UFC 148 ‘Silva vs. Sonnen 2’ Preview

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Welterweights

Demian Maia (15-4, 9-4 UFC) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (15-1-1, 6-1, 1 NC, UFC)

The Matchup: After beginning his UFC career with six consecutive wins, Maia has been up-and-down in the Octagon, accumulating a 4-4 record in his last eight appearances. It was not the Brazilian’s finest hour at UFC on Fox 2, as he dropped a sloppy unanimous decision to Chris Weidman, despite the fact that the Serra-Longo Fight Team prospect endured a grueling weight cut after taking the fight on 11 days’ notice. Now, the jiu-jitsu ace will try his hand at welterweight, where he draws a difficult stylistic matchup in Kim.

The Korean judoka displayed the some of the best striking of his UFC career in dispatching Sean Pierson at UFC 141, using low kicks and effective counters on the feet to keep his foe off balance and set up timely takedowns. Normally, “Stun Gun” is known for grinding out wins by using constant pressure to force tie-ups and takedowns. Kim is not an offensive machine from top position, however. Once his adversary is grounded, he is adept at holding position and neutralizing his opponent’s guard.

It would benefit Maia to come out aggressively and bring the fight to Kim, much like he did in the early part of his loss to Mark Munoz at UFC 131. There, Maia rocked “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” with a left hand and attacked well in the clinch. Although he did not get a victory for his troubles, it was encouraging to see the 34-year-old use his striking as more than a precursor to a takedown. Although Maia is the one moving down a division, he will have to be crafty in finding ways to put Kim -- a big welterweight -- on his back. While he is adept at using throws and trips to take top control, he must be wary of Kim’s judo skills in the clinch. The Korean is good at keeping his foes tight with underhooks and pressing them against the cage to minimize their attacks; if Maia is careless, he will find himself tossed to the mat at a moment’s notice.

Maia should not be content to work from his back, despite his jiu-jitsu credentials. If Kim could negate Nate Diaz’s guard, he could do the same to Maia. If that situation unfolds, the Brazilian will find himself in desperation mode as the fight advances.

The Pick: If Kim’s striking continues to progress, he can make Maia’s welterweight debut very unpleasant. Kim wins by decision.

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