The UFC has already begun cashing in their chips on the flyweight division. Which made Joseph Benavidez’s fight against Alex Perez so frustrating. Why? Because Benavidez won by TKO twice in the same fight (more on that in a bit), and he looked impressive as hell. But in the end, so what?
Benavidez was challenging Demetrious Johnson for the belt a few years back, and he hasn’t lost a step since. Perez came into the UFC after appearing on the Tuesday Night Contender Series, and has gone 3-0 in the Octagon since, but Benavidez was either out-wrestling him or out-boxing him the whole time.
Both guys land, but @JoeJitsu stuns Perez in the exchange!#TUFFinale pic.twitter.com/tpteC3sVZ5
— UFC (@ufc) December 1, 2018
So much so, in fact, that referee Yves Lavigne jumped in to stop the beating at one point… and changed his mind when he saw Perez still intelligently defending himself. Unfortunately, by putting his hands on Benavidez, that was the signal to stop, so for the briefest of instants it was if a referee snafu had totally screwed up the fight.
But nah, Benavidez just did it all over again, and got the TKO for real.
Joseph Benavidez!!!!@JoeJitsu stops Perez in round 1 w/ NASTY GnP!! #TUFFinale pic.twitter.com/mA2IfXcxYX
— UFC (@ufc) December 1, 2018
Afterwards, Benavidez was making noise like he wants the winner of Henry Cejudo vs. TJ Dillashaw, but he’s high if he thinks that’s going to be a flyweight fight. The UFC is about bantamweight and above now.