Ben Nguyen still wants 'beatable' Joseph Benavidez after UFC Fight Night 110

Ben Nguyen may have lost out on the most noteworthy fight of his career, but all things considered, the UFC Fight Night 110 fighter said the alternative is as good as it gets.

Nguyen (16-6 MMA, 3-1 UFC) was originally scheduled to fight Joseph Benavidez (25-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) at Saturday’s event, but “Joe-B” was forced to withdraw due to an injury. Former title challenger Tim Elliott (14-7-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) then stepped in as a replacement.

Benavidez has lost only to longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson in the weight class and, with a six-fight winning streak, is widely regarded as the best fighter in the division outside “Mighty Mouse.” Beating Benavidez would have done wonders for Nguyen’s career, but he said Elliott provides plenty of upside.

“It was like waking up from a nightmare; I literally woke up and got the news (Benavidez was out),” Nguyen told MMAjunkie. “I think going from Benavidez to Tim Elliott, it’s still a challenge. He’s a tough guy, and he’s a guy that’s just really determined. Getting kicked out of the UFC then coming back in the fashion he did, it shows he’s in it for a while.”

Elliott’s stock is higher than ever ahead of UFC Fight Night 110, which takes place at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, with the televised portion of the card on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

After his UFC release following three straight losses, Elliott returned to the organization in December after winning “The Ultimate Fighter 24.” The reward was an immediate title shot at Johnson. Elliott gave the champion a competitive fight but suffered a decision loss. He rebounded with a “Fight of the Night” victory over Louis Smolka (the only fighter to beat Nguyen in the UFC) at UFC on FOX 24 in April.

Elliott’s unorthodox style makes him one of the most difficult competitors in to prepare for and fight, especially since Nguyen for the matchup on just 32 days’ notice.

“The tricky part was trying to figure him out,” Nguyen said. “If you look at it really closely, his main strength is grappling and ground and pound. He’s really squirmy on the ground. We’re going to try to avoid that as best we can and keep it standing. There’s always that opportunity for takedowns. I just have to feel it out when I get in there. Preparing for him is a challenge because he’s such an awkward fighter.”

Beating Elliott, No. 15 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings, would give Nguyen four victories in five UFC appearances. It’s clear UFC matchmakers hold him in high regard after booking him against Benavidez, and Nguyen said he still wants the matchup. Benavidez could be out of action for an extended period after suffering a torn ACL, but Nguyen said he would relish the opportunity to have it happen in the future.

“I think out of all the top people, he’s one of the most beatable,” Nguyen said. “I think he’s got a lot of holes, especially in the standup. His standup is good, but I see a couple holes here and there, and feel like we could have exploited it. He’s really well rounded, but I felt like I could beat him on the feet. I still want that fight.”

If Nguyen can beat Elliott he’d certainly be deserving of a fight with Benavidez, but he may have loftier goals. Nguyen wants a title shot, but the top of the flyweight division is in flux with champ Johnson in a very public dispute with the UFC brass about whether his next defense will come against T.J. Dillashaw or Ray Borg.

UFC officials want Johnson vs. Dillashaw, but several hurdles remain. Nguyen understands why the UFC would want to book that fight. However, he doesn’t think it’s fair to fighters like him for Dillashaw to come into the division and skip the line.

“I would be a little bit offended (with Dillashaw getting an immediate title shot), but at the same time, I think it would be a great fight,” Nguyen said. “I would love to see that fight. I think everyone would like to see that fight.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 110, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.