“Professionally, this is what you set out to do,” he explained, shifting gears and making it clear he understands that the outcome of Saturday’s bout at Chartway Arena will play a big part in determining his legacy. “There is obviously a huge personal component, and that is so important as well, but at the end of the day, there is a Wikipedia page and a list of accolades and being UFC champion is what is missing.
“People are always going to say I was a good fighter, no matter what, but this pretty much solidifies that I am the best. It puts that line on Wikipedia that I was a world champion.
“This is what I’ve worked so long to do, dedicated all my time to, so, of course, I want to win a world title,” he added. “From a competitive standpoint, this is as big as it gets and my professional career is not complete without it.”
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But where the actual belt itself and everything he believed would come with it were his focus the first time around, the older, wiser Benavidez who will walk out to the Octagon on Saturday night is now chasing a feeling and a moment, one that even the articulate flyweight standout can’t quite put into words.
“The moments and the feelings are what it’s all about,” he said. “You can imagine them and you look forward to them but, for me, I can’t put it into words. I know it’s going to be glorious and I know how great winning feels any time you can get a win in the UFC, but this is going to feel that much better because of everything behind it and everything that has gone into it.
“So much of that moment and how I’m going to feel is about the people who have helped get me there. It’s hard to put into words, but I try to feel those emotions every day and envision it every day because that’s the thing I’m after — that feeling, that moment, that memory, not a belt that is going to sit on my mantle.”
Eight years after being projected to rule the division and six years removed from a second straight championship loss, Joseph Benavidez is finally at a place where he’s ready to sit upon the flyweight throne.
