UFC Flyweight Dustin Ortiz, Ranked #13, will be taking on Joseph Benavidez on November 22 at UFC Fight Night 57. Benavidez is currently ranked #2 and a win against Benavidez could have serious implications for the division and would certainly boost Dustin’s stock in the organization.
Dustin fights out of Team Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to making it to the UFC Ortiz fought in several organizations including Strikeforce, King of the Cage, and Tachi Palace Fights. Ortiz currently holds a record of 14-3 and is coming off a win over Justin Scoggins at the TUF 19 Finale.
I sat down with Dustin to get his take on this huge jump in competition.
Aaron Robbins: Dustin thank you for taking this time with me. Were you shocked when you got the news you would be facing Benavidez?
Dustin Ortiz: “Yeah actually I was. I didn’t expect this fight, not this soon anyway. Joseph is #2 in the division. If I’m not mistaken he has only lost in title fights, so this is like a #1 fight here. I was aiming for around #6 to #8 to get into the top ten position and work my way up. I haven’t had any easy fights since I’ve been in the UFC, so I wasn’t expecting an easy opponent. I wasn’t surprised they wanted me to fight a top fighter, but I was surprised it came this soon.
“I had to take a minute to let it sink in that this was the fight I was getting. This is a huge opportunity, and I’m not a guy who lets opportunity pass him by. I’m going to take full advantage of this. I’m always working, always training. I’ve studied my opponent and put in the work. I’m going to go out there and give it everything I’ve got and the best man will be standing at the end.”
AR: You said you haven’t had any easy fight in the UFC, is it possible to have an easy fight in the Flyweight division?
DO: “No it’s not. The division is stacked with talent. You might get a fight that is better suited to your style, but there are no easy wins in this division. Joseph is the gatekeeper, you have to beat him to get a chance at the belt, and that is the fight I was offered so I’m stepping up to the plate.”
AR: Win, lose, or draw, what do you feel this fight does for your career with the UFC?
DO: “I don’t really think about losing, it’s something that doesn’t go through my mind. I have to win every single fight, and that’s the mind-set I go into all of my fights with. I have to win. I’ve trained as hard or harder than anybody else, so I’m only focused on winning. I’m focused on the benefits of a win. I fight to move up the ladder and a win over Joseph moves me up the ranks.
“Ultimately though its beneficial win, lose, or draw because I’m getting to fight a guy who has been on top of the game for a while now. I remember back when I was still wrestling and watching fights with my dad and thinking Benavidez was a beast, and now I’m fighting him so I’m just happy for this opportunity. I want to go out there, make the best of it, and come out on top.”
AR: Training out of Roufusport has to help with that confidence. Who was your most influential training partner for this fight?
DO: “My main training partner was Sergio Pettis. He’s a 135 pound guy who is also in the UFC. He is also making his way up, so we push each other to the absolute max. There are other guys in the gym like Erik Koch, and Rick Glenn that aren’t too much bigger than me that get in there and mix it up as well. We have a lot of up and coming little guys, so there is never a lack of good training partners. The coaching is phenomenal as well. We have Ben Askren over there for our wrestling. Daniel Wanderley is our BJJ coach. Then, of course, you have Duke (Roufus) and Scott Cushman for our striking. As long as you get in there and take advantage of what is offered at the gym you are going to get to the next level. We have Matt Gifford there for strength and conditioning as well, so we have everything we need under one roof to succeed. We have so much great talent there and the team really helps you focus on the task at hand.”
AR: This will be your fifth fight with the UFC since November of 2013. Do you think staying that active has helped you to get noticed?
DO: “Yeah I think it has. I really like to busy as well. I’ve always worked. I don’t like inactivity. This is what I do full time now. Up until my last fight I actually kept my night job, but I had to drop that to focus on my career. I’m always up to take a fight and I think that shows. Now that I’m a little more established I’m able to train full time, and I’ll always be ready to fight. I’m always all in and I think that’s one of the things that sets me apart.”
AR: How do you see the fight with Joseph playing out this weekend?
DO: “It’s going to go everywhere around the octagon. We are both super-fast paced guys. We both scramble until the bitter end. We both like to let our hands go, so it’s going to be exciting. I think he goes for power shots a little more than I do, so I’ll be looking for that, but they matched us up because it’s going to be an exciting high-paced battle. It’s going to be a whirlwind of a fight, and that excites me. He has his game plan, and I have mine. We are going to get in there this weekend and see who can impose their will. I’m looking to come out on
top.”
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