Brazilian mixed martial arts star, Demian Maia (12-2) returns to the Octagon® on a quest for another shot at the UFC middleweight crown as he takes on rising contender Alan Belcher (15-5) in Spike TV’s “UFC Fight Night” live from the Frank Erwin Special Events Center on the campus of The University of Texas in Austin on Wednesday, September 15 at 8:00pm ET/PT. Maia most recently engaged in a hard fought five rounder with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 112 in April.
Maia, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Sao Paolo, won his first five fights in the UFC, each one via submission against such notables as Chael Sonnen, Jason McDonald, and Nate Quarry. Maia rebounded from a tough knockout loss to Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 last August, with an impressive decision victory over Dan Miller at UFC 109 in February. Filling in for the injured Vitor Belfort, Maia went the distance in a decision loss to Silva in the UFC’s first fight in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates at UFC 112.
Belcher, fighting out of Biloxi, MS, has evolved into one of the sport’s most exciting fighters, winning the “Submission of the Night” in his most recent victory over Patrick Cote at UFC 113 in May and “Fight of the Night” bonus in his two previous fights, a win over Wilson Gouveia at UFC 107 in December and a loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100 last July. A victory over Maia will elevate Belcher’s chances for a shot at Anderson’s coveted middleweight crown.
In the co-feature, “The Ultimate Fighter 6” champ Mac Danzig (20-8-1) fighting out of Los Angeles, takes on Matt Wiman (12-5) from “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” currently fighting out San Francisco, in a rematch of their bout this past June at UFC 115. In that fight, Wiman was awarded a controversial victory when he told the referee Danzig had passed out while caught in a guillotine choke. However, a conscious Danzig claimed he never actually tapped. The lightweight contenders will settle their score in Spike’s “UFC Fight Night,” with the winner moving up the ranks in the 155lb division.
The Spike telecast will open with a lightweight battle between Cole Miller (16-4) (“The Ultimate Fighter 5” participant) and “The Ultimate Fighter 9” winner Ross Pearson (13-3). Fighting with American Top Team out of Coconut Creek, FL, Miller has won three of his last four UFC contests. His opponent, Pearson, fighting out of Sunderland, England with Team Rough House, is undefeated in three fights in the Octagon.
Also on the televised card will be a lightweight showdown between Jim Miller (17-2) and Gleison Tibau (31-6). The pride of Whippany, NJ, Miller is on a four-fight winning streak and is quickly moving up the 155lb division ranks. Tibau, a Brazilian native who currently trains with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL, is coming off of an impressive first round TKO over Caol Uno in March.
