Bobby Maximus is a name that jumps right off the page, but it’s his unlikely story that has made him one of the most talked-about competitors on The Ultimate Fighter 30.
A quick glance at the TUF 30 roster will tell you it’s a cast with little experience as all but one of the competitors has less than 10 pro bouts to their name, including Maximus (5-4). However, the Canadian’s profile is definitively not like the others:
- Maximus last competed in February 2009, over 13 years ago
- Maximus, a cast member of the second season The Ultimate Fighter , was known by Rob MacDonald, then as Maximus MacDonald. He was coached and lived in the same house that Joe Stevenson and Josh Burkman and was also coached and supervised by Matt Hughes, then-welterweight champion.
- Maximus has already fought three times in the UFC, winning once via a first-round armbar submission of Kris Rotharmel
- Maximus is 43 years old
This last fact has raised eyebrows among those who keep track of the latest TUF seasons. Maximus, ahead of his fight in this week’s episode of MMA Fighting explained to MMA Fighting how he decided to compete on the long-running reality series and became its oldest competitor.
“I retired from fighting because I didn’t think — I was the primary caretaker — and I didn’t think that I could be a good enough dad and fight,” Maximus said, when asked if regretted making the decision to initially walk away from fighting. “I thought he deserved better as a son. Every time I watched a UFC fight, there would always be a voice saying, “Man, you’re too old.” This could be possible. It could have been something. It might have helped you having a son because you were more mature and you could have balanced it.’
“That voice got louder and louder and louder to the point where I had to do something about it and at 43 I’m approaching the point of no return. I won’t be able to do this at 50. This was like saying, “You have to do it now.” The one thing the show taught me is I would have been, I am, and I will be 100 percent capable of fighting in the UFC. So it put all of those wonders, all of those doubts, all of those what ifs, it put them to bed because I got the answer I was looking for.”
Maximus had to go through the same strenuous vetting process as the other cast members when it came time to audition for the show, though he was under more scrutiny due to his advanced age and long layoff from fighting. While he didn’t stress about his skill or fitness levels — Maximus currently runs a successful personal training business — there were several factors outside of his control. He didn’t need to do all of the work and mileage, nor did he have any control over the MRI and CAT scan results.
He made it to the finals, and was one of eight heavyweights who will be competing in the TUF edition. Maximus lost to TUF 2 finalist Brad Imes in his lone tournament bout that season and as difficult as that experience was, he says returning to the show now was even more daunting.
“It’s hard and I will tell you even though you see some 40-year-olds competing at the highest level in the world, it’s certainly not the norm,” Maximus said. “Most people fall apart when they hit 40. It’s just a fact of life. Some people are able and able stay on the job longer than others. It doesn’t matter if it is genetics or a commitment to health, diet, or dedication to your craft. But one thing you can’t escape is that the toll on the body is a lot more when you’re at 43 years old.
“If I was to compare it to when I was on The Ultimate Fighter season two, it’s a lot harder. The training on The Ultimate Fighter . is hard. It’s a lot harder going through that as a 43-year-old then it was as a 26-year-old. It’s just a different world. So you have to be more cognizant of nutrition, more cognizant of sleep, more cognizant of taking care of yourself. It can be done. You just need to put in a lot of work .”
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Maximus currently lives and fights out of Utah, but he began his training almost 20 years ago as a pupil of the late, great Shawn Tompkins. Canadian stars like Sam Stout and Mark Hominick regularly tested the Sudbury native in the gym.
At the time, Maximus was like every other hungry, young fighter who wanted to be part of the UFC’s explosion in popularity during the 2000s. Looking back now, he doesn’t feel he was mentally prepared to excel inside the octagon.
” It was different for myself, Maximus stated. Maximus said, “I was there for the younger competition on season 2. On season two, I desperately wanted to be in the UFC. I desperately wanted fighting to be my career. It was now or never. This was my chance. It was something that I needed to do.
“Now I’m 43 years old. One of the best-known fitness stars in the world. I write for Men’s Health. I’ve got a family. I earn a lot of money. This show was not something I needed to be on. It was a completely different way of looking at the matter. The buzz, the pressure, all that kind of stuff, it was a completely different experience this time around for that reason.”
Maximus recalled checking forums in the early days — this was still in the primitive ages of social media — and being hurt by the criticism of his performances. This is an aspect of the game that Maximus learned to ignore long ago.
” I cared too much about other people’s opinions,” Maximus said. “Losing a fight was devastating because you weren’t tough, your manhood was questioned, you weren’t a good athlete. It has changed to this point. I think I have gotten to the place mentally that I no longer care. Some of the best fighters in the world lose.
“Look at what just happened with Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler. Tony was on the end of one of the ugliest knockouts of all time and nobody thinks less of him as a fighter. It’s different, it’s different judgement system. So now I don’t struggle with that .”
On this week’s featured TUF 30 bout, Maximus takes on Team Amanda Nunes’ No. 1 heavyweight pick Eduardo Perez, a fighter 16 years Maximus’ junior who sports a 4-1 pro record. Maximus was the last pick of the show when the teams were drafted and he ended up on Team Julianna Pena.
He has high praise for Pena as a coach and as a person, and says they were on the same page when it came to having him go after Nunes’ top prospect.
” I asked for Eduardo since the first minute,” Maximus stated. Maximus said, “Partially because I was last picked. I may as well pursue No. 1. If I lose, it might be better to lose to the person I thought was the greatest. I’m ready to swing. I want to take their top dog out. Reality is, someone has to get out of the TUF show. You can’t hide from anybody. You can’t hide from the No. 1 seed or the No. 2 seed or the No. 3 seed. Everyone has to go through the same gauntlet. So my thought was let’s just get this done now. [*************************************************************************************] and then we go.” 1 and then away we go.”
We’ll find out tonight if Maximus had a one-and-done journey on the show, but given everything he went through just to get in the house, it’s fair to ask if he intends to fight outside of the UFC should he bow out of the tournament and a contract isn’t offered down the road.
Maximus wouldn’t make a definitive statement on his post-show plans, only assuring that his return to the world of MMA has already been a fulfilling one.
“It was really for two reasons that I did this,” Maximus said. “The first reason I did this is never mind the UFC, never mind ONE Championship, never mind Bellator or any of those things. Just to show myself I could do it, I did this. When I say “do this”, that’s when the UFC comes in because it is the most professional and high-ranking organization on earth. So let’s see if I could do this at the highest level in the world. That’s number one.
“Number two: We live in a pretty dark world right now. A lot of sorrow, depression and misery are all around us. There are many people who don’t like their job. They’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, they’re miserable, they’re unfulfilled. They work for a corporation that frankly doesn’t give a f*** about them. And they probably have a dream or had a dream. Maybe that was to be a journalist. Perhaps it was to use water colors and paint. Perhaps it was poetry. And they’re scared to go after it. I found myself being that person. Every time I watched a UFC fight, I thought, “Maybe I can still win this.” But then, the voices said, “Don’t try it!” You have a great career. Your media reputation is excellent. People will come after you online if you are unsuccessful. You’ve already had a career. You don’t want to ruin it ?’
“There’s always a reason not to do something, but how am I going to inspire others and teach others to go after their dreams if I’m not willing to do it myself. This was not about me fighting in the UFC. It was I’m going to go on this thing and be the best I can and let’s see what happens.”
The Ultimate Fighter 30 streams live Monday evenings at midnight ET on ESPN+ in the U.S and on UFC Fight Pass in Canada. Episodes also air on Canadian television at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesdays on TSN2.
