Beginning life as a front desk representative for Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male, Joseph Benavidez has achieved the impossible by becoming one of the most well-paid fighters in the UFC currently.
It is mainly due to his work ethic and never say die attitude that has got the Texas native this far and will continue to do so.
Also, Benavidez holds the record for most wins and knockouts in the UFC’s flyweight division and is ranked no.2 in the division mentioned above.
How did Joseph become a top fighter? What is his secret to success? Is it hard work? Or is it pure luck? The following article deals with the previously mentioned questions and his net worth, salary, stats, achievements, and family.
Have a look at some quick facts before we jump into the deep end.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Joseph Rolando Benavidez |
| Birth Date | 31 July 1984 |
| Birth Place | San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A |
| Nick Name | Joey Two Times |
| Religion | Not available |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Latin |
| Education | Not available |
| Horoscope | Not available |
| Father’s Name | Not available |
| Mother’s Name | Not available |
| Siblings | Not available |
| Age | 39 years old |
| Height | 5’4″ (1.63 m) |
| Weight | 57 kg (125 lbs) |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Net Worth | $ 3 million |
| Division | Flyweight |
| Married | Yes |
| Girlfriend | None |
| Spouse | Megan Olivia |
| Profession | Mixed Martial Arts |
| Reach | 65 inch (165 cm) |
| Style | Wrestling, Boxing, Muay Thai |
| Team | Elevation Fight Team, Team Alpha Male (Former) |
| UFC Flyweight Rank | 2 |
| MMA Record | 28-6-0 |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch | Autographed Cards, Gloves, Shorts |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Joseph Benavidez: Early Life & MMA Career
Benavidez’s MMA journey started with Team Alpha Male, which is owned and run by one of the most well-known UFC fighters, Urijah Faber.
Having impressed the members and instructors in Urijah’s Roseville gym, Faber decided to give Joseph a front desk job at his gym.
In his first fight with the team, the Texan beat Junya Kodo by guillotine choke. As a result, World Extreme Cagefighting swooped in and signed Benavidez.
Joseph made his debut for the promotion at WEC 37, where he defeated Danny Martinez via a unanimous decision.
Following some highs and lows with WEC, the 36-year-old finally managed to get a title shot against then-bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
In particular, the fight had significant importance to Benavidez because not only was the fight a title match, but a year back in 2009, Cruz had defeated him by a unanimous decision.
As a result, Joseph had to prove to the world that he was a worthy champion and himself. Unfortunately, the 35-year-old lost again, this time via a split decision.
Consequently, Benavidez was distraught as he had never lost to the same fighter twice. Many observers also believed that Benavidez was a top fighter with a heart but not an elite one.
But as it later turned out, it was just the beginning for the self-proclaimed “Joey two times.”
UFC Journey
The world of MMA had a significant incident in 2010 that changed Benavidez’s life for good. In a turn of events, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Consequently, all WEC fighters were now under the contract of the UFC.
As a result, Benavidez was now fighting for the top MMA promotion in the world, UFC. Subsequently, on his UFC debut, the Texas native faced Ian Loveland, defeating him via a unanimous decision.
Following his breathtaking performances, Dana White, president of UFC, announced that a four-person tournament would be held to crown the newly formed UFC Flyweight Championship, in which Benavidez would be a participant.
Subsequently, he won the first fight but couldn’t beat the god-gifted talent of Demetrious Johnson for the championship.
Nonetheless, Joseph shrugged off the defeat as he won the next two fights until he faced Jussier Formiga at UFC Fight Night 28.
Benavidez knocked out Formiga with a brutal knee to the body during the first round of the bout, which dropped Jussier on his knees. Also, Benavidez followed that up with a flurry of punches, which led to the win.
Consequently, the UFC decided that a rematch between Joseph and Johnson was the ideal matchup for the championship. Initially, the bout was scheduled to take place at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale but got moved to a later date.
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Up until the second fight with Johnson, the 36-year-old had never been stopped. It all changed in the first round of the championship rematch as Demetrius knocked out the Texan native.
Joseph Benavidez vs Henry Cejudo
Most of us would have given up or lost hope at this stage, but not Joseph. In fact, he managed to pick himself up and win the next five fights comfortably.
By that time, Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist, had successfully transitioned from wrestling to MMA. Cejudo had already made a name for himself in the UFC and was one of the top contenders for the flyweight championship.
Subsequently, the pair met each other at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale. Throughout the fight, both fighters landed some severe punches and kicks. But, they could not finish the job, so the judges had to be called in to make a decision.
In a very close result, Benavidez won the fight via a split decision. Finally, the 36-year-old managed to beat one of the top contenders for the title. A feat that eluded him in the past.
Joseph Benavidez vs Deiveson Figueiredo
Over the next two years, the Texas native re-established himself as the primary candidate for the flyweight championship.
And his hard work paid off when Dana White announced that Benavidez would face Deiveson Figueiredo for the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC Fight Night 169.
Subsequently, the event took place on 29 February 2020 at Chartway Arena in Virginia. However, the fight was not without controversy, as Figueiredo missed the weight limit by coming in at 127.5 pounds.
It made the Brazilian MMA fighter ineligible to win the flyweight title if he managed to win.
And to the horror of Benavidez, that is exactly what happened. Figueiredo managed to land a right hook plum on their chin, Joseph.
As a result, the 35-year-old dropped to the ground where Deiveson pounded the Texas native until the referee intervened and stopped the fight.
After the fight, Joseph stated that it was the most devastating loss of his MMA career. Besides, Benavidez felt that it was probably the last time he would get a shot at the title.
The Texas native was rightly distraught and angry with himself for his weak showing but vowed to return even stronger.
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To conclude, in my view, Benavidez is still one of the best flyweight fighters in the UFC. I feel that the 35-year-old still has one last championship run left in his aging body. Let’s all hope that I am right, for Joseph’s sake.
Career Achievements
Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Knockout of the Night vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani
- Performance of the Night vs. Tim Elliott, Alex Perez, and Jussier Formiga (Three Times)
- Most wins in the UFC Flyweight division (13 times, tied with Demetrious Johnson)
- Most knockout wins in the UFC Flyweight division ( 5 Times)
World Extreme Cagefighting
- Fight of the Night vs. Dominick Cruz
- Submission of the Night vs. Miguel Torres
Sherdog
- All-Violence Second Team 2010
How old is Joseph Benavidez?: Height, Weight
At the moment, Benavidez is 35-year-old. Although it seems like he is very old to be a professional athlete, MMA fighters often hit their peak form during their mid-30s.
As a result, Joseph still has another five years left in his body to achieve his dream of becoming the UFC Flyweight Champion.
How tall is Joseph Benavidez?
During his most recent bout, the Texas native stood 5 feet 4 inches and weighed in at 125 pounds. The diminutive MMA fighter is exceptionally agile and quick on his feet.
Also, Benavidez is built to last the duration of the fight rather than knock out his opponents. It is mainly due to his wrestling and jiu-jitsu background.
Joseph Benavidez: Net Worth & Salary
Benavidez’s net worth is estimated at over $3 million at the time of writing, with the primary source being MMA fights. It is a considerable sum of money, particularly for MMA fighters, as they live paycheck to paycheck.
But, Benavidez more than justifies the amount the UFC is paying him as he is the number 2 ranked flyweight fighter in the UFC.
Furthermore, for his most recent bout against Deiveson Figueiredo, Joseph earned a staggering $250,000, including all promotional and fight-night bonuses.
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Previously, the Texas native had been earning a base salary of $48,000, excluding bonuses.
But, during the year 2018-19, the UFC decided to nearly double the pay of Benavidez to $84,000 for his impressive performances. Furthermore, his career earnings to date amount to $831,000.
Joseph Benavidez: Background or Past
As strong as a player he is, Joseph Benavidez has faced his own share of his troubles. Often, the subject of his past is an untouched topic. However, he has shared some pieces throughout the time.
To elaborate, Joseph comes from a family background with drinking or drug-related problems. Additionally, right from the start as a kid, he was very used to having people in prison and having his family arrested. Also, he is the first in the family not to go to prison.
Later, while he and his brothers entered the UFC, they also got into prison. As a result, he didn’t have much support from them as, well.
Matching his background, Joseph also fell badly into the addiction to drugs and drinks during his high school days.
“It just came to a point where I knew I didn’t want to live that life anymore, and I didn’t necessarily think I was going to turn it around and be a fighter on be on the cover of magazines. That’s just what happened through trying to better my life.”
-Joseph Benavidez
However, he did have his turn in the point of life. That’s why he is here today!
Joseph Benavidez: Family & Lifestyle
If you can fight and have money in abundance, you are bound to be with a beautiful woman. And that is the case with UFC’s no.2 ranked flyweight, Joseph Benavidez.
The Texas native is married to his wife, Megan Olivi, who works as a host and reporter for the UFC under Fox Sports.
The pair first met in Las Vegas in the summer of 2009 and started dating in 2010. However, the couple got engaged four years later in front of family and friends.
Subsequently, the lovebirds married on 9 October 2015 in a JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort and Spa. As of now, the pair has not been blessed with a child.
But, I guess that the two are waiting for the perfect time, which might be when Joseph retires from MMA.
Because Joseph is an MMA fighter, one might be compelled to think that his sole focus is on training and nothing else.
On the contrary, Benavidez does give a lot of time for fashion as well. The Texas native often dresses up eccentrically and is one of the well-dressed fighters in the UFC and Conor Mcgregor.
Social Media Presence
Instagram (@joejitsu): 145k followers
Twitter (@JoeJitsu): 146.6k followers
Joseph Benavidez: FAQs
Is Joshep Benavidez in Kingdom?
Although it’s unsure if Joseph Benavidez is on Kingdom, however, he did show up in episode one of season two.
How much was Joseph Benavidez’s reported payout?
Back when Joseph Benavidez faced Deiveson Figueiredo, they had the reported payout of $945,000 for that event. Back then, Figueiredo paid $45,000 after failing to make the required weight for his fight.
Is Joseph Benavidez retired?
No, Joseph Benavidez hasn’t retired yet. However, many have taken account of his retirement, stating their own opinions. All in all, Joseph has no comments or intentions bout his retirement yet.
