WEC 47 Preview

Miguel Torres vs. Joseph Benavidez

The Breakdown: The other big-money bantamweight bout of the evening pits Joseph Benavidez’s rib-crushing top control against Miguel Torres and his armory of high-powered offense. Safely ignore Benavidez’s starching of Rani Yahya at WEC 45 because he isn’t going to do well trying to drop telegraphed overhands on Torres’ dome.

Unfortunately he won’t do well trying to gorilla press slam Torres either, as his submission defense has never been tested to the degree that Torres will. Already considered one of the best guard players and submission artists in the game today, there likely isn’t a bantamweight alive who wants to try and win a grappling match with Torres, Benavidez included.

For all the complexities of MMA, it becomes remarkably simple when one fighter doesn’t have a leg to stand on come fight time. That is the altogether unenviable position Benavidez is in: He doesn’t have any tools that Torres isn’t fully capable of taking away. Unless Benavidez times a perfect doom-bringer overhand, he’s going to have to choose between trying his hand against Torres’ reach and versatility on the feet or the incredibly painful grappling lessons Torres gives out on the mat.

The Bottom Line: Not to belabor a point or anything, but this is probably the worst fight in the division for Benavidez. Unless Torres fights like a straight-up dummy, he’s going to tap Benavidez out and officially announce the return of the Wolf-cut.