Benavidez Takes Exception to Loveland’s Nickname

“It’s one of my main motivations in this fight,” Benavidez (Pictured) said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network.

Loveland is known as “The Barn Owl.” Benavidez believes there’s room for only one MMA fighter nicknamed after a “barn animal,” though.

“In my heart, there’s only one UFC fighter that’s allowed to be a barn animal, and that’s Tamdan McCrory, ‘The Barn Cat,’” Benavidez said. “He’s one of my favorite fighters. So I’m fighting to preserve his legacy in the UFC as the only barn animal. I’m going to take Ian Loveland, ‘The Barn Owl,’ out of the equation.”

Benavidez and Loveland meet March 19 in a preliminary bantamweight bout. Despite his support for “The Barn Cat,” Benavidez stopped short of saying he’d ask Loveland to drop “The Barn Owl” in defeat.

“I’m not going to ask him to do that, but hopefully, maybe if I beat him up so bad, they take him out,” he said.

Benavidez, who doesn’t seem to have any real animosity for Loveland, is actually soliciting ideas for his own nickname. “Joe B. Wan Kenobi” is one he’s received. “Rocky Baljoa” is another.

In all seriousness, the bout will be Benavidez’s long-awaited UFC debut.

“I’ve been waiting to fight in the UFC since I was a kid,” he said. “I always knew it was going to happen when I was in the WEC. I just didn’t know when. The fact that it’s finally here, I’m just pumped about it. I can’t wait.”

Benavidez is coming off an impressive submission victory over Wagnney Fabiano in November. However, Loveland has won seven straight, including a decision over Tyler Toner in his UFC debut last December.

“I’ve got a great opponent in Loveland,” Benavidez said. “A lot of people don’t know about him, but he’s a super tough dude. He’s been on a really good streak lately finishing guys and beating some top guys. He’s also coming down from [145]. He’s a gamer. He wouldn’t be fighting me if he wasn’t.”

Although Benavidez is the No. 2-ranked bantamweight in the world, his bout is not scheduled to air. Of course, Benavidez plans on making sure fans get to see his fight. “I’m not scheduled to be on TV, but I’m going to be on TV,” he said. “I’m going to finish this guy. That’s one of the differences. We’re both finishers. The only difference is he also gets finished. That’s what I’m looking to do. I think that was a strategic move by the UFC. Not to put me on TV knowing they could cheat the system and get me on TV when I get the finish. That’s how I’m looking at it.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 14:15).