There’s definitely a strong possibility of this happening. Benavidez was barely outclassed in their first meeting at UFC 152 by split decision and has improved dramatically in certain areas of his game since then.
After the first (and only so far) four man flyweight tournament in the UFC that saw Ian McCall tie and then lose in the rematch to Johnson, and Yasuhiro Urushitani get finished by Benavidez, it was left up to the two favorites who had cut down from bantamweight after both had fought for the title at the higher weight class, to decide who was going to make history in the sport as the UFC’s first flyweight champ.
No one doubted these two were the best in the world at 125lb’s then, and no one doubts this notion a year and a half later since both men combined have defeated five of the best the sport has had to offer since their first bout.
With the first rematch for UFC flyweight gold looming just two weeks away, this one is far from easy to call. Benavidez was just not fast enough against Johnson the first time around and yet with the addition of a training make over at the Alpha Male gym by new head coach Duane “Bang” Ludwig, things could be shaping up to look very different the second time around.
New training regiments and coaching strategies aside, Benavidez will have watched tape on the fight and must know that he will have to take more of the initiative against Johnson by not allowing him to drop down to single and double legs so quickly. Without being able to sprawl through those take downs, it was difficult for him the first time to effectively land solid combinations or take downs of his own.
Looking at the state of the flyweight division, it’s difficult to see any of the current competition providing any unforeseen challenge to Demetrious, should he get past Benavidez on the fourteenth. Sure John Dodson will probably be able to make an argument for a rematch eventually, but other than that, it’s difficult to think anyone else in the current upper echelon of the weight class would be able to contend with Johnson’s speed and athleticism in the cage.
With the lightweight and middleweight crowns being exchanged in 2013 so far, it feels like a year of incredible upsets, one that might see another title changing hands yet again before resigning to the history books. I’m still picking Johnson to defend his title, but it would be fun to see a member of Team Alpha Male show up on another Amp energy drink commercial or a ridiculously staged dance off with the UFC belt around his waist.