Demian Maia responds to Jorge Masvidal

[Edge Guerrero]

hopes Dana White keeps his promise

With rumors flying about the state of the UFC welterweight division, Demian Maia took to Facebook on Thursday to clear the air about his recent decisions.

Maia, 39, is currently riding a division-best seven-fight win streak and was expected to be the next title contender before UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson fought to a majority draw at UFC 205. The result forced Maia back into the division’s queue, with UFC president Dana White stating after UFC 205 that Maia would be given the choice of waiting for the next title shot or fighting again in the interim.

Maia elected to wait on the sidelines and has done exactly that, turning down an offer in late-2016 to fight former champion Robbie Lawler. But with the March 9 rematch between Woodley and Thompson at UFC 209 a little over a month away, Maia again found his name in the news, as Jorge Masvidal told MMA Junkie this week that Maia declined an offer to fight him.

In a lengthy Facebook post on Thursday, Maia responded to Masvidal’s comments and explained his frustration with the situation at hand.

“When Dana White said at UFC NY post fight press conference, after Wonderboy and Woodley fought to a draw for the WW title, that I would get the next shot if I want to wait or I could fight somebody else, my understanding was that I had earned my title shot and that it was going to happen sooner or later, and it was my choice if I wanted to remain active or not,” Maia wrote. “I have the biggest respect for Dana, I trust him, and I had seen how Woodley could wait for longer than a year and get his title shot, that ultimately crowned him as a champion, so why would I believe it would be any different with me?

“I have fought many of the top fighters at MW and WW, including maybe the best ever at his prime, and I never had any problem fighting anyone at the right time. I would fight anyone at WW for a belt right now, interim or linear, and when we got the Masvidal fight offered we explained our reasons for being frustrated and wanting to wait for a title shot, how the proposed card could impact us financially, but said we would discuss it and come up with a decision. We [hadn’t] even said ‘no’ yet, when news starting to pop up that we had declined the fight. Fair enough I guess, as it’s not what we had in mind anyways.

Full readhttp://www.mmafighting.com/2017/2/2/14492760/demian-maia-responds-to-jorge-masvidal-hopes-dana-white-keeps-his-promise

- They offered Nick Diaz a title-shot and the guy hasn`t won a fight in half a decade. ON the other hand guys like Maia keep getting hold back.