Megan Olivi takes rare cageside seat as husband Joseph Benavidez fights for UFC flyweight title

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Megan Olivi may appear on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 broadcast, but it won’t be in her typical capacity as backstage and roving reporter. Instead, she’ll be a nervous cageside bystander.

Olivi is one of the premier talents who fill a variety of roles that keep UFC events and post-fight coverage moving. There’s another crucial element of her life that overlaps with the MMA world, though, and that’s her marriage to Joseph Benavidez.

Benavidez (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) fights Deiveson Figueiredo (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the vacant flyweight title in the UFC Norfolk main event, but unlike for many of his previous bouts, Olivi won’t be working the card. This time she’ll be front and center as a spectator, and she’s already trying to prepare herself for the moment.

“He was the co-main event on an ESPN card in June and I was doing live hits and interviews throughout the night, and it’s great,” Olivi told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I actually like that because otherwise everybody just kind of stares at me (like), ‘You OK?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m fine, he’s fighting in like five hours. I’m fine.’ Then it’s like, ‘Are you sure?’ I’m like, ‘Yes! I’m OK.’ I like being able to stay busy and stuff. But when I don’t work, I don’t watch Joe fight.

“This will be the first fight since the first (Jussier) Formiga fight (in September 2013) where he knocked him out in Brazil, this will be the first one I’m octagonside for. Joseph doesn’t get nervous, but I get really nervous, so I just feel like God gives me both of our nerves and I just carry those for the 15 or 25 minutes.”

Olivi echoed the sentiment of many loved ones, family members, friends and even teammates who have spoken about seeing a person they are close with engage in combat. Although she doesn’t have a hint of doubt that her husband will win, Olivi said the lack of control in such a situation is what makes it the most difficult.

“I have the utmost confidence in his ability; I know how hard he works, and there’s nothing I can do to help,” Olivi said. “I can’t go in there and be like, ‘I got this.’

“I haven’t watched in a really long time. I haven’t watched a lot of his other fights back, but I will be watching this one. I’m sure I’ll have a rosary in hand, but it’ll be great. Our friends and family are all coming, so I have an awesome support system, and he is so great on fight day that I don’t have to worry about him. He’s not nervous or like, ‘I don’t know if I should do this.’ He’s not one of those guys you see backstage who is getting sick or crying or anything like that. He’s genuinely so excited and can’t wait to go out there that it does make everything so much easier for me.”

UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The entire card streams on ESPN+.

Benavidez will hope the third time is the charm when it comes to UFC gold. He lost a split decision to Demetrious Johnson in the promotion’s inaugural flyweight title fight at UFC 152 in September 2012, then suffered a first-round knockout in his title rematch with Johnson at UFC on FOX 9 in December 2013.

There’s been more than six years and nine fights won by Benavidez since he last competed with a belt on the line. Olivi believes realizing that championship moment would do a lot to complete Benavidez’s legacy, but as someone who has been in the passenger seat throughout the whole ride, she said it won’t define it.

“It just solidifies that Joe is one of the best,” Olivi said. “Oftentimes they say, ‘Oh, he’s the best UFC fighter to never have a belt.’ The belt is just an object that shows, yes you are the best in this division. But I think there’s been many times that Joseph has been the best. He’s been in the WEC bantamweight, UFC bantamweight, not to mention flyweight once they created the division. I don’t think people have ever looked at him and been like, ‘Oh, he’s not that good.’ He’s always been one of the best. He’s in the top two or three of two divisions for over 10 years.

“It puts a final stamp on it like, ‘Yeah, your name goes on that list of champions.’ He says there’s an extra line on your Wikipedia page. But I think professionally, it does so much for Joseph. And I think personally, yeah, he would be really happy and he would be really bummed if somehow it didn’t work out. I think he’s such a whole person and has so much to offer, that adding that belt on top would be a really beautiful thing.”