Demian Maia is regarded as one of the elite fighters in terms of the submission game in all of MMA.So, when he hears that Steven Seagal - a Hollywood actor - is training former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, all he can do is laugh.
"It's a lie," said Maia, during a recent interview with Network TV! in Brazil. "It's marketing. Seagal's movie career was down, it worked because he appeared in the media again.
"Seagal never taught Silva anything. For everyone who knows about it, it's a joke."
Seagal has appeared alongside "The Spider" several times during training sessions and on fight nights. For what it's worth, Silva has always given Seagal credit for helping him.
Maia, meanwhile, was recently forced to exit a planned meeting with Josh Koscheck after "Kos" suffered a training injury. No timetable has been set for his return.
"It's a lie," said Maia, during a recent interview with Network TV! in Brazil. "It's marketing. Seagal's movie career was down, it worked because he appeared in the media again.
"Seagal never taught Silva anything. For everyone who knows about it, it's a joke."
Seagal has appeared alongside "The Spider" several times during training sessions and on fight nights. For what it's worth, Silva has always given Seagal credit for helping him.
Maia, meanwhile, was recently forced to exit a planned meeting with Josh Koscheck after "Kos" suffered a training injury. No timetable has been set for his return.