Prior to UFC Fight Night 129, Demian Maia revealed plans to retire upon the completion of his current contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion.
Those plans haven’t changed despite what could have been a disheartening defeat to Kamaru Usman in Saturday’s main event at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile. Maia repeatedly failed on takedown attempts against a superior wrestler, and as a result he was battered on the feet en route to losing a clear-cut five-round verdict. Maia stepped in to replace Usman’s original foe, Santiago Ponzinibbio, on short notice.
“I still have three fights on my contract, I want to do those three fights,” Maia said at the post-fight press conference. “This was short notice for this fight. I only prepared three weeks and my last three fights were against wrestlers. My game plan is to take the fighters down, so these were tough fights. I still have the will to finish my contract.”
In his last three bouts, against Usman, Colby Covingt…