Demian Maia celebrated his 38th birthday while holding his position as a world-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight. The Brazilian fought off younger prospects on three separate occasions during a true-to-form 2015 run that made him Sherdog.com’s “Comeback Fighter of the Year.” Maia polished his record at 170 pounds to 7-2 and improved to 16-6 overall inside the Octagon. He now finds himself on a four-fight winning streak, his latest victories serving as building blocks to a potential shot at welterweight gold.
First, Maia headlined a UFC Fight Night event his home country on March 21 and bested Blackzilians rep Ryan LaFlare across 25 minutes.