What is the best match up for Maia. Woodley or Thompson?

Dream20

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I would say Wonderboy. I think Maia would have an easier timer taking him down. And then it's over.
 
I think he matches up well with both. Woodley hates pressure, and his gastank might be worse than Maia's, racist or not.

Wonderboy's TDD is still somewhat of a mystery. He defended well against Hendricks but that was over so quick.

I think Maia might be a threat to both.
 
Both would end up being submitted
 
Thompson. Woodley is the worse possible matchup for Maia. His brute strenght, his hips and athleticism would make it almost impossible for Maia to take him down.
 
Woodley IMO. Without the TD threat all he has standing is power. Maia stood with prime Anderson for 5 rounds and arguably took a round or two from him. Woodley won't want to take him down. He'll actually be the one worrying about the TD.

Against Wonderboy Maia has to get the fight to the ground.
 
I think he's a threat to both and they both present problems to him. Hard to say, especially after he just subbed Condit like a white belt scrub.
 
Thompson. Woodley is the worse possible matchup for Maia. His brute strenght, his hips and athleticism would make it almost impossible for Maia to take him down.

Jake Shields beat Woodley. And Maia has way better boxing than him.
 
Thomson. Woodley is great at landing that right on southpaws and if he can land it on Gastelum and Lawler, who have much better boxing, I have a hard time seeing Maia avoid it. Plus Woodley's TDD is excellent. Shields, who is an excellent wrestler, couldn't take Woodley down so I don't see Maia doing it, at least not consistently or easily the way he did to past opponents.

Thomson is not an easy fight either but I feel like Maia would have somewhat less trouble taking him down and given his lack of experience on the ground I have to think Maia would have a field day if he could get it to the mat. I could be underestimating his footwork and distance control and overestimating Woodley's TDD though.
 
I think Woodley's a bad match up, I see Maia walking into a right hand or right uppercut
Against Wonderboy he'd have a hell of a time getting his hands on him, but Maia's shown himself to be a sneaky good cage cutter and all he'd need against Wonderboy is to grab him once/perround or period imho
 
Jake Shields beat Woodley. And Maia has way better boxing than him.
Woodley fought a completely shitty fight that night and has since made a lot of adjustments. He was so afraid of the takedown that he almost didn't throw anything. However, Shields has a much more classic wrestling that Maia and is relentless with his takedowns, and happens to have some cardio as well.
 
Thompson is a better match up, Woodley will be harder to get down and his one punch knockout power will put maia out early.
 
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