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"I think it's MMA's best striker against MMA's best grappler. I think it kind of brings back the old-school UFC of standup fighter vs. grappler... I think it's a shame that Chael wasn't able to take the fight because I know with all that crap he was talking about Anderson this and Anderson that it would be interesting for him to put all those things he had to say into the octagon. But then again, you've got Demian Maia here who is a guy who submitted Chael stepping up here and taking the fight on less-than-two-months' notice... We appreciate Demian stepping up and taking the fight on such short notice, and now you've got two of the best at what they do stepping into the octagon.... It's a bummer to have a loss two fights ago. But a situation like that, that can happen to anybody. That just goes to show you that if anybody gets hit in the chin with a four-ounce glove, you can go down. And it wasn't like he got beat up for three rounds. He literally got caught, and anybody can get caught. I think it was unfortunate, but I don't think it takes away from Demian Maia as a fighter."
-Anderson Silva's manager Ed Soares talks to MMAJunkie.com about Silva's replacement opponent at UFC 112 in Demian Maia.
Penick's Analysis: It's funny to hear Soares change his tune a bit when there's really no other option for a fight for the Title at this point. After talking down to Chael Sonnen and his worthiness to a Title shot he's much more apt to give Maia extra credit for his ground game coming into this one. He's right that Maia's loss to Marquardt could have happened to a lot of fighters, as that punch from Marquart hit right on the button, but that doesn't mean it's not a foreboding sign of things to come against a striker like Silva. Everyone is now just hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened the last time Anderson fought a primarily BJJ fighter in Thales Leites, though Maia is and has been an infinitely more aggressive fighter throughout his career. However, if his performance against Dan Miller last weekend is any indication, he's going to have a lot of trouble if Anderson is able to keep on his feet and avoid the takedowns.
[Anderson Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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