Demian Maia responds to callout from Diego Sanchez on 43rd birthday: “Let’s do it”

UFC welterweight Demian Maia has responded to a recent callout from fellow veteran Diego Sanchez, saying that he accepts the matchup with him.

Maia and Sanchez are two of the longest-tenured fighters in the UFC and both don’t have many fights left in their careers, so they have to make them count. Maia has indicated recently that his next fight is likely going to be his last after a 14-year UFC career that began in 2007. As for Sanchez, he’s heading into his 16th year with the world’s leading MMA promotion. For comparison, Maia turned 43 years old on Friday while Sanchez is 38.

Earlier this week, Sanchez took to social media to call out several fighters including Dan Hardy, Donald Cerrone, Conor McGregor, and Maia. The Brazilian saw the callout and responded to it in a positive fashion, tagging the UFC on Twitter and writing, “Let’s do it.”

Let’s do it !? @ufc https://t.co/U0eoFZP22K

— Demian Maia (@demianmaia) November 6, 2020

Let’s do it !? @ufc

What is truly intriguing about this matchup is that Maia is one of the greatest submission experts in UFC history, but Sanchez has never been submitted in 43 career MMA fights. Sanchez has stepped into the Octagon time-and-time again with some of the best grapplers in the sport during his 15-year career in the UFC, but no one has been able to make him tap. It would certainly be an interesting chess match if Maia fought Sanchez.

Maia hasn’t fought since March when he suffered a brutal KO loss to current No. 1 welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. Prior to that, he had won three straight fights. As for Sanchez, he is coming off of a decision loss to Jake Matthews. With both Maia and Sanchez nearing the end of their respective UFC runs, these types of legends matchups make more sense rather than matching them up against prospects or top contenders.

Would you like to see Demian Maia vs. Diego Sanchez?