Joseph Benavidez meets Zach Makovsky at UFC 196 in Las Vegas

By Damon Martin
Published

No. 1-ranked flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez will return to action in just a few weeks’ time as he meets Zach Makovsky at UFC 196 on Feb. 6 in Las Vegas.

UFC officials confirmed the fight to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday.

The fight comes together just a month out from the proposed card that will be headlined by heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum putting his belt on the line against Cain Velasquez.

A winner of four fights in a row, Benavidez is still considered the top flyweight in the sport outside of champion Demetrious Johnson, and he's continuously knocked off contender after contender to prove himself.

Most recently, Benavidez dispatched former title challenger Ali Bagautinov at UFC 192 in Houston to solidify his spot at the top of the rankings.

Makovsky will face another tough test in his sixth UFC fight, where he currently holds a 3-2 record overall. Makovsky last fought in May 2015 when he lost a very close decision to John Dodson, who then went onto challenge Johnson for the title in September.

Benavidez vs. Makovsky is the latest addition to a still growing UFC 196 fight card that takes place during Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.