UFC 128: Joseph Benavidez Interview

Benavidez: Yeah, I will definitely be involved. I don’t know if I’ll be a coach who is there every single day or how that is going to work. But it’s definitely an exciting thing to think about and talk about here and there. I know I’ll definitely make an appearance on the show and go in to help. It would be an honor.

The Ultimate Fighter was something I watched, and obviously it’s how a lot of fans started watching the sport when it hit the mainstream with Forrest and Bonnar. It’s something I’ve been watching forever. To see myself on there would be awesome.

I’m really happy they are doing the bantamweights and featherweights because I think it’s something that needs to be shown. So I’m excited for that, but I’m even more excited that Faber and our team have the chance to actually be the coaching staff and represent our weight classes. I think we’re some of the best representatives out there for the weight class. And obviously it will be great TV with Dominick and Urijah, because they hate each other. So that will be fun.

Heavy: One potential fight for you that always intrigued me was Kid Yamamoto. You were supposed to fight him at DREAM 5 in Japan, but he pulled out. Now you’re both in the UFC. Is that still a fight that intrigues you?

Benavidez: You know what? To tell you the truth, that fight doesn’t interest me a ton right now. I’m looking to fight the best guys. At the time when I was supposed to fight Kid, he was the best guy, and I wanted to go in there and shock the world and beat him. I was greatly motivated for that fight. But it didn’t happen, and that sucked for me, but I went in there and did what I had to do.

Since he came back, he’s lost quite a few fights. I think he’s lost more than he’s won since he came back. He obviously has a great name, but I think that even the mystique of that name is gone. My buddy Joe Warren actually trained with us for eight weeks leading up to that fight, and he went over there and beat Kid. That was a little rewarding for me because my friend went in there and did it. Since then, he’s been losing, and that’s not really the kind of fighter that I want to fight.

I still think it would be exciting and he was a great fighter, and he’s lost to great people. But it’s not something that is on my radar.

Heavy: All of you guys with Alpha Male seem very goal-oriented. You’re still young and young in the sport, but obviously you’ve got some long-term goals. What do you hope to accomplish with your career?

Benavidez: There is so much when you talk long term or even short term. When it’s all said and done, I want to leave a legacy and let everyone know that I was one of the best fighters to ever grace the planet. I want to go out there and give it my all, to be a fan favorite and build that huge fan following. I want to inspire and change people’s lives through what I do here.

And of course all of the championships and wins I want to accomplish, and hopefully help evolve the sport. I want to get every bonus there is to get in the UFC. I want the submission, knockout and fight of the night bonus. And of course all of the things outside of fighting that it can bring me, just living a great life through fighting and this being my career.

I’m just grateful for being able to take care of my family and everyone around me.