The fight starts and they trade leg kicks. Good leg kick from Benavidez. Benavidez lands a good combo. Cruz takes Benavidez down off a kick, but Benavidez springs back to his feet and they clinch. Cruz with a good jab and Benavidez answers. Benavidez flurries but doesn't land anything significant. Cruz takes Benavidez down and is in his half guard. Benavidez goes for a guillotine and gets back up to his feet. Cruz with a head kick that is blocked. Benavidez with a good left hook. Cruz with a jab. Benavidez with a good leg kick. Big scramble but nothing significant lands for either fighter. They clinch and Cruz takes Benavidez down...takes his back and Benavidez scrambles back to his feet. They clinch against the cage and they seperate. Good body kick from Cruz. Benavidez answers with one of his own as the bell sounds.
The second round starts and they flurry but nothing lands. Good right for Benavidez and he flurries. Cruz answers and lands several shots. Benavidez clinches and lands a short elbow. He lands a left hook. Another combo lands. Cruz throws a lazy head kick that's blocked. They flurry and Cruz lands and take Benavidez down. Benavidez gets back to his feet and throws a spinning back fist that misses. He shoots for a single and Cruz defends. Cruz with a left hook. Benavidez answers. Cruz lands another punch. Benavidez with a wild spinning something that misses. Cruz with a nice take down after slipping a Benavidez punch. The round ends with Cruz in Benavidez's guard.
The third round starts and Benavidez with a wild kick that misses. Cruz lands a nice combo. Cruz slips and Benavidez lands a couple of shots. Benavidez with a good left hook. Cruz with a leg kick. They clinch and Cruz lands a take down. Cruz in side control, but Benavidez stands back up. Cruz counters and lands a left. Benavidez with another spinning backfist that misses. They flurry with both landing big shots. Benavidez with another spinning backfist that misses. Cruz with a left hook and he takes Benavidez down. Cruz takes Benavidez's back and flattens him out and throws punches as the bell sounds. Dominick Cruz defeats Joseph Benavidez via Unanimous Decision