Joseph Benavidez welcomes summer bout with Wilson Reis

Joseph Benavidez isn’t going to call anyone out, but he’ll take on anyone that wants to call him out.

When you’re in Joseph Benavidez’s position, you take the fights that come to you. The perennial number one contender at flyweight has already lost two championship fights to Demetrious Johnson, but beats everyone else they put in front of him. So what does the UFC do with a guy like that?

Benavidez clearly wants a third shot at the champ, and his resume supports that. But when the promotion decided recently (then apparently reneged) on having a TUF tournament winner get a flyweight title shot, it muddled everything up. Joe B. told MMA Junkie Radio that he wanted to fight at UFC 197, but will likely get a summer fight instead against a guy that called him out in February – Wilson Reis.

“Obviously, I want to fight him, but he asked to fight me,” Benavidez said. “It’s hard for me to pick opponents. When I’m No. 1, I don’t call anybody out because it doesn’t make sense for me to say I want to fight the No. 8 guy. There’s no reason for me to do that.

“People can call me out, and then it’s game on. Wilson Reis said he wants to fight me, and he’s someone I have a lot of respect for; he’s a veteran and he wants to compete against the best. I want to compete against the best. I’ve been asking for that fight. So hopefully, pretty soon, maybe in June or July. That’s not official, no, but that’s going to happen.”

Johnson still has no clear challenger for his next title defense after defeating Henry Cejudo at UFC 197, so things might change. But for now, except Benavidez vs. Reis in a month or two.

Joseph Benavidez isn’t going to call anyone out, but he’ll take on anyone that wants to call him out.

When you’re in Joseph Benavidez’s position, you take the fights that come to you. The perennial number one contender at flyweight has already lost two championship fights to Demetrious Johnson, but beats everyone else they put in front of him. So what does the UFC do with a guy like that?

Benavidez clearly wants a third shot at the champ, and his resume supports that. But when the promotion decided recently (then apparently reneged) on having a TUF tournament winner get a flyweight title shot, it muddled everything up. Joe B. told MMA Junkie Radio that he wanted to fight at UFC 197, but will likely get a summer fight instead against a guy that called him out in February – Wilson Reis.

“Obviously, I want to fight him, but he asked to fight me,” Benavidez said. “It’s hard for me to pick opponents. When I’m No. 1, I don’t call anybody out because it doesn’t make sense for me to say I want to fight the No. 8 guy. There’s no reason for me to do that.

“People can call me out, and then it’s game on. Wilson Reis said he wants to fight me, and he’s someone I have a lot of respect for; he’s a veteran and he wants to compete against the best. I want to compete against the best. I’ve been asking for that fight. So hopefully, pretty soon, maybe in June or July. That’s not official, no, but that’s going to happen.”

Johnson still has no clear challenger for his next title defense after defeating Henry Cejudo at UFC 197, so things might change. But for now, except Benavidez vs. Reis in a month or two.