UFC 263: Demian Maia admits ‘it could be the last fight’ against Belal Muhammad
- ‘I’m near the end,’ says Brazilian legend, who will step into the Octagon for 33rd this time weekend
- ‘If the UFC and Dana [White], they want me to do one more fight, I would do it,’ insists Maia, though
Demian Maia is one of MMA’s all-time greatest submission artists – if not the greatest.
But at 43 years of age and on the cusp of 40 professional bouts, he knows his time as a competitor has about run its course.
The Brazilian is just playing things all by ear as he prepares for Belal Muhammad (18-3) this Saturday night at UFC 263 in Glendale, Arizona.
“I’m near the end, and it could be the last fight,” Maia said at the UFC 263 media day. “But, you know, I’ve been performing so well in training camp, and I’ve been feeling so well that I could do one more, couple more – most likely one more after that.
“Of course, it depends, because you perform well in the training camp, and sometimes, you know, you cannot translate it to the Octagon, and so if I can translate well and, of course, UFC and Dana [White], they want me to do one more fight, I would do it. If not, then it would be the last one.”
