Benavidez will rematch Deiveson Figueiredo for the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight crown in the UFC Fight Night 172 headliner this Saturday on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Figueiredo stopped the San Antonio native with second-round punches in their first confrontation over the 125-pound championship in February, but because he failed to make weight, the Brazilian was ineligible to win the belt. Now, they meet again in a battle that will likely determine how history views Benavidez.
Ahead of the second chapter in his story with Figueiredo, a look at a few of the rivalries that have numbered Benavidez’s steps:
Benavidez twice fell to Johnson, who ruled the 125-pound class in the UFC. (Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog)
Demetrious Johnson
The AMC Pankration cornerstone threw and landed more kicks and punches, mixed in five takedowns and captured a split decision over Benavidez in the UFC 152 co-main event on Sept. 22, 2012 to become the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first flyweight titleholder. Judges Jeff Blatnick and Douglas Crosby scored it 48-47 and 49-46 for Johnson, while Richard Bertrand saw it 48-47 for Benavidez. The two flyweights engaged one another for the full 25 minutes in a dazzling display of skill, speed and technique, thrilling a crowd of 16,800 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Benavidez made his most significant moves in Round 2 and Round 4, nearly finishing it in the fourth, where he staggered Johnson with a right hand and jumped into a mounted guillotine choke. “Mighty Mouse” struggled to free himself from the maneuver and was ultimately successful, threatening Benavidez with a leg lock before returning to his feet. Johnson—who opened a cut near his opponent’s left eye with a stout right hand in the third round—answered the championship call in the fifth, as he delivered a pair of takedowns, countered beautifully and finished with a flourish. The longtime Matt Hume protege left no question about his superiority in their UFC on Fox 9 rematch a little more than a year later, as he knocked out Benavidez in a little more than two minutes and retained his championship in stunning fashion.
Cruz edged Benavidez in the WEC 50 headliner on Aug. 18, 2010. (Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog)
Dominick Cruz
Cruz danced and dodged across 25 minutes, scored timely takedowns and eked out a split decision over Benavidez to retain his World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight championship in the WEC 50 headliner on Aug. 18, 2010 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Two of the three judges—Adalaide Byrd and Lester Griffin—sided with the champion by 48-47 and 49-46 counts, while Nelson Hamilton scored it 48-47 for Benavidez. In a tactical bout that was not short on action, the well-rounded challenger provided Cruz with a stern test. The first three rounds were almost too close to call, highlighted by a beautiful flying knee from Cruz and some crisp counterpunching from Benavidez. Dealing with a cut near his hairline, the Team Alpha Male rep appeared to break Cruz’s nose and opened a nasty lateral gash across its bridge with a knee from the clinch in the fourth round. Blood spilled from the wound, but Cruz pressed the action and scored the fourth of his five takedowns in the match. Cruz, though his frenetic pace had slowed, finished strong in Round 5. He delivered another takedown in the final 15 seconds, grinded away with elbows from the top and rose from the battle as the horn sounded, both arms raised and a smile on his battered face. So closed the book on a two-fight series with Benavidez that began with a three-round unanimous decision for Cruz at WEC 42 in 2009.
Benavidez is 2-0 against “Formiga.” (Photo: Getty Images)
Jussier Formiga
Benavidez subdued the former Shooto Americas champion with a head kick and punches in the second round of their UFC on ESPN 3 co-main event on June 29, 2019 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Formiga wilted 4:47 into Round 2, his run of four consecutive victories at an end. Benavidez connected with a series of crippling kicks to the Brazilian’s upper and lower leg, darted in and out with punches and, most importantly, proved superior in the scrambles. Formiga opened a cut near the Texas native’s left eye with a counter right hook in the first round but never had him in legitimate danger. Benavidez picked up his pace in the middle stanza, caught the American Top Team standout with a jarring head kick, reset and then flurried with punches. Formiga collapsed to all fours and continued to absorb punishment until referee Jason Herzog intervened. The victory moved Benavidez to 2-0 against Formiga, who he had cut down with a knee to the body and follow-up punches at UFC Fight Night 28 in 2013.