Joseph Benavidez to meet Zach Makovsky at UFC 196

Joseph Benavidez hits John Moraga with a left during their fight at UFC 187 Saturday, May 23, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Benevidez won by unanimous decision. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow Sam Morris on Twitter @sammorrisRJ

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By Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal

January 7, 2016 - 10:52 pm

A flyweight contender bout between Joseph Benavidez and Zach Makovsky will take place at UFC 196 on Feb. 6 at MGM Grand, the Review-Journal has learned.

Ultimate Fighting Championship officials confirmed the bout on Thursday.

Benavidez has won four straight fights since losing to current champion Demetrious Johnson for a second time in 2013. He is 8-2 since dropping to 125 pounds in 2012, with both losses coming to Johnson. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Ali Bagautinov in October.

Makovsky, the former Bellator bantamweight champion, is 3-2 since joining the UFC. He is coming off a unanimous decision loss to contender John Dodson in May.

Tickets for UFC 196, which is headlined by a heavyweight title fight between champion Fabricio Werdum and former champ Cain Velasquez, go on sale Friday.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj

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