Maia submits Condit in opening round
UP against one of the best in the welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Brazilian Demian Maia brought in his A-game and came out triumphantly impressive with a quick first-round submission win over Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit in “UFC on Fox 21” yesterday in Vancouver, Canada.
Mr. Maia got the better of the former interim welterweight champion in a battle of two of the top fighters in the division by the submitting Mr. Condit at the 1:52 mark of the first round by rear-naked choke.
The Brazilian did not waste much time en route to the win, sweeping his opponent and flattening him down. He then put a body triangle on Mr. Condit who tried desperately to fight it off. But Mr. Maia would not allow it and put the lock on the chin of his foe to force a tap.
Recognizing the significance of the win and who he won it over, Mr. Maia was emotional during the post-fight interview. “I have won six straight fights but this
guy (Condit) has been knocking out everybody. I watched his last fight against [former champion] Robbie Lawler and many people thought he won and I am one of those. For me, he was the true champion and for me to come here and win was great. But I have a lot of respect for him,” said Mr. Maia, who extended his win streak to six in a row and improved to 24-6.
He then expressed his desire to have his title shot but nonetheless would wait for the winner between reigning champion Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson.
Mr. Condit (30-10), for his part, has lost back-to-back and five of his last seven fights.
He said the future is still uncertain for him but nonetheless gracious in defeat, congratulating Mr. Maia for his win.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, former UFC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis made it a successful debut at featherweight (145 lbs) by winning over #6 division contender Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira by submission ( guillotine choke) in the final round of their scheduled three-rounder.
Entered the fight coming off three straight losses, Mr. Pettis found himself on his back early when Mr. Oliveira took him down but managed to wiggle his way out of it and turned things around for him when he was on top of his opponent and pounded on the Brazilian fighter. Mr. Oliveira would survive the round, however.
The second round would be a better one for Mr. Oliveira who put Mr. Pettis on his back a couple of times and was in position for a submission which the American managed to escape each time.
Mr. Oliveira started the final round by going for a takedown but as has been the case throughout the fight the former UFC champion would extricate himself from it. Mr. Pettis would get hold of Mr. Oliveira’s neck and put the guillotine, making the latter tap out moments later and the referee stopping the contest at the 1:49 mark of the third round.
The win improved Mr. Pettis to 19-5 in MMA, and 1-0 in the 145-lb weight division. It also halted his string of losses after bowing to Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barbosa earlier.
Finding initial success in featherweight, Mr. Pettis said he is inclined in staying in it.
“Yeah, 145. I beat the #6 in the world and I have a ladder to climb. I have my eyes on the belt,” said Mr. Pettis after his win.
With the loss, Mr. Oliveira dropped to 21-6.
In earlier fights, women’s strawweight Paige VanZant got back on the winning track by knocking out Bec Rawlings in the second round off a flying kick to the head and punches and Jim Miller making it 2- of- 2 over Joe Lauzon in their lightweight clash by split decision (29-28, 28-29 and 29-28).
Next for the UFC is “UFC Fight Night 93” that will see former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei “Pit Bull” Arlovski against Josh “The Warmaster” Barnett in Hamburg, Germany, on Sept. 4 (Manila time).
In the Philippines, Cignal TV, the country’s foremost direct- to- home (DTH) company, is the new home of the UFC after the two groups agreed to an extensive three-year deal that will see the UFC beamed on various platforms.