Demian Maia Will Begin Training Ths Week For UFC 112

"I [rested last] week [and will continue] until half way through [this] week, then I'll get back to training," Maia told GracieMag.com. "That will be enough time for my body to rest, because generally that's how long I rest, about 10 days.

"This time, I'll have to pick up the pace a bit quicker than I plan to with four months of prep time."

With Vitor Belfort's abrupt exit from UFC 112, the organization was left scrambling for a suitable last-minute replacement to face Silva. Although he was just six days removed from his unanimous decision victory over Dan Miller and only 57 days before the UFC debuted in Abu Dhabi when he got the call, it wasn't even a question when the offer was extended.

Although the timing wasn't ideal, Maia gladly accepted the challenge of fighting Silva for his middleweight title at UFC 112 on April 10th.