Demian Maia vs Mark Munoz

[Kaladarus]

Maia is going to give Munoz the beating of his life? Let me take a minute for that to fully sink in.



hmmmmmm


Yeah, I don't get it.

It's hard to understand for some people, but you will see come June 11th. Maia by KOTN might be the best play here.

[GunShard]

Interesting match-up stylistically and difficult to judge. Pretty obvious that 3 outcomes are possible: Fight goes distance/ Munoz by TKO/KO / Maia by submission. Munoz is yet to face anybody who has elite BJJ like Maia, while Maia hasn't faced anybody with the KO power that Munoz has (apart from Marquardt which ended very quickly!). However, Maia has faced a fighter with high-level wrestling in Sonnen and ended that quickly. Maia's stand-up has developed since that Marquardt fight, he managed to go five rounds with a clowning Anderson of course, but defensively there are still some holes in his game which Munoz could exploit even with his rudimentary striking. Especially with regard to Maia's route to getting take-downs - he isn't the type to do an explosive double leg takedown, he likes to grab a hold and trip his opponent to the floor. To do this he obviously has to get close to the opponent which means he'll have to put himself in danger of getting caught by one of Munoz's bombs as attempts to clinch. I'll happily take Munoz if he's the dog and hedge it with Maia Submission of the Night. Munoz is going to have a size and strength advantage and obviously has high-level wrestling pedigree even if it hasn't translated that well in to MMA yet (at least offensively), however, it will be defensive wrestling that will be needed in this one rather than offensive as he'll be happy to take his chances standing with Maia.

Nice analysis.

[urge2kill]

I'm guessing the odds on Maia KOTN will be outstanding for you.

[bjpenn85]

If you really want a high win prosentage, this is a classical non-bet. The risk is to high, and there are to many outcomes. I think these outcomes is possible. Maia by decision and Sub, Munoz my decision and TKO. I mean if you have that gut feeling, when you know you are right regardless, sure, but in the long run staying away from this fight will save your ass. My betting picks so far this year is 19-1, its because i know when to stay the **** out.

[Poppa Catfish]

It's hard to understand for some people, but you will see come June 11th. Maia by KOTN might be the best play here.

While I might not be able to understand that, at least you aren't be purposefully vague. Good luck with that play.

I think its a great deal more than "some people" who will have difficulty wrapping their head around Maia KOTN, after all he only has KO'd one 0-1 fighter in his entire career.

[sirchadwick1]

I can't see a Maia (T)KO happening at all and if you choose to make the Maia KOTN play you should get tremendous odds for good reason. He doesn't pack much power and relies more on tying up. He will win by sub or decision.

[phillybadboy]

While I might not be able to understand that, at least you aren't be purposefully vague. Good luck with that play. I think its a great deal more than "some people" who will have difficulty wrapping their head around Maia KOTN, after all he only has KO'd one 0-1 fighter in his entire career.

he's just messin with you

[Poppa Catfish]

he's just messin with you

Yeah, and he is doing it so well.

[Poppa Catfish]

obligatory

[Vaughany]

It's hard to understand for some people, but you will see come June 11th. Maia by KOTN might be the best play here.

I assume he's clowing?

[Kaladarus]

I'm just joking. I do however feel Maia will have a significant advantage on the feet. He's been looking better every fight. He doesn't have the striking power Munoz has, but judging from his recent fights I feel he is a lot more technical.

[Ladle]

I'm just joking. I do however feel Maia will have a significant advantage on the feet. He's been looking better every fight. He doesn't have the striking power Munoz has, but judging from his recent fights I feel he is a lot more technical.

Maia isn't as defensively porous, but Munoz should still be favoured standing up based on his power.

[koscheckbaby]

Munoz is sloppy as shit, but he has power and showed in the Grove fight an enormous ability to survive tight submissions. I like Maia to win, since Munoz MMA wrestling has been mediocre and Maia's takedowns in MMA, aside from the Silva fight, have been largely effective. But it's possible Munoz can get back to his feet enough to win this fight standing. One wonders if Maia isn't training the BJJ as much in an effort to up his striking. He had Mario Miranda and Kendall Grove on their backs for an extensive amount of time and didn't finish.

[Wrecked]

Munoz hasn't fought a brilliant BJJ fighter, therefore, he wont be stupid and take him to the ground. The jiu-jitsu will neutralize the wrestling, and it will be a stand up war. Munoz is going to win, whether it's decision, or tko.

[lasker]

I think Maia should be favored here.

For as decorated a wrestler as Munoz is, he seems to get taken down more than he should because of his reckless style. Maia has decent takedowns himself (remember his beautiful takedown of Sonnen) and can also pull guard. Maia's striking is underrated IMO, but I agree that Munoz' power is enough to favor him slightly on the feet. Still, Maia can compete with him standing up and might even get the better of the exchanges, while the same cannot be said for Munoz on the ground. Munoz' best weapon is his wicked ground and pound but he won't/shouldn't be using that against Maia.

[GunShard]

I think this could be Fight Of The Night.

[MMAbetMASTA]

Munoz is going to accept the beating of his life. There is no way he KOs Maia here. Maia will school him on the feet.

I HIGHLY disagree... I think munoz has a distinct advantage on the feet and will clobber maia there. I'm actually shocked at how many people are throwing down on maia in this... Perhaps I am missing something, but I really like munoz in this fight, I think his strength, power, wrasslin and ever-improving stand up (mind you he has raf cordeiro at reign often) beats maia. Maia will turtle once munoz starts to land and its downhiill from there. Maia's shots don't look to be heavy at all, so I don't think mark is gonna be afraid of getting (t)ko'd on the feet.