Demian Maia has once again proven why he should be feared at welterweight.

So once again the MMA gods have proven to me that you really never can know exactly how a fighting is going to play out (and somewhere Lionel is laughing). This past weekend Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wizard Demian Maia choked out Carlos Condit in under two minutes in their UFC on Fox 21 main event bout. It was a true master class of how a fighter who wishes to put the fight into his realm was able to do so with tactical brilliance. By the time things hit the ground it was only a matter of time and things quickly moved from bad to worse in the blink of an eye. With the win, Demian Maia has set himself up as a top contender in the welterweight division which begs the question: if Tyron Woodley does indeed get the money fight he’s pining for against Georges St. Pierre or Nate Diaz, does this mean that Maia will be facing off against Stephen Thompson in a title eliminator match? At this point that’s pure speculation. But let’s go with it just for the hell of it. If Stephen Thompson must face off against Mai it’s sure to be an extremely interesting contest. Though Thompson would be favored in my eyes, you can’t discredit what Demian Maia has been able to do in his last several fights. He’s been able to take opponents out of their game, get them to ground, and either dominate position of submit them with a rear naked choke. Ever since Maia has chose to embrace his grappling roots over his striking game we’ve seen the black belt make leaps and bounds, looking absolutely terrifying for a striker like Thompson. While Thompson would have the speed, striking, and movement advantages, the truth of the matter is that it will take only one takedown for things to go horribly wrong for “Wonderboy.” While Stephen Thompson may be terrifying when the fight remains standing, there should be no doubts in anyone’s minds that Demian Maia is just as terrifying once the fight hits the ground. Whether the match up comes to fruition will be anyone’s guess, but already we have an intriguing scenario that would make the old school fans salivate in anticipation. Two assassins, one a striker, the other a grappler, set to meet in a clash of styles. From what Demian Maia demonstrated last Saturday night, whoever his next opponent is, they should be worried. What are your thoughts on Demian Maia’s win over Carlos Condit? Let us know by hitting up our comments below or head on over to our official Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.