overhand right 21 seconds into his fight with Nate Marquardt. It is this knockout loss to Marquardt just six months ago that has the MMA community doubtful of Maia’s chances to win come April when he steps into the Octagon with Anderson Silva , but in actuality, Maia has one of the best chances thus far to dethrone the champ.
Ryo Chonan and Daiju Takase are two Japanese fighters who hold a victory over Anderson Silva via submission. Although these fights took place over six years ago, they show Silva’s only vulnerability, and Maia’s best asset, submissions. Maia has won the most prestigious submission event in the world, ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) Submission Wrestling World Championship, both in 2007 and 2005, and now he will need to utilize those same skills it took to win the Abu Dhabi submission wrestling championship in ’07 and ’05 to win the UFC Middleweight Championship in Abu Dhabi. For believers in destiny, it seems meant to be, but for those who don’t, just a mere coincidence.
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Coincidence or destiny, the whole world will find out on April 12, when Maia attempts to overcome Silva with his superior grappling ability. While Belfort would have been the biggest threat to Anderson Silva, Maia will be Silva’s biggest threat thus far. Dan Henderson’s superior wrestling certainly was cause for concern for Silva at UFC 82, but if Maia’s four Submission of the Night victories have shown us anything, it’s that Maia can submit anyone from any position any time. UFC 112 has been dubbed Invincible, and such is the aura that Silva now carries with him six years after his last legitimate loss to Ryo Chonan, but this is mixed martial arts, and if its short history has taught us anything, no fighter is invincible.
By Jeffrey Concerto
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer