By definition, only a single alpha can exist in a pack of wolves at any given time , so you might suspect a camp called “Team Alpha Male” would suffer from constant bickering and infighting. For the players at Urijah Faber’s now infamous gym in NorCal, this isn’t the case at all. To them, the alpha moniker is less about one person, and more about the members setting aside their egos with the common goal of pushing each other to their maximum potentials. It is an attitude —and it’s this team approach that in turn, builds up individuals to be the top talents in their respective divisions.
Enter Joseph Benavidez. The New Mexico transplant met Urijah Faber by chance and his future was changed forever. Previously a number one contender at featherweight, Joseph has found success despite fighting a weight class up from his natural size. Smashing virtually every top bantamweight on the planet outside of the current champ, however, doesn’t win belts. But now, with the introduction of the UFC’s flyweight division, Joseph Benavidez seems poised to finally claim a title that’s been tailor made just for him. Although Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall would disagree (and rightfully so given their talent), one gets the sense that from Benavidez’s perspective, the winner of their rematch is simply the unfortunate soul that gets to lose to him in the finals.
To get an idea of how Joseph Benavidez is ensuring that his own narrative plays out as planned, turn to page 54. He may not be the biggest, or the strongest in a room full of top UFC talent, but this fact is of little concern to a fighter whose alpha status won’t be denied.
Ladd Dunwoody
Editor-in-Chief
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