Longtime flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez will look to capture his first UFC title when he faces Brazilian contender Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event at “UFC Fight Island” on Saturday night.
Benavidez (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) will face Figueiredo (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) for the vacant 125-pound strap at UFC on ESPN+ 30, which takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The event will stream live on ESPN+.
Ahead of their flyweight title rematch, we take a look at four fights that have helped define Benavidez’s MMA career to date.
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Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152 – Sept. 22, 2012
The UFC’s inaugural flyweight title fight was a superb battle, as Benavidez and Johnson turned in five breathless rounds of action. But, after a highly-competitive affair went all the way to the scorecards, it was “Mighty Mouse” whose hand was raised in victory.
Benavidez had some good success with his punches in the early going, but Johnson adapted superbly during the matchup as he used his speed and footwork to counter Benavidez’s power.
Despite conceding a slight speed advantage to Johnson, Benavidez remained dangerous throughout and was a constant threat with his punches. He enjoyed a strong round in the second, then dropped Johnson with a right hand and mounted his man before locking up a guillotine choke.
It put the fight in the balance heading into the final round, but Johnson did just enough to edge the final frame and run out the split-decision winner with scores of 48-47, 47-48 and 49-46.
It was an agonizingly close defeat for Benavidez but proved that he was undoubtedly a championship-caliber athlete.
Watch Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Winning the battle of the TUF coaches
Henry Cejudo at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale – Dec. 3, 2016
Benavidez ended up coaching opposite former Olympic gold medalist – and future two-division UFC champion – Henry Cejudo in the 24th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” and the pair squared off in a battle of flyweight contenders at the event finale in Las Vegas.
Benavidez had to weather an early storm when he was dropped by Cejudo early on. But Benavidez bounced back, went toe-to-toe with Cejudo in a thrilling first round, until a pair of accidental groin shots saw Cejudo handed a point deduction.
The pair continued to swing for the fences as they went back and forth, with Cejudo looking for big one-punch strikes and Benavidez blitzing in and out with rapid-fire combinations.
Despite both men constantly chasing a finish, the fight went all the way to the scorecards, with Benavidez claiming the split-decision victory with scores of 27-29, 30-26, 29-27.
Watch Joseph Benavidez vs. Henry Cejudo on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: A statement finish
Jussier Formiga at UFC on ESPN 3 – June 29, 2019
Benavidez then ended up on the wrong end of a split-decision in the next fight, but bounced back with wins over Alex Perez and Dustin Ortiz to right the ship and keep him in the title conversation at 125 pounds.
Then he faced off against in-form Jussier Formiga for the second time in Minneapolis and snapped the Brazilian’s four-fight win streak to position himself for another shot at the title.
The second bout came five years after their first meeting, when Benavidez finished the Brazilian in one round in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and saw the American score another stoppage finish. But this one was even more spectacular.
The finish came in the second round, after Benavidez had slowed the Brazilian’s movement with a succession of thumping calf kicks. It meant Benavidez was able to set his sights and unleash a head kick and a huge right hand that stunned Formiga. A succession of follow-up shots eventually sent him to the canvas to give Benavidez another big win and put him in position to challenge for flyweight gold.
Watch Joseph Benavidez vs. Jussier Formiga 2 on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: A controversial defeat
Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC on ESPN+ 27 – Feb. 29, 2020
Benavidez’s latest shot at UFC gold ended in disaster after a turbulent fight week that saw his opponent, Deiveson Figueiredo, miss weight by 2.5 pounds for their flyweight title fight in Norfolk, Va.
It meant Figueiredo couldn’t win the belt on fight night, but Benavidez still could, and although the American had the edge in the stand-up exchanges early on, a clash of heads undid all of Benavidez’s good work.
The head clash briefly stunned Benavidez, and Figueiredo pounced, landing a body shot and a big right hand that dropped the UFC veteran. Figueiredo then finished the fight with ground strikes to score a big win, without capturing the title.
It means the belt remains vacant ahead of Saturday’s event on Yas Island, where Benavidez and Figueiredo will meet again in a bid to crown a new 125-pound champion at UFC on ESPN+ 30.
Watch Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo on UFC Fight Pass
