Demian Maia: 'I truly believe I can become champion'

[Wild]

"If you ask me ‘are you the best one in the welterweight division?’ I don’t think so. ‘Are you the toughest one?’ I don’t think so. Or the best striker? I don’t think so. But ‘can you win the title?’ Yes, I think so, because I’m different than the other guys that used to fight. I’m different than they normally expect. I’m feeling well, I’m feeling healthy, and I’m learning more tricks to be even more different that is gonna be harder for the guys to fight against me."

LINK: Demian Maia foresees UFC title fight in 2016: ‘I truly believe I can be the champion’

 

[member 603]

He's a win away from contention, and looking at the grappling pedigree of the top WW's, I could see him grinding out a grappling win against them. That said, I see Condit and Diaz giving him fits with their striking/grappling games. Demian is a nice guy, and I'd love to see him get a chance for the belt, you can't root against him.

 

[nni]

War Maia!

It's absurd that he didn't get the shot over Condit. Condit didn't deserve the first fight, lost that, and gets another try? Such bullshit.

 

[Narcosynthesis]

I don't

 

[FadeToBlack]

I have always respected Maia. He developed a decent striking game for being such a BJJ junkie and he is just nasty when the fight hits the canvas. The way he threw Sonnen and mounted him ostensibly with minimal effort is a good example. Champion? Probably not, but then again who saw Werdum becoming champ? After that dreadful boring loss to Arlovski years earlier, I just didn't think he'd break through.