Joseph Benavidez doesn’t have to be mad to fight

The No. 2 ranked flyweight in the world, Joseph Benavidez (18-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC), will return to the cage this Wednesday to take on Jussier Formiga (15-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) on the main card of UFC Fight Night 28 in Brazil.

After suffering a split decision loss to Demetrious Johnson last September in his bid for the UFC flyweight title, Benavidez discovered it’s better for him to let go of his anger before a fight, something he plans to do against Jussier Formiga, as he told News10.net:

“He trains with Jose Aldo and Renan Barao, two champions and he is no slouch in the stand-up but he prefers to take it to the ground. I welcome him trying to take me down. He is going to get caught with hard punches coming in. I’ve built a reputation of beating black belts, hopefully he is next on the list. That (Demetrious Johnson) fight for some reason was life or death to me, and I couldn’t relax and it carried into the fight. I lost and I didn’t die, and I had my family and friends and my dog. I don’t need to be mad to fight. I remember being mad before that fight. I’m back to being happy with what I am doing, being happy I get to do this for a living.”

Benavidez will be looking to earn his third straight victory when he takes on Formiga this Wednesday. How do you see this fight playing out? Let’s hear it Penn Nation!