Demian Maia not going to 'sell' himself in quest to become welterweight champion

Following his win at UFC 211, Demian Maia has insisted he will not change who he is as he looks to become welterweight champion of the world.

Maia (25-6 record in MMA) defeated Jorge Masvidal in Dallas, Texas via split decision in what was his toughest but seventh win in a row.

The 39-year-old, who many felt deserved a shot at Tyron Woodley's title a long time ago, is rumoured to have not been preferred by the UFC as a potential contender, with Masvidal earlier stating that the company pit him against Maia to eliminate him from contention.

However, with his latest victory tying him with Georges St-Pierre and Donald Cerrone for the second most in UFC history with 19, it is now undeniable that he is the number one contender.

After the decision was announced, Maia went on his knees and asked UFC president Dana White if the title shot was his to which he got a response, "You got it."

Despite the verbal confirmation from White, Maia is not holding his breath as he has been promised title shots before.

"What I learned lately in my life is that, don't get too stressed with things that I don't have control," Maia said, as quoted on MMAFighting. "Once I won against Gunnar Nelson, they invited me to watch [Robbie] Lawler and [Carlos] Condit in that time. I was supposed to be the next, they were recording me, I was in the front row, but then things change."

"Then I came and won against Matt Brown and they say okay now we're gonna fight, and then, no, let's fight Condit. And then I won against Condit, former interim champion, in a very good way and said, 'okay, now we're going to fight,' and no, and finally I got this one. I don't know, you know? I just relax and I not put this pressure on me anymore."

The jiu-jitsu specialist also maintained he will not embark in trash talk and change his personality just so that he can sell a few more tickets in case he does get his title shot against Woodley.

"A lot of people came up to me and said you need to trash talk," he added. "That's not me. That's my personality. I'm not going to change that. I'm not going to sell myself just because I want to be a champion, just because I want to make more money, you know? I don't sell myself. I am what I am."

"I'm a role model for a lot of people, for my kids. I don't want to just change because I want to make more money. I'm going to do something, more people are going to like me, I know I have a lot of fans, and it's a big mistake try to please everybody."