UFC Fight Night: Cejudo Vs. Dillashaw Main Card Results Predictions

Benavidez and Ortiz met for the first time back in 2014 at UFC Fight Night: Edgard vs. Swanson. That evening, Benavidez landed strikes at will and emerged the victor via unanimous decision. However, after 3 impressive wins, Dustin Ortiz has earned another crack at the number 2 ranked flyweight in the world.

Joseph Benavidez has fought Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight Championship on 2 separate occasions — though he came up short both times. While he may not have had much luck against "Mighty Mouse," Benavidez does hold a victory over current champ Henry Cejudo. The 34-year-old is an extremely well-rounded fighter, who is especially dangerous on his feet.

Franklin, Tennessee's Dustin Ortiz is was a high school wrestling star who made his UFC debut back in 2013. His most recent victory over flyweight prospect, Mateus Nicola has put him on the short list of contenders for the title. Though he is primarily known as a wrestler, Ortiz's stand up game has come a long way and played a major role in his current winning streak.

Simply put, this isn't a great matchup for the Tennessee native. If an Olympic wrestler like Cejudo couldn't keep Benavidez grounded than there's little reason to believe Ortiz can. Moreover, Benavidez seemed to have an edge in the grappling department during their 1st encounter. In all likelihood, whoever the better striker is on January 19th, will emerge the victor. While Ortiz's striking has improved, beating a fighter like Benavidez, who has been boxing since he was a teenager, seems unlikley. In their 1st go around, Benavidez landed 94 strikes; Ortiz managed to land only 34. Dustin Ortiz will probably need a knockout to win this one, which may be hard to come by.

Prediction: Benavidez via unanimous decesion.