Demian Maia and Jimmie Rivera have been long standing fan favorites on the UFC roster. Now it appears that they may no longer be a part of the promotion, after they reportedly fought out their contracts.
It has not been an easy road for either Maia or Rivera in their recent UFC outings. The Brazilian is on a two-fight skid, while the American is 2-4 in his last six, although this is against some tough competition.
That is why it came as little surprise when MMAJunkie revealed that both Demian and Jimmie were no longer under UFC contract, having fought out their deals with the promotion. Furthermore, it seems that the UFC has no intention of resigning them, making them free agents should they choose to sign elsewhere.
It was brought to my attention that both Demian Maia and Jimmie Rivera have been removed from the UFC’s online roster.
Spoke to a UFC official who confirmed that “both have fought out their deals” at this time and are not currently under contract.
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) August 23, 2021
What’s Next For Demian Maia and Jimmie Rivera?
This is a very interesting situation, as both men are in rather different spots in their careers. Demian Maia was on a three-fight run before his pair of defeats and will always be a tough out for anyone not elite, but at 43 years old and 20 years as a pro, it is not hard to see him choosing this as an opportunity to retire.
On the other hand, Jimmie Rivera is much younger at 32 years old, and was on a 20-fight winning streak before his recent run of poor luck. That said, of his four recent losses, three were against champions or people who have fought for titles, so they are not devastating losses to say the least.
It will be interesting to monitor what happens next, for both Demian Maia and Jimmie Rivera. The most likely outcome would probably be a move to another promotion for Jimmie, while Demian may return to his roots of competitive jiu-jitsu, to finish out his long and storied career.
