UFC middleweight Kendall Grove on Sept. 8 announced on Twitter that he will face top contender and submission ace Demian Maia at The Ultimate Fighter season 12 Finale show, set for Dec. 4 in Las Vegas.
Grove (14-7), who won season three of the TUF reality series, won his most recent bout at UFC 116, getting a split decision over Goran Reljic, pushing his UFC mark to 7-4. Although he is best known for his long reach and Muay Thai on the feet, Grove also has a solid submission game. He only lost by submission once in his professional career (back in 2005) and holds submission wins over Alan Belcher and Jake Rosholt.
After getting toyed with by Anderson Silva for five rounds at UFC 112, Maia (13-2) bounced back with a decision win over Mario Miranda at UFC 118. Although he is thought of as a primarily one-dimensional fighter relying on Brazilian Jiu Jitus, Maia has improved in other aspects and controlled Miranda in every facet. Maia’s only other MMA loss came at the hands of Nate Marquardt, who scored a highlight reel KO 21 seconds into their bout.