Consider the welterweight division officially shaken up.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight number one contender Demian Maia has announced via his official Twitter account that he's dropping to 170 pounds for his next fight inside the Octagon.

When and where that fight tales place, as well as a possible opponent, has yet to be determined.

Maia (15-4) was widely criticized for his lackluster performance in a unanimous decision loss to Chris Weidman at the UFC on Fox 2 event earlier this year. It was the seventh consecutive fight that ended in decision for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt, who began his UFC career with five straight submission victories.

Will shedding a few pounds help improve his performance?

The addition of the grappling wizard to a weight class that was in dire need of fresh faces creates tantalizing fantasy match-ups. Aside from fellow submission expert Jake Shields, some of the division's top prospects like to get their hands dirty on the floor.

Maybe this announcement will have them thinking otherwise.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on Maia's future at welterweight as they become available.