The past year has shown that former WEC lightweight can compete in the UFC’s 155-pound division. Now, it is up to Ben Henderson to prove that those lightweights who have merged into the UFC can become serious lightweight contenders.
With a win over Glay Guida at UFC on Fox 1, Henderson would earn a title shot against UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. This chance comes less than one year after Henderson missed out on a UFC championship fight by losing to Anthony Pettis in his final WEC appearance.
Beyond earning a fight with Edgar, a win over Guida would earn Henderson the label of a top lightweight in the sport, a label that he has deserved for quite some time, but his lack of exposure in the WEC prevented him from receiving it.
This fight is also Henderson’s opportunity to prove that he learned from his mistakes in his loss to Pettis, which was a pivotal fight in the 27-year-old’s career. Henderson was extremely emotional after the loss, which robbed him of going down as the final WEC lightweight champion.
At UFC on Fox 1, Henderson will be fighting for more than a title shot. Henderson will be fighting to legitimize himself in the eyes of MMA fans and pundits.
Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanSmithMMA.
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