UFC on FOX 2 Results: 5 Questions We Still Have About Demian Maia

With a unanimous decision loss at UFC on Fox 2, former title challenger Demian Maia looked anything but the type of fighter who should be in contention.

The Brazilian entered the UFC with an undefeated record and quickly made his mark on the middleweight division, submitting his first five opponents to run his record to 11-0.

However, since that time, Maia has gone just 4-4 and his once lethal ground attack has been largely non-existent.

Let's take a look at five questions that remain about the fighter.

1: What Happened to His Ground Game?

Maia is one of the most decorated grapplers on the planet, having won multiple Brazilian jiu-jitsu world titles.

Upon entering the UFC, Maia earned "Submission of the Night" bonuses in four of his first five fights inside the Octagon, including a triangle choke finish of current No. 1 contender Chael Sonnen at UFC 95.

However, since a knockout loss to Nate Marquardt at UFC 102, every Maia fight has gone to the judges' scorecards.

While every opponent knows that Maia possesses the tools to submit them on the ground, Maia has largely abandoned his biggest weapon.

2: Is His Striking Ever Going to Be Sufficient?

With the aforementioned loss to Marquardt, Maia began to focus heavily on his striking deficiencies.

Despite seven fights and two years since that loss, Maia's striking is still very labored. He lacks fluidity and is very predictable with his attack.

Against Chris Weidman at UFC on Fox 2, Maia simply pawed his jab and swung for the fences with an overhand left. Weidman needed less than round to figure out the formula and avoided absorbing any damage from it throughout the remainder of the fight.

While striking isn't learned overnight and he has shown improvement, Maia still has a long way to go before he can truly hang on the feet.

3: Can He Still Contend?

Oct 9, 2013; Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Demian Maia (red gloves) fights against Jake Shields (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night 29 at Jose Correa Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Maia's undefeated run to start his MMA career put him on the fast track toward title contention. The Marquardt loss set the Brazilian back, but the cards fell into place for him to challenge Anderson Silva at UFC 112.

In an embarrassing, lopsided decision loss that saw Maia flop to the mat repeatedly, Maia's title aspirations were dashed.

Following the loss, Maia went on to win three of his next four fights, with the only loss coming to rising contender Mark Munoz.

Maia was scheduled to face fellow top 10 fighter Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2, but an injury to Munoz shuffled the matchups and Maia instead fought Chris Weidman.

The decision loss to Weidman is a huge setback for Maia's hopes of another shot at the belt.

4: Would He Accept the Role of Gatekeeper?

After losing to both Munoz and Weidman over the past year, Maia has helped propel both fighters into title talk.

Obviously this isn't the place that any fighter wants to be in their career, but after going just 4-4 in his last eight bouts, Maia may have to acknowledge that he's got a long road back to the belt.

Maia's best place in the division is likely in the role of the proverbial litmus test for fighters rising through the ranks. His wins over Dan Miller, Kendall Grove, and Jorge Santiago proved they were not ready for tougher competition, but his losses to Munoz, Marquardt, and Weidman show that he's not in the upper echelon of the division himself.

5: How Much Does He Have Left?

Maia is already 34 years old. And although he's had less then 20 MMA bouts at this point in his career, his body has endured thousands of BJJ matches through the years.

While some fighters are able to compete into their late 30s or even 40s, without being in contention, Maia may be forced to evaluate why he is still competing.

If the Brazilian goes back to his grappling roots and strings together a few wins, Maia may get another shot at the belt, but as things stand now, that may not be possible.