How do these two stack up?
Maia: 33 years old | 6'0" | 72" reach
Munoz: 33 years old | 6'0" | 71" reach
What have these two done recently?
Maia: W - Kendall Grove (UD) | W - Mario Miranda (UD) | L - Anderson Silva (UD)
Munoz: W - C.B. Dollaway (TKO) | W - Aaron Simpson (UD) | L - Yushin Okami (SD)
How did these two get here?
Demian Maia is a highly decorated jiu jitsu player who has won titles at the ADCC among other prestigious grappling events. He made his UFC debut in 2007 and put together an 11-0 record, including a 1st round win over Chael Sonnen, before being KO'd in just 21 seconds by Nate Marquardt. He fought back from that loss and earned a title shot against Anderson Silva in a fight where Silva bizarrely refused to engage. He has since won 2 in a row and has been working with Wanderlei Silva to improve his stand-up.
Mark Munoz began his career as a wrestler, winning a national title as a senior at Oklahoma State University. His MMA career began to gain momentum in 2008 when Munoz competed for the WEC as a Light Heavyweight. When the organization closed the division, Munoz was brought in to the UFC where he suffered a nasty head kick KO at the hands of Matt Hamill. After that loss, Munoz moved down to Middleweight, where he has put together an impressive 5-1 record with his only coming via split decision to #1 contender Yushin Okami.
Why should you care?
This is a classic MMA clash of styles - the world champion jiu jitsu player vs. the national champion wrestler. If that's not enough, there are title implications on the line here, especially for Munoz who could establish himself as a true contender with a win.
