Creator credit recorded on the linked source page: Peter Gordon · CC BY 2.0
Demian Maia
Demian Maia adapted sport jiu-jitsu for MMA and had UFC title opportunities in 2010 and 2017.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Demian Maia”, date not stated.(opens in a new tab)
Demian Maia was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on 6 November 1977.
Where in the source: Demian Maia Biography — “Demian Maia was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on the 6th of November 1977.”
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes reports that Maia began Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Fábio Araujo’s academy and later moved to Fábio Gurgel’s Alliance team, where it says he earned his black belt after four years and seven months.
Where in the source: Demian Maia Biography — “He sought Fabio Gurgel and his Alliance team academy”.
Accessed:
Demian Maia, “About”, date not stated.(opens in a new tab)
Maia’s official biography says he challenged Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title in 2010 and received another UFC title shot in 2017; it also says he began teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2001 and founded Demian Maia Jiu-Jitsu Brasileiro (DMJJB).
Where in the source: Biography — 2010 middleweight UFC title challenge; 2017 title shot; “began teaching BJJ in 2001”.
Accessed:
Michael David Smith, “Demian Maia Talks UFC 95 and Why He’d Rather Win by Submission Than KO”, MMA Fighting, 14 February 2009.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2009 interview, Maia said that he had been thinking about MMA since childhood and had selected jiu-jitsu techniques with MMA in mind; he described his transition as carrying sport-jiu-jitsu techniques into the Octagon.
Where in the source: Interview, “What is the transition like from competing in sport jiu jitsu to competing in MMA?” — “bringing sport jiu jitsu techniques to MMA”.
Accessed:
Guilherme Cruz, “Demian Maia discusses upcoming match with Benson Henderson, jiu-jitsu’s biggest what-ifs in MMA”, MMA Fighting, 25 June 2022.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2022 interview, Maia said that some positions available in sport jiu-jitsu are too exposing in MMA, especially from the back, because strikes change the risk.
Where in the source: Trocação Franca interview — “certain positions you don’t do in MMA” and “especially if you’re off your back”.
Accessed:
ADCC News, “ADCC 2005: A Serious Look Back!”, 28 June 2005.(opens in a new tab)
ADCC’s published 2005 results list Demian Maia in second place in the 77–87 kg division.
Where in the source: ADCC 2005: A Serious Look Back! — Men’s Divisions, “77-87kg”, where Maia is listed second.
Accessed:
ADCC News, “ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship 2007”, 4 May 2007.(opens in a new tab)
ADCC’s official 2007 results list Demian Maia as the gold medallist and first-place finisher in the -88 kg division.
Where in the source: Official Results — 2007 RESULTS, “-88kg | Gold | 1st | Demian Maia”.
Accessed:
Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | ADCC 2007Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified | 1st place | -88 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2005 | ADCC 2005Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified | 2nd place | -88 kgNo-giVerified |