Tag: Ben Henderson

#ThrowbackThursday: Ben Henderson Scores His Last Finish to Date Over Donald Cerrone at WEC 48


(Henderson and Cerrone clash for the first time at WEC 43. Photo via Getty.)

Throwback Thursday is a new recurring column that pays tribute to the stars of an upcoming UFC event by taking a look back at some of their earliest defining moments. For our second edition, we focus on Ben Henderson’s last fight to end in a finish ahead of his Fight Night 42 main event clash with Rustam Khabilov this weekend. 

Contrary to what he might tell you, former lightweight champion Ben Henderson does not actually finish fights. At least, not since making the leap from the WEC to the UFC back in April of 2010. Prior to his 9 fight, 8 decision run in the UFC, however, Henderson was a finishing machine, picking up submission victories over the likes of Jamie Varner and Anthony Njokuani and even a quick TKO over Shane Roller while making his name under the WEC banner.

His final finish (and final victory) in the WEC came at the now legendary WEC 48 over rival Donald “Go Get Some” Cer-ron-eyyy.

This might be hard to believe, but back at WEC 43, Henderson actually captured the promotion’s interim lightweight championship via a controversial unanimous decision over Cerrone (pictured above) that both fans and many media members felt should have gone the other way. I know right? Crazy times, those were.

Anyway, Cerrone would score a third round rear-naked choke over Ed Ratcliff in his rebound fight at WEC 45, and Henderson would unify the belts with a third round sub of his own over Jamie Varner at WEC 46, thusly setting up the epic rematch that fans had been begging for at WEC 48. You hear that, Jon Jones? THAT IS HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK.

Join us as we look back at Henderson vs. Cerrone 2, complete with a full fight video, after the jump. 


(Henderson and Cerrone clash for the first time at WEC 43. Photo via Getty.)

Throwback Thursday is a new recurring column that pays tribute to the stars of an upcoming UFC event by taking a look back at some of their earliest defining moments. For our second edition, we focus on Ben Henderson’s last fight to end in a finish ahead of his Fight Night 42 main event clash with Rustam Khabilov this weekend. 

Contrary to what he might tell you, former lightweight champion Ben Henderson does not actually finish fights. At least, not since making the leap from the WEC to the UFC back in April of 2010. Prior to his 9 fight, 8 decision run in the UFC, however, Henderson was a finishing machine, picking up submission victories over the likes of Jamie Varner and Anthony Njokuani and even a quick TKO over Shane Roller while making his name under the WEC banner.

His final finish (and final victory) in the WEC came at the now legendary WEC 48 over rival Donald “Go Get Some” Cer-ron-eyyy.

This might be hard to believe, but back at WEC 43, Henderson actually captured the promotion’s interim lightweight championship via a controversial unanimous decision over Cerrone (pictured above) that both fans and many media members felt should have gone the other way. I know right? Crazy times, those were.

Anyway, Cerrone would score a third round rear-naked choke over Ed Ratcliff in his rebound fight at WEC 45, and Henderson would unify the belts with a third round sub of his own over Varner at WEC 46, thusly setting up the epic rematch that fans had been begging for at WEC 48. You hear that, Jon Jones? THAT IS HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK.

Given that their first fight was the very definition of a back-and-forth war, expectations were high heading in Henderson vs. Cerrone II, especially considering that WEC 48 had already provided fans with the instant classic that was Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung, and the massive upset that was Manny Gamburyan vs. Mike Brown.

But for every Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua II, there is at least one Silva vs. Sonnen II — a decent, if underwhelming rematch that leaves many fans ultimately disappointed with the outcome. That’s the thing about expectations; they require a delicate sense of restraint when it comes to MMA fights, television shows, or truly anything capable of generating hype in a culture obsessed with round-the-clock coverage of even the most mundane story. It’s why many people were let down by the ending of True Detective, and why many MMA fans were actually disappointed to see Henderson submit Cerrone (who had never been submitted prior and has not since) with a guillotine inside of two minutes.

Yet that’s what happened. After a brief exchange on the feet that was more a feeling out process than anything else, Bendo shot on a single leg takedown that was immediately stuffed by “Cowboy.” Henderson was able to use the momentum to push his opponent against the fence, however, where he landed a series of knees to the legs and torso of Cerrone before eventually securing the takedown.

An admittedly slow starter, Cerrone found himself on his back and in Henderson’s half guard, eating a steady diet of punches and elbows that forced him to scramble to his feet. It was in this scramble that Henderson would lock onto a no-arm guillotine and quickly force the tap. If everyone on Team Alpha Male hadn’t already proved it, Henderson’s victory showed fans that incredibly powerful grapplers who appear to be made of marble perhaps pack the best guillotine chokes of them all.

“That was way quicker than anyone expected,” said Joe Rogan from ringside, echoing the feelings of any MMA fan who was familiar with Donald Cerrone. And a somewhat anti-climactic finish it may have been, but when compared to Henderson’s current run of split and unanimous decisions, it’s probably something that fans wouldn’t mind seeing more of from “Smooth.”

Following his win over Cerrone, Henderson would meet rising contender Anthony Pettis at the final WEC event, WEC 53, with the belt on the line. I think we all know how that ended.

The temporary setback at the hands of Pettis would be just that for Henderson. “Smooth” would make his official UFC debut at UFC 129 in April of 2011, scoring a dominant decision over Canadian grappler Mark Bocek. Similarly impressive wins over Jim Miller and Clay Guida would follow before Henderson would receive his shot against champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144. In a Fight of the Night-earning effort, Henderson would emerge victorious, setting up an immediate rematch against Edgar at UFC 150 that he would also win by an even closer split decision.

It wasn’t until Henderson faced Pettis for a second time at UFC 164 that his reign of decisions was snapped via a first round armbar loss. A tough pill to swallow for the former champ, Henderson would nonetheless bounce back in his next appearance, earning a split decision over Josh Thomson at UFC on FOX 10.

While Henderson’s current streak of decisions can at least partially be attributed to the level of competition he’s been facing in the UFC — Josh Thomson, Gil Melendez, and Frankie Edgar hold just one loss via stoppage between them, after all — it would be hard to deny that Henderson has seemingly lacked the aggressive instinct that made him a WEC champion in recent years. Scheduled to face suplex savant Rustam Khabilov at Fight Night 42 this weekend, Henderson will need a stronger than usual performance if he is to ever be mentioned in the title picture while Pettis is still champion. Let’s hope he’s up to the task.

–J. Jones

STATBLASTER: 8 Mostly Accurate Pre-Fight Facts About UFC Fight Night 42


(Fact: No can defense Rustan Khabilov’s patented Crab Attack.)

While listening to the latest episode of the CME Podcast earlier today, I was somewhat surprised to learn that Patrick Cummins vs. Roger Narvaez will be the only bout on this weekend’s Fight Night 42: Henderson vs. Khabilov card *not* featured on Fox Sports 1. Cummins, who was previously heralded as “a beast” and “no joke” prior to getting smashed by Daniel Cormier at UFC 170, has fallen from co-main event-worthy to Fight Passable in just one UFC appearance. (At least they were able to find him an opponent, I guess.)

Cummins’ placement on the card is a kick in the balls to say the least, but likely not the biggest dick move a former Starbucks barista has ever been subjected to in his life. Regardless, the recent crash of “Durkin” stock is one of several interesting facts about Fight Night 42 that you probably won’t find in one of MMAJunkie’s insipid “Pre-Fight Facts” articles. Oh yes, shots have been fired.

That being the case, we decided to basically lift their idea and make it our own, bringing you lesser-known, funnier, and borderline inaccurate facts about Fight Night 42 and its competitors. What? If it’s good enough for Burger King, it’s good enough for CagePotato. Now let’s get started.

Stat #1: Fight Night 42 Marks the UFC’s First Trip to New Mexico

In keeping with its “As Real as it Gets” moniker, the UFC has finally decided to put on a night of fights in a state where the police officers are often more crooked than the criminals. Fight Night 42 marks the first time Zuffa has graced the “Land of Enchantment” since WEC 32 was held in Rio Rancho back in 2008, and the first time the UFC has ever held an event in the state best known as the setting of Breaking Bad. There will be no survivors.


(Fact: No can defense Rustan Khabilov’s patented Crab Attack.)

While listening to the latest episode of the CME Podcast earlier today, I was somewhat surprised to learn that Patrick Cummins vs. Roger Narvaez will be the only bout on this weekend’s Fight Night 42: Henderson vs. Khabilov card *not* featured on Fox Sports 1. Cummins, who was previously heralded as “a beast” and “no joke” prior to getting smashed by Daniel Cormier at UFC 170, has fallen from co-main event-worthy to Fight Passable in just one UFC appearance. (At least they were able to find him an opponent, I guess.)

Cummins’ placement on the card is a kick in the balls to say the least, but likely not the biggest dick move a former Starbucks barista has ever been subjected to in his life. Regardless, the recent crash of “Durkin” stock is one of several interesting facts about Fight Night 42 that you probably won’t find in one of MMAJunkie’s insipid “Pre-Fight Facts” articles. Oh yes, shots have been fired.

That being the case, we decided to basically lift their idea and make it our own, bringing you lesser-known, funnier, and borderline inaccurate facts about Fight Night 42 and its competitors. What? If it’s good enough for Burger King, it’s good enough for CagePotato. Now let’s get started.

Stat #1: Fight Night 42 Marks the UFC’s First Trip to New Mexico

In keeping with its “As Real as it Gets” moniker, the UFC has finally decided to put on a night of fights in a state where the police officers are often more crooked than the criminals. Fight Night 42 marks the first time Zuffa has graced the “Land of Enchantment” since WEC 32 was held in Rio Rancho back in 2008, and the first time the UFC has ever held an event in the state best known as the setting of Breaking Bad. There will be no survivors.

Seriously, New Mexico didn’t earn its reputation as a desolate wasteland of methed-out tweekers and power-hungry cops on a whim. Did you know that in 2013, a man was pulled over in a Walmart parking lot and forced to undergo a 14-hour cavity search that included 8 anal robings, two x-rays, multiple enemas, and a surgical colonoscopy? Or that no drugs were found in said man’s anus? Or that the man later won a settlement worth 1.6 million dollars? Or that, despite this backbreaking lawsuit, those cops still remain employed? There’s a fun stat for you: Each unwarranted anal probe is worth approximately 200 large in New Mexico.

Thankfully, Fight Night 42 is being held in Albuquerque, where local police only use homeless people as target practice. Thank science Michael Chiesa isn’t fighting on the card, or we could have a real disaster on our hands.

Stat #2: Ben Henderson Does Not Actually Finish Fights

According to Ben Henderson in the above promo for Fight Night 42, the former lightweight champion “doesn’t fight to win rounds” and “ends fights.” The funny thing is, that statement is absolutely crazyballs bananas.

It’s been some 4+ years since fight fans have seen Henderson score a victory inside the distance, and you’d have to go back to his pre-UFC days to find it — a first round submission via guillotine over Donald Cerrone in their rematch at WEC 48. Henderson’s most recent fight — a split decision victory over Josh Thomson — was a particularly fine example of the dichotomy that exists between how “Smooth” perceives himself as a fighter and how he actually fights. A great guy Bendo may be, but a finisher he is not.

Oddly enough, Henderson’s four year streak of decisions isn’t even the longest dry spell on the Fight Night 42 main card. No, that honor belongs to Diego Sanchez, of all people, who has not finished a fighter since TKOing Luigi Fioravanti six years ago. Let it be known that on this day, an indirect correlation between quail eggs and knockout power was discovered, right here on CagePotato.

Stat #3: Rustam Khabilov, Like, Really Enjoys Suplexing the Sh*t Out of People

We’ve touched on this before, but Rustam Khabilov’s *two* victories via suplex is a stat that bears repeating. While his suplex-induced KO of Vinc Pichel at the TUF 16 Finale was the one that made him (moderately) famous, Khabilov’s powerbombing of Akin Duran at M-1 Challenge 2009 was easily the more brutal of the two. It took just 28 seconds for “Tiger” to suplex Duran into retirement that night, and he hasn’t lost any sleep over it since.

Stat #4: John Dodson is Not an Adult, But a 7-Year-Old with Werner Syndrome

(Unconfirmed, but c’mon)

Stat #5: This Could Be the Last Time We See Yves Edwards in the UFC

Despite holding the lightweight record for bouts in the UFC (19, including 10 victories), Yves Edwards will likely be fighting for his career come Saturday night. The “Thugjitsu Master” has scored just two victories in his past six contests, dropping decisions to Daron Cruickshank, Isaac Vallie-Flagg, and only being spared a loss after being KO’d by Yancy Medeiros thanks to a positive post-fight marijuana test on Yancy’s part (Yaaancy!).

Matched up against Piotr Hallman, the 64-fight veteran’s career is likely winding down. Whether in victory or defeat, Edwards is and always has been a gamer, and we’d love to see him go out on a big victory before calling it quits for good. Currently a +160 underdog to his relatively unknown opponent, we think he stands a great chance of walking away with an upset win at Fight Night 42. Preferably via some crazy flying shit like in the video above.

Stat #6: Brian Caraway is Kind of a Douchebag

Seriously, f*ck that guy.

Stat #7: Bobby Voelker Has Yet to Win a Fight in the UFC

(Photo via Getty.)

Typically, a three-fight skid is enough to earn anyone not named Leonard Garcia a seat in the UFC unemployment line, especially when those losses comes in a fighter’s first three performances. Bobby Voelker, however, possesses the unique ability to absorb just enough damage to not get knocked out (save the Lawler fight) while absorbing far too much to win, and has earned high praise from Dana White for doing so:

“He’s 0-3, and he’s not going anywhere,” said White following Voelker’s most recent loss to William Macario at UFC 168. “He took the Robbie Lawler fight on short notice, and tonight he was busted up and keeps moving forward, keeps trying to win.”

Should Voelker come up short against Lance Benoist this weekend and somehow remain employed, he will join such rare company as Dan Hardy, Mark Hominick, Steve Cantwell, and Elvis Sinosic to lose four straight fights without receiving a pink slip. The little victories, Nation. The little victories.

Stat #8 — Nobody knows what the “dos Anjos” in Rafael dos Anjos means.

(The title of this 2013 film is absolute gibberish.)

Although linguistic scholars have almost unanimously confirmed that “dos” = “of” in Portuguese, the meaning of “anjos” was lost centuries ago according to experts in the field, along with the meanings of San Diego, BM, and #yolo.

Hopefully, these facts will only enhance your Fight Night 42 viewing experience this weekend, but if they don’t, you’re probably not a *real* fight fan anyway.

–J. Jones

[VIDEO] The Fight Church Trailer is a Glorious Buffet of Moral Contradictions

I’ve never been the type of guy to (openly) take pot-shots at Christianity, or any religion for that matter (diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks, I always say), nor would I ever sit down with someone of faith and poke holes in the theology they believe to be concrete. As long as someone doesn’t force their religious beliefs upon you like fact, what harm can they really be doing? What I’m trying to say is, LEAVE TEBOW ALONE, YOU GUYS.

But this Fight Church thing, however, I just don’t know.

Oh, you haven’t heard about Fight Church? According to the film’s website, Fight Church is “a documentary about Christianity and fighting directed by Academy Award Winner Daniel Junge and Bryan Storkel.” More specifically, it’s a true story about a group of Christian ministers in New York that use MMA and kickboxing as a means to spread their message, and it comes with the nifty little tagline “Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?”

We’ve touched on this documentary before, but the trailer featuring UFC stars Jon Jones and Ben Henderson only recently dropped, so check it out above and join us in discussion after the jump.

I’ve never been the type of guy to (openly) take pot-shots at Christianity, or any religion for that matter (diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks, I always say), nor would I ever sit down with someone of faith and poke holes in the theology they believe to be concrete. As long as someone doesn’t force their religious beliefs upon you like fact, what harm can they really be doing? What I’m trying to say is, LEAVE TEBOW ALONE, YOU GUYS.

But this Fight Church thing, however, I just don’t know.

Oh, you haven’t heard about Fight Church? According to the film’s website, Fight Church is “a documentary about Christianity and fighting directed by Academy Award Winner Daniel Junge and Bryan Storkel.” More specifically, it’s a true story about a group of Christian ministers in New York that use MMA and kickboxing as a means to spread their message, and it comes with the nifty little tagline “Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?”

We’ve touched on this documentary before, but the trailer featuring UFC stars Jon Jones and Ben Henderson only recently dropped, so check it out above and join us in discussion after the jump.

To Fight Church’s credit, the film does seem to take aim at the moral contradiction inherent in preaching love of your fellow man one minute and choking that very man unconscious the next. It doesn’t take a genius to see the connective tissue that exists between fighting and religion: both require dedication, understanding, and maybe even a bit of delusion. Both have served as safe havens for troubled souls and could be described as therapeutic by those who practice them.

But it’s the moment that these pastors start comparing the trials and tribulations of Jesus Christ to those found in the octagon that I begin to cringe.

Like I said, I’m not a very religious person (I would consider myself more a deist than anything else) and haven’t been to church since Sunday School, but I have a hard time believing that the practice of pummeling your foe into unconsciousness or submission is something that Christ would have supported. One of his more famous quotes, from John 13:34-35, states “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Corinthians 13:13 states, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I could go on.

The point is, no such love exists when the cage door closes. Fighters respect one another, sure. In some instances, they become lifelong friends with one another even after doing battle. Do you remember Scott Smith and Pete Sell ending their exchanges with high-fives and hugs at the TUF 4 Finale? Because I sure as shit do. But when Sell crippled Smith with that body shot, and when Smith dropped Sell with that Hail Mary (no pun intended) right hand, they did it with the sole intention of hurting each other as badly as need be.

And that’s the moral quandary that Fight Church seems to focus on. The problem is, the answer to the question it’s posing — “Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?” is a definitive “Helllllll no” in my book. Unless you’re the Ultimate Warrior, that is, in which case you can pretty much do whatever the f*ck you want.

True conviction to one’s religion is not cherry-picking selections from the book you have vowed to model yourself after and omitting others at your leisure, it’s fully dedicating yourself to the binding constraints of the beliefs you supposedly value more than life itself. I’m not saying it’s the correct model to live by, but it is a model. And that’s my issue with the pastors of punishment (new band name, called it) placed center stage in Fight Church. Because as the guiding figure of my life, Ron Swanson, once stated, “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”

–J. Jones

Ben Henderson Becomes the Latest Fighter to Mistake Rustam Khabilov for Khabib Nurmagomedov, Agrees to June Showdown With “Tiger” in Albuquerque

Remember how back in December, we reported that Rafael Dos Anjos had agreed to fight Rustam Khabilov while under the impression that “Tiger” was actually Khabib Nurmagomedov, the up-and-coming Dagestani grappling machine? Well, it dun happened again.

This time, it’s none other than former lightweight champion Ben Henderson who has apparently mixed up his Russians. After Khabilov was forced to withdraw from his fight with Dos Anjos due to injury (which in turn led to Dos Anjos vs. Nurmagomedov actually being booked), he recently took to Twitter to request a shot at “a fighter like Ben Henderson.” Henderson quickly accepted, but it was what he tweeted back that raised a few eyebrows.

“Seems like no 1 wants to play with u buddy,” tweeted Henderson. The only problem is, it’s Nurmagomedov, not Khabilov, that’s been having trouble finding opponents — both Nate Diaz and Gil Melendez have turned him down in recent months. In any case, Henderson vs. Khabilov has now been booked to headline a TBD “Fight Night” card on June 7th at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’ll be the UFC’s first-ever event in ABQ, home of the world-renowned Jackson’s MMA camp, where Khabilov trains.

Remember how back in December, we reported that Rafael Dos Anjos had agreed to fight Rustam Khabilov while under the impression that “Tiger” was actually Khabib Nurmagomedov, the up-and-coming Dagestani grappling machine? Well, it dun happened again.

This time, it’s none other than former lightweight champion Ben Henderson who has apparently mixed up his Russians. After Khabilov was forced to withdraw from his fight with Dos Anjos due to injury (which in turn led to Dos Anjos vs. Nurmagomedov actually being booked), he recently took to Twitter to request a shot at “a fighter like Ben Henderson.” Henderson quickly accepted, but it was what he tweeted back that raised a few eyebrows.

“Seems like no 1 wants to play with u buddy,” tweeted Henderson. The only problem is, it’s Nurmagomedov, not Khabilov, that’s been having trouble finding opponents — both Nate Diaz and Gil Melendez have turned him down in recent months. In any case, Henderson vs. Khabilov has now been booked to headline a TBD “Fight Night” card on June 7th at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’ll be the UFC’s first-ever event in ABQ, home of the world-renowned Jackson’s MMA camp, where Khabilov trains.

Of course, in Henderson’s eyes, Khabilov and Nurmagomedov pretty much are the same. Both are steadily-rising contenders who have yet to crack the top 15, both are strong grapplers (although Khabilov isn’t afraid to throw some spinning sh*t every now and again), and both are Russian and therefore hate America and Freedom. What other motivation does he need? FOR VICTORY, BENDO. FOR GLORY. FOR *CRIMEA*. WOLVERINES!!!

–J. Jones

Why Does MMA Care About CM Punk?


(Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

Did you hear? CM Punk might be headed to MMA.

Don’t worry if you haven’t heard until just now, it’s not as if MMA news outlets have been talking about it at all recently.

So, in case you missed it, here’s what happened:

In an interview with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, famed straight edge pro wrestler and former WWE champ CM Punk expressed an interest in taking an MMA fight, as well as thoughts about his doubtful future with the WWE. Punk left the WWE not long after this interview.

To MMA fans and pundits, the urge to connect the dots was too great. Punk departed the WWE shortly after he mentioned MMA. Therefore, he MUST have left the WWE to start fighting.

Cue the insanity.


(Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

Did you hear? CM Punk might be headed to MMA.

Don’t worry if you haven’t heard until just now, it’s not as if MMA news outlets have been talking about it at all recently.

So, in case you missed it, here’s what happened:

In an interview with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, famed straight edge pro wrestler and former WWE champ CM Punk expressed an interest in taking an MMA fight, as well as thoughts about his doubtful future with the WWE. Punk left the WWE not long after this interview.

To MMA fans and pundits, the urge to connect the dots was too great. Punk departed the WWE shortly after he mentioned MMA. Therefore, he MUST have left the WWE to start fighting.

Cue the insanity.

Rampant speculation about CM Punk, his MMA abilities, his MMA “career” and his potential opponent—which many slated as former Power Ranger Jason David Frank since Frank issued a public challenge to Punk—polluted MMA headlines across the Internet.

You know what’s worse? Legit MMA promotions took this seriously. Bellator “expressed at least preliminary interest” in the weather-beaten 35-year-old professional wrestler. WSOF’s bombastic vice president and matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz, too, boarded the CM Punk hype train.

A whole lot of hype for something we knew for years already. In December 2012, Punk admitted that he’d tangle with the Green Ranger in an MMA fight if the opportunity arose. Earlier that year the former WWE superstar discussed potentially entering the MMA landscape.

Where was the egregious amount of hype then?

MMA didn’t need it quite as much when CM Punk first announced that an MMA fight was on his bucket list. There’s just not a whole lot of interest in the day-to-day affairs of MMA like there was in the past. Look at the numbers for the most recent TUF season—they’re horrific. Fans don’t care about low/mid-level UFC fighters and even some high level UFC fighters. We live in an era where one of the only ways to draw big interest (and big traffic) is to tease Brock Lesnar’s UFC return for the umpteenth time. GSP is gone and Zuffa is apparently going to bury him sooner rather than later. Rousey can always generate buzz, but Hollywood is poaching that cash cow. Talking grand about CM Punk fighting for real is one of the only ways to brighten the drudgery of “Two C-level guys got added to some UFC fight pass card in who cares where. Please donate your click” articles.

And regarding Punk’s actual future in MMA, he doesn’t have one. He’s a 35-year-old ex-pro wrestler with no combat sports experience (he’s trained, yes, but hasn’t competed). At best, he’ll participate in a handful of fights that get lots of hype and then retire from competition after fulfilling yet another goal in life while MMA media members roast him, a novice MMA fighter, for looking like a novice MMA fighter.

The Benson Henderson Problem


(Photo via Getty)

Benson “Smooth” Henderson is a talented fighter with a knack for winning the fights he loses. But on the oft-overlooked business side of MMA, Henderson is a dud.

As champion, he consistently failed to move the needle in terms of PPV buys and ratings. His rematch against Frankie Edgar at UFC 150 drew a paltry 190,000 buys—one of the worst buyrates in recent UFC history.

The UFC shipped Henderson off to FOX for his next two outings, presumably to build his name via fighting on a massive television network. Henderson headlined UFC on FOX 5 and UFC on FOX 7. They both earned modest numbers, with the former receiving an average of 3.41 million viewers (1.6 rating in the adult 18-49 demo) and the latter 3.3 million viewers (1.6 rating in the adult 18-49 demo).


(Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

Benson “Smooth” Henderson is a talented fighter with a knack for winning the fights he loses. But on the oft-overlooked business side of MMA, Henderson is a dud.

As champion, he consistently failed to move the needle in terms of PPV buys and ratings. His rematch against Frankie Edgar at UFC 150 drew a paltry 190,000 buys—one of the worst buyrates in recent UFC history.

The UFC shipped Henderson off to FOX for his next two outings, presumably to build his name via fighting on a massive television network. Henderson headlined UFC on FOX 5 and UFC on FOX 7. They both earned modest numbers, with the former receiving an average of 3.41 million viewers (1.6 rating in the adult 18-49 demo) and the latter 3.3 million viewers (1.6 rating in the adult 18-49 demo).

The exposure on FOX didn’t correlate into an increase in star power. Henderson remained a below-average PPV draw, with his fight against Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 garnering only 270,000 buys. After losing this fight, Henderson was sent to FOX yet again where he headlined UFC on FOX 10 opposite Josh Thomson. This was Henderson’s lowest-performing FOX card. Only 2.55 million viewers on average (1.1 rating in adult 18-49 demo) tuned in to this event. The live gate for this show was abysmal too. It was the lowest ever for a UFC card in Chicago and the second lowest for a FOX card. On the money side of the fight game, Henderson is anything but “smooth.”

What do you do with a fighter like him? He wins fights, but the decisions are so controversial they’re off-putting. His victories are rarely decisive and the bulk of fans refuse to pay to see him. The rest only watch him for free, but judging by the slump in viewership even those fans are losing interest.

Henderson is a promoter’s worst nightmare. He’s a decision-prone fighter who prizes points above punishment. He fights for the almighty decision, not for submissions or knockouts. Dana White himself noted this recently. He’s an anchor on the division—a perennially victorious athlete who nobody wants to see yet is too high profile to just be buried on prelims like Jon Fitch was back in the day. What if Henderson wins his next fight? Do you give him yet another rematch against Pettis? Or do you keep pairing him off with contenders until he loses? It’s a conundrum.

Benson Henderson is a competitor, not a fighter. That’s fine so long as you draw money and entertain the masses, but Henderson has never done either in the UFC. His style isn’t conducive to converting casual FOX viewers into hardcore MMA fans—fans who purchase PPVs and subscribe to the UFC Fight Pass. Yet there he was in all his banality, presented in the main event of a FOX card for all to see…and for all to loathe, malign, and ultimately forget about.