UFC FIGHT NIGHT : Maia vs. LaFlare

When the scheduled main event of Raphael Assuncao and Urijah Faber was scrapped due to injury fans were left with Demian Maia against Ryan LaFlare. The matchup is very intriguing pitting an undefeated rising fighter looking to make a name against maybe the best pure submission artist in MMA looking to put himself back in the title picture. But what it gains in intrigue it loses in star power. Nonetheless Maia vs. LaFlare could play a substantial role in the future of the UFC's welterweight division.

For a while now I've believed the UFC does no favors for up and coming fighters pitting them against veterans that can and many times do derail their careers. Instead of building someone, they feed them to the lions in a sink or swim lesson. Pitting the rising Erick Silva against Jon Fitch. Recently pitting Myles Jury against murderer Donald Cerrone. They normally don't do their young stars many favors. While Demian Maia is certainly no favor, Maia is tailored for the rising LaFlare.

Demian Maia is capable of controlling and submitting almost anyone at any time. He's submitted Rick Story and Chael Sonnen. If he can get the takedown or reach the hips, he is excellent at controlling and finishing the takedown as well as securing the submission once there. Pitting him on his back is also not the best idea, just ask Chael Sonnen. But he has always had problems against fighters with mobility and striking skills. Against Rory McDonald, Maia looked like an amateur fighting in slow motion. He shot for takedowns from too far away and at an elementary speed. He was never in the fight against McDonald. In fact, a fighter with more killer instinct would have probably finished Maia. Maia also struggles against bigger, stronger MMA adapt wrestlers. Chris Weidman and Mark Munoz both controlled and beat him en route to decision victories.

In Ryan LaFlare, Maia faces a very, very good wrestler with very good mobility and striking skills at a higher level than his own. If there was a prototypical fighter Maia would not want to fight, he would look a lot like LaFlare. LaFlare used his footwork and sharper striking in his last match against John Howard on his way to a decision. While LaFlare has not KO'd anyone since 2010 and fought to a decision in his last three bouts, his striking is adequate and against Maia that's all he needs. LaFlare has the skills to keep the fight standing if he wishes or to repeatedly take Maia down. I would not recommend he stay there though as that would be disaster. The other thing LaFlare has going for him is a 5 round fight. Maia is 37, while LaFlare is 31. The pace that LaFlare will impose upon Maia will wear the veteran down in the later rounds making the chances of a late submission almost null as in his bout against Rory McDonald. 

I expect LaFlare to impose his gameplan against Maia. Move around the Octagon peppering Maia with sharp strikes and utilizing the takedown at will. Either ending the fight via strikes in the later rounds or earning a unanimous decision against
Maia, sending a message to the rest of the UFC's welterweight division.