No. 8 welterweight Demian Maia 25-9 (3 KOs, 12 SUBs) will meet Lyman Good (20-4, 10 KOs, 3 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night 144 on Saturday Feb 2, 2019 at Arena CFO in Castelao, Brazil. The card streams live on ESPN+ starting 8pm ET.
How much does time does Demian Maia have left? At 41 years old, the decorated grappling specialist is coming off three straight losses - all matchups where he was dominated. Of course, that could just have been the result of his competition: champion Tyron Woodley, former interim champion Colby Covington and current title challenger Kamaru Usman.
Perhaps a step down in competition can snap Maia out of his slump. This Saturday, he’ll meet former Bellator champ Lyman Good on the main card of UFC Fight Night 144. Since signing with the UFC, Good has gone 2-1, with a loss to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos sandwiched between wins over Andrew Craig and Ben Saunders. The recent win over Saunders was a quick knockout and a vicious reminder of how Good can be a problem for anybody looking to trade hands with him.
Given Maia’s stature at 170 pounds, Good has a stellar opportunity to leap into the top 10 with a win. But Maia is one of the most experienced fighters in the UFC, and has turned back contenders and prospects alike inside the octagon. The UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with the vet as a clear favorite, though his recent slide makes him a risky pick.
Let’s take a look at your best online betting options here and break down the matchup. Live UFC betting is also available to hedge any of your picks between rounds.
UFC Fight Night 144 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Demian Maia: -175
Lyman Good: +140
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: +170 / -215
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Maia 1.78 / Good 5.73
Accuracy: Maia 42% / Good 49%
Absorbed per minute: Maia 1.95 / Good 49%
Defense: Maia 64% / Good 66%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Maia 2.5 / Good 0.6
Takedown accuracy: Maia 25% / Good 100%
Takedown defense: Maia 65% / Good 85%
Submission average: Maia 1 / Good 0
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For the first time in three fights, Maia is not facing an elite wrestler. His game plan is exactly the same every fight: get his hands on an opponent, drag him to the mat, advance positions, find a submission. It’s those first two things that have given him trouble recently - he was able to come close to bringing down his opponents.
When left to his striking, Maia is shockingly subpar for a guy whose been cagefighting for nearly two decades. His boxing exists solely for him to followup with some sort of body lock. While he’ll never be mistaken for an excellent technical wrestler, Maia relentlessly chains together attempts, and guys like Jorge Masvidal, Carlos Condit, Matt Brown, Gunnar Nelson and Neil Magny had no answer.
As is the case with all Maia fights, Good takes this fight if he keeps it standing. Though he has 85% takedown defense, he’s got to be ready to defend past the initial sprawl. If he can maintain distance, his footwork, jab and kicks should easily carry him past Maia.
UFC Odds Pick: Good to win at +140
Though Good is not on the level as the guys that Maia’s been facing, we see the Brazilian’s age starting to work against him in greater capacity. If Good can stop the first few takedowns, he’ll tee off on Maia.
Bet Online: Fight goes to decision
Maia’s toughness is legendary, even if he’s getting pieced up. Conversely, Good has never been finished in 24 pro fights. Maia’s offense revolves around grinding, and that kind of style eats up clock.
Bet on UFC Fight Night 144 Odds at BookMaker.eu
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC Fight Night 144 takes place on Saturday Feb 2, 2019 at Arena CFO in Castelao, Brazil. The card streams live on ESPN+ starting 8pm ET.
