TUF 12 Finale: Kendall Grove Talks Demian Maia - 'I Asked for This Fight'
by Nick Thomas on Dec 1, 2010 10:37 AM EST
in UFC Quotes
Email
Print
"Even some of my closest friends, when I told them who I was fighting, they were like 'oh (Demian) Maia, oooohhh'. That kinda pisses me off, and what a lot of people don’t know is that I asked for this fight."-- Check out the full interview at UFC.com. Join us Saturday, Dec. 4th for the TUF 12 Finale at 9:00 p.m. ET on Spike TV.
"The secret is letting go. I’m taking this seriously and I’m confident in what I have. Two, three months is not gonna put me on the same level of jiu-jitsu as Demian Maia, so why am I gonna let that get in my head? It’s a fight and we start standing. Obviously he’s been working on his standup, he’s got great wrestling, and unbelievable jiu-jitsu, some of the best in the sport. Look, he made Anderson Silva fight cautious, and he went five rounds with him. But I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna fight because that’s my reputation. I’m gonna put on a good show in victory or defeat."
"I’m just having fun, enjoying my time here, and I’m living my dream. I’m getting to fight one of the UFC’s top ten middleweights, and I can’t ask for anything more."
Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove (12-7)
Win Goran Reljic - Decision (Split) UFC 116
Loss Mark Munoz - TKO (Punches) UFC 112
Win Jake Rosholt - Submission (Triangle Choke) UFC 106
Demian Maia (13-2)
Win Mario Miranda - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 118
Loss Anderson Silva - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 112
Win Dan Miller - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 109
59 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
You ain't gonna be having fun
when Maia rips out one of those long limbs of yours man. Seriously, his length is going to be his downfall if and when this fight goes to the ground.
"But I was like "I don't know how they do things where you guys are from, but I dont think monogamy is legal in this country."
His length makes him very hard to take down. He’s got a great sprawl and some people aren’t physically tall enough to get him with the usual high singles.
Ricardo Almeida was able to take Kendall Grove down pretty much at will, and I feel that Maia has just as good takedown ability as shown with his last fight against a tall fighter in Mario Miranda. If I’m not mistaken, I believe that Miranda has some decent wrestling credentials as well, and Maia took him down pretty easily. I think that Maia will be able to get the takedown and use his superior BJJ to get a submission or a decision win.
Check out MMA For You at http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, and analysis.
Kendall is pretty slick off his back, even against accomplished BJJ practitioners.
He had Almeida in several near-submissions, and Almeida isn’t exactly a slouch on the ground, even when compared to Maia.
If Miller and Miranda survived on the ground against Maia, I think Kendall will too, but he’ll likely lose a decision if he ends up there.
Almeida is generally vastly overrated, but his takedowns are legit.
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not. | SB Nation Bay Area
Question to the other commentators: So if you were in Kendall Grove’s corner and you had to go and formulate a gameplan for this fight, what would it be?
R.I.P tanner? ??
Too soon…. lol
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 10:55 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
well then
My bad homie
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 11:36 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
This is the only fight I've seen
Where a 30-26 and a 28-29 was seen on the same card.
I suffer from IBS, otherwise known as "Influx of Billick Syndrome".
A 29-27 but not a 30-26
And from what I remember the Tanner/Grove fight wasn’t that close.
I suffer from IBS, otherwise known as "Influx of Billick Syndrome".
Do what Bisping does against everybody
Jab jab then get the flip away
"But I was like "I don't know how they do things where you guys are from, but I dont think monogamy is legal in this country."
tap so your limbs dont brake. :-)
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 10:56 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
spell check my friend..
"But I was like "I don't know how they do things where you guys are from, but I dont think monogamy is legal in this country."
err grammar check would be nice on the droid.
*You’re
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 11:23 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Um...
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Richard is a jewel." - Kid Nate
by Richard Wade on Dec 1, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
i thought it was funny.
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 11:40 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
he was just braking your balls
Satoshi Kon
R.I.P.
by Grappo on Dec 1, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
haha
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Richard is a jewel." - Kid Nate
by Richard Wade on Dec 1, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
you're freakishly tall for a MW, use your reach.
and Maia has questionable cardio, subpar striking, and has been KO’ed already. If you control distance and keep him at bay with your striking, you can win the fight, and make it harder for him to get the takedown.
by Anton Tabuena on Dec 1, 2010 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
This ^
Semper Fi
PREDICTION for 2010-2011 NFL Season: "The England Patriots will finish 8-8 plus or minus 1" ~8/13/10 1230p
"BRING GERALD HARRIS BACK TO THE UFC!!!"
by ChicagoMarine on Dec 1, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
That about sums it up.
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Richard is a jewel." - Kid Nate
by Richard Wade on Dec 1, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
The problem with Grove is that he tends to want to fight from the inside and use knees. It’s similar to Stefan Struve in a way where Grove just looks to fight more from the inside instead of using his reach advantage. It shows that Grove allows his opponents inside and in their range in that he has been tagged by fighters shorter than himself like Ricardo Almeida, and I think that Munoz managed to tag him on the feet as well.
Check out MMA For You at http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, and analysis.
i think grove is gonna Be upset when he gets choked out.
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 10:54 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah
I don’t see this as a blow out, but Maia should win. Either way, it is a good fight for both guys.
Grove may not be a top ten guy, but his is a name that casual fans remember and if Maia wins (especially if he finishes) the win will resonate.
If Grove pulls it off, this win will be huge for his career. A fight against Bisping or Wand would be fun, although if he does pull off the upset I don’t see him going too far because he has struggled with both strikers and grapplers before.
I have money on Grove
Reppin' the NYMMAI.
Black Lesnar aka Slap ya Favorite MMA Writer
Follow me on Twitter
Read me at WatchKalibRun . Imma write til the wheels fall off.
by S.C. Michaelson on Dec 1, 2010 1:24 PM EST up reply actions
Grove is Mario Miranda
With slightly better stand up and worse wrestling.
Maia is going to school him in cruise to an unanimous decision victory.
Maia looked awful on the Miranda fight.
by Anton Tabuena on Dec 1, 2010 11:09 AM EST up reply actions
how so?
He missed a couple armbars, but was on point in all other areas.
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 11:26 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
cardio was worse than usual, striking looked sloppy still (forgivable), jiujitsu didn’t look to be at par (by his standards)… In my opinion, Maia just didn’t look like a world beater by any means. I thought he looked worse on the Miranda fight than his other bouts before Silva.
by Anton Tabuena on Dec 1, 2010 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
A lot of people (including most writers here at BE)
were saying Miranda was going to win the fight.
And Maia dominated him.
Miranda was a tough match-up, and Maia won.
I expected Maia to look like the Maia who earned a title shot… Instead, I saw a Maia who got tired early, and didn’t dominate on the ground.
Sure Miranda’s skillset also plays a factor, but I just think that I saw a worse version of Maia that day. He won though, and he has a chance to prove me wrong against Grove, who I think is a live dog on this one.
by Anton Tabuena on Dec 1, 2010 11:58 AM EST up reply actions
How he looked awful?
He dominated the fight completely.
He was not fighting some Team Quest anti-BJJ. Miranda is a legit BJJ black-belt and tough to submit.
Also, most people said Maia was going to lose that fight.
by Henrique on Dec 1, 2010 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, I remember Maia taking an extremely clear decision against a guy who, on paper, shouldn’t have been outclassed that badly.
Sometimes I think people expect Maia to go out and submit everybody he faces like they’re all Ed Herman.
by JRN on Dec 1, 2010 4:35 PM EST up reply actions
I thought Grove looked good against Munoz.
Munoz was much stronger than him and that stopped a lot of his momentum from the standup and alot of his sub attempts. He showed a lot of explosion and solid grappling in that fight as well.
I think Maia wins if this falls anywhere on the floor, but if Grove can keep this fight primarily on the feet or in the clinch…
… He would win in some form or fashion.
Semper Fi
PREDICTION for 2010-2011 NFL Season: "The England Patriots will finish 8-8 plus or minus 1" ~8/13/10 1230p
"BRING GERALD HARRIS BACK TO THE UFC!!!"
if that happens, I see it going much like the Miranda fight. The big difference, imo, is that Grove is far more willing to go to the ground, which may end up being his downfall here.
You gotta have some confidence on the ground with Maia to keep the judges honest
… But, you certainly don’t want to willingly go to the ground with Maia. That is a no-win situation.
Semper Fi
PREDICTION for 2010-2011 NFL Season: "The England Patriots will finish 8-8 plus or minus 1" ~8/13/10 1230p
"BRING GERALD HARRIS BACK TO THE UFC!!!"
by ChicagoMarine on Dec 1, 2010 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
maia beats everyone
except anderson, I allways think “No way he can get a sub on this guy, he’ll never get close enough and noone in their right mind grapples with maia” and he allways does.
One of my absolute fav fighters to watch. When someone takes maia down, instinctive reation is ‘Oh no you didn’t’ :D
I’d love to see Maia avenge that loss
Blood is just red sweat.
by invinciblearmour. on Dec 1, 2010 2:42 PM EST up reply actions
I think both agreed that that loss
Was solely due to an elementary fuck up in Maia’s stand-up.
I hope you are right
Kendall Grove is my second favorite fighter. Everyone else is my favorite.
by monkeyfightclub on Dec 1, 2010 3:24 PM EST up reply actions
by all accords maia should crush him.
but the masochist inside me says grove by wall n stall….whos with me?
Grove = almeda took down at will
Maia is a better version of big dog IMO.
"I wish Anthony Pace was my father just so I could claim to be the fruit of his loins."
"Even Hulkamania wouldn't get you out of this hold"
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
by the-gentle-way on Dec 1, 2010 4:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
No. Almeida’s speciality is takedowns. Maia’s are not.
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not. | SB Nation Bay Area
Maia is a good wrestler
And has an awesome judo base.
People don’t give him credit for that.
That doesn't change the fact that his specialty is not takedowns and it's not something he's especially exceptional in.
And then God created Saturn... and he liked it, so he put a ring on it.
Twitter me and what not. | SB Nation Bay Area
i dunno about that...
yeah, Maia went 5 rounds with Silva.
but did you see those five rounds? Silva played with him for the second half of the third to the very end.
by Victor Rodriguez on Dec 1, 2010 5:17 PM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bloody Elbow
Related FanShots on Bloody Elbow
![Demian Maia, speaking to MMA Junkie following the TUF 12 Finale, compliments Kendall Grove on his BJJ defense:
"I'm happy because I won, of course," Maia said. "I wanted to submit him in this fight, but Kendall was smart. At one point I was baiting him to go to the side when I was on his back because I wanted to switch to the arm-and-neck submission.
"He didn't go even though his corner was saying, 'Go to the side, go to the side. Escape your hips.' He was not escaping, and I was like, '[Expletive]!' After the fight, he said to me, 'You wanted me escape my hips to that side so you could switch to that submission.' I said, 'Yeah, you're smart.'"](http://cdn2.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/164139/demian-maia-kendall-grove-1009-ufc-tuf-12_small.jpg)
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
MMA Rankings
