I've attached my ninja_mesh.zip file to my original post if you'd like to look at it. It's the same file as from the link provided, I just saved as new file and stripped out the rigging/bones because I was interested in the mesh at this point. Now that I think about it, I might have inadvertently stripped something I shouldn't have so I'm going back to check on that.

Thanks for the replies, and your time!

I've used quite a few Autodesk products and have never had a problem, as well as blender, but this is my first few weeks with MAYA so apologies again.It's just weird how I can create any shapes I want and texture them and do whatever inside MAYA, but when I open up this file and try the very same techniques they fail time and time again...