Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 in August
Demian Maia’s camp may have been expecting a middleweight title shot in August, but instead they’re getting what can only be considered a number one contender match with Nate Marquardt. Maia confirmed the news on his official website, saying the fight is on for UFC 102 in Portland, Oregon. Obviously it’s one hell of an interesting bout on paper, but the timing of this announcement begs the question, did Anderson Silva screw Maia out of a title shot with his performance against Thales Leites at UFC 97?
The answer is, pretty much. Had Silva gone out and looked like “The Spider” of old against Leites, the UFC probably would not have turned right around matched him against a former light heavyweight champ just a few months later, because they wouldn’t have needed to. If they felt like he was still a draw in a regular old title defense in his own weight class, Maia’s chances of getting that shot would probably have been much better. The only other reasonable choice would have been Marquardt, but he already had his chance and it wasn't exactly the kind of fight that screamed out for a rematch.
Instead, the Silva/Leites snoozefest embarrasses Dana White and the UFC goes into crisis control mode to force Silva to do something interesting, and in the meantime Maia might as well take on Marquardt to decide who really deserves to be the top middleweight contender.
The good news for fans is, it’s a great fight. Maia vs. Marquardt makes great sense for the middleweight class, which has lacked a strong, undeniable top contender lately, and it’s an interesting clash of styles. You could make a case for either one of these guys being deserving of a shot right now. Whoever emerges from this matchup, you won’t even have to make the case for them. Meanwhile, Silva fights Griffin in a crazy superfight, and the UFC has a great summer on its hands. Everybody wins.
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Anonymous Says:
FIRST!!
Semen Demon Says:
"FIRST!!" duuuuuh thats what you sound like.
Dave Says:
I think we're about to find out the full breadth of the talent gap between Nate Quarry and Nate Marquardt.
golden lobster Says:
nasty nate's gonna eat him alive, maia's jiu jitsu will be negated
FIGHTFUCK! Says:
Stop with the first you fuckin losers......and that's gunna be a great fight! Maia in round 2....submision of course
Levi Says:
i gotta say. maia in 2 sounds just about right.
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
I GOTTA SAY THAT THE REAL CONTENDER HERE IS JUNIE BROWNING. WHAT THE FUCK DANA WHITE JUNIE BROWNING WOULD KILL BOTH OF THESE WANNABE FIGHTERS AT THE SAME TIME IN THE SAME CAGE. JUNIE BROWNING FOR LIFE!!
T Rex Says:
Just so you guys know, everyone on the forum totally called this match up.
CoconutSkin Says:
Everybody wins! (Except Maia, that is)
Bojangles Says:
i'm a big Maia fan, but he's not ready for Nate, Mardquart is going to smash Maia
Sodak Says:
Yep maia got screwed i don't see where forest is even relevant.
CJ>CP Says:
dammit i was going to boycott the next Silva fight but everybody loves freakin Forrest and now this card added on to it. now i have to purchase it. You win this time UFC but your day is coming! (shakes fist)
Dubbayoo! Says:
I wonder if Anderson's performance in the Leites fight was a pressure tactic to force his way out of the Middleweight division w/o losing the belt... and get matched against one of the best PPV draws the UFC has (and not too shabby a fighter neither).
And that's how you start a rumor, let the speculation begin!
rokabee Says:
Hell yes, this is the best thing ever, were gonna get Anderson to fight like the spider again, And I get to see the match up that I've been talking about for so long now. Maia vs Marquardt.
ryan meleedy Says:
wow, yes this is a good fight. however, let me say that i am thoughroughly (however u spell it) upset that everyone is overlooking okami. im a huge okami fan. i really am. say okami beats miller, which he should on paper. he should be garunteed the first shot at the belt. my reasonaning? silva fights at UFC 101. he wont fight until end of the yearish. okami will have plenty of time to heal up and be ready. where as the winner of marquart/maia, takes place in late august, and they can wait til the begginning of 2010 to get there shot. jesus christ when is okami gonna get his? he was "garunteed" a shot back b4 cote had a shot, but he got injured, came back, won, and know has to fight another fight in the meentime. give him a shot and then when marquart DESTROYS maia, give nate a second shot!!
Jonny5 Says:
WTF ever happened to Yushin Okami. I mean hasn't he been the #1 contender for quite? I mean his next fight is against the IFL champ? I mean whos he gonna fight next Jake Rosholt? Okami vs. Marquardt now that would be a #1 contender match right there while we wait for Silva's new DW ordered mission against one of the worlds top 3 Light Heavies to b accomplished. You guys picking up what I'm dropping here?
NateGetsIrate Says:
I don't get all this talk about Maia being screwed by Leites. What's the point of getting a title shot when you have no business being in the same ring as the champ? Anderson woulda given Maia the worst dead leg, eva!
Jonny5 Says:
I was just looking at the potato power rankings for MW's and I think it may be time to drop Franklin and Filho from that list. Paulo Filho top ten is laughable.
NIGHTRIDER Says:
WHAT IS A YUSHIN OKAMI?
Dmonicideals Says:
The only reason being first would matter, you anonymous coward, is if you actually had something important to say about the goings on. Instead you do what you always do, troll 15 boards at a time so that when a new article pops, you can go say absolutely fucking nothing. Maybe, just maybe, if you provided some commentary on how you think the afore mentioned fights go down, or some interesting analysis of the fights, then MAYBE that gets you some cred.
Otherwise, all saying "first" means is "I have a small penis. I need to try to seem important on an MMA board. I need people to notice me so I feel good. Unfortunately, i'm stupid, so I can't really think of anything to say. Even if I cold provide some analysis, it would sound retarded, and if it takes more than 7 words, there is no time, since it takes me 4 hours to type those 7 words. Maybe next year, when I turn 43, I will move out of my mommys house and get a cool place of my own.Then I will get my own compluter and not have time limits on my intrenets time."
I like teh sound of this fight, both are tough guys, and we have seen how Nate handles JJ guys (kickem while there down is unfortunately gonna loose you points), and we have seen how Demian handles strikers. This fight will be a great test to see how far Maias striking has come. If he can take out Nate on teh feet, he might well actually BE ready for a fight against Silva.
Dmonicideals Says:
*thoroughly. Your welcome Ryan.
VegasBJJ Says:
Nate will tap.
Patrick Says:
Unless Marquardt fights a 100% perfect fight, Maia will win via sub. Definitely. If Marquardt is the favorite, I will bet on this fight.
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Theslothman Says:
Okami gets screwed again...methinks the spider's been in joe silva's ear........just sayin
Anonymous Says:
Actually dmonicideals being first means that whoever says first gets to annoy the crap out of people who get so irritated by the first people. ^.^ hence a win win situation for us firsters
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
JUNIE BROWNING IS WERE ITS AT. HE CAN SUBMIT BOTH MAIA AND LEITES AT THE SAME TIME. FUCKING CP POSERS DONT KNOW SHIT, MAYBE IF JUNIE BROWNING WOULD FUCKING COME AND TEACH YOU COCK SUCKERS A LESSON YOU WOULD REALIZE HE IS THE P4P BEST FIGHTER IN THE UNIVERSE!!
Anonymous Says:
That dmonicideals guy is a dick. I'm gonna anonymously rape him! Hahahaha
Mixed Martial Adam Says:
Thank god. I didn't want to see either of these guys fight Silva without fighting each other first.
Dedstrk Says:
So that's why Silva had a poor performance against Leites. He's afraid of Maia.
Dmonicideals Says:
I told you that you needed the attention, whether it be positive or negative. Woo Whoo, people hate you on the internet, just like in real life! At least here you can get people to acknowledge you, in the real world you don't actually see "people". Keep it coming losers, I know that isn't all you have in you.
Mr. Meza Says:
MAIA ALL THE WAY... please bjj has evolved in this guy ...
Wiskey_Pete Says:
Wait, wait, wait, then what happenes to Hendo vs Bisbing? I thought the winner of that got the title shot.
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
I THINK THAT NATE WILL BEAT ON HIM FOR ALITTLE WHILE, AND JUST WHEN IT SEEMS THAT NATE IS GOING TO WIN AT ANY TIME, MAIA WILL SUBMIT HIM, AND NATE WON'T EVEN SEE IT COMING.
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
JUNIE BROWNING COULD BE BOTH OF THEM EASILY THOUGH
Anonymous Says:
junie browning is a shape shifter?
Stylin Says:
I think maia vs okami would have been a better choice as marquardt has already had his shot. you'd have to think silva would be hooting for okami so he'd have the opportunity to avenge his loss from a few years ago. granted it was a dq loss, but an l is still l on silve's record.
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
Dear God. I sure hate myself.
Ninjay Says:
Yes! Nate is back. I think Maia's streak comes to a crashing halt here. Nate's stand up is 10 times better than Demians and if he is smart, and he is, he wont follow him to thr ground and get subed.Nate is gonna get that belt....only a matter of time.
just some dong Says:
Silva vs. Okami = horrible fight
Silva vs. Maia = horrible fight
Silva vs. Marquardt = mildly amusing but predictable
Silva vs. Griffin = Fight of the Year material
Mike Who? Says:
battle of the big eared bastards
Anonymous Says:
Thales Leites is a Jiu Jitsu fight and he beats Marquardt. I know that knee to a down Leites from Nate but Leites stunned Nate a few times with striking. Nate Vs. Damien is interesting but I would much have rather scene Nate Vs. Okami eventhough Maia is nasty and Nate already had a shot I just think Marquardt Vs. Okami would be sick to watch!!!!!
sPeLLcHeCkEr Says:
Well I hope to jeebus Maia doesn't kiss Marquardt on the lips like he did the other Nate... Biggest WTF moment in MMA ever imo. If it becomes the new nipple tweak, I'm done with UFC.
CAPS LOCK HAL, Says:
FUCKING SHIT. I AM SO FUCKING AMUZED TO SEE ALL OF YOU MOTHERFUCKING RETARDS CAPS LOCK HAL WANNABYS, YOU FUCKING SUCK. YOU ARE NOWHERE NEAR MY FUCKING LEVEL, JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO FUCKING KILL YOURSELVES WORTHLESS FUCKING NERDS. DAMN IT FUCKING SHIT, I WISH I COULD GET MY HANDS ON YOU SKINNY FOUREYED BITCHES. I WOULD FUCKING RIP YOU GOD DAMNED HEADS OFF. YOU ARE TRYING TO BE LIKE ME BUT YOU FAIL EVERY MOTHERFUCKING TIME BECAUSE I AM THE MOST AWESOME USER ON THIS MOTHERFUCKING WEBSITE AND I GOT THE MOST FUCKING MMA KNOWLEDGE, YOU FAGGETS DON'T KNOW SHIT. ALL YOUR FUCKING STUPID OPPINIONS DON'T MEAN SHIT, THEY ARE FUCKING WORTHLESS JUST LIKE YOU ARE, YOU FUCKING CUNTS. ALL I SAY IS TRUE AND I SAY THAT JUNNY BROWNING IS THE BEST MOTHERFUCKING FIGHTER IN THE WHOLE DAMN UFC, EVEN DANA FUCKING WHITE KNOWS THAT. WHEN ME AND MY DAD HAL SENIOR WATCH UFC, WE ALWAYS KNOW WHO IS THE BEST MOTHERFUCKING FIGHTER, AND WE KNOW ITS JUNNY BROWNING. HE WILL OWN THE 155 DEVISION, YOU WILL SEE YOU FUCKING TURDS, FUCK YOU HARD. I LOVE JUNNY, I WOULD SUCK HIS COCK IF I COULD, BUT THEN TUF GUY WOULD BEAT ME UP BECAUSE HE IS MY BOYFRIEND AND HE GETS MAD WHEN I CHEAT ON HIM BY SUCKING OTHER PEOPLE'S COCKS, BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, I JUST LOVE THE COCK SO MUCH, IT'S LIKE A FUCKING ADDICTION. MOTHERFUCK, I AM SO FUCKING MAD, I WILL FUCKING KILL ALL YOU FUCKING NERDS, BUT FIRST I WILL SUCK YOUR COCKS BECAUSE I NEED MORE PROTEIN IN MY MOUTH. FUCK YOU ALL MOTHERFUCKERS.
RED Says:
The winner of this fight will be sitting on the sidelines for a bit if winner of Bisping/Hendo gets Silva. It'd be be 105-106 by the time Silva can fight again, then possibly another 3-4 months before the winner of this fight gets a shot. So we'd be looking at possibly the New Years card.
VEe_ScritchandScratch Says:
"did Anderson Silva screw Maia out of a title shot with his performance against Thales Leites at UFC 97?"
Are we still blaming Silva? I guess everybody is entitled to their opinion and their own twist into the thought process behind making Griffin vs Silva happen. Maybe the UFC brass are looking for a sure-shot challenger that will press the action against Anderson Silva. While Leites looked good against McFedries(?) and Marquardt, his performance against Silva also embarrassed Dana White. So, I'm sure Joe Silva and White are looking for an opponent that will push the action and force Silva to do something interesting. After all, White did cite a number of the things Silva did in the cage against Leites.
Feel sorry for Yushin Okami, his last fight was boring because his opponent refused to engage and flopped to the floor.
Okami vs Marquardt?
Clyde Says:
I think Okami Vs Marquardt is the better fight for a number 1 contenders spot; Maia is great but still too limited. I think he'll have a lot of trouble getting nate down and would have to be incredibly lucky to win on the feet. Insanely lucky.
I hope he gets his shot eventually though as he's makes jiu jitsu look so easy that I almost hate the guy.
Goog Says:
Anderson Silva, to me, has become like Mel Gibson. Mel's a great actor and has kicked ass in the past. And every once in a while, he still makes a headline. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with acting. DUI's, infidelity and anti-semitic rants? Check. You still talk about him, but not because you want to.
I think the UFC is screwed because Silva has a belt at the moment. Sure... go ahead and move him up to another 205 fight, but it only solves one issue and that's maybe forcing him to at least defend himself in the cage. But here's my problem... If he loses to Forrest, everyone will talk about how brave it was for him to move up into a class he "doesn't belong in" because he just wants to fight the best. Bullshit. This is the pussy way of doing it. I'd make him fight every motherfucker in the 185 division and stop screwing other good guys out of their shot. It's another repeat of BJ Penn making the other contenders sit around waiting to see how the little prick is gonna be pacified. And if Forrest loses, it'll just be amplified by the fact that it was to a middleweight. "Oh, no. Forrest lost two in a row. Maybe he should pack it in. Is he the new gatekeeper? This former champ can't string together any wins. What's up, Opie? No more heart?" Not to mention the unnecessary "OMG, Silva could kill all the LHW's" bullshit it would spur. I don't see an upside to this fight as far as the results are concerned. Sure, it'll sell tickets, but it does nothing for the rankings in either division to help solve the big problem... how do you get the belt away from Silva without just pretending to pose for a picture with it and running away? So what's after this? Another "superfight"? Man that term is being thrown around pretty loosely these days.
Fuck you, Silva. You're an employee and here's other news: You can't fucking draw. The "best P4P in the world" can't sell tickets. Either get that giant bulbous head out of your ass and do your job in 185 or be a man and give it up and go to the 205 where they can *yawn* maybe find you a worthy opponent. I personally hope you get KTFO. Either way, I'm enjoying the negative publicity you've brought on yourself. If I'm forced to hear about you, at least it's bad.
TeeReks Says:
Maia is going to be destroyed. It won't even be competitive for Marquardt.
Torque Says:
I personally love the idea of this fight taking place! It's finally about time that Maia and Marquardt square off. If Nate shows up, in shape and fighting like he did in his last fight, then I have to think that Nate will hand Maia a loss. I pick, Marquardt wins by decision. While not the most exciting outcome of a fight, I think that Maia's Jitz skills are way strong enough to force the bout into 3 rounds. Unless Marquardt can catch him in one of is Unholy flurry of fury punches!
Now...in my own personal opinion, I would like to see the UFC institute a true number 1 contender, tournament style series of fights in several of their "action dormant" weight classes. In example: Maia vs. Marquardt, then the winner of Bisping vs. Hendo to fight Yushin Okami. Then the 2 winners of those bouts fight eachother to determine the true #1 contender. Not only would it force the top talent to come to the front, it would provide at least a couple of killer PPV headlining bouts.