Demian Maia Biography Introduction:
All professional mixed martial arts fighters understand grappling and submissions. Perhaps because of that, we forget that there is still a difference between being a good Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and a great one. That is, until you see someone like Demian Maia on the ground.
Then it all suddenly makes sense.
Date of Birth:
Maia was born on November 6, 1977 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Training Camp and Fighting Organization:
Maia trains with Wanderlei Silva at Wand Fight Team. He fights for the UFC.
Martial Arts Training:
Maia got involved in the martial arts at an early age while practicing judo. As a teenager, he also trained in kung fu and karate. However, at the age of nineteen, via his cousin's influence, he started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He currently owns a second degree black belt in the art. He achieved his initial black belt under Fabio Gurgel.
Submission Fighting Tournament Prowess:
Maia won the ADCC Submission Wrestling Championship in the 77-87 kg weight classification in 2007. The ADCC is one of the most significant, if not the most significant, submission wrestling tournaments in the world. He also took home the 2007 Super Challenge under 83 kg belt as well. And that's only the tip of the iceberg, as Maia has placed in so many tournaments that it would be an exercise in futility to even try to list them.
MMA Beginnings:
Maia made his MMA debut on September 21, 2001 at Tormenta en el Ring – Tormenta en el Ring in Caracus, Venezuela, defeating Raul Sosa via TKO in only 48 seconds. In fact, he posted a 6-0 record that included a victory over Gustavo Machado before the UFC came calling.
Maia won his first five fights in the UFC by submission, including victories over Nate Quarry and Chael Sonnen, before falling to Nate Marquardt via first round KO.
Fighting Style:
Maia has proven that he has some stand up skills. That said, he is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner through and through. In other words, he likes to take fights to the ground and utilize submissions (joint locks, choke holds) to stop them. He is one of the best submission fighters in the business.
Personal Life:
Maia was inspired to take up MMA by Royce Gracie. He is married to Renada.
Some of Demian Maia's Most Impressive Victories:
- Maia defeats Chael Sonnen by triangle choke at UFC 95: Chael Sonnen is one of the better ground and pound guys in the business. But you can get caught in submissions trying to execute that game plan, and that's exactly what happened to Sonnen here.
- Maia defeats Jason MacDonald by rear naked choke at UFC 87: MacDonald was a great athlete with good striking and excellent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills. But on the ground against Maia, it became clear that excellent- as it relates to submission fighting- just wasn't going to cut it.
- Maia defeats Gustavo Machado by decision at Super Fight 1: When these two outstanding Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters took on one another, only one could come out victorious. Maia took home perhaps the biggest win of his early career here.
