The last time Demian Maia suffered consecutive defeats, he bounced back with seven straight wins.
That was four years ago, and Maia has made consistent improvements to his all-around game. On the heels of back-to-back losses to Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will attempt to get back to winning ways when he takes on Kamaru Usman in the UFC Fight Night 129 headliner on Saturday in Santiago, Chile.
Ahead of Maia’s showdown with Usman, here are five moments that have come to define him:
The Arrival
Maia provided a glimpse into his rich grappling pedigree in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut at UFC 77, where he submitted Ryan Jensen with a rear-naked choke in the first round.