As Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson fight for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 205, number three ranked contender Demian Maia will be watching in anticipation. But for his manager Eduardo Alonso, it is no question that his fighter should get the next crack at the title, against whoever emerges as champion after November 12th.
“The idea now is to face the winner of this fight. Demian deserved a title shot already, and it’s pretty obvious after this fight that he’s the next in line,” Alonso told MMA Fighting. “I don’t see anyone deserving it more than him. We know that deserving is something relative in the sport today, but we have to find a balance between spectacle and sport. You have to aim for long term credibility as any other sports league, and you need to use meritocracy as one of your criteria.”
“You don’t change the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals or the Champions League final simply because one team is more popular or less popular. You set objective criteria. After ‘Wonderboy’ vs. Tyron Woodley, Demian is the next in line no matter what happens in future fights. I believe he will have this opportunity. He deserves it.”
Alonso adds that Maia will continue to train hard, and will be ready for any circumstance that may occur, with still more than a month until fight night.
“A title shot is a unique opportunity you don’t turn down. But if any injury happens to ‘Wonderboy’ and we get a call, unless Demian is injured, we will take the opportunity because you never know what tomorrow will bring.”