Demian Maia vs. Matt Brown is official

[Shy Guy]

Two top welterweights are set to collide at the upcoming UFC card in Brazil.

UFC senior vice president Giovani Decker announced on Monday that Demian Maiaand Matt Brown will collide on May 14. The promotion has yet to announce the location for the event.

LINK: Matt Brown vs. Demian Maia added to UFC Fight Night event in Brazil

 

[member 3289]

Matt Brown had trouble defending Hendricks' takedowns, and Maia is one of the most smothering fighters in the UFC.

Doesn't seem like a good match-up for Matt but who knows

 

[Deleted member 1]

Matt Brown had trouble defending Hendricks' takedowns, and Maia is one of the most smothering fighters in the UFC.

Doesn't seem like a good match-up for Matt but who knows

Agree.
Maia has so much experience at this point. The guy just keeps coming. Unless you are gonna knock him out, the guy just slowly wears you down.

I still want to see Maia get a bigger challenge.

Maia against GSP would have always been a really good match in my opinion.

 

[Super Dave]

Always enjoyed Maia and this run in welterweight has been a joy to watch. Love it when BJJ guys do well!

 

[Wild]

I think Maia wins this one via decision. I dont think he'll be able to submit Matt but he may grapple fuck him to death.

 

[member 3289]

Agree.
Maia has so much experience at this point. The guy just keeps coming. Unless you are gonna knock him out, the guy just slowly wears you down.

I still want to see Maia get a bigger challenge.

Maia against GSP would have always been a really good match in my opinion.

Rory exposed one weakness Maia does have - his cardio when he can't get the TD.

That said, it is very, very difficult to stop that TD. Rory couldn't stop it the first round and lost the round because of it.

In the 2nd he lit Maia up with some effective control and sprawls (couldn't find a gif of the sprawls):

But even in the third, even though he had Maia pretty gassed, he still got taken down and could have lost the fight had he been kept down, but he was able to come up with an incredible escape:

I don't see Brown as having the same tools to avoid the TD/escape from bottom.

 

[Deleted member 1]

ory exposed one weakness Maia does have - his cardio when he can't get the TD.

Been that way since he entered the UFC.
His takedowns aren't that good after 30 fights which is kind of ridiculous.
Still likes that slow drag from the clinch or the awkward double leg.

Rory and Lawler would be hard fights for him always due to movement in the standup.

But GSP would be taking him down and Maia has better size than Penn to work the bottom and sweeps without just getting muscle around.

That said, Maia doesn't seem to have that killer instinct, never raining bombs and elbows from the top. He gets the position and still just work to soften for the submission opening.

Anyways, just thinking outloud. Brown gonna warn down while trying for a grinding war and submitted.

 

[mysticmac]

I'm still impressed with his domination of Gunnar on the ground.

 

[Qat]

But GSP would be taking him down and Maia has better size than Penn to work the bottom and sweeps without just getting muscle around.

GSP would just stand with him and wouldn't be in danger.

But yeah, Maia lacks some explosiveness.

 

[ECC170]

Maia wind boring fight..Lombard/Diaz vs Brown is more like it

 

[EyeAmYuki]

I wish Maia had started his career at welterweight and taken a different approach in his fights earlier on. Best clean WW in the world.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

I wish Maia had started his career at welterweight and taken a different approach in his fights earlier on. Best clean WW in the world.

I am not arguing you because obviously it is subjective, but do you put Maia over Rory and Condit or do you think they're not clean?

 

[EyeAmYuki]

I am not arguing you because obviously it is subjective, but do you put Maia over Rory and Condit or do you think they're not clean?

I think Maia beats Condit and Rory in a rematch.

Rory is the worst stylistic matchup for him though.

 

[Andrewsimar Palhardass]

I think Maia beats Condit and Rory in a rematch.

Rory is the worst stylistic matchup for him though.

That's a bold statement! I like it, though I disagree. I do see Rory as the worst stylistic matchup, but I think Condit and Rory both beat him. Not a domination and I can't say that I am positive as to who would win, but that's how I see it going.

 

[maurice]

Maia is a bad matchup for Condit for the same reason that he's a bad matchup for Brown.

 

[Punch]

Maia is a bad matchup for Condit for the same reason that he's a bad matchup for Brown.

If Brown can keep it on the feet, it's going to be a long night for Maia. Big if though.

 

[Jehannum]

Brown (who I'm not fan of) often finds a way to make a fight competitive when I think he's way out of his depth, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him hurt Maia and use that to grind out a decision, but if he gets taken down early in each round there is no way he's getting up, let alone winning.

 

[Wild]

Brown (who I'm not fan of) often finds a way to make a fight competitive when I think he's way out of his depth, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him hurt Maia and use that to grind out a decision, but if he gets taken down early in each round there is no way he's getting up, let alone winning.

Amazing how heavy Maia is when he gets top position. He just smothers and controls guys...without looking like Lombard or Romero. Proof that technique is still king in MMA.

 

[Jehannum]

Amazing how heavy Maia is when he gets top position. He just smothers and controls guys...without looking like Lombard or Romero. Proof that technique is still king in MMA.

it's interesting, especially as Shields schooled Maia but then Lombard schooled Shields

guess we need to see Lombard vs Maia for that triangle to be complete

 

[nni]

it's interesting, especially as Shields schooled Maia but then Lombard schooled Shields

Shields didn't school Maia. He won a split decision in a fight where he was rewarded by the judges for top control, while Maia was more active and threatening from the bottom.

 

[Jehannum]

Shields didn't school Maia. He won a split decision in a fight where he was rewarded by the judges for top control, while Maia was more active and threatening from the bottom.

hehe ya got me I didn't even watch it

 

[nni]

I think Maia strangles Matt. Should be interesting if Matt can survive on the ground and it goes into the 3rd round. Matt just keeps on coming.

Also, I really hope Maia gets a title shot if he wins this one.

 

[KWingJitsu]

Been that way since he entered the UFC.
His takedowns aren't that good after 30 fights which is kind of ridiculous.
Still likes that slow drag from the clinch or the awkward double leg.

Rory and Lawler would be hard fights for him always due to movement in the standup.

But GSP would be taking him down and Maia has better size than Penn to work the bottom and sweeps without just getting muscle around.

That said, Maia doesn't seem to have that killer instinct, never raining bombs and elbows from the top. He gets the position and still just work to soften for the submission opening.

Anyways, just thinking outloud. Brown gonna warn down while trying for a grinding war and submitted.

Actually I studied Maia's takedowns.
Here's where he excels: Pushing you against the cage to a takedown and/or In The clinch (amazing).

Here's where he sucks: Distance takedowns (shooting dubs) in the middle of the ring.

 

[1031]

Didn't he show some nice singles against Gunnar? I can't remember if he finished with trips or drags but I do seem to recall him in on Gunnar's left side....I could be totally wrong though, any gifs of those takedowns?

And whoever said Rory is a bad match up for Maia is dead on. Longer fighters can really make Maia's lack of explosiveness haunt him. If you can get a hand on his forehead and sprawl then you're half-way there.

I'll always be a fan of Maia for how he schooled Chael- one of the most beautiful and cleanest wins I've ever seen.

 

[kneeblock]

Been that way since he entered the UFC.
His takedowns aren't that good after 30 fights which is kind of ridiculous.
Still likes that slow drag from the clinch or the awkward double leg.

Rory and Lawler would be hard fights for him always due to movement in the standup.

But GSP would be taking him down and Maia has better size than Penn to work the bottom and sweeps without just getting muscle around.

That said, Maia doesn't seem to have that killer instinct, never raining bombs and elbows from the top. He gets the position and still just work to soften for the submission opening.

Anyways, just thinking outloud. Brown gonna warn down while trying for a grinding war and submitted.

I disagree. His takedowns are some of the best in MMA. Like a pitcher with a few pitches, he just keeps a very narrow focus. His go to is his single leg, which he seems to get at some point on everyone. He also has a lateral drop (famously used on Chael), an uchi gari that he gets from over under or double unders and then his notorious double, which often looks sloppy because it's a set up to close the distance more than an earnest takedown attempt. Everything Demian does is about manipulating space to get to his jiu jitsu.

That said, I don't think he would've stood much chance against GSP. Demian's bottom game has never been as impressive as his top pressure in MMA. In BJJ and sub grappling, he was a slow cooker from the bottom with his setups and that would go against him in a 5 minute round. Georges was also very good at BJJ in his own right, particularly at shutting down his opponents' offense. Demian wouldn't have gotten him down and Georges would have kept the fight standing just like Anderson did.