UFC 109 Results: Demian Maia Dominates Dan Miller for Decision
Demian Maia did what he needed to do to return to contention over Dan Miller. But he didn't get a definitive finish.
Both middleweights came into this match off a loss to another top contender. The Brazilian Demian Maia got KTFO'd by Nate Marquardt and Dan Miller lost to Chael Sonnen. Both winners going on to meet higher up on the card.
Maia came out early and took the center of the cage and landed the first hard punch. He then clinched and threatened a takedown via trip. But Miller fought it off. Maia answered with a high kick that landed on breaking. He did it again and then put MIller on his back. But Miller escaped.
Then Maia caught Miller with a nut shot by knee. After the break, Miller came out moving in and out and throwing leg kicks. Maia still managed to connect first on the feet. Miller trying to counter-strike. Then they clinched again and Maia landed a slick trip that Miller quickly stood up and recovered from.
Miller survived the first round and they came out sweaty for round two. Maia connected with several hard shots. Announcer Mike Goldberg credited Maia's training with Wanderlei Silva with his standing dominance. Miller landed to the body. Maia looked like he needed some Rock Star energy drink in mid-round. Maia then landed some hard straight punches. Maia did enough to win the round presumably.
In the third Miller threw off some takedown attempts and even seemed to stun Maia and drop him with a punch. But then Maia got him down with a slick trip and worked him with strikes. Miller escaped to his feet and then stuffed a shot and briefly seems to have a choke. But Maia shrugged that off and soon had Miller on her back. where he worked his opponent. Miller ended the fight on his back, working a butterfly guard and then threatened a triangle that Maia escaped.

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"Maia shrugged that off and soon had Miller on her back."
Damn, Maia get all the cool stuff, like fighting chicks and shit…;-)
Very disapointing performance by Miller that is 2 in a row, on the other hand Maia did what he had to do to bounce back after getting KTFO in his last fight.
Two (decisions) in a row against Sonnen and Maia who are now both top 5, not exactly embarrassing. I think Miller beats a lot of other UFC middleweights.
Props to Maia for the win and his improved stand-up, but he probably should have started working for the sub earlier instead of showing off the striking like he said he did.
by HarmlessNinja on Feb 8, 2010 8:09 AM EST up reply actions
It may, at some future date, be scary… but it wasn’t so scary tonight. Although I can’t BELIEVE we saw him win a stand-up fight.
Yeh that’s what i loved about it; the fact that he showed that he is in no way trying to be a jiu-jitsu player doing his best at MMA (see Vinny Magalhaes), he is actually trying to become an elite fighter in all aspects. He wasn’t a world beater tonight but he definitely took a step in the right direction.
Sorry, he Jason Bourned me.
He showed a pretty big improvement in the stand up and wasn’t just trying to survive like most BJJ players do in the stand up. I was impressed in the difference between his last fight and this one.
Good stuff by Maia. Also i loved the fact that he uses his english (which is pretty good really, his videos are all him speaking english without assistance). Much better then Ed soarses.

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