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After a long hiatus, the UFC will return to pay-per-view Saturday night with UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against Vitor Belfort in the main event. The co-main event boasts Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson in a battle for the first-ever UFC flyweight title.

The weigh-ins took place earlier today in Toronto, with all fighters making weight.

UFC 152: JONES VS. BELFORT

Main Card (PPV)

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones (c) (204.6 lbs.) vs. Vitor Belfort (204.2 lbs.)

Vacant UFC Flyweight Championship
Joseph Benavidez (124.4 lbs.) vs. Demetrious Johnson (125 lbs.)

Michael Bisping (185.6 lbs.) vs. Brian Stann (185.4 lbs.)

Matt Hamill (205.6 lbs.) vs. Roger Hollett (203.6 lbs.)

Cub Swanson (145.8 lbs.) vs. Charles Oliveira (146.4 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (FX)

Igor Pokrajac (205 lbs.) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (204.8 lbs.)

TJ Grant (154.6 lbs.) vs. Evan Dunham (155 lbs.)

Sean Pierson (169.4 lbs.) vs. Lance Benoist (170.4 lbs.)

Jimy Hettes (145.8 lbs.) vs. Marcus Brimage (145.5 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

Simeon Thoresen (170.4 lbs.) vs. Seth Baczynski (171 lbs.)

Mitch Gagnon (135 lbs.) vs. Walel Watson (135.2 lbs.)

Kyle Noke (170.4 lbs.) vs. Charlie Brenneman (170.8 lbs.)

Joseph Benavidez will seek to become the first-ever UFC flyweight champion this Saturday night. Benavidez will face Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152.

For Benavidez, this is the perfect time for him to make his mark on the UFC and the MMA history books.

I’m here to leave a legacy, and this is a great start. This only happens once, so there is extra motivation and inspiration.

Benavidez has competed for gold in the past, but knows that becoming the first champion of a division means everyone else that wears the title will be following in his footsteps.

This is something I never could have imagined. I put my goals down, but I can’t really imagine being the first ever; being a world champion means everything to me.

The 28-year-old member of Team Alpha Male has won each of his last four fights, including two stoppage wins. His last loss came at the hands of Dominick Cruz, who has actually handed Benavidez his only two career defeats.

If Demetrious Johnson looked like the smaller fighter when he stepped inside the Octagon to challenge UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz last year, that’s because he was.

Now, thanks to the UFC’s decision to add in the flyweight class, “Mighty Mouse” has a perfect home.

Johnson will face Joseph Benavidez this Saturday night at UFC 152 to become the first-ever UFC 125-pound champion.

“This is where I belong,” said Johnson, during open workouts Wednesday. “This is where I can perform to the best of my abilities.”

Johnson went the distance with Cruz that night, but was never able to threaten the champion. He decided to push forward into MMA after seeing a former UFC light heavyweight champion excel on The Ultimate Fighter.

I first walked into Matt Hume’s gym after seeing Rashad Evans on The Ultimate Fighter (in 2006) and I said, ‘I saw this guy who is a wrestler, like me, doing well, and I think I want to try it.

Johnson didn’t know he was too small for the smallest UFC division back then, but “started to believe I would fight at 125 pounds in the UFC,” after they absorbed the WEC and started to feature bantamweights and featherweights.

Joseph Benavidez and Michael Bisping engaged in a fun little war of words during a press conference for UFC 152 a few months ago.

Benavidez, who will meet Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight title on September 22, continued to poke a little fun at Bisping during a recent interview. Benavidez claimed that he could “definitely hit harder than Bisping!”

“The Count” posted on Twitter that “Urijah favour (Faber), Joseph Benavidez and the rest of the munchkin crew talk (expletive) cos they’re stuck in the body’s of pre pubescent boys.” Bisping will face Brian Stann the same night.

Well, Faber responded via his own Twitter account to Bisping:

Thought we were buddies @bisping I know u can dish it out but can’t take it back @ufc ur like a spoiled 3rd grader. Grow up.

— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) September 14, 2012

Joseph Benavidez begins a fighter diary leading up to his title fight at UFC 152.

Both Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson want to make history.

The two flyweights will compete later this month at UFC 152 for the right to become the first-ever UFC flyweight champion.

Despite having their bout moved from the main event position to the co-main event slot, both feel as though they can reach even more fans and showcase just what their weight division is all about.

“I have worked for my entire career to become a champion,” said Benavidez, during a recent media conference call. “To get to be the UFC champion, the first UFC flyweight champion, that would be the cherry on top.”

Benavidez defeated Yasuhiro Urushitani earlier this year in one semifinal of the four-fighter flyweight tournament. He is 16-2 in his career and on a four-fight win streak.

Johnson (15-2-1) downed Ian McCall in a second match between the two after the first was scored incorrectly. He lost to Dominick Cruz last year in his quest to become the UFC bantamweight champion. Ironically enough, the last loss suffered by Benavidez also came at the hands of Cruz.

“I can’t wait to get in there and mix it up with Joseph,” Johnson said. “We are going to make history, we are going to deliver.”

Photo credit: Tracy Lee/CombatLifestyle.com

Joseph Benavidez talks about his up-coming bout for the UfC’s first flyweight title fight.

The story of Benavidez’ rise from free fighting in New Mexico to contending for The inaugural UFC flyweight title

Demetrious Johnson knows that he will be facing “a killer” when he steps inside the Octagon at UFC 152 with Joseph Benavidez.

The two will meet for the first-ever UFC flyweight title on September 22 in the co-main event.

Johnson advanced to the finals of the four-fighter tournament by defeating Ian McCall earlier this year. Benavidez advanced by besting Yasuhiro Urushitani.

“He’s a great fighter, he’s a killer. He’s very methodical in the way he fights. I’m going to test everything about him: his heart, chin (and) cardio.”

Johnson (15-2-1) has had an opportunity to secure UFC gold once before, but was bested by Dominick Cruz for the UFC bantamweight title. He knows that the winner will go down in history by becoming a champion.

“What’s at stake in this fight is making history as the first flyweight champion in the world. I’m going out there to fight and see who is No. 1.”

Benavidez (16-2) has won four consecutive fights.

Photo credit: Tracy Lee/CombatLifestyle.com

Joseph Benavidez explains his strengths and weaknesses regarding his UFC 151 opponent, Demetrious Johnson.