5 Reasons to Watch UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare
This weekend the UFC embarks on another trip to Brazil for a UFC Fight Night card littered with up-and-coming fighters hoping to crack the rankings with a win on Saturday night.
The main event will pit two of the best in the world at welterweight as submission specialist Demian Maia meets rising star Ryan LaFlare in a five-round headliner, with the winner moving into position for a top-five fight before the close of 2015.
The co-main event also features the welterweights, as perennial knockout artist Erick Silva meets former "Ultimate Fighter" (season one) competitor Josh Koscheck in what could be his final fight inside the Octagon.
As we get ready for all the action in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, former UFC and WEC champion Dominick Cruz, who sits in as an analyst for both the pre-and post-fight shows for this weekend's UFC card, helps us break down the fights and give us five good reasons to tune in and watch UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare live on Saturday night.
Everybody has something to prove
Let's get the obvious glaring issue with this card out of the way right now: The star power at the top of this UFC Fight Night show isn't exactly glaring. Maia and LaFlare are both in the top 15, but they are now the main event because the original headliner between Urijah Faber and Raphael Assuncao had to be cancelled due to an injury to Assuncao.
The rest of the card is decorated with up-and-comers and fighters who hope to crack the top 10 with a win, but nobody is going to get a title shot with a win on Saturday night and there probably isn't a top-five fighter in the bunch.
But that's what automatically makes this card have so much potential.
"Only the best MMA fans know that if there's no star power, the cards get that much crazier to watch," Cruz explained. "It kind of reminds me when you watched the WEC. When you watched the WEC, we had some of the dopest fights that ever existed and the reason was we all had something to prove. We all wanted to show we were just as good.
"I feel like this card has a bunch of stars that are all up and coming and they all have something to prove. They want to go out there and put on a good show. Everyone on this card has that gift."
Ryan LaFlare: Contender or pretender?
With an 11-0 record overall and four straight wins in the UFC, LaFlare is one of the top prospects in the welterweight division. But Saturday night will prove if he can hang with the best of the best at 170 pounds when he faces former title contender Maia.
LaFlare has looked fantastic in all of his fights thus far, controlling almost every aspect of his opponents in the Octagon, but Maia will be a decided step up in competition.
These are the moments where fighters either prove they belong in the conversation to land a top-10 ranking or if they are just holding on to someone else's spot.
"This is the test to find out if he is the real deal," Cruz said about LaFlare. "LaFlare has beaten some good guys and he's surprised a few of us with the guys he's beaten and the way he's beating them. Really it comes down to he always brings an outstanding gas tank and he's willing to take chances and he's willing to go first -- those three things have made LaFlare very tough to deal with.
"He's never waiting around for you to decided what to do. I think Demian Maia presents the toughest challenge he's ever faced."
See you at the crossroads
When Maia decided to make the move down to 170 pounds it appeared early on that he was a forced to be reckoned with in the welterweight division. Maia reeled off three straight wins to start his career at welterweight, including victories over Dong Hyun Kim, Rick Story and Jon Fitch.
But then Maia lost a close decision to Jake Shields before losing a second straight fight to Rory MacDonald. He got back on track with a win in his last fight against Alexander Yakovlev, but at 37 years of age Maia has to know that if he ever plans on contending for a title again, he has to win on Saturday night.
A loss would certainly put him out of title contention maybe for the rest of his career, while a win proves Maia can still hang with the top fighters in the world at 170.
"With a guy like Demian Maia you cannot make one mistake. Because if you're on your back with him on top of you, not very many people can escape. Demian Maia really needs this fight to prove he belongs in the UFC and that he's still a rising contender," Cruz said.
End of an era
Saturday night may mark the last time Koscheck ever steps foot in the Octagon as the former "Ultimate Fighter" (season one) competitor already has stated his upcoming fight is the last on his current contract — and chances are this could lead to his retirement, whether he comes away with a win or a loss against Silva.
Koscheck is one of only a couple of competitors remaining on the roster from the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" and throughout his career he's put on some of the most exciting fights with the most heated rivalries. From his long-standing grudge with former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre to a general disdain shared with former welterweight bad boy Paul Daley, Koscheck has been involved in some legendary moments in the Octagon and if this truly is the end for him, the former NCAA champion turned fighter leaves behind some amazing memories.
"If he says this might be his last fight, I can't complain," Cruz said about Koscheck. "The guy has put on some of the best fights in this sport. He's given his mind, body and soul to this sport and sooner or later you are going to have to call it quits. So if that's what he decides, remember it takes a lot more guts to decide to stop fighting than to keep fighting and lose your way out.
"If Koscheck decides to go, I hope he goes out on a win. I've learned a lot from him with his prowess, cage control and knowing how to sell a fight. I like Koscheck, I hope he does well in this fight, but he has his hands full in this fight."
The show stealer
On a card like this one Saturday night there's always a fight or two that has the potential to steal the show and put a couple of competitors on the map for future UFC showcases.
While there are a number of intriguing matchups that could fill that role for UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare, Cruz sees one fight in particular as a bout that could not only earn Fight of the Night honors, but also set the tone for the entire main card airing on FOX Sports 1.
"I like the Andre Fili and Godofredo Pepey fight," Cruz said. "I'm excited for that fight. It opens up the card and both these guys are going to come out and throw haymakers and they are coming to put on a show."
