Silva in Sight, Maia Focused on Sonnen

Four fights, four submissions. Demian Maia could not have drawn up a more impressive start to his UFC career.

Maia (9-0) will face arguably his toughest challenge when he meets Team Quest veteran Chael Sonnen at UFC 95 “Sanchez vs. Stevenson” this Saturday at the O2 Arena in London. Some believe an impressive victory against Sonnen will thrust the unbeaten Brazilian to the front of the line of potential contenders for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Sonnen (21-9-1) -- the first man to defeat former World Extreme Cagefighting middleweight champion Paulo Filho -- has won two straight fights and seven of his last eight.

“Chael is a pretty tough and strategic opponent and very hard to put down,” Maia says. “It’s going to be a hard fight, but at the end, I believe I’ll get my fifth submission.”

Maia prepared for Sonnen by training with former Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Wanderlei Silva in Las Vegas and wants nothing more than to maintain his current momentum. The 31-year-old has finished his past six opponents and has turned his world-class submissions skills into quite the business venture. In three of his four appearances inside the Octagon, he has earned the “Submission of the Night” bonus, his haul totaling $175,000.

A two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Maia had no trouble his last time out, as he submitted Nate Quarry with a rear-naked choke in just 2:13 at UFC 91 in November. He coaxed tapouts from his three other UFC opponents -- Jason MacDonald, Ed Herman and Ryan Jensen -- with chokes, as well.

“The difference between me and other black belts is that I truly believe that jiu-jitsu can be used in all aspects of MMA, because it was created to do that,” Maia says. “If you train hard, it will work.”

Already viewed by many as the top jiu-jitsu player in MMA, Maia spent his training camp sharpening his conditioning and striking skills.

“I trained the first month in Brazil and then came to Las Vegas to finish my last three weeks of preparation with Wanderlei and our physical trainer, Rafael Alejarra,” says Maia, who left for London on Monday. “Plus, I had Wanderlei to hit me every day.”

Maia watched the rematch between Sonnen and Filho at WEC 36 in November but does not believe the bout provided adequate insight into either fighter. More than half of the Sonnen’s nine career defeats have come by submission, and he tapped out to an armbar the first time he met Filho.

“I still haven’t had the opportunity to see the first fight between them, when Filho won, but in the second, I couldn’t get a handle on it, because it was not Paulo Filho,” Maia says. “I respect Sonnen, but I believe I can submit him.”

The reigning Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling world champion at 88 kilograms, Maia has focused all of his attention on his burgeoning MMA career.

“I think I’ve already won the most important titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling,” Maia says. “Now, I’m totally focused on MMA. If I win this fight, I may get the most important fight of my career against Anderson Silva, who I believe is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

Though a fight with Silva seems within reach, Maia sees Sonnen as a formidable foe. The outspoken Oregonian and NCAA All-American wrestler figures to enter to Octagon hungry, as he has not appeared in the UFC since he submitted to a Jeremy Horn armbar at UFC 60 three years ago.

“One opponent at a time,” Maia says. “I’m totally focused on Sonnen. What I can say is that my strategy is to get in the Octagon and always use my jiu-jitsu.”