One-time UFC Title challenger Demian Maia dropping to welterweight division

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Following disappointing decision losses in two of his last three fights, Demian Maia is making a change. The one-time UFC Middleweight Title challenger announced via Twitter on Wednesday that he's dropping down to the welterweight division for his next fight.

"Guys, now I'll be moving down to 170 pounds," Maia said. "Next fight, I'll be a welterweight."

Maia entered the UFC in 2007, and earned five straight submission wins to kick off his UFC career and keep his then-undefeated record intact. Those wins led to a fight against top contender Nate Marquardt, but he was knocked out with one vicious punch in just 21 seconds in that fight.

After a rebound win, he was given a shot at Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva as a late replacement for an injured Vitor Belfort. In what was one of the most maddening title fights in UFC history, Maia had nothing for a dancing Silva, and lost a unanimous decision in Abu Dhabi.

In five fights since then, Maia's gone just 3-2, with all of those fights reaching the judges' scorecards. The one-time submission ace has relied on his striking game as of late, and hasn't finished a fight since an immensely exciting win over Chael Sonnen in February of 2009.

The most disappointing performance for Maia came in his last bout in January against late replacement Chris Weidman. Maia refused to work on the ground as Weidman took him down a number of times, and instead tried to make it a kickboxing match. Unfortunately for him, it was one he lost, and looked bad doing so. Now, he'll try to reinvent himself at 170 lbs.

Penick's Analysis: I like the idea of Maia at 170 lbs., but only if he's going to go back to what made him so fun to watch in the first place. He hasn't been the same fighter since Marquardt knocked him out, and he needs to get back to the submission game that made him one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. He's got good wrestling and decent striking, but he's relied too much on his hands in his last several fights, and because of that hasn't been nearly as effective as he was early in his UFC run. The fact that he hasn't stopped a fight in three years after stopping ten of his first 11 career opponents says it all about how he's changed, and he needs to find a way to get back.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_12773.shtml

Tiki Ghosn Dennis George