Breaking Down UFC 131: Maia Vs. Muñoz

Added on Jun 08, 2011 by John Petit in

UFC & MMA

Middleweight bout:
Demian Maia vs. Mark Muñoz

Demian Maia
Odds: Even – -107
Reach: 72 inches
Record: 14-2
UFC Record: 8-2
Last 5: 3-2
Streak: +2

Mark Muñoz
Odds: -130
Reach: 71 inches
Record: 10-2
UFC Record: 5-2
Last 5: 4-1
Streak: +2

Demian Maia Brazilian Jiu Jitsu accolades is a list longer then my forearm. Maia has won every prestigious BJJ/Submission Wrestling competition you can name, including ADCC, Pan AM, and the Worlds. He is also the owner of 4 submission of the night awards in his 10 fight UFC career. Maia has two career losses at the hands of serious fighters. Anderson Silva beat him via decision in one of the most bizarre championships matches in UFC history, and former number 1 contender and now welterweight Nate Marquardt beat him via knock out. Maia is now on a two fight win streak and displayed vastly improved striking in his last UFC bout versus Kendall Grove. If Demian Maia has added to that improved striking since his win over Grove I think Muñoz might have a rough time with him.

Mark Muñoz has his own list of accomplishments on the mat, but not at BJJ competitions. In 2001, Muñoz became the first Filipino American to win a national championship at the Division 1 level. As a collegian at Oklahoma State University, Muñoz captured two Big 12 titles and earned back-to-back All-America honors at 197 pounds, including his NCAA title as a senior in 2001. Muñoz came into the UFC after his two wins in the WEC before the middleweight division was folded into the UFC. Like Maia, he has one loss via decision and one loss do to knock out. Muñoz also displayed a new striking acumen in his last fight where he was able to drop C.B. Dollaway with a nice punch before finishing him on the Octagon floor for the win.

This has the possibility to be one of the greatest ground fights we have ever seen in the UFC. The way Demian Maia was able to control Mario Miranda and Dan Miller on the floor was almost a work of art, and his explosive movements and focus on position won him both of those fights. You can tell when he is rolling with an opponent that he is most likely four or five moves ahead in his mind. Its a fluid style that is tough to combat with just muscle and strength. Muñoz has more than just muscle and strength, and not only does he have his wrestling to rely on, he also happens to be coming from one of the best ‘talent-deep’ camps in MMA at Black House. Muñoz has been adapting his wrestling to really void submission attempts, as well as submissions, and is training under the Noguiera brothers as a purple belt.

I expect more improvement from Maia on the feet, and I expect him to have an advantage there, but I think Muñoz knows enough on the ground to have the edge over Maia. I only say this because Muñoz’s defensive wrestling. I predict Maia will land something in the second round, and he will take the fight to the floor to finish Muñoz.