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In their first meeting, Benson Henderson took the lightweight title by defeating Frankie Edgar in a hard fought five-round affair that had the entire MMA world talking.Both fighters showed great heart in this back-and-forth contest and will likely put …
In their first meeting, Benson Henderson took the lightweight title by defeating Frankie Edgar in a hard fought five-round affair that had the entire MMA world talking.
Both fighters showed great heart in this back-and-forth contest and will likely put on another great show at this weekend’s UFC 150.
As this huge rematch quickly approaches, let’s take a look at some of the key takeaways from their first matchup at UFC 144.
Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar Because of Frankie Edgar’s willingness to give immediate rematches to B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard, he gets one against Ben Henderson despite the long list of potential opponents waiting for.
Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar
Because of Frankie Edgar’s willingness to give immediate rematches to B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard, he gets one against Ben Henderson despite the long list of potential opponents waiting for a title shot. But the first fight was entertaining enough that most fans are willing to tolerate the rest of the division being held hostage so that Edgar can get a second chance at Henderson.
We know who both of these fighters are at this point in their careers and the outcome of this fight will be determined solely on gameplan and execution. Neither fighter is significantly better than the other in any area and the key in fights like this is finding a way to create openings to score. This fight represents the future of MMA as two fighters who have high level skill sets in all areas fight for slight advantages through five close rounds. The only significant advantage gained by either fighter in the first fight was when Henderson landed an upkick at the end of the third round, which seems unlikely to be repeated. Both fighters have excellent striking with Edgar probably having a slight advantage in the boxing but Henderson having a slight advantage in the kicking game. Henderson also has the reach advantage but keeping Edgar on the outside has proved nearly impossible. Both are excellent wrestlers and frequently change levels to keep their opponents off balance. Once on the mat, both are capable of doing damage with ground and pound. But both are also excellent at getting back to their feet and neither fighter was able to maintain any significant ground control in the first fight.
This fight will likely play out similarly to the first fight with both fighters happy to engage on the feet but looking to mix in takedowns when the opportunity presents itself. Henderson proved to have a slight advantage in most positions in the first fight and one would expect that pattern to continue in this fight. Because of that, he comes in as a solid favorite at -210 with Edgar at +175. However, Henderson in no way dominated the first fight so a win for Edgar would not be a surprise. The first fight was won because Henderson took advantage of of a few small openings to outscore Edgar. If Edgar can tighten up those minor mistakes and instead create a few small openings of his own in this fight, he could easily reverse the outcome and regain his title. Whatever the outcome, this fight will be back and forth. Both fighters will win rounds and both will be successful at different points in the fight. The key will be whose execution is tighter and who was able to learn the most from the first fight. Henderson deserves to be the favorite but Edgar could easily walk away the champion. And if he does, the lightweight division will be even more convoluted than it already is.
Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard
If you’re an MMA fan, you’re excited about this fight. Donald Cerrone and Melvin Guillard are two of the most exciting fighters in the sport and only a glitch in the fabric of the universe could extinguish the fireworks these two are almost certain to light from the moment this fight begins.
Cerrone’s only loss since coming to the UFC was against Nate Diaz who is currently awaiting the winner of the headlining lightweight title fight between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. He followed that loss with a dominant decision victory over Jeremy Stephens. Cerrone was never challenged in that fight and appeared to be sparring with Stephens by the third round. He destroyed Stephens leg with kicks and seemed to finish every combination with a baseball bat to Stephens’ thigh. He’ll be able to use the same strategy against Guillard who will be at a similar reach disadvantage and is also not a threat to take Cerrone to the mat. Cerrone has a clear grappling advantage in this fight and Greg Jackson will certainly be imploring his fighter to put Guillard on his back and work for a submission. Whether or not Cerrone listens will likely depend on whether or not he feels threatened by Guillard’s power.
Guillard was on the brink of a title shot before losing back to back fights via first round submission to Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller. And his performance last month against Fabricio Camoes was not impressive. He earned a bizarre unanimous decision victory with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 despite the fact that Camoes clearly won the second round and the third round was incredibly close. Regardless, he will look to build on whatever momentum he gained from that fight in this fight against Cerrone. Guillard’s game is largely based on the power in his hands. If he finds his opponent’s chin, he usually wins but if he doesn’t, he struggles. He will be at a significant reach disadvantage in this fight and will need to use speed and movement to find his way inside and land combinations. He is capable of doing it but it will require a level of execution he hasn’t shown since leaving Jackson MMA for the Blackzillions.
Cerrone comes in as a significant favorite at -350 with Guillard getting +290. This fight will likely play out similarly to Cerrone’s previous fight against Jeremy Stephens. He will use his reach to keep Guillard at distance and pick him apart with combinations that end with destructive leg kicks. If Guillard has success closing the distance, look for Cerrone to take him down and work his submission game. And if Cerrone is only interested in winning, that is the more intelligent strategy. But he’s never been interested in simply winning the fight so look for him to make it a kickboxing match unless he feels threatened. But either way, this is likely to be a great lead in for the main event.
(Come on, Melvin. Those glasses weigh at least 1.5 pounds on their own, you can figure this out)
The champion and challenger made weight but featured fighter Melvin Guillard did not. Guillard weighed in nearly two pounds over the non-title 156 pound lightweight limit for his fight against friend and former teammate Donald Cerrone.
After missing weight at today’s weigh in for UFC 150 in Denver, Colorado Guillard had two hours to try and make the weight. UFC President Dana White told MMA Fighting that Guillard would not attempt to take off the extra weight and that he would be forfeiting 10% of his purse. They report that Cerrone will get half of that 10% while the Colorado athletic commission will get the other half, for some reason.
All other UFC 150 fighters made weight and lightweight champion Benson Henderson and former champ Frankie Edgar are set for their immediate title rematch Saturday night in the main event. Check out the weigh-in video after the jump to witness all the intensity between the two for yourself.
(Come on, Melvin. Those glasses weigh at least 1.5 pounds on their own, you can figure this out)
The champion and challenger made weight but featured fighter Melvin Guillard did not. Guillard weighed in nearly two pounds over the non-title 156 pound lightweight limit for his fight against friend and former teammate Donald Cerrone.
After missing weight at today’s weigh in for UFC 150 in Denver, Colorado Guillard had two hours to try and make the weight. UFC President Dana White told MMA Fighting that Guillard would not attempt to take off the extra weight and that he would be forfeiting 10% of his purse. They report that Cerrone will get half of that 10% while the Colorado athletic commission will get the other half, for some reason.
All other UFC 150 fighters made weight and lightweight champion Benson Henderson and former champ Frankie Edgar are set for their immediate title rematch Saturday night in the main event. Check out the weigh-in video after the jump to witness all the intensity between the two for yourself.
Make sure to also check in tomorrow night for our live blogging of UFC 150 with blow-by-blow coverage of all the main-card action. Check MMA Fighting for full weigh-in results now.
Another day, another month and another UFC pay-per-view event.Luckily for us in the media—and perhaps your own wallet—there’s only one major UFC offering this month. After this one, we’re not due for another pay-per-view until the first wee…
Another day, another month and another UFC pay-per-view event.
Luckily for us in the media—and perhaps your own wallet—there’s only one major UFC offering this month. After this one, we’re not due for another pay-per-view until the first weekend in September when Jon Jones and Dan Henderson lock horns in Las Vegas.
There’s still plenty of mixed martial arts to be found in August, such as next weekend when Ronda Rousey returns to the Strikeforce cage. But in terms of the kinds of events you need to drop some cash for, August only has UFC 150 on the docket.
Another stroke of luck for us? This should turn out to be a pretty good card. Two of the fights—the main and co-main events—are almost guaranteed to deliver excitement. Of course, there have been plenty of times that I’ve typed those exact words, only to see a promising card under-deliver in fight action. But, I have a feeling this one’s going to be worth a watch.
Let’s take a look at five things to keep an eye on for UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar 2:
Is Frankie Edgar truly the king of rematches?
You know the statistics, and you know that the lightweight division has been in a near-constant standstill ever since Edgar captured the title from B.J. Penn back at UFC 112. Edgar defended the belt against Penn in a rematch, then went on to a draw with Gray Maynard that forced yet another rematch. And now, he’s going into yet another rematch, this time as the challenger against Benson Henderson.
There’s something to be said for the improvements Edgar made in his previous rematches with Penn and Maynard. The first fight against Penn was fairly close, but Edgar adjusted his game the second time around and cruised to an easy win. The first Maynard fight was obviously as close as it gets when it comes to MMA decisions, but Edgar adjusted his game yet again and finished Maynard in the rematch.
Is Edgar truly that great at applying in the rematch what he learned during the first tilt with his opponents? I’m not sure that’s the case. I think Edgar was simply a better fighter than Penn and Maynard, and that was borne out when he was given the extra rounds in the rematches. The more times we see opponents face each other, the more disparity we’re going to see between them.
And unfortunately for Edgar, I believe Henderson is the better fighter, and I think you’re going to see that play out on Saturday night.
Can Benson Henderson score a signature finishing win?
During his run in the WEC, Henderson finished four of his six fights. He’s gone to a decision in four fights since making the leap over to the UFC.
I’d say that was due to a different level in competition, but we all know that’s not the case. A few of those WEC guys are doing quite well in the UFC, thank you very much. Granted, there’s a difference between Frankie Edgar or Clay Guida and someone like Shane Roller. But, as the UFC lightweight champ, Henderson should be expected to finish opponents on a regular basis. He just hasn’t done it yet.
Edgar is notoriously hard to finish, of course—witness both Maynard bouts for a perfect example of the Jersey native’s toughness—which means that scoring that big TKO or submission win on Saturday night is going to be a difficult task.
I’m not saying that Henderson can’t do it, because I wouldn’t be all that surprised if he did. But, I suspect Henderson will be focused on simply retaining his belt by any means necessary, and that’s fine.
Can Cerrone vs. Guillard possibly live up to expectations?
Two former training partners. Two dudes with a proclivity for standing and trading strikes. Cerrone vs. Guillard has all the makings of a classic.
The fight has plenty of hype, but don’t be surprised if it’s not quite what you expect. Cerrone will want to avoid Guillard’s ridiculous hand speed and powerful punches, and if he’s smart, he’ll look to take advantage of Guillard’s weak submission defense. Cerrone enjoys putting on exciting fights and making that paper, but I think he also enjoys winning fights.
Don’t get me wrong; I still believe this will be an exciting fight. But, I’m not sure it’s going to be the three-round punchfest everyone seems to be expecting.
Will Jake Shields finally earn his second consecutive UFC win?
Since entering the UFC as the Strikeforce middleweight champ, Shields has yet to score two consecutive wins. Granted, he’s had some very tough fights during his run, against a murderer’s row of welterweight contenders. Well, except for Yoshihiro Akiyama, that is. But, he still hasn’t been able to pull off more than one win at a time.
He’ll look to change that on Saturday night. He’s moving back to middleweight, which means he’ll get all of the strength back that he had during his unbeaten run in Strikeforce. The welterweight cut was never easy for Shields, and it often sapped him of his energy during the last month of his training camp. That’s no longer the case.
Ed Herman isn’t an easy out, not by any stretch of the imagination. But, I’m looking for Shields to finally secure a start to a winning streak on Saturday night.
Who is Buddy Roberts, and how badly is he overmatched against Okami?
I don’t know much about Buddy Roberts. I doubt you do, either. And there’s a good reason for that.
Roberts is 12-2 in his MMA career, but all of those wins have come against opponents you’ve also never heard of. He beat Caio Magalhaes in his UFC debut back in June, but now, he’s taking a drastic step up in competition in facing Yushin Okami.
This may be the single biggest step in the level of competition a UFC fighter has ever faced. Roberts is going from facing lower-level preliminary middleweights to standing across the cage from one of the best —and most physically-imposing—middleweights in the world.
This feels like one of those old WWF matches you’d watch on Saturday morning on a local syndicated station, where Hulk Hogan or another big wrestling star would face off against a local jobber you’ve never heard of. I’d never call Roberts or any other professional fighter a jobber—well, except perhaps, Sean Salmon—but this one certainly doesn’t bode well for Roberts.
It’s a way for Okami to score a rebound win after his loss to Tim Boetsch. Nothing more, and nothing less.
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On Saturday night Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar will throw leather to determine who becomes champion of the UFC lightweight division.
Edgar, who feels he did enough to win the first go around, will be looking to display the type of rematch ma…
On Saturday night Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar will throw leather to determine who becomes champion of the UFC lightweight division.
Edgar, who feels he did enough to win the first go around, will be looking to display the type of rematch magic he’s become synonymous with.
Henderson, on the other hand, will hope to repeat his effective performance from the first bout and erase any questions about him being the true champion of the division.
Both have traveled different roads to the top of the 155-pound weight class. Here is a look at how they got there.
Benson Henderson
Every step of the journey has been about respect for Henderson. From his time as king of the “little blue cage” to his current reign atop the UFC lightweight division, “Smooth” has been on a mission to show and prove.
Over this stretch, Henderson has amassed a 9-1 record, with his only loss coming in a closely contested matchup with Anthony “Showtime” Pettis.
Despite consistently facing tough opposition and always putting on exciting fights, Henderson has vocalized his opinion the WEC crossovers have never been given the same amount of respect as their UFC counterparts. When he made his Octagon debut against a gritty Mark Bocek, Henderson’s mission to turn the UFC lightweight division on its ear began.
After defeating Bocek, Henderson was given the task of derailing Jim Miller.
The New Jersey native was tearing his way through the division and poised for a title shot if he could dispatch the former WEC champion. Henderson worked Miller from bell to bell, as he not only earned the lopsided decision, but put the rest of the 155-pound weight class on notice.
The next obstacle on his way to the top came against fan favorite Clay Guida on the inaugural UFC on Fox card last November.
In this action packed affair which went the full 15 minutes, both men battled fiercely as they attempted to impose their will on one another. While Guida bent, he did not break, but it wasn’t enough to stop Henderson from claiming his third consecutive victory in the UFC.
Following this performance, UFC President Dana White announced Henderson would get the next crack at the lightweight title held by Frankie Edgar. The bout was named as the main event of UFC 144, which held special significance because it was the organization’s return to Japan.
In the bout with Edgar, Henderson got off to a slow start. After two close rounds, Henderson landed an extremely well-timed upkick late in the second frame which turned the tide of the fight. In the final two rounds Henderson turned up the output and was able to get the better of Edgar in the majority of exchanges.
The damage he created was enough to seal the deal, and when the judge’s scores were announced, Henderson became the new king of the lightweight division.
Henderson presents a style which has been a nightmare to his opposition. He approaches the fight with a funky mixture of wrestling, submission skills and well-timed striking. These attributes, in addition to a cardio which never fails, make Henderson a difficult opponent to prepare for.
While light heavyweight Lyoto Machida is often credited with being the biggest mystery in MMA, Henderson is well on his way to creating a mystique of his own.
Frankie Edgar
In the days when B.J. Penn was considered the greatest lightweight on the planet, few gave Edgar much of a look.
The Toms River, NJ native was defeating tough competition, but a loss to Gray Maynard in his fourth UFC appearance shuffled Edgar towards the back of the division.
He fired back strong with a victory over Hermes Franca, but it was his dominant performance against former champion Sean Sherk which made the UFC sit up and take notice. More than being just a fighter on the rise, Edgar’s improved boxing skills showed he was evolving at a rapid rate.
After making short work of Matt Veach, he was awarded the unenviable task of facing Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. Few believed Edgar could pull off the feat of dethroning “The Prodigy,” but when the final bell sounded, Edgar had done enough to be crowned the new lightweight champion.
The victory over Penn put the MMA world in shock, and the UFC granted the former two-divisional champion an immediate opportunity to get his belt back.
Just as few gave Edgar a chance in their first meeting, the same sentiment echoed in their second bout. This time around Edgar not only defeated Penn, but dominated him the process as he became the true undisputed champion of the division.
With the title secure, Edgar would next look to avenge the only loss of his career when he faced Gray Maynard at UFC 125.
Where their first fight was decided with wrestling, their second match became an instant classic, as Edgar battled back from an epic beating in the opening round, only to bounce back and take the fight to the wire. When the scores were read, the fight resulted in a draw, leaving unfinished business between the two top lightweights and creating yet another rematch for Edgar.
The decisive trilogy bout was pushed back with both men suffering injuries, but the score was finally settled at UFC 136 in October.
Much like their last meeting, Maynard found Edgar’s chin on multiple occasions, putting him on the ropes in the opening frame. But unlike the last go around, Edgar was able to break Maynard down until he eventually finished “The Bully” with a knockout in the fourth round.
No sooner than Edgar had put his greatest rivalry to rest, a new contender emerged in Henderson.
In their bout at UFC 144, Edgar was able to utilize his takedowns early and often. He was also able to score while staying out of danger until the upkick landed and put him down. The rest of the bout was an uphill battle for Edgar, and time ran out before he could turn the tide back in his favor.
The judge’s scores were read and he watched as his coveted title was strapped around Henderson’s waist.
Over the past two years, Edgar has shown tremendous heart, an iron chin and an unbreakable spirit. As the perpetual underdog, he has been pummeled and beaten, only to rise to the occasion time after time.
One of the smallest fighters in the weight class, Edgar has capitalized on excellent footwork and his ability to move in and out. He will need to be firing on all cylinders if he hopes to reclaim the lightweight title.
Henderson vs. Edgar 2
In this matchup, we have the lion-hearted former champion against the future of the division.
Henderson’s funky and dangerous-at-all-times style vs. Edgar’s unflappable determination and will to succeed.
On Saturday night, we will find out who has what it takes to make it out of the Octagon as the UFC lightweight champion.
These are the paths they have taken to the top, and those roads intersect on a collision course this Saturday night at UFC 150 in Denver.
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When the UFC returned to Japan for the first time in a veritable lifetime back in February, they brought a solid card headlined by two of their elite lightweights. Then-champ Frankie Edgar, building a Rocky-calibre legacy with each surprise victory, ag…
When the UFC returned to Japan for the first time in a veritable lifetime back in February, they brought a solid card headlined by two of their elite lightweights. Then-champ Frankie Edgar, building a Rocky-calibre legacy with each surprise victory, against 155-pound man-mountain and top contender Benson Henderson.
The results didn’t disappoint.
The hulking Henderson stuck to his game plan of low kicks and trying to overpower the diminutive Edgar when it was practical, while Edgar worked on catching the kicks and returning fire. He occasionally broke things up with his (even now) underrated boxing from the outside, touching up the challenger whenever he could.
What ensued was a great five-round battle—one that pitted the raw power, athleticism and unpredictability of Henderson against the caginess, grit and gameness of an Edgar who many felt was just coming into his own.
At the end of the night it was Henderson who was declared the winner, though not without some controversy. Many felt Edgar had won (this writer included) and was mostly being victimized by the cuts and swelling that the sheer power of a man like Henderson often provides (this writer not included).
However Edgar’s championship legacy had been built on giving rematches, often to guys who didn’t deserve them.
He beat BJ Penn at UFC 112 and had to fight him again at UFC 118—a fight he won in one of the more underrated beatdowns of 2010.
He didn’t lose his title to Gray Maynard despite suffering through one of the worst rounds in combat sports history, but he had to fight him again anyway. He KO’d the burly challenger in the fourth round.
So, needless to say, he hadn’t been off the plane from Japan for long before he started campaigning for a rematch on the grounds of “what’s fair is fair.” He wasn’t wrong, and no matter how much Dana White wanted to turn him into the only relevant featherweight challenger left for his buzzsaw 145-pound champion, Edgar was having none of it.
He wanted Henderson.
At UFC 150, he’s got him.
The only thing left to see now is how the two will clash in the cage during their rematch. They’re a great stylistic matchup, with Edgar’s slick style and reliance on speed coming up against the wild strength and aggression of Henderson. When one factors in the subtle changes rematches often see, it’s hard to envision it not being a barnburner.
It’s unfortunate that Edgar lost the title just as his star was rising. He was winning fans over with his gutsy displays and incredible ability to survive the fight. Since being in the title picture, he’s never once been in a boring fight, and those are the guys that sell tickets when they’re on the marquee.
Benson Henderson will have a chance to cement himself as the next guy to do it with a win Saturday. He’s got the look, style and skill to draw eyes.
The intangibles of both men, coupled with the abilities each has in the cage, guarantees another epic clash. It’s only a matter of Monday morning quarterbacking as to whether or not it’s this one or the first one that was more epic.
The world will find out in Denver.
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