Maia...

[flikerstance]

he has to be the best jits guy in mma today doing this to top level athletes too bad he doesnt have any instructionals or training scessions online id love to see how he likes to set up takedowns or mma ground techniques

 

[Shotokan Dragon]

He's incredible, but not the best. Jacare is a lot more decorated, and I'm pretty sure he's 2-1 against Maia (no gi included) in competition. More importantly, you'll never, ever see him get outgrappled in MMA. Guaranteed. Maia got outgrappled by Shields, and had his back taken, with both hooks in, against Jason MacDonald. Werdum is also more decorated, but I rank Maia's MMA BJJ slightly ahead.

All that said, finishing Carlos Condit like that in under two minutes is nothing short of remarkable.

 

[RJ Green]

i'd love to see a fighter in modern MMA who submits people in the first round without throwing punches. just takedown/restrain/sub. Rousey without the flailing. Maia was pretty much that tonight, super great to see.

 

[flikerstance]

jacares amazing but he uses his athleticism alot he isnt really as slick as maia is jacare doesnt fight off his back much like a pablo popovitch style i feel maia shows more technique and maias ability to get fights to the ground without using strength he doesnt use wrestling takedowns like most he does alot of trips weird off balances to take the back is very amazing in modern day mma where everyone u fight is a d1 wrestler

 

[mike sherry]

Shields didnt really out grapple maia. It was back and forth for sure, and besides that it was pretty apparent that something wasnt right with maia considering how fast he started to gas in that fight

 

[Epyon]

FWIW Maia does have a BJJ video series he did a long while back. It's BJJ specific, however, not MMA-BJJ.

 

[PointyShinyBurn]

maias ability to get fights to the ground without using strength he doesnt use wrestling takedowns like most he does alot of trips weird off balances to take the back is very amazing in modern day mma where everyone u fight is a d1 wrestler

He trains wrestling at Edge Hoboken, and he took down Condit today by running the pipe off a high-crotch.

Really thought Condit might give him a bit of trouble grappling, shows what I know!

 

[Kaffe]

Maia is just a gem of a competitor. His current singlemindedness and skill when it comes to grapplefucking people is just outstanding. Gone are the dreary days of K1 Maia. Along with his seemingly great personality you just have to root for him. Probably my favorite fighter in MMA ever (honorable mention to the almighty Dong).

 

[jack36767]

jacares amazing but he uses his athleticism alot he isnt really as slick as maia is jacare doesnt fight off his back much like a pablo popovitch style i feel maia shows more technique and maias ability to get fights to the ground without using strength he doesnt use wrestling takedowns like most he does alot of trips weird off balances to take the back is very amazing in modern day mma where everyone u fight is a d1 wrestler

Maia's renaissance at 170 has been based on using wrestling.... he went from being a but flopper who sometimes caught a sub or took people down. To using using his wrestling to get top position and keep it.. even on bottom he plays half to a single leg.

 

[Rico]

It's not just that he adapted a single leg imo. It's that he adapted his bjj and improved wrestling to a very mma specific strategy. On top it's predicated on forcing half guard, forcing them to turn/try to get up (the latter which is ingrained in other fighters today), taking the back and finishing. His guard game is all about getting the underhook and getting up/coming up on a single. His older fights showed a lot more versatility in what he tried.

What he's doing isn't very complicated but he's doing it absolutely flawlessly and it's perfectly tailored for today's MMA.

Edit: you didn't see it in this fights but his game is like an endless loop. No matter where he's at he's trying to get to that single/high crotch and start his passing sequence. I think Woodley gives him some trouble along with the other elite wrestle-boxers but nobody has been able to stop him thus far.

 

[Forceof1]

Just watch Bjj scouts breakdowns on his game. It's done very well and you can see it unfold during his fights.

It's most likely the closest we'll ever get to pure grappling approach in modern Mma.

 

[Ishaq]

It's not just that he adapted a single leg imo. It's that he adapted his bjj and improved wrestling to a very mma specific strategy. On top it's predicated on forcing half guard, forcing them to turn/try to get up (the latter which is ingrained in other fighters today), taking the back and finishing. His guard game is all about getting the underhook and getting up/coming up on a single. His older fights showed a lot more versatility in what he tried.

What he's doing isn't very complicated but he's doing it absolutely flawlessly and it's perfectly tailored for today's MMA.

Edit: you didn't see it in this fights but his game is like an endless loop. No matter where he's at he's trying to get to that single/high crotch and start his passing sequence. I think Woodley gives him some trouble along with the other elite wrestle-boxers but nobody has been able to stop him thus far.

Absolutely correct. His game is an endless loop lol. Single leg>turn the corner>half guard>pass to mount>take the back when opponent turns>if lose position>single leg from bottom half>repeat

Maia does not do anything else. It's actually funny.

 

[Rico]

Absolutely correct. His game is an endless loop lol. Single leg>turn the corner>half guard>pass to mount>take the back when opponent turns>if lose position>single leg from bottom half>repeat

Maia does not do anything else. It's actually funny.

I was actually telling a friend last night how comically simple (and effective obv) what he's doing is. Even his standing entry into the single/high crotch is the same every time lol. Jab feint>shot.

 

[JosephDredd]

He's incredible, but not the best. Jacare is a lot more decorated, and I'm pretty sure he's 2-1 against Maia (no gi included) in competition. More importantly, you'll never, ever see him get outgrappled in MMA. Guaranteed. Maia got outgrappled by Shields, and had his back taken, with both hooks in, against Jason MacDonald. Werdum is also more decorated, but I rank Maia's MMA BJJ slightly ahead.

All that said, finishing Carlos Condit like that in under two minutes is nothing short of remarkable.

Just like GSP had the best MMA wrestling, Maia has the best MMA jitz. No one compares to what he's doing. He's beating people with Helio's gameplan of takedown -> back -> choke like Gracies did when nobody knew what BJJ was. And it's crazy that no one can stop him.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

He's incredible, but not the best. Jacare is a lot more decorated, and I'm pretty sure he's 2-1 against Maia (no gi included) in competition. More importantly, you'll never, ever see him get outgrappled in MMA. Guaranteed. Maia got outgrappled by Shields, and had his back taken, with both hooks in, against Jason MacDonald. Werdum is also more decorated, but I rank Maia's MMA BJJ slightly ahead.

All that said, finishing Carlos Condit like that in under two minutes is nothing short of remarkable.

hes 1 and 1 vs jacare, that 2 - 1 is a myth that carried on and people catch on.
he was never outgapple by shields for fuck sakes, actually maia had the best positions, he lost because jake reversed him 2 times and laid on his guard doing jack shit in 2 different rounds (he achieved hg 2 times) in the 5th, jake won by throwing more strikes.
Dont remember the Mcdonald fight, but demian was too wild at those times

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Maia's renaissance at 170 has been based on using wrestling.... he went from being a but flopper who sometimes caught a sub or took people down. To using using his wrestling to get top position and keep it.. even on bottom he plays half to a single leg.

no doubt his wresling its been the changing factor, or at least his ability to take people to the ground, how can you explain someone going from being basically a guard puller (at the beginning of his UFC journey) to turn into this tds machine. He mostly uses singles and trips. His guard game is basically hf to single, and he gets it every fucking time, I believe people is more afraid of engaging in his HG now because the know that single is coming and will end up on bottom, and that is a place you dont want to be against maia.. Care you to explain if theres something special on his single?

 

[Unrest]

no doubt his wresling its been the changing factor, or at least his ability to take people to the ground, how can you explain someone going from being basically a guard puller (at the beginning of his UFC journey) to turn into this tds machine. He mostly uses singles and trips. His guard game is basically hf to single, and he gets it every fucking time, I believe people is more afraid of engaging in his HG now because the know that single is coming and will end up on bottom, and that is a place you dont want to be against maia.. Care you to explain if theres something special on his single?

Nothing special, just tons of repetition and hard work. He has a very good high crotch to running the pipe finish.

 

[jack36767]

no doubt his wresling its been the changing factor, or at least his ability to take people to the ground, how can you explain someone going from being basically a guard puller (at the beginning of his UFC journey) to turn into this tds machine. He mostly uses singles and trips. His guard game is basically hf to single, and he gets it every fucking time, I believe people is more afraid of engaging in his HG now because the know that single is coming and will end up on bottom, and that is a place you dont want to be against maia.. Care you to explain if theres something special on his single?

I've actually been watching a bunch of his film and the "special" aspect to his single is like the rest of his game. Super basic yet advanced and nuanced.

Before I explain the technical things he does well. I have to give my number one reason for his improvement. I've actually gotten to help a good number of bjj people with takedowns. And the number one factor in improving on their feet is NOT a willingness to learn "takedowns" it's a willingness to learn how to "wrestle". Meaning the people who actually stayed on their feet and forced themselves to learn basic and wrestle till taken down or vice versa during live not just drilling got WAY better at at takedowns. They were also willing to handfight. The other people didn't want to go through "boring" basics and would try a shitty takedown with half effort and then pull guard. They also would run away from handfighting. Maia went in, put on wrestling shoes and trained with wrestlers even if it meant losing at first.

As far as his single, his fundamentals and technique are very good. I've seen a bunch of people on reddit and here ask "how does he get them down with wrestling.. he's not a hulk" which personifies why bjj guys wrestling doesn't get better. Maia does an excellent job not "reaching" but take his body TO his opponent. He also strives for good position and posture. And he'll knee slide back to good position if he's stuffed. Honestly. He learned how to wrestle and was willing to learn

 

[flikerstance]

he is 1-1 against jacare from 10 years ago maia has gotten alot better since i bet maia would win in a mma fight against jacare now

 

[Rod1]

he is 1-1 against jacare from 10 years ago maia has gotten alot better since i bet maia would win in a mma fight against jacare now

Really? i dont see Maia winning over Jacare in anyway, Jacare is more athletic and a better striker and his BJJ is just as dominant or more.