Ray Borg’s opponent for UFC Fight Night 139, Joseph Benavidez, has come forward to shed insight on why their bout that was originally scheduled for UFC 229 has been moved to Denver. Benavidez confirmed what many fans deducted: the event for the bout was changed due to the civil lawsuit against McGregor stemming from the infamous UFC 223 media day bus attack (Via MMAjunkie):
“As far as I understand, Borg and Conor have the legal beef from New York, because Borg was one of the victims of the Conor thing,” Benavidez recently told MMAjunkie Radio. “It wasn’t anything Borg did. I guess Borg is like, ‘Dude, I don’t care. That wasn’t my thing. I never fought him on it.’ It was filed right away. It wasn’t like Borg said, ‘Don’t have me near Conor.’ It’s just whenever you get into that action with the civil system, they just file it that these people can’t be next to each other.”
When Joseph Benavidez learned about the news, he could not help but be disappointed about the opportunity and platform that had been hovered over him only to be snatched away:
“It bothered me, but I did for the most part shrug it off,” Benavidez said. “Obviously I would have preferred something. If I would have just got the fight in Denver, I think I would have been pumped. But it was the fact they hung something in front of me first and then took it away from me.”
Ever the consummate professional and veteran who has learned to deal with the ups and downs, Joseph Benavidez is over the disappointment being off of the UFC 229 and remains excited to rebound from his split-decision loss to Sergio Pettis in June.
“It should be nice,” Benavidez said. “I’m in good shape. I’ll still do what I have to do in preparing myself the best that I can with altitude.”
Do you think Joseph Benavidez will get back to his winning ways when he faces Ray Borg at UFC Fight Night 139?
