Domination for Demian Maia on the mat tonight against Ryan LaFlare in the main event of UFC Fight Night 62, but he wasn’t able to produce a finish despite spending an ample amount of time in full mount.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway. Maia takes the center of the octagon and starts pumping the jab and then lands a hard straight left.
Overhand misses for Maia. LaFlare lighter on his feet as he circles around Maia and then lands a left hand. A right hook misses.
Maia suddenly swoops down into a takedown attempt and gets it. He’s in half guard and looking to pass with plenty of time to work. Maia looking to get into mount her but settles for side control. There’s a scramble and Maia is back into half gaurd with half the round remaining.
Maia able to step over into mount. Maia manages to get his legs in almost gets him back to guard, but Maia’s too skilled and finds himslef back in mount soon after. LaFlare bucking hard to dislodge Maia and while he doesn’t have success right away he does finally manage to briefly get the BJJ expert out of mount. Not for long, but LaFlare again manages to work him back to half guard.
Final seconds of the round now and Maia stays on top.
Round Two:
The two cautiously circle each other to start the second. It takes 40 seconds before LaFlare finally connects with a leg kick and then another one soon after. LaFlare looks to clinch as a punch wings past his head, but then disengages.
Hook lands from LaFlare as Maia tries a takedown that’s stuffed. Another leg kick for LaFlare. Maia perfectly times a takedown and is looking to pass half guard again with three minutes to go in the round. He’s being patient as he looks for the right moment to improve his position. LaFlare using butterfly guard briefly, but Maia’s so technical and before long he smoothly moves into mount again.
A little over a minute to work and he starts to land some short blows as he keeps his posture low and heavy. Suddenly Maia has an arm triangle attempt, but despit some scary moments LaFlare manages to escape and get Maia back to half guard. Just a few seconds of the round remaining as Maia moves into mount yet again and starts to rain down a few punches.
Round Three:
Another slow start on the feet to start the middle stanza as both men throw a bunch of fakes. LaFlare with a punch landing now and Maia backs up. Leg kick for LaFlare. Maia with a one-two that just glances his opponent.
Body punch and a low kick from LaFlare. Lovely duck under and takedown attempt from Maia, but this time LaFlare stuffs it.
Solid leg kick from LaFlare. Maia with punches. Maia into a takedown attempt, but he’s not positioned right and has to just pull guard, so LaFlare’s on top for the first time in the fight working in Maia’s guard.
Maia with a leg lock and ends up on top. LaFlare out of the submission and standing, but Maia is right on him and takes him down to the mat. Great stuff from Maia and then he’s quickly back into that dominant mount position.
A few punches for Maia and LaFlare walks up the cage to try a reversal. Maia aware though and stays on top. Another transition to mount for the Brazilian.
LaFlare still trying hard to get to a better position and tries to walk his legs up the wall again, but Maia’s giving him very little to work with here and ends another round on top.
Round Four:
Stern words from LaFlare’s corner in between rounds. Can he turn the tide though – he needs a finish at this stage if he wants to win. He comes out throwing a few punches, one of which lands and then a leg kick.
Maia connects. LaFlare tries to lands a punch to the body but misses and is off-balance. LaFlare continuing to try to push the pace, but often his offense is coming up a littl eshort as Maia keeps his distance.
Maia times another takedown. Not perfect this time, but he keeps trying to make it work and that proves successful.
Guess what? Maia’s into mount again. He’s just doing it almost at will. Can he use all that BJJ knowledge to find a submission though? He lands a few elbows for now. 90 seconds of the round remaining. He’s trying for an arm triangle again, squeezing tightly and LaFlare doesn’t look comfortable at all.
Will Maia be able to move off the side to finish this – he’s staying in mount for now and the pressure of this choke is really telling, but LaFlare hangs on in there and makes it to the end of the fourth.
Round Five:
Domination for four rounds here, let’s see if LaFlare can do anything different in the last five minutes. LaFlare throws out a couple of punches, but Maia’s backing away. A punch connects and Maia didn’t like that too much. A little more offense from LaFlare and then Maia is on his latest takedown attempt, but LaFlare scrambles and stays upright.
Maia tries for another takedown and looks a bit weary when it fails, dropping to his back briefly before getting back up.
More pressure from LaFlare now as he looks to get his kicking game going. Maia trying yet again for the takedown and again nothing doing despite trying to lure LaFlare down by going to his back again.
Punch to the head and a low kick for LaFlare. Sudden scramble and it’s LaFlare who ends up on top momentarily before getting back up before Maia takes advantage.
Maia with a takedown and eats a knee to the body instead. Maia looking tired and takes his time getting back up.
Another stuffed takedown and again the ref has to urge Maia to get up quicker or he’ll take a point.
Maia with a punch as LaFlare stalks aggressively. Maia finally gets the takedown again with a little over a minute remaining. That’ll be a relief for him as he’s running out of gas. LaFlare looking to stand and with just seconds to go he produces a nice escape.
Again Maia slow to get up and ‘big’ John McCarthy is losing patience with him. LaFlare lets his hands go, but Maia just flops to his back again despite not having been hit. McCarthy deducts a point as soon as he does so, but it happens just a second before the end of the fight and that won’t be enough to get LaFlare back into the fight.
Decision:
No doubt about the winner here, despite the deducted point Maia still gets a unanimous decision victory (48-46 x3).
