UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson is regarded as a big lightweight. He cuts a significant amount of weight to make the 155-pound limit for the division.
Henderson is 5’9″ tall. That’s around average or a bit bigger for a lightweight. He usually steps into the Octagon with a significant weight advantage. A perfect example of that would be his two most recent fights against Frankie Edgar.
Henderson looked a full weight class above Edgar, and truth be told he probably was. Because of the fact that he cuts a massive amount of weight for fight night, many have questioned if he will move up to welterweight one day. Henderson is occupied with the lightweight title defences and will not be moving up for the foreseeable future, but for the sake of this article, let’s see how he might fare.
Henderson would be a slightly undersized welterweight. The majority of UFC welterweights today range in height from 5 feet 11 inches tall to 6 feet 1 inch tall.
Henderson’s usual walking-around weight is around 175 pounds. He would only need to cut a measly five pounds to get to the welterweight limit. But, that would mean Henderson would lose his weight advantage over his opponent.
Some welterweights cut down from 195 pounds to make the division limit. Fighters like Thiago Alves would have a massive weight advantage on Henderson, one with which he’s not used to dealing.
I don’t think Ben Henderson would have a good run at welterweight. I would liken it to when Nate Diaz put on weight and moved up for a few fights. In the latter two fights he had at welterweight, he was bullied and pushed around by his opponent’s size and weight advantages.
If Henderson were to move up in weight, I predict much the same would happen. His best bet would be to stick to lightweight and keep the advantages that he holds there. Because the welterweight division is a whole different ballgame.
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