Demian Maia says strategy will be key when he faces Jorge Santiago at UFC 136

Demian Maia will take on former Sengoku Raiden Championship middleweight titleholder Jorge Santiago at UFC 136 “Edgar vs. Maynard 3” on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston, and the outcome figures to have a significant impact on both men.

Santiago was on the wrong end of a second-round technical knockout against Brian Stann at UFC 130 in May, and Maia lost a unanimous decision to Mark Munoz at UFC 131 in June. Maia left no stone unturned, as he trained alongside current heavyweight contender Junior dos Santos and under famed boxing coach Luis Dorea.

Speaking via Sherdog.com, Maia said:

“I’ve had such a great camp for this fight. I’ve prepared myself to face Santiago, who is a complete fighter with standup skills and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. This guy is a [former] Sengoku champion and deserves a lot of respect. Strategy will make the difference in the fight.”
 

“It’s difficult to say who the number two guy is in the division now. Sonnen has a lack of rhythm [after not fighting for more than a year], while Stann, Munoz and Vitor Belfort are all fighting for that spot. Stann-Sonnen will be a tough fight, but Stann is on a roll. He’ll try to defend takedowns and exchange on his feet. Chael hasn’t fought in a while, so I’m betting on Stann.”