Former ADCC champion Demian Maia wants just one more UFC fight, and he already has an opponent in mind.
In an Instagram post yesterday, Maia shared his acknowledgment that his time in the Octagon was likely nearing — if not at — its end, and he expressed that he’d like to square up with Nate Diaz if given a final opportunity inside the Octagon.
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Maia, who had his first fight with the UFC in 2007, was on the losing end of a decision against Belal Muhammad over the weekend at UFC 263, marking his second loss in a row after a three-fight winning streak. Dana White said in a post-fight press conference that Maia’s fight against Muhammad was likely his last for the UFC, as his contract with the promotion had concluded.
Diaz, too, suffered his second consecutive loss on Saturday night, dropping a decision to Leon Edwards. Both he and Maia are jiu-jitsu black belts who have demonstrated their grappling skills on the mats and inside the cage. In fact, prior to UFC 263, Diaz himself said that their similar jiu-jitsu backgrounds made a fight against Maia one that he wouldn’t be “looking for.” Maia will seemingly have to convince both White and Diaz to give him the final fight that he desires most.
