We could see Demian Maya fight in the UFC octagon one more time, but that decision now lies in the hands of the UFC. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Maia expressed his hopes surrounding his final bout.
“I want to do one last fight there, and I think it depends on what happens in Brazil. That’s a feeling my manager and I have. If they are having shows with fans here soon, I think that will draw interest from the UFC to have me fighting. I’m waiting and seeing what happens, but I do want to fight one last fight. I’m still training twice a day.”
With an MMA record of 28-11, Maia holds 11 submission wins in the UFC, the second-most in the promotion’s history. His most recent match at UFC 263 resulted in a loss to Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision, marking the last fight on Maia’s UFC contract. In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said “that’s probably it”, in terms of Maia’s career with the UFC.
In the meantime, Maia is keeping his eye on grappling opportunities. After talks with Chael Sonnen and Submission Underground, the idea of competing in jiu-jitsu against a fellow MMA star is appealing.
“If I face someone from the new generation of jiu-jitsu, he might have a name in the jiu-jitsu [community] but that’s a niche thing. If I get an MMA guy… Let me give you an example: Sonnen texted me after my last fight asking if I was interested in facing Tony Ferguson or Kamaru Usman. That’s the type of match that would not only appeal to the jiu-jitsu community but also MMA and everyone that likes fights in any way.”
While Demian Maia shops the market and considers his options, he has made one thing clear: if the UFC calls, he will be ready.
