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UFC makes Silva-Maia fight official

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship has officially announced that Demian Maia has signed to fight middleweight champion Anderson Silva on April 10 during the UFC 112 event in Abu Dhabi.

The Times earlier today reported Maia was expected to be named to replace Vitor Belfort, who was suffering through shoulder pain that forced him to undergo surgery and withdraw from the April 10 fight.

In a prepared statement, UFC President Dana White said, ‘It’s always tough when a top fighter like Vitor Belfort has to pull out of a big title fight, but we have found a high quality replacement. Top contender Chael Sonnen was not available due to injuries sustained in his fight with Nate Marquardt, so top-six middleweight Demian Maia will step in to fight for the title. Maia is an Abu Dhabi grappling champion, a five-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion, and he is 12-1 in MMA and coming off a win over Dan Miller at UFC 109. Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia will be a matchup between MMA’s best striker and MMA’s best grappler.”

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Silva, considered the UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighter by most authorities, hasn’t fought since August following an elbow injury. The card in Abu Dhabi will also feature a lightweight title fight between champion B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar.

The UFC recently sold a 10 percent chunk of its holdings to an Abu Dhabi company.

-- Lance Pugmire

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