Demian Maia will finally get a crack at welterweight gold, but there’s a catch.
Maia just had a tough fight against Jorge Masvidal in May. He’ll have to have freshened up quickly and prepare as he’s fighting Tyron Woodley for the 170-pound gold on July 29. It’ll be part of the main card of UFC 214.
Speaking to the media at a recent luncheon, Maia talked about the short camp (via Flo Combat):
“The damage is that we’re used to some kind of training camp. In this case, it’s the shortest camp I’ve had since joining the UFC, and it is for the most important fight I’ve ever had here. I accepted the fight because we want to be a champion, [so] we have to plan it out, put in the work and do our best to get there at 100 percent.”
The Brazilian’s manager, Eduardo Alonso chimed in to say that the UFC had lost faith in his fighter at one point.
“I think when he lost to Jake Shields and Rory MacDonald, despite these being hard fights, there–it’s an opinion–I think the UFC kind of gave up [on him] and wanted to use Demian as a ladder for other athletes. Especially in the fight against Gunnar Nelson. Without going into much detail, [they] insisted we accepted that fight.”
