Joseph Benavidez
One might think that UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez (16-2) would be upset at having been relegated to the co-main event for the upcoming UFC 152. Taking over the main event slot is a light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort, which comes as part of the fall-out of the cancelled UFC 151 event.
Benavidez is set to face Demetrious Johnson to crown the promotions first 125-lbs champion, and for Benavidez, sees the positives of having all the extra attention that Jones vs. Belfort brings to the event.
(Quick quote via Yahoo! Sports)
“All my fans on Twitter and my family, [they were upset],” Benavidez said, chuckling. “My Mom called me and said, ‘Jon Jones is a jerk.’ All the people on Twitter were like, ‘[Expletive] Jon Jones. You’re the man. You’re the main event.’
“That was great to see, but it’s really a positive, when you look at it. I know [Jones] is more popular than me. I know [Michael] Bisping and whoever else is on the card is more popular than me. I feel it helps me. My main goal when I got in this was to be UFC champion. I wouldn’t sit there and go, ‘Oh, I need to be UFC main event.’ My goal is to be UFC champion and I still get to do that. Now, I get to do it with that many more fans to gain and that many more fans watching.”
UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort takes place on September 22, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.