Joseph Benavidez releases statement following KO loss at UFC Norfolk

UFC flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez has released a statement following a devastating KO loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Norfolk.

In his third bid to win the UFC flyweight crown, Benavidez was knocked out by Figueiredo in brutal fashion in the second round of their headlining bout. However, because Figueiredo missed weight he was not eligible to win the flyweight title, making a Benavidez loss unfortunate on so many levels. Benavidez is one of the best fighters in flyweight history, but his legacy will never be complete without a title.

Following the event, Benavidez took to his social media to reflect on his loss to Figueiredo. Here’s what he wrote on Instagram.

We done come a long way like them slim-ass cigarettes
From Virginia, this ain’t gon’ stop, so we just gon’ continue

Benavidez’s quote is a lyric from the OutKast song “Elevators.” The flyweight contender is a big fan of pop culture and it shows here in his statement.

While he has an impressive MMA record of 28-6 and a terrific UFC record of 15-4,  he’s just never been able to win a belt. In the WEC, Benavidez lost to Dominick Cruz in 2010 for the bantamweight title. Benavidez has since lost to Demetrious Johnson twice in the UFC in title shot bids, so he’s now 0-4 all-time in title fights in the WEC/UFC. He has to be one of the best MMA fighters to never win a major title.

With Benavidez being such a popular fighter amongst MMA fans, the knockout loss was met with some sort of sympathy for him, especially after Figueiredo missed weight. For whatever reason, Benavidez just can’t win a title and now, at age 35, you have to wonder what his motivations are going to be going forward.

What do you think is next for Joseph Benavidez?