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This week, readers weigh in on Demian Maia’s chances against pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre’s dominance of the 170-pound division and the globalization of MMA.
Why is everyone writing off Demian Maia before he even sets a foot in the cage against Anderson Silva? I think it’s the worst possible matchup for Silva. Maia has solid takedowns, and, once he has an opponent down, he finishes even the best of them nine times out 10. Maia is going to sing Silva a lullaby before he tucks him in for bed with a rear-naked choke. You heard it here first.
-- Douglas
Brian Knapp, associate editor: One can describe Maia’s plight here in two words -- Nate Marquardt. It will take more than a pedestrian victory over Dan Miller to erase the memories of Maia’s nuclear 21-second knockout loss to Marquardt. If he stands for any appreciable time with Silva, his fate will be the same, perhaps worse. Ask Forrest Griffin.
Maia does not represent the worst possible matchup for Silva. That distinction belongs to someone like Dan Henderson or Chael Sonnen, two men with the ability to ground Silva repeatedly and grind out a decision. Henderson, had he stuck to his gameplan at UFC 82, might have ended the Brazilian’s reign two years ago.
Still, Maia does pose some interesting problems, but it all revolves around whether or not he can get Silva to the floor and keep him there. If he can put the champion on his back away from the cage, his odds improve immeasurably. That seems like a big “if” to me. Silva is considerably bigger and more athletic than Maia and, as he has proven time and time again, needs only the slightest of openings to incinerate an opponent. Remember, too, that Silva has only been submitted twice and only once from top position. Ryo Chonan took him out with a ridiculous heel hook, and Daiju Takase tapped him with a triangle choke.
Maia has a grappler’s chance but little more, and he will need to throw caution to the wind with a high-risk, high-reward approach to make it happen. I’m not sure his chin can withstand the investment. Silva’s reputation precedes him.