Anderson Silva Vs. Demian Maia UFC 112 Middleweight Title Fight

The UFC 112 middleweight title match between Anderson Silva and Demian Maia which took place at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi angered and embarrassed UFC president Dana White and disappointed fans everywhere. Does Anderson Silva owe fans an apology? He doesn't seem to think so, although he appears to be alone in that opinion at the moment.

With 2:40 remaining on the clock in the first round, Anderson Silva began maneuvering like a Cobra preparing to strike. Silva dropped down onto one knee in front of Demian Maia while dropping both hands onto the mat leaving his head unprotected and appeared to be gauging Maia and preparing to strike. Viewers present at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi as well as those watching the middleweight title match on pay-per-view were anticipating Silva's attack. With just over a minute left on the clock in the first round, there was a flurry of activity coming from Silva and Maia was knocked down. Silva appeared to be toying with Maia like a cat with a prey item.

Round two of the UFC 112 middleweight title match was largely an exercise in anticipation as well. Demian Maia lunged several times in an attempt to get Anderson Silva onto the mat where he would have a chance to submit him but seemed to lack the speed required to get a grip on his opponent. This is when things took a turn for the worse. Silva began taunting and mocking Maia with total disregard for honor and humility. Booing from the crowd ensued as Silva continued to clown around and toy with Maia. The wishful thinking was almost palpable with the desire to see Maia get Silva onto the mat where he would have a chance.

It was obvious that Anderson Silva could have ended the UFC 112 middleweight title match at the time of his choosing. The question is why did he show such disrespect for his opponent and viewers by letting it drag on so long? It was akin to watching a wild animal maim its prey and then toy with the terrified creature before going for the kill. With 2:30 remaining in the fourth round, Maia's face and trunks were covered in blood yet he remained on his feet continuing to look for an opening that didn't exist. The crowd at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi began to chant loudly in unison, "Maia, Maia, Maia", showing support for the battered challenger.

It was between the fourth and fifth rounds when UFC president Dana White approached Ed Soares, Silva's manager, giving him the UFC 112 middleweight title belt and told him that he was going to have to put it on Anderson Silva because White wasn't willing to do it. White proceeded to walk out of the UFC 112 middleweight title match disgusted and embarrassed by the champion's behavior.

At the beginning of the fifth round, Demian Maia's left eye was swollen shut. It appeared that he had blown his fractured nose between rounds causing his eye to immediately swell shut. Without anything to lose and only 3:50 remaining in the fifth round, Maia exploded, throwing all that he had left into an attempt to take Silva down. By that time the two were so completely drenched in sweat in the humid Abu Dhabi air that Silva was simply too slippery to hold onto. With fifty seconds remaining, the ref called a time out and warned Anderson Silva to stop running around or he would take a point away from him. In the end Silva simply burned off the remaining time and won by unanimous decision.

Many people who had paid top dollar for tickets to the Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia title fight left early in disgust. The UFC 112 post fight press conference showed Dana White's anger and embarrassment over what had just transpired. He was disgusted by the first impression the UFC had made in Abu Dhabi. He felt that Anderson Silva owed an apology to everyone and was left apologizing for him instead. It was unclear what action, if any, Dana White would be taking against Anderson Silva. He left to have a private conversation with Anderson Silva about what had just happened. Many people would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that room.

Source: UFC On Demand