EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - MAY 04: Timothy Elliott weighs in during the UFC on FOX official weigh in at Izod Center on May 4, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Tim Elliott “fills in” for Joseph Benavidez against Ben Nguyen
Tim Elliott steps up
Tim Elliott (14-&) went to social media to lobby as a replacement for Joseph Benavidez who was set to take on Ben Nguyen (15-6), June 11.
Benavidez sustained an injury and was reported to be out of the fight. That’s when the Ultimate Fighter season 24 finalist Elliott asked to get the call.
Let me fill in for @JoeJitsu id love the @Ben10MMA fight @danawhite help me out!!
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) May 11, 2017
Just a few short hours later Elliott was granted his wish. Elliott will fight the Australian native Nugyen at the Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
Elliott then went to Twitter to give praise to Benavidez and say that he was “filling in” for the injured fighter, not replacing him.
I am not replacing @JoeJitsu no one could do that!!! I am simply filling in for him while he recovers!!
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) May 11, 2017
Elliott won last year’s TUF 24 season and earned a title shot against current flyweight champion and pound-for-pound best fighter, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Elliott took Johnson to deep waters only to lose a unanimous decision in the champion’s toughest outing to date.
Elliott bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Louis Smolka at UFC on FOX 24 in Kansas City, last month.
The UFC Fight Night 110 fight card from New Zealand airs on FS1 and is headlined by Mark Hunt vs. Derrick Lewis.
