Joseph Benavidez
Active 2011–present · rated in 5 editions · peak overall 85.0
Scouting report
Joseph Benavidez won fifteen UFC flyweight fights, including victories over champions Henry Cejudo and against contender Jussier Formiga. Born in San Antonio, Texas and training with Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, Benavidez built his game around scramble wrestling, punch volume, and front-headlock submissions, reflected in a 90 Cardio, 88 Wrestling, and 86 BJJ.
Peak ratings
By edition
Benavidez reached the inaugural flyweight tournament final with a TKO of Yasuhiro Urushitani before dropping a split decision to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152. In 2013, he scored consecutive stoppage wins over Darren Uyenoyama and Jussier Formiga before a rematch knockout loss to Johnson at UFC on Fox 9 in Sacramento. His striking and guillotine choke are reflected in an 84 Boxing and 86 BJJ.
During 2014 and 2015, Benavidez put together a four-fight winning streak, finishing Tim Elliott with a guillotine at UFC 172 and defeating Dustin Ortiz, John Moraga, and Ali Bagautinov by unanimous decision. His pace, output, and takedown defense against top contenders are reflected in a 90 Cardio and 84 Boxing.
In December 2016, Benavidez coached on TUF 24 and defeated Henry Cejudo by split decision at the TUF 24 Finale in Las Vegas. A knee injury forced him out of UFC Fight Night 110 in 2017 and kept him out until June 2018. His chin and tactical decisions in high-pressure matchups are reflected in an 85 Durability and 87 Fight IQ.
After returning from a knee-injury layoff in 2018 with a split-decision loss to Sergio Pettis, Benavidez won three straight, finishing Alex Perez by TKO and stopping Jussier Formiga at UFC on ESPN 3 in 2019. His combinations and ability to scramble back to his feet are reflected in his 84 Boxing and 88 Wrestling across this stretch.
In 2020, Benavidez faced Deiveson Figueiredo in back-to-back flyweight title bouts, losing by TKO in February and by submission on Fight Island in July. In 2021 he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov before retiring. His wrestling and durability through championship bouts are reflected in an 86 Wrestling and 80 Durability.
Joseph Benavidez, a champion-level flyweight without the belt
Joseph Benavidez trained with Team Alpha Male and spent years at the top of the flyweight division. He fought Demetrious Johnson for the inaugural title and lost a decision, then lost the rematch by first-round knockout. Being stuck behind a champion that good defined his career, but the skills were real. He suits anyone who wants dependable flyweight quality.
Benavidez attribute by attribute
Boxing. Fast and precise, with a good pop for his weight.
Kickboxing. Adequate. Kicks are a support tool and he prefers to work with his hands.
Wrestling. Very good. A quick, explosive shooter who also defends takedowns well.
BJJ. Well-rounded. Comfortable in scrambles and top positions, and he finishes chokes when the opening appears.
Strength. His lowest area. He is small even for the division and relies on speed to win exchanges.
Durability. Solid, though Johnson's right hand in the rematch showed he could be caught.
Cardio. Very good. His pace stayed high across five rounds against top competition.
Fight IQ. Sharp. He is a thinker who prepares well and rarely gets drawn into a brawl.
The trait to draft him for: Cardio
His gas tank lets him fight fast for a full fight. Draft him if you want a fighter who can keep pace with the best in the division and win late. That steadiness matters when you are filling a whole roster and cannot afford a slot that fades.
The number to watch: Strength
Against a heavier flyweight who can bully him in the clinch, he has to use movement. A strong grappler at his weight can blunt his speed by simply holding on, so pair him with a bigger teammate.
Keep exploring
Closest flyweight profiles to Joseph Benavidez, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Amir Albazibest wrestling 90 · weakest strength 75
- Steve Ercegbest cardio 88 · weakest strength 74
- Muhammad Mokaevbest cardio 92 · weakest strength 74
- Askar Askarovbest wrestling 94 · weakest strength 75
- Flyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Joseph Benavidez's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Joseph Benavidez into your build
Joseph Benavidez enters the pool on any spin landing on flyweight between 2010 and 2022. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Joseph Benavidez is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Joseph Benavidez's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.