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UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN IN THE LONE STAR STATE
 (PRESS
RELEASE) -- Brazilian mixed martial arts star, Demian Maia (12-2)
returns to the Octagon® on a quest for another shot at the UFC
middleweight crown as he takes on rising contender Alan Belcher
(15-5) in Spike TV’s “UFC Fight Night” live from the Frank Erwin
Special Events Center on the campus of The University of Texas in
Austin on Wednesday, September 15 at 8:00pm ET/PT. Maia most
recently engaged in a hard fought five rounder with UFC middleweight
champion Anderson Silva at UFC 112 in April.
Maia, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from Sao Paolo, won his first
five fights in the UFC, each one via submission against such
notables as Chael Sonnen, Jason McDonald, and Nate Quarry. Maia
rebounded from a tough knockout loss to Nate Marquardt at UFC 102
last August, with an impressive decision victory over Dan Miller at
UFC 109 in February. Filling in for the injured Vitor Belfort, Maia
went the distance in a decision loss to Silva in the UFC’s first
fight in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates at UFC 112.
Belcher, fighting out of Biloxi, MS, has evolved into one of the
sport’s most exciting fighters, winning the “Submission of the
Night” in his most recent victory over Patrick Cote at UFC 113 in
May and “Fight of the Night” bonus in his two previous fights, a win
over Wilson Gouveia at UFC 107 in December and a loss to Yoshihiro
Akiyama at UFC 100 last July. A victory over Maia will elevate
Belcher's chances for a shot at Anderson’s coveted middleweight
crown.
In the co-feature, “The Ultimate Fighter 6” champ Mac Danzig
(20-8-1) fighting out of Los Angeles, takes on Matt Wiman (12-5)
from “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” currently fighting out San Francisco,
in a rematch of their bout this past June at UFC 115. In that fight,
Wiman was awarded a controversial victory when he told the referee
Danzig had passed out while caught in a guillotine choke. However, a
conscious Danzig claimed he never actually tapped. The lightweight
contenders will settle their score in Spike’s “UFC Fight Night,”
with the winner moving up the ranks in the 155lb division.
The Spike telecast will open with a lightweight battle between Cole
Miller (16-4) (“The Ultimate Fighter 5” participant) and “The
Ultimate Fighter 9” winner Ross Pearson (13-3). Fighting with
American Top Team out of Coconut Creek, FL, Miller has won three of
his last four UFC contests. His opponent, Pearson, fighting out of
Sunderland, England with Team Rough House, is undefeated in three
fights in the Octagon.
Also on the televised card will be a lightweight showdown between
Jim Miller (17-2) and Gleison Tibau (31-6). The pride of Whippany,
NJ, Miller is on a four-fight winning streak and is quickly moving
up the 155lb division ranks. Tibau, a Brazilian native who currently
trains with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL, is coming off of
an impressive first round TKO over Caol Uno in March.
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Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one
of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across
all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com
and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and
photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at www.spike.com/press.
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