Ryan LaFlare would love to fight Demian Maia in UFC return

Ryan LaFlare is on the comeback trail.
The undefeated welterweight told MMAFighting.com recently that he is hoping to resume his UFC career in March following his second right ACL surgery.
“I’m doing everything except sparring and wrestling,…

Ryan LaFlare is on the comeback trail.

The undefeated welterweight told MMAFighting.com recently that he is hoping to resume his UFC career in March following his second right ACL surgery.

“I’m doing everything except sparring and wrestling,” he said. “I see the doctor in January and hopefully [I’ll] get the great light.

“I feel great though.”

While he won’t be offered a fight until he is medically cleared (or close to), LaFlare already has an opponent in mind: Demian Maia. Maia was recently medically cleared to resume training after developing a bone infection in his shoulder, according to his manager Eduardo Alonso.

“I would love that fight,” he said.

LaFlare suffered his second right knee injury in May, which forced him to withdraw from a July fight against Gunnar Nelson. The 31-year-old tore his ACL for the first time in 2011, which barred him from competing in Strikeforce. His contract was later moved over to the UFC after its parent company, Zuffa LLC, purchased Strikeforce.

Thus far, LaFlare is 4-0 inside the Octagon with wins over Ben Alloway, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Court McGee and John Howard.