Demian Maia had a three-fight winning streak snapped this past Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 28 when he was TKO’d by Gilbert Burns in the first round of their welterweight fight in Brasilia, Brazil. Afterward, the 42-year-old Maia said he would fight one more time before retiring. So who should it be against? MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, Danny Segura and Nolan King sound off in this latest edition of “Triple Take.”
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Farah Hannoun: Donald Cerrone
Demian Maia deserves a big name in his farewell fight.
Maia has fought the who’s who in MMA, from legends to former champions to up-and-coming prospects, and considering that he mentioned Donald Cerrone as a potential last fight, he should get it. Good thing for him, Cerrone is game to fight anyone, which makes the possibility of this matchup even higher.
Stylistically it can be viewed as a classic striker vs. grappler match, but Cerrone has shown serious skills on the ground. Granted, he’d most likely avoid the ground with Maia. However, Cerrone has entertained us every single time he’s stepped foot in the octagon, which could make for an intriguing fight. “Cowboy” is in the twilight of his career, which he’d probably disagree with, but either way, Maia would be a big name for him, too.
Rankings wise, it may not look like it makes sense, since Maia has won three of his last four compared to Cerrone losing his last three, but this is no longer about rankings for Maia. It’s the final fight of Maia’s career, and if anyone will give him the scrap he’s looking for, it’s Cerrone.
Cerrone also happens to hold the UFC record for most wins, and Maia trails behind by just one fight. So this one would also have a lot on the line in terms of the record books.
Next page – Danny Segura: Diego Sanchez
Danny Segura: Diego Sanchez
Demian Maia doesn’t strike me as the type of guy to walk back on retirement.
If the Brazilian legend says he’ll hang up the gloves after the final fight on his UFC contract, then that’s likely the scenario that will play out.
Maia is the epitome of a seasoned UFC veteran. He’s been in the promotion since 2007 and managed to carve a road to a championship fight twice – and in two different weight classes. Maia holds many records in the UFC and has played a big role in the company’s history, always maintaining a top contender status in any weight class he’s competed.
From challenging for titles, stepping up on short-notice main event fights to save cards, using his name to help build upcoming contenders, and just being a good role model in the sport, Maia has done it all.
This is why he deserves to get the opponent, date and event of his interest for his final professional MMA bout. There are a few good options out there, but the Diego Sanchez suggestion makes the most sense.
For starters, both have shown interest in fighting each other for quite some time. Sanchez is a veteran of the game, and despite his recent controversial training methods, the man still holds name value and finds himself with a 3-1 record in his last four fights. Not predicting anything here, but perhaps many would agree the Sanchez fight is a much more favorable matchup than the Donald Cerrone option.
It would be nice to see an ambassador of the sport like Maia walk away with a win. Fighting in the UFC means work and doesn’t guarantee a victory, but a bout with Sanchez would put Maia in a good position to walk out on top.
Maia also got dropped badly against Gilbert Burns at UFC Brasilia. Fighting a proficient striker next might not be the best idea. Sanchez promises action, but not trauma.
Next page – Nolan King: Max Griffin
Nolan King: Max Griffin
It’s unlikely Max Griffin is the fist name to come up in the conversation about who Demian Maia’s final opponent should be. No, he doesn’t have the name recognition of Donald Cerrone. Yes, he lacks the legend status of Diego Sanchez – and his resume doesn’t match up to some of the other available options. There’s no argument against any.
However, Griffin embodies something those others don’t. He’s a matchup that makes sense regardless of the circumstances of Maia’s career. Griffin vs. Maia would make sense now – and it would make sense if Maia decided to have 10 more fights.
Both fighters are in a position in which their next fight is a must-win. As for Griffin, he’s dropped four out of five fights. Most have been closely contested against tough competition. All have come by decision. It’s likely he’ll be fighting for his job.
Conversely, it’s unlikely Maia will lack motivation entering his retirement fight. I mean, who doesn’t want to leave the sport on a winning note? Additionally, the challenge is there, so he can’t afford to get complacent. Griffin is not a layup. From Thiago Alves to Mike Perry to Colby Covington, Griffin has taken on some big challenges at 170 pounds.
So yeah, let’s make Maia vs. Griffin, why don’t we?
