From the moment he made his UFC debut last year, Benson Henderson put the rest of the lightweight division on notice.
His victory over Mark Bocek at UFC 129 was just a glimpse of what fans could expect out of the 28-year-old, as dominant performances over Jim Miller and Clay Guida would follow and translate into an opportunity to challenge for the UFC lightweight title.
Now Henderson will get his chance to prove his worth when he meets Frankie Edgar this Saturday at UFC 144.
Edgar is unlike any opponent Henderson has met before, but the same could be said for the champion as well. Henderson is one of the bigger fighter competing at 155 pounds and possesses great wrestling, outstanding submission defense and a well-rounded stand-up game, all of which can give his opponent potential problems.
However, whether he is able to utilize his game plan effectively is entirely different.
Edgar is arguably the best striker in the lightweight division. He has fast hands, quick footwork and makes great use of his angles. The champion also has a great chin and is notorious for starting his bouts slow and being vulnerable.
One of the questions heading into the bout is how is Henderson going to be able to handle Edgar’s speed and footwork?
Gray Maynard was able to use his wrestling and controlled Edgar en route to a unanimous decision in their first bout in what was Edgar’s first and only loss.
Henderson is going to have to mix up his attack with a combination of strikes and takedowns, while trying to pressure his opponent and cut off the angles to neutralize his striking. He will compete with Edgar on the feet but his main strength will be in his wrestling, and he’ll want to utilize his grappling as early and as often as possible to tire out his opponent.
Also, will Henderson possess the tools to finish Edgar early in the fight?
The challenger’s striking isn’t as polished as the champion’s but Henderson brings a more versatile set of striking to put his opponent in trouble at any point during the bout.
Henderson is unquestionably the biggest threat to Edgar’s title reign thus far, and while he has a lot of momentum entering the bout, dethroning Edgar is a tougher task than one can imagine.
Henderson will no bigger opportunity than to try and walk away with the lightweight crown when he and Edgar headline the main card.
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