Joseph Benavidez Feels a Trilogy with Demetrious Johnson Makes Sense

Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez seems to be the forgotten man when it comes to the UFC 125-pound division. Benavidez last competed inside the Octagon in December 2016 in “The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale,” beating Henry Cejudo via split decision.

Benavidez has had 14 fights inside the Octagon, with his only two losses coming at the hands of the man who has ruled the division since its inception, champion Demetrious Johnson. Benavidez first fought Johnson back in September 2012, losing a close split decision. Their second bout in December 2013 was much more emphatic, with “Mighty Mouse” handing Benavidez his first ever knockout loss.

Outside of his two losses to Johnson, Benavidez is 12-0 in the UFC against other opponents. His other two career losses were to former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz under the World Extreme Cagefighting promotion back in 2009 and 2010.

Benavidez talked to ESPN on Wednesday ahead of his next fight against Sergio Pettis, which takes place on June 9 at UFC 225. Benavidez was asked if a third fight against Johnson is a hard sell and if it ever materialized could he “get over the hump” that is Johnson to claim the flyweight championship:

“I don’t really think there’s a hump to get over,” Benavidez told reporters Wednesday. “I mean, I think a lot of people forget that we had a split decision in our first fight. The second fight, that’s all people are going to remember, which… that’s the sport. You remember the last fight. You remember the last thing. But people don’t realize how much of a coincidence that is. I mean, have you ever seen him knock anyone out with one punch besides that time? Have you ever seen me get knocked out with a punch or even hurt? So these things happen in MMA.

“The first fight could have gone either way. We both, obviously, got better since then. So I don’t think there’s a huge place where he’s better than me or anything. He puts things together really good, and I need to do the same. I have the ‘tools,’ as everyone says, to beat him.”

Benavidez is riding a six-fight winning streak and was questioned whether he would be considered the No. 1 contender to face Johnson if he was successful next month against the surging Pettis.

“I think even a sixth fight for us is more exciting, maybe even more marketable than some of the fights he’s been doing, just to fill the card again and him defending his title.

“Seven wins in a row… I think it’ll be hard to deny me after that, especially since he’s fought everybody else and I beat the next guy in line, Henry Cejudo.

“So not a big hump as much as like, giving me another chance to go out there and do it.”

While traditionally the UFC aren’t a fan of trilogy fights when one fighter has won the previous two bouts, Benavidez makes a strong case for the promotion to reverse that trend, especially if can secure an emphatic win over Pettis.