Demian Maia Not Taking Replacement Chris Weidman Lightly Leading Up To FOX Event

Former middleweight contender Demian Maia (15-3) had been set to face Michael Bisping this coming Saturday at the UFC on FOX: Evans vs. Davis event, but an injury to co-main event fighter Mark Munoz offered the Brit an opportunity to move up into a top contenders bout. Maia will stay on the main card and […]

Former middleweight contender Demian Maia (15-3) had been set to face Michael Bisping this coming Saturday at the UFC on FOX: Evans vs. Davis event, but an injury to co-main event fighter Mark Munoz offered the Brit an opportunity to move up into a top contenders bout.

Maia will stay on the main card and will now face undefeated wrestler Chris Weidman at the upcoming Chicago, Illinois event.

Despite the short notice, Maia is not taking his opponent lightly feeling that it was only the big name fighters that everyone feared, but nowadays every opponent should be feared.

Have you been through something like that: having your opponent replaced 15 days before the fight?
Like 10, 15 days no, but it happened few times. When I was debuting in the UFC I was fighting Marvin Eastman, but he got his eye injured and I fought Ryan Jensen. There was a time I would fight Alan Belcher and he also got his eye injured, and I end up fighting Mario Miranda.

Have you studied Chris yet? Does it change your game plan a lot?
I’ll have to chance some things. I’m training now, so we’ll set an emergency plan to get ready for this new fight.

Chris doesn’t have the same name of fame of Bisping. Do you think it doesn’t make sense?
Honestly, now the fans know more and more about the sport and know he’s a really tough guy and they’ll worship this fight as much as if it was Bisping. On the old days they would worry a lot about a name, but the guy’s undefeated: on a row, seven fights, a high level wrestler. It doesn’t change much.

Check out the rest of the interview at Tatame.com.