Joseph Benavidez owns a win over flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. He's one of the best and longest-tenured 125-pound fighters ever. Heck, he even came in with a previous win over his opponent, Jussier Formiga.
All Benavidez needed to do was get a victory -- a second one -- over Formiga to put himself in line for another title fight. And "Joe B" did -- with authority.
Benavidez cracked Formiga with a head kick in the second round, then put his offense into overdrive, pounding Formiga with punches against the cage until he fell. The TKO finish came at 4:47 of the second in the co-main event of UFC Minneapolis on Saturday night at Target Center. Afterward, Benavidez said a chance at Cejudo's flyweight belt was what he wanted next.
"He's calling out a lot of guys that don't make sense," Benavidez said. "He knows I'm the hardest fight out there. ... That's the fight to make."
Formiga opened up a cut on Benavidez's left eye in the first round with a right hand and his thumb grazing against the eye. Benavidez had strong moments, too, though, including a pair of vicious body kicks. Formiga had a nice guillotine toward the end of the first, but Benavidez was able to escape.
At one point in the first, Formiga had dominant position on the ground and Benavidez somehow scrambled out in a wild sequence. Benavidez said that in the second round, he could feel Formiga "breaking or at least slowing down." The kick was one he learned from late legendary coach Sean Tompkins.
"Once I started setting him up, it's those second and third shots that are gonna put him down," Benavidez said. "That's what I did. When I got him against the cage, that's when the pit bull comes out."
Benavidez (28-5) has won three in a row and nine of his past 10. In the UFC, Benavidez has lost only twice: to former longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (twice) and to Sergio Pettis. Benavidez, 34, is tied for the most wins in UFC flyweight history (13) with Johnson and has the most flyweight knockouts (5).
Formiga (23-6) came in on a four-fight winning streak. The 34-year-old Brazil native could have also put himself in line for a title shot with a win. He previously lost a tight split decision to Cejudo in 2015.
Demian Maia defeated Anthony Rocco Martin by majority decision
The crowd didn't love it. They started booing in the second round. Anthony Rocco Martin surely didn't enjoy himself. But it was Demian Maia being Demian Maia -- and doing just enough to take home a majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) nod.
Maia managed to get Martin down, seated against the cage in both the first and second rounds. He landed some light ground and pound but completely tied Martin up. Martin had almost no offense over the first 10 minutes. In the third, Martin picked things up. He landed a front kick, a good jab and hard right hand on Maia. He got top position and landed some elbows. It won the round -- but not the fight, since Maia took home the first two.
Maia (27-9) has now won two in a row following a three-fight losing streak. The 41-year-old Brazilian is known as one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the history of MMA, and he just keeps on keeping on. Martin (16-5) had won four straight leading into this one. The 29-year-old Boston native had been red-hot since moving back up to welterweight last year.
Maia has 21 career UFC wins, the second-most in history. Donald Cerrone is first, with 23.
In last second desperation, Rocco Martin turns up the aggression and lands a combo that causes Demian Maia to end up on the canvas. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Vinc Pichel defeated Roosevelt Roberts by unanimous decision
With the fight on the line in the third round, Vinc Pichel absolutely put it on Roosevelt Roberts with his grappling. Pichel took Roberts down several times, got mount, took his back, nearly had a guillotine and landed ground and pound. It was enough to pull out a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) win.
Roberts, a touted prospect, looked good in the first with his striking. But Pichel took over with his wrestling and grappling in the second. Pichel finished the second round in full mount, which was something of a teaser for the final five minutes.
Pichel (12-2) has won five of his past six fights, with the only loss coming in that stretch to the lightweight contender, Gregor Gillespie. Pichel, a 36-year-old California native, outlanded Roberts 60-31 on Saturday night, per UFC Stats data. Roberts (8-1), a 25-year-old Florida native, was undefeated coming into this bout.
Vinc Pichel evaluates his win over Roosevelt Roberts and makes a call out to be in the UFC video game. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Drew Dober defeats Marco Polo Reyes by first-round knockout
Marco Polo Reyes has a knack for getting roped into brawls. When that happens against someone like Drew Dober, things could be over quick. And so it was.
Dober dropped Reyes early in the fight with a combination. Then, after Reyes recovered somewhat, Dober landed a missile of a straight left hand to drop Reyes against the cage. Dober landed a flurry and finished things by knockout at 1:07 of the first round.
"I'm ready for war," Dober said. "This I what I love doing. I love fighting for you guys. The more, the merrier."
Dober (21-9, 1 NC) has won 4 of 5 and six of his past eight fights, all in the UFC. The 30-year-old Omaha, Nebraska, native seems to have settled back into the lightweight division after a brief move to welterweight due to weight-cutting issues. Reyes (8-6), a 34-year-old from Mexico, has lost two straight and three of his past four.
Drew Dober attacks Marco Polo Reyes with an unforgiving flurry of punches that puts Reyes in a dangerous spot. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Alonzo Menifield defeated Paul Craig by first-round knockout
When someone has the power of Alonzo Menifield, all it takes is one mistake from an opponent. Paul Craig made that error, missing a spinning back kick and slipping to the mat. As Craig fell, Menifield dived in with a right-hand haymaker that landed to the jaw. A few punches on the ground later and Craig was knocked out at 3:19 of the first round.
Menifield (9-0) has finished eight of his career victories, all but two in the first round. The 31-year-old Fortis MMA product has stopped his last four fights in the first -- in the UFC and Dana White's Contender Series -- and appears to be a serious prospect in the light heavyweight division. Craig (11-4), a 31-year-old Scotsman, has lost two of his last three and five of his last seven bouts.
Alonzo Menifield recaps his win over Paul Craig and is "waiting" for his next challenge.
Ricardo Ramos defeated Journey Newson by unanimous decision
Journey Newson was more than game, showing elusiveness and guile. Somehow, he was able to eat two spinning back elbows. But Ricardo Ramos landed the harder, more effective blows in every round to pick up the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) win in the featured prelim.
A wild sequence occurred in the third round. Ramos landed a second spinning back elbow, dropping Newson. Ramos also slipped on the technique and seemed to injure his leg, which Newson's kicks likely contributed to. Newson was not able to take advantage as time expired.
Ramos (13-2) has won five of six, including four of five in the UFC. The 23-year-old Brazilian is a promising prospect in the bantamweight division. Newson (9-2), a 30-year-old California native, was signed on short notice to make his debut in place of the injured Sergio Pettis.
Ricardo Ramos cleanly executes a spinning elbow and connects flush with Journey Newson's chin in the third round. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Eryk Anders defeated Vinicius Moreira by first-round TKO
Eryk Anders shrugged off a takedown attempt. Then another. Then another. After the third, "Ya Boy" seemed to grow sick of how the fight was playing out -- and landed a blistering straight left hand to wobble Vinicius Moreira. A left-right hook combination and ground and pound later, and Anders was the winner via a vicious TKO at 1:18 of the first round.
Anders (12-4) snapped a three-fight losing streak with the victory. The 32-year-old Alabama native said afterward that this win did well to "right the ship." Moreira (9-3), a 30-year-old Brazilian, has lost two straight in the UFC after coming in off Dana White's Contender Series.
Jared Gordon defeated Dan Moret by unanimous decision
Things weren't necessarily working on the feet. So, Jared Gordon adjusted and took over on the ground en route to a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) victory. Gordon took down Moret in the second and third rounds and landed hard ground and pound.
Afterward, Gordon made it known once again what he fights for -- to raise awareness about addiction. Gordon is a survivor of multiple overdoses and now works as an activist. He said he's not there to just win fights and asked the crowd, "How many of you shot your last bag of dope tonight before coming here?"
"I'm here for you guys," Gordon said. "The sexual assault victims, the addicts, the people that are still using and the people who are in recovery."
Gordon (15-3) snapped a two-fight losing streak with the victory. The 30-year-old New York native has won six of eight overall. Moret (13-6), a 32-year-old Minnesota native, has lost his first three fights in the UFC.
Minnesota native Dan Moret gets the crowd hyped by landing some knees to the body of Jared Gordon. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Dalcha Lungiambula defeated Dequan Townsend by third-round TKO
Maybe Dalcha Lungiambula was lulling Dequan Townsend into a false sense of security.
After two straight rounds of takedowns and ground control, Lungiambula came out with a blitz in the third and cracked Townsend with a left-right combination that dropped him. Lungiambula got mount and dropped vicious ground and pound to finish the bout by TKO at 42 seconds of the third.
Lungiambula (10-1), making his UFC debut, has won six straight. The 33-year-old Congo native has finished six of his 10 wins. Townsend (21-9), a 33-year-old Michigan native, was signed by the UFC earlier this week on short notice when Justin Ledet withdrew due to injury.
Dalcha Lungiambula tosses Dequan Townsend from the clinch up against the fence with ease in the late moments of the first round. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Amanda Ribas defeated Emily Whitmire by second-round submission
This was the opportunity Amanda Ribas had been waiting for since 2017.
One month after her two-year USADA suspension was terminated, Ribas finished Emily Whitmire by rear-naked choke submission at 2:10 of the second round. Ribas was suspended two years by USADA in June 2017 before ever making her UFC debut. The suspension was terminated when more information was available about ostarine, the prohibited substance found in Ribas' system.
Ribas took Whitmire down and got her back in the first round with chances to finish. She did indeed get the stoppage in the second round after another bodylock takedown.
Ribas (7-1) has finished six of her seven victories. The 25-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of American Top Team, looks like someone to watch in the women's strawweight division. Whitmire (4-3), a 28-year-old Las Vegas resident, had her two-fight winning streak snapped.
Early in Round 2, Amanda Ribas lands a solid combination that leaves Emily Whitmire against the cage. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Maurice Greene defeated Junior Albini by first-round TKO
What a way to kick off the UFC's return to Minnesota.
Maurice Greene dropped Junior Albini early, got rocked himself, then came back to stop Albini by TKO at 3:38 of the first round. A Greene right hand dropped Albini to a knee the first time and it was the same right hand, over the top of a jab, that led to the finish. Albini was able to give Greene some trouble after getting up from the initial barrage. But Greene's range and precision made the difference.
Greene (8-2) has won three straight in the UFC all of a sudden and could be a future factor in the heavyweight division. The 6-foot-7, 32-year-old Minnesota native is a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 28. He called out Andrei Arlovski afterward. Albini (14-6), the 28-year-old Brazilian, has dropped four straight.
Maurice Green drops Junior Albini with a series of punches midway through Round 1. For more UFC, sign up here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.