MMA's Joseph Benavidez: From The Outhouse to The Penthouse

Many fighters take a similar path on the way to fame and success.

They start out working small shows for little to no money, purely for the love of the sport. Fate then seems to have a funny way of intervening and all of a sudden a fighter is right in the middle of a major promotion, working his way towards a championship belt.

Joseph Benavidez is no different.

After fighting in New Mexico for a few years on small, independent shows, a chance meeting with Urijah Faber gave Benavidez the break he was looking for: He'll face former WEC Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres this weekend, knowing that a win will put him on the doorstep of a title fight.

Fighting one of the most well-known fighters is a far cry from where Benavidez was when he first sought out Faber in the summer of 2008.

He recently talked to Bleacher Report about his journey.

"I was in California visiting a friend, but I wasn't able to find Urijah. I checked out one of his gyms and performed well. As fate would have it, my flight got cancelled, and I was able to meet Urijah. We got along well, hit it off, and I came aboard. I went home, saved up money for a couple months, and moved to California."

After such a chance meeting and impressing a World Champion, one would think that Benavidez was on easy street to becoming a successful fighter. However, he spoke about just how "dirty" his job was after moving to California.

"I got to the gym and was immediately put in charge of the front desk. That wasn't all I did though. I was basically the janitor of the gym. Clean toilets, mop the floors, wipe down the mats. If there was something to do, I did it. I was here at seven in the morning to work, train in the middle of the day, and clean it all at the end of the night. Then it was back the next day at seven to do it all over again."

While work like this may have discouraged some fighters, the 25-year-old never saw it as anything but putting in a hard day's work.

"I'm not from a rich family, we were pretty poor. I never had much growing up, so I've worked for everything I've ever had. I didn't mind it; it's what I had to go through to pay my dues. The hard work and sacrifice has paid off, and I've earned everything I've gotten to this point."

That work ethic and humble attitude makes for a very hungry and dangerous fighter. Although he has suffered his only loss as a professional since joining Faber's camp, he feels he is a much better fighter now than just a few years ago.

"I wouldn't be ranked Top Five in the world without these guys. You're as good as your team and trainers. I owe everything to them. We are all on the same page and have the same goals. Training with these guys has prepared me to face anyone inside the cage. I couldn't imagine not training here."

Thought of as mainly a wrestler and submission fighter, Benavidez finished his last fight against Rani Yahya via a TKO in the first round. He feels he has become a very good all-around fighter.

"I feel very well-rounded. I feel that I can compete with anyone, anywhere. I know if I miss a kick or something and go to the ground, I'll be just fine. My grappling is my best weapon, but I'm not afraid to stand and bang with anyone."

Benavidez now must face Miguel Torres, by far the biggest challenge of his career.

Although there might be chinks in the armor of Torres due to his loss against Brian Bowles, Benavidez feels he is going to see the most dangerous Torres ever.

"He's a great fighter and as dangerous as everyone thought he was as champion, I think he's more dangerous now. He's coming off a loss, but he's a better fighter now than he was when he lost."

Benavidez respects his opponent, but isn't intimidated.

"I'm not the biggest guy in the division. I have to work past the reach of most of my opponents. He (Torres) is dangerous everywhere, but I feel he's a good match-up for me. I'm not afraid of his striking and if the fight goes to the ground, he works his Jiu-Jitsu from his back, but I'm great from the top position."

While a victory for Benavidez will likely lead to a title shot, that's not on his mind. Neither is any fame or fortune that may come his way in the future.

"I don't need to be a millionaire or champion to be a success. I love this sport. If it can provide me a home and the ability to start a family, that's more than I could ever hope for. Anything on top of that is just that much more of a reward."

While Benavidez may still be relatively unknown to most fans, a win against Torres will put his name on the map as a legitimate star in the sport.

Beating one of the best fighters in the world is light-years away from being a janitor and cleaning toilets, but for Benavidez, it's all in day's work.

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here .