The 22 fighters competing at tomorrow night’s UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader event at the Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, will be hitting the scales this afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. ET / Noon PT. Watch all the staredowns and shoving live in the video player above; we’ll update the results after the jump when it’s over.
The 22 fighters competing at tomorrow night’s UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader event at the Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, will be hitting the scales this afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. ET / Noon PT. Watch all the staredowns and shoving live in the video player above; we’ll update the results after the jump when it’s over.
FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
Glover Teixeira (206) vs. Ryan Bader (205)
Ronaldo Souza (186) vs. Yushin Okami (185)
Joseph Benavidez (126) vs. Jussier Formiga (126)
Piotr Hallmann (155) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (155)
Rafael Natal (185) vs. Tor Troeng (185)
Ali Bagautinov (125) vs. Marcos Vinicius (126)
FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS (5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT)
Felipe Arantes (146) vs. Edimilson Souza (146)
Ramiro Hernandez (135) vs. Lucas Martins (136)
Elias Silverio (169) vs. Joao Zeferino (170)
Ivan Jorge (169) vs. Keith Wisniewski (170)
FACEBOOK PRELIM (4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT)
Sean Spencer (171) vs. Yuri Villefort (170)
For the last few years, whenever Joseph Benavidez woke up in the morning and walked out to his living room, one of the first things he saw everyday was a picture of a UFC title sitting on his mantel.
It was a visualization technique that Benavidez empl…
For the last few years, whenever Joseph Benavidez woke up in the morning and walked out to his living room, one of the first things he saw everyday was a picture of a UFC title sitting on his mantel.
It was a visualization technique that Benavidez employed because he so badly wanted to clasp the UFC gold, and it consumed his every waking moment.
For Benavidez, winning a UFC title was the culmination of a life’s work, and the payoff for every hour he’s spent in training, and each fight he’s won to be considered one of the best fighters in the world.
The first time he had a chance at a belt it was back in the WEC when he battled Dominick Cruz to a split decision in 2010. When he didn’t go home with the title that night, the desire to hold the gold became that much more important for Benavidez.
Two years later and Benavidez was now considered the best flyweight in the world, but he didn’t have the belt just yet, and as it turns out he wouldn’t claim that title either. Benavidez ultimately lost in his bid to claim the 125-pound championship when he lost another close decision to Demetrious Johnson last year at UFC 152.
Benavidez bounced back quickly.
He has now won his last two fights in a row, and as he stands at the ready for his next trip to the Octagon on Wednesday night to face former top ranked flyweight Jussier Formiga, there’s a lot on his mind as always, but the obsession about becoming champion no longer clouds his every thought.
“I feel like I never really left the title picture, even right after the Demetrious (Johnson) fight. I could have made a stink or whatever (about another shot), not that I would have got it, but I was in the picture,” Benavidez said. “After the Ian McCall fight I was definitely in the picture, probably could have gone for it, but it was just kind of my choice as a fighter and as an improving fighter and individual to really just not obsess over the title as much.
“I made the mistake of really obsessing over the title and when I was going to get it. At 135, fighting Dominick Cruz two times within a year, losing, and then no matter what I did after that, I could be ranked No. 2 in the world the whole time I was never going to get another title shot. With the (flyweight) division so new, I just wanted to see it develop, and I feel like I had just fought Mighty Mouse. That’s kind of the outlook I’ve took since that.”
When Benavidez wasn’t fighting for the gold, he was a completely different fighter.
He decimated opponents at both bantamweight and flyweight for several years, but that elusive gold strap somehow haunted him so much, that the obsession outweighed his performances and led to two defeats in two title fights.
Now, Benavidez isn’t saying that Cruz or Johnson didn’t deserve to get the nod in either fight, or that they weren’t part of the reason he lost, but the desire to become champion overwrought his mind to the point where he was no longer having fun and enjoying himself in the cage during those fights.
As Benavidez enters his third fight since losing in the title bout against Johnson, he’s realizing there’s much more to life than just winning the UFC gold. Benavidez forced himself to look at the bigger picture when it comes his happiness, and he has a lot to be thankful for, even if he can’t say he’s a UFC champion.
“It’s really an outlook I’ve always had, except when I had the title fight,” Benavidez said. “It was like it was life or death when I was going in there fighting for the flyweight title. Now, it’s fun for me again, and doing what I love to do. I just need to remember even if I don’t get the title, I have an awesome life and an awesome family and friends.”
With a win on Wednesday night in Brazil, Benavidez realizes his name is going to come up again for the title shot and a rematch against Johnson.
He’s tactical in his approach these days when discussing the title because Benavidez knows the mistakes he’s made in the past, and those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Benavidez has never wavered when it came to his training or preparation for a fight, but now he’s got his mind in the right place when it comes to his standing in the sport, and what it means to be called “the best.” If the call comes after his next fight that he’s getting a title shot, it will definitely be special, but it will no longer saturate his mind with a single fixation of becoming champion.
“It looks like after this fight there aren’t many options left as far as the division goes,” Benavidez said. “It’s not something I could really say no to. After three wins, and I’m starting to feel a whole lot better, I’m improving every fight. So we’ll see what happens.”
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
UFC Fight Night 28 caps off an extended fight week for the UFC. It started in Indianapolis last Wednesday, traveled through Milwaukee for the crowning of a new UFC Lightweight Champion and ends up in Belo Horizonte, Brazil for a top-10 light heavyweigh…
UFC Fight Night 28 caps off an extended fight week for the UFC. It started in Indianapolis last Wednesday, traveled through Milwaukee for the crowning of a new UFC Lightweight Champion and ends up in BeloHorizonte, Brazil for a top-10 light heavyweight showdown.
The main card features six bouts, and below are the odds and predictions for the fights.
Marcos Vinicius (+240) vs. Ali Bagautinov (-280)
Vinicius has not been inside the Octagon in 2013, but he will return to make his flyweight debut. Bagautinov makes his UFC debut after going on an eight-fight win streak.
This will be an interesting fight to open the card with. The 125-pound matchup will help the division continue to grow. The oddsmakers may not be giving Vinicius as much of a chance that he actually has in this battle.
However, I still side with Bagautinov. I don’t think he will get the stoppage in his UFC debut, but he will do enough to take the fight on the scorecards.
Rafael Natal (-260) vs. Tor Troeng (+220)
Troeng made a successful UFC debut against The Ultimate Fightercastmate Adam Cella at UFC on Fuel TV 9, but he will face an uphill battle in Brazil.
Natal is one of the more durable fighters in the division. He has fought better competition and often comes out on top. His UFC record is 4-2-1. Troeng is the type of fighter he will put against the fence, take down and grind on for three rounds.
Expect that to happen. Troeng will want to keep this standing, but it won’t happen. Natal gets his hand raised after the judges render their decision.
Francisco Trinaldo (-320) vs. Piotr Hallmann (+260)
Hallman enters the UFC with a nine-fight win streak, but he comes in against a red-hot Trinaldo.
This is an unfortunate matchup for the prospect. He could have been pitted against a lower-ranked lightweight to acclimate himself to the UFC before moving up the ladder, but instead he goes against a very good submission artist in his home country.
3-1 in the UFC, Trinaldo will most likely get his fourth win in exciting fashion. The former Jungle Fights Lightweight Champion will rack up his third straight submission finish. That will put him in the running for some bonus cash.
Joseph Benavidez (-525) vs. JussierFormiga (+415)
The No. 1-ranked and No. 5-ranked flyweights take to the main card to do battle. Unfortunately, we are probably not going to get a competitive fight.
Formiga is a very good, fun flyweight. Benavidez is just that much better. Simply put.
After dropping the inaugural flyweight title tilt, Benavidez has returned with two straight wins. He defeated Ian McCall by decision, and he completely outclassed a tough Darren Uyenoyama. The fight against Formiga will look like the latter.
Formiga will want this fight on the ground, but he has little to no hope of getting it there. Benavidez will be able to dictate everything about this fight, and his improved striking will allow his power to shine through. He will finish Formiga in impressive fashion in the second round with strikes.
Okami had a brief two-fight losing streak, but he has since rebounded with three straight. The wins moved him all the way up to being the No. 3-ranked middleweight in the division. He will have his hands full in the co-main event on Wednesday.
Jacare is on a four-fight win streak, and his UFC debut could not have gone any better. It will be hard to replicate, as Okami is not Chris Camozzi.
This is, by far, the most intriguing bout on the card. Okami is a tough, durable and well-rounded middleweight. Jacare is a more athletic and more dynamic fighter overall. It will be interesting to see what Jacare‘s game plan is.
On the feet, Jacare has shown remarkable improvement throughout his career. His striking has looked scary at times. Okami is also skilled on the feet. His boxing is underrated. Okami‘s straight left can be a fight-ender if it hits its target.
Jacare‘s brilliance happens on the mat, but getting it there may be a problem against Okami. Also, Okami is no slouch in the defense department. This is a big test for Jacare, and if he passes he will jump into title contention.
Jacare is the rightful favorite entering this fight, but Okami‘s wrestling will be the difference. The Brazilian will be introduced to the upper echelon in the division with a grueling 15-minute battle against one of the largest, and strongest, in the division. Okami grinds this one out.
Glover Teixeira (-440) vs. Ryan Bader (+350)
At one time, Bader was in the top 10 of the division. However, a recent loss to LyotoMachida, and ChaelSonnen moving up a weight class, has pushed Bader just outside of the rankings.
Teixeira, ranked No. 3, is on the brink of a title shot. A win against Bader and he is in line for the next shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
Bader has solid wrestling and big power in his hands. That makes him a live dog in this fight. It will always give him a chance. Unfortunately for Bader, this is a fight that should highlight all Teixeira to make him look like the title contender that he is. It is a bad stylistic matchup for the Arizona State product.
Teixeira can hurt Bader on the feet, but he will finish with his third submission inside the UFC. It will be an impressive performance that announces Teixeira as the next title contender.
Joseph Benavidez may be the second best fighter in the world at 125 pounds behind champion Demetrious Johnson, but he’s not stressing much right now when it comes to title shots.
Benavidez lost a close decision to Johnson in 2012 to crown the first eve…
Joseph Benavidez may be the second best fighter in the world at 125 pounds behind champion Demetrious Johnson, but he’s not stressing much right now when it comes to title shots.
Benavidez lost a close decision to Johnson in 2012 to crown the first ever UFC flyweight champion, and while he definitely wants to get back there for another shot, he wants to make sure that when it happens there will be no doubts that he’s going to win.
When he was fighting at bantamweight, Benavidez ended up fighting champion Dominick Cruz twice in a short period of time, and while he hung tight on both occasions, he lost close decisions each time.
At that point, Benavidez was stuck as a contender in the division so long as Cruz remained the champion.
Now with his next fight at UFC Fight Night 28 coming up in Brazil against former top-ranked flyweight Jussier “Formiga” Da Silva, Benavidez is focused on getting better with each fight. When he gets another crack at Johnson, he wants to be sure that he’s walking out with the belt that night.
“If you look at the division and how small it is, I’m right there at the top,” Benavidez said. “I think I could have asked for a title shot after I beat Ian McCall. For me, like I said, I just want to get better. I made the same mistake at 135 fighting (Dominick) Cruz twice in the span of a year and no matter who I beat up, I could be ranked the second guy in the world, but I wasn’t going to get another title shot. I don’t really want that to happen again at (125).”
Benavidez may separate himself from the pack, however, if he can put Formiga away in his home country of Brazil marking his third win in a row since the loss to Johnson.
Check out the entire interview with Benavidez and listen to how he plans on bringing Rocky IV to Brazil next week as well.
The UFC is in Seattle this week for UFC on Fox 8.
A bout between flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and fourth-ranked contender John Moraga will headline the July 27 fight card. The evening’s co-main event will feature a welterweight contest b…
A bout between flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and fourth-ranked contender John Moraga will headline the July 27 fight card. The evening’s co-main event will feature a welterweight contest between top-five contenders Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger. In all, 12 fights will take place on Saturday’s card from the Key Arena.
On Friday, the UFC will visit the arena for the weigh-ins. However, before the fighters take to the scales, the doors will open for UFC Fight Club members to take part in a question and answer session with the No. 1 flyweight in the UFC, Joseph Benavidez.
Benavidez (18-3) is currently booked to face JussierFormiga at UFC on Fox Sports 1: Teixeira vs. Bader, which will take place at Mineirinho Arena in BeloHorizonte, Brazil on September 4.
He will field questions about that upcoming fight, but he should also have plenty to say about Saturday’s main event. After all, the last man to beat him was Johnson. Benavidez entered that September 2012 fight as a minus-280 favorite over the plus-210 Johnson. After five fast paced rounds, Johnson walked away with the split-decision victory (48-47, 47-48, 49-46), and with the UFC flyweight title.
Benavidez will hit the Key Arena stage at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT to answer questions. Bleacher Report will stream Benavidez’s question and answer session live right here as it takes place.
The third UFC on Fox Sports 1 fight card will take place on September 4 and will take place in Brazil. At this time no venue has been selected for the event, but if reports out of Brazil are to be believed, the fight card is beginning to take shape rat…
The third UFC on Fox Sports 1 fight card will take place on September 4 and will take place in Brazil. At this time no venue has been selected for the event, but if reports out of Brazil are to be believed, the fight card is beginning to take shape rather nicely.
Three main-card-worthy fights have reportedly been booked for the upcoming card.
According to Globo.com (h/t to MMAJunkie.com), a bout between top-ranked flyweight Joseph Benavidez and fifth-ranked JussierFormiga has been set for the event.
Benavidez (18-3) has won his last two fights, earning a unanimous decision over Ian McCall and a TKO over Darren Uyenoyama. Prior to those victories, Benavidez dropped a split decision to Demetrious Johnson in a contest that decided that UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion.
Formiga (15-2) is 1-1 in his last two bouts, falling to John Dodson via TKO and rebounding from that defeat with a unanimous-decision victory over Chris Cariaso.
The second bout that has been reported for the card will be a light heavyweight contest between Glover Teixeira and Ryan Bader. This bout was first reported by Portal do Vale Tudo (h/t to MMAJunkie.com).
Teixeira (21-2) is currently ranked third in the division and is in the midst of a 19-fight winning streak. Teixeira remains unbeaten in the UFC (4-0) and has three stoppage victories in those fights. Bader (15-3) is ranked 10th in the division and last fought at UFC on Fox 6, where he earned a quick submission win over Vladimir Matyushenko, submitting him in 50 seconds.
Bader and Teixeira had been scheduled to meet at UFC 160, but Bader withdrew from that bout due to injury and was replaced by James Te Huna. Teixeira submitted Te Huna in the first round.
The final bout reported for the card, again via Portal do Vale Tudo (h/t to MMAJunkie.com) is a middleweight contest between JacareSouza and YushinOkami.
Souza (18-3-0-1) is coming off a “Submission of the Night” performance in his UFC debut. Souza used an arm triangle choke to stop Chris Camozzi at UFC on FX 8, running his winning streak to four straight.
Okami (29-7) is on a three-fight winning streak since dropping fights to Anderson Silva and Tim Boetsch. Okami is the third-ranked fighter in the 185-pound division, while Souza is the fifth-ranked middleweight.
For the last few years, whenever