Coming into UFC on Fox 9, fans and observers weren’t convinced that the best flyweight fighters in the world could finish a fight.
After the main event Saturday night in Sacramento, Calif., in which Demetrious Johnson knocked out Joseph Benavidez in the first round to retain the UFC flyweight title, perhaps some people saw a more convincing case.
About halfway through the opening round, Johnson blindsided Benavidez with a right hand that felled the challenger. A few relatively academic strikes later, and Johnson had defeated Benavidez by knockout at 2:08 of the very first round.
For Johnson, it’s the third consecutive defense of the UFC flyweight title. “Mighty Mouse” is the only fighter ever to hold UFC gold at 125 pounds.
This was the second time Johnson and Benavidez have squared off in the UFC. The first time, it was in 2012, and it was the finals of the UFC flyweight tournament, the winner of whom would become the promotion’s inaugural champion in that fledgling weight class.
Johnson won that fight by split decision. Though Benavidez threatened Johnson earlier in their original match, Johnson outlasted Benavidez down the stretch to earn the decision victory.
In the rematch Saturday night at UFC on Fox 9, Benavidez never had a major chance to leverage his strengths, as a result of the blow Johnson landed.
The loss by Benavidez rendered Benavidez‘s training camp, Team Alpha Male, 2-2 for the evening. The camp, founded by Urijah Faber, has met with major success recently in the UFC. As a result of its home base in Sacramento, it could be said that Team Alpha Male was the informal “host” of UFC on Fox 9.
In the co-main event, Faber used his signature move, the guillotine choke, to finish Michael McDonald in a bantamweight fight. Team Alpha Male member Chad Mendes defeated Nik Lentz by decision in a featherweight bout held earlier on the main card.
On the preliminary card, Team Alpha Male member Danny Castillo lost by decision to Brazilian Edson Barboza in a lightweight bout.
But the star of the evening was Johnson. To watch the handiwork of Mighty Mouse, check out this video footage, courtesy of our friends at Fox Sports.
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