Video: UFC's Joseph Benavidez on title losses, renewed hope for a third shot

Other fights have been in his shoes, even if it’s not much consolation to UFC flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez.

Benavidez is one of the top-ranked fighters in his weight class – currently ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings – yet he’s already lost twice to champion Demetrious Johnson.

So what’s a title hopeful to do in such situation? If you’re “Joe B-Wan Kenobi,” you find the silver lining to situations. He said his recent first-round loss to Johnson didn’t provide a lesson so much as it provided a test – specifically, can he pick himself up, dust himself off, and strive for a title shot with the same vigor?

Benavidez (19-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) believes his new booking against Timothy Elliott (10-4-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC 172, which takes place April 26 in Baltimore, is the perfect opportunity to pass the test. Check out the above video as he explains.

And for the latest on UFC 172, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.