Who is Demian Maia? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 47 Years, 47 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Renata Maia

father: Guto Maia

Mixed Martial Artists Brazilian Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Ancestry: Russian Brazilian

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1

What is Demian Maia's fighting style?

Demian Maia is known for his exceptional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills, making him a highly skilled grappler in the world of mixed martial arts.
2

How many UFC fights has Demian Maia won?

As of [current date], Demian Maia has won [X] UFC fights, showcasing his longevity and success in the organization.
3

Has Demian Maia ever won a UFC championship?

Demian Maia has not won a UFC championship in his career, although he has competed for titles in the welterweight division.
4

What is Demian Maia's current MMA record?

As of [current date], Demian Maia's MMA record stands at [X] wins, [Y] losses, and [Z] draws or no contests, reflecting his experience and competitive nature in the sport.
5

Who are some notable opponents that Demian Maia has faced in the UFC?

Demian Maia has faced several top fighters in the UFC, including Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Kamaru Usman, demonstrating his willingness to take on elite competition.

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Childhood & Early Life

Demian Maia was born Demian Augusto Maia Baptista on November 6, 1977 in São Paulo, Brazil. The name of his father is Guto Maia but very little is known about his mother.

He started developing interest in martial arts at quite a young age, and started practicing Judo when he was 4 years old. By the time he reached 6, he had developed a liking for the more traditional forms of martial arts like Karate and Kung Fu.

At 19 years of age, Demian was introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu popularly known as BJJ. It was around the same time when he graduated from college with a degree in Journalism.

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Career

Shortly after being introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he entered Fabio Araujo’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy to start his training. Fabio Araujo was a brown belt holder trained under Carlson Gracie, a renowned BJJ fighter.

Demian made his debut into the world of fighting in 2001 opposite Raul Sosa in Venezuela and defeated Sosa in 48 seconds with a technical knockout.

After taking a break that lasted around four years, Demian returned to demonstrate his submissive prowess and defeated Lukasz Chewlicki by armbar. This was at The Cage Vol. 4 – Redemption fights.

In 2007, he signed a contract with Ultimate Fighting Championship and fought with Ryan Jensen of Team Quest and defeated him with a rear naked choke. In his later fights with Ed Herman and Jason MacDonald, Demian defeated both of them into submission.

In 2009, Demian defeated Nate Quarry, a heavy-handed striker and Chael Sonnen, UFC middleweight title contender. Later that year, during August Demian was knocked out by a straight right hand delivered by his opponent Nate Marquardt. This was his first career loss.

In 2010, Demian faced Dan Miller and won the fight through unanimous decision. He also fought Kendall Grove and won by unanimous decision. In 2011, he lost to Mark Muñoz in a close contest. He defeated Jorge Santiago by unanimous decision later the same year.

After his decision to drop to the 170-pound welterweight division, Demian saw a series of wins against some of the greatest players in the history of the sport. In 2012, he won against Rick Story forcing him into submission.

In 2013, he lost to Joke Shields, another Jiu-Jitsu practitioner in a close match. In 2014, in a match against Rory McDonald, Demian lost the match by unanimous decision but secured his first Fight of the Night Award.

Demian was on a winning streak in 2015, winning fights against Ryan LaFlare, Neil Magny and Gunnar Nelson. In 2016, Demian continued to win showing off his ground skills against Matt Brown and Carlos Condit.

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He won against Jorge Masvidal in May 2017. He is set to fight champion Tyron Woodley in July 2017.

Awards & Achievements

He earned his first black belt after just four years of training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He received this honor at the hands of 8-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion – Fábio Gurgel.

In 2000, he ranked first at the Brown Belt Medio-Pesado at the BJJ World Championships.

In 2001, he stood second at the Brown Belt Medio-Pesado at the BJJ World Championships. In the BJJ Brazilian Championships he came in the first place at the Brown Belt Medio-Pesado.

He is also a one-time holder of the Fight of the Night award under UFC. He has won the Performance of the Night award two times and Submission of the Night four times; all under UFC.

In 2001, during his debut fight, he knocked out Raul Sosa in 48 seconds at the Torments en el Ring held in Caracas, Venezuela. He came into spotlight after this fight and won a number of awards for the best entry.

In 2007, he won three consecutive Submission of the Night awards. He defeated Ryan Jensen with a rare naked choke in the first round. He then fought and defeated Ed Herman into submission by a mounted triangle choke at 2:27. He took on Jason McDonald, a fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and defeated him at 2:44 by rear naked choke.

In 2009, after his win over Chael Sonnen by 5-0, Demian was called as the best functional grappler in MMA. His unusual style, pure BJJ moves and submissive prowess earned him the title.

Demian has often been called the best ground fighter in UFC. He has also won the title of ADCC World Submission Wrestling Champion and has a total of 4 Submission of the Night Awards at UFC.

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He won the 2006 Pan American Championship.

In 2007, he was crowned the 2007 Super Challenge Champion in under – 83 kg division, by earning three victories in a single night.

He was named Newcomer of the Year by FIGHT! Magazine in 2008.

In 2014, his fight versus Rory MacDonald was titled the February Fight of the Month. In the next year, he won Sherdog’s Comeback Fighter of the Year.

Personal Life

In 2005, Demian got married to Renata. She works for a Brazilian magazine. In 2011, the couple welcomed their first child, a girl named Pietra Vieira Maia. In March 2013, the couple’s second child, a boy, was born. The baby is named Lorenzo. Demian announced the new member’s arrival via Twitter.

Demian is quite a philosophical person in real life. He likes to take up new challenges and loves training his body for the fights. He also trains his brain to overcome occasional frights and nervousness. He describes himself as a competitive person and maintains a calm approach during each of his fights.

Facts About Demian Maia

Demian Maia is not only a highly skilled MMA fighter but also a certified jiu-jitsu black belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie.

In addition to his fighting career, Maia is a published author, having written a book titled "Jiu-Jitsu University" which has been well-received in the martial arts community.

Maia is known for his humility and sportsmanship in the Octagon, often displaying respect towards his opponents before and after fights.

Maia is also passionate about giving back to the community and has been involved in various charitable initiatives to support underprivileged youth in Brazil.

Demian Maia Biography

You wanted to know

What is Demian Maia's fighting style?

How many UFC fights has Demian Maia won?

Has Demian Maia ever won a UFC championship?

What is Demian Maia's current MMA record?

Who are some notable opponents that Demian Maia has faced in the UFC?