Former bantamweight title contender Joseph Benavidez beat jiu-jitsu master Wagnney Fabiano in Las Vegas at WEC 52 on Thursday night. After the fight, Benavidez credited his own martial art, "Joe-jitsu."
Both Fabiano and Benavidez used kicks and movement to keep distance for most of the first round. Benavidez had crisp strikes and gained a slight edge. Benavidez did what he could to avoid going to the ground too early in the second round, but then grabbed a guillotine. Fabiano, one of the WEC's best jiu-jitsu players, survived both two guillotine attempts and got back to his feet.
When the fight returned to standing, Benavidez blocked a takedown attempt with a headlock. This time, he sunk in a guillotine that Fabiano could not get out of. He tapped at 2:45 in the second round.
Benavidez (13-2), a short bantamweight, showed that he could hang with a much taller Fabiano. If the UFC is to add a flyweight (125 lb.) division, Benavidez would be a perfect candidate, along with fellow WEC 52 winner Demetrious Johnson. He also calmly handed Fabiano's vaunted jiu-jitsu. This was only the second time that Fabiano (12-3) was submitted in his career.
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