A middleweight bout between Alan Belcher and Demian Maia is reportedly in the works. MMAFighting.com reported the match up earlier today, stating that one of the parties has agreed to the bout for “UFC Fight Night 22” in the fall.
Belcher, who has often voiced his desire to fight top competition, including middleweight champion Anderson Silva, last fought at UFC 113 where he decimated Patrick Cote in the Canadian’s return to the cage with a vicious slam that led to a submission victory for Belcher. The victory came several months after Belcher gained a technical knockout victory over Wilson Gouveia on the preliminary card of UFC 107.
The 26-year-old has been adamant about taking a step up in competition. His appearance on the undercard of UFC 107 led to several statements of his unhappiness with the way the UFC was treating him. His split-decision loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100, a fight many had “The Talent” winning, also added to Belcher’s growing frustration.
Maia would certainly be the step up in competition Belcher seeks. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace is coming off a unanimous decision loss to middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 112, where Maia actually held his own after Silva’s cardio took a turn for the worst. Prior to the loss, Maia defeated Dan Miller via unanimous decision at UFC 109, which followed his knockout loss against Nate Marquardt at UFC 102.
“UFC Fight Night 22” is set for September 15, but a city and venue have yet to be named. A bout between Belcher and Maia could serve as the main event of the card, as the two fight for contender status in the 185-pound division. No fights have been made official for the fall card.