The stage has been set for Benson Henderson to prove that he’s worthy of sharing the same octagon with Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 144 Japan. A victory come fight night will gain him the respect of not only his peers, but also the MMA …
The stage has been set for Benson Henderson to prove that he’s worthy of sharing the same octagon with Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 144 Japan. A victory come fight night will gain him the respect of not only his peers, but also the MMA world in general.
The former WEC lightweight champion was on a 10-fight tear before Anthony Pettis usurped said title, thus putting a brief halt to his present ascension to the rank of No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the 155-lb. division.
At present, his tenure in the Zuffa-based hierarchy has been a success—three wins via unanimous decision against Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida.
In Edgar, the 28-year-old “Smooth” will face his toughest test to date. However, Henderson possesses impressive striking attributes coupled with an admirable submission pedigree—skill sets which are a prerequisite if he’s to leave the Saitama Arena as the newly crowned king of the lightweights.
There are several fighters on the card who have the opportunity to prove their worth to themselves, the UFC and the fans, and thus gain a lot in the process. However, no one stands to gain more than Henderson if he captures UFC gold.
For one, he’ll automatically supplant “The Answer” as the assemblage’s No. 1 fighter, thus catapulting him to the status of top 10 pound-for-pound combatant in the MMA stratosphere.
If and when negotiations for renewal of contracts begin, his championship status will be the bargain tool for an increment in his wages.
Finally, with the belt strapped around his waist Henderson will be in prime position to keep his aspirations alive of one day surpassing Anderson Silva’s records for consecutive wins and title defenses.
UFC 144 is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
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Frankie Edgar is a slow starter. It almost cost him the title when he fought Gray Maynard and it could end his title run when he faces Benson Henderson at UFC 144.If Frankie Edgar didn’t have one of the toughest chins in MMA today, there is a chance th…
Frankie Edgar is a slow starter. It almost cost him the title when he fought Gray Maynard and it could end his title run when he faces Benson Henderson at UFC 144.
If Frankie Edgar didn’t have one of the toughest chins in MMA today, there is a chance that fans would be talking about how Gray Maynard knocked him out in the first round.
Edgar was almost knocked out in the first round both times they fought for the title. Edgar was able to rally back from near defeat, though it cost him a decision win in their first championship encounter. Instead of getting a tight win, Edgar had to settle for a draw.
Even as far back as his fight with Matt Veach, Edgar has had a problem with coming out strong in the first round. He keeps being defensive and only after feeling out his opponent does he start to go on the attack.
It is a great tactic because it allows Edgar to understand his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses while costing him a round at most. In three-round fights, it is a dangerous, but in title fights which are five rounds, it makes more sense.
The only flaw to it is when Edgar faces an energetic opponent who doesn’t slow down. The champion is undersized for the lightweight division so he has always relied on speed and better conditioning.
That is going to change on Saturday when he faces Henderson.
Henderson has not only competed in five-round title fights before, he started out fighting them at a breakneck pace. This is a man who was able to go three rounds with Clay Guida and win while fighting Guida’s kind of fight.
He also went five rounds with Donald Cerrone in WEC and was able to move from ground fighting to striking in a matter of seconds. He doesn’t have a feeling out mode and losing even one round to him could cost Edgar the decision.
He can fight at the same speed Edgar does and do it for all five rounds. Throw in the fact that Henderson is taller and a better striker, and it could spell disaster for the lightweight champion.
Henderson is also driven in a way that only a man who was a champion before can be. He knows what it is like to be on top of the mountain and that motivates him even more. He has the chance to prove that he is the best, and unlike the WEC, it will be for the title of best in the world.
Edgar doesn’t need to match the tempo that Henderson sets in his fights, but he does need to neutralize it. He can’t let Henderson get even one round in the books. The rest of the fight is going to be hard enough to win, losing one fifth of it on purpose is something he should avoid.
If he chooses to ignore the danger of letting his opponent take the first round, it may lead to Henderson taking the belt as well.
And Edgar would have no one to blame but himself.
Matthew Hemphill writes for the MMA and professional wrestling portion of Bleacher Report. He also hosts a blog elbaexiled.blogspot.comthat focuses on books, music, comic books, video games, film and generally anything that could be related to the realms of nerdom.
Whether Zuffa and its child company, the UFC, want to admit it or not, they almost always have some sort of rooting interest in every bout. Yes, the company makes money no matter which fighter comes out on top, but the difference in future earnings for…
Whether Zuffa and its child company, the UFC, want to admit it or not, they almost always have some sort of rooting interest in every bout. Yes, the company makes money no matter which fighter comes out on top, but the difference in future earnings for the promotion can be night and day depending on how things shake out.
So while they would be satisfied with Frankie Edgar staying atop the lightweight division, it is my belief that deep down, the company would love to see Benson Henderson walk out of the Saitama Super Arena as the new 155-pound champion at UFC 144.
Before you call me crazy and/or a host of other adjectives, please allow me to explain…
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 performan…
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.
We’re now only a few days away from UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson.” In the main event, Frankie Edgar defends his UFC lightweight championship against former WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.The co-main event will also be an in…
We’re now only a few days away from UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson.” In the main event, Frankie Edgar defends his UFC lightweight championship against former WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.
The co-main event will also be an interesting matchup, as former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson takes on Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader. As is customary, here are my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring UFC 144.
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson
I don’t make this decision lightly, but I think Benson Henderson will be the next UFC lightweight champion. Henderson has looked amazing in the UFC, and he was amazing in the WEC.
Edgar is good at everything and great at making a game plan to beat his opponent, but Henderson is great at everything and pursues his opponents with the tenacity of a true champion. I think Henderson is going to wear down Edgar and eventually catch him, but knowing that Edgar’s chin is too good, Henderson is going to use the opportunity to get a submission.
It’s going to be a long, hard fight, but eventually Henderson is going to win it.
Henderson wins by submission in Round 4.
Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader’s only chance of winning this fight is to grab Quinton Jackson and hold on for as long as possible. Coming off a stoppage loss (his first stoppage loss since 2005), Jackson is going to come in looking for Bader’s head.
My prediction: He’s going to find it. Bader simply won’t be able to keep up with Jackson, and he’ll crumble under the pressure of Jackson’s bombs.
Jackson wins by KO in Round 1.
Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
The first round of this fight is going to be all kinds of awesome. Both men are going to be throwing bombs, both in the form of punches and kicks, and neither man is going to give an inch.
Eventually though, some of the old problems Mark Hunt has shown in the past will catch up to him. His confidence will start to wane as Kongo keeps the pressure up, and his cardio will begin affecting Hunt since he threw so much in the first round. And finally, Kongo will catch Hunt and put him down for the count.
It won’t be as easy as it used to be, but my prediction is that Mark Hunt gets dropped and stopped.
Kongo wins by TKO in Round 2.
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
This will be Akiyama’s last stand. He could turn in one of his best performances in the UFC, or he could get taken down for three rounds. My prediction is…he’s going down and staying down.
Jake Shields will come into this fight knowing he needs a dominant win, and that’s exactly what he’ll be fighting for. Akiyama won’t be able to avoid the takedown for long, and since he’s never been much of a puncher Shields can just absorb his shots until the takedown is complete.
Shields win by unanimous decision.
Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
This will be another fight where Yushin Okami shines. With a combination of precise and powerful punching, great cardio and the occasional takedown which leads to some well-timed ground and pound, Okami should be able to win this fight convincingly. I have nothing against Tim Boetsch, but he’s simply out of his element and Okami is out of his league.
Okami wins by unanimous decision.
Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
I think Palaszewski is too good and Hioki is too unready. Hioki had a lot of trouble against George Roop, and I personally felt that Roop should have won that fight.
And without any disrespect intended, I think Palaszewski is several levels above Roop. Palaszewski will put the pressure on Hioki, and Hioki will wilt under it.
Palaszewski wins by TKO in Round 2.
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
As much as I like Joe Lauzon, I think this will be Anthony Pettis’ night. Faced with an opponent that wants to finish him just as badly as he wants to finish his opponent, Pettis will get the opportunity to shine in a way he’s never been able to so far in the UFC.
This will be a fight where afterwards I can finally say “Anthony Pettis has arrived.”
Anthony Pettis wins by unanimous decision.
Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews, and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.
While the thought of challenging for a world title might be unsettling for some fighters, Benson Henderson is fully prepared.Scheduled to face UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 144 this weekend, Henderson once held a …
While the thought of challenging for a world title might be unsettling for some fighters, Benson Henderson is fully prepared.
Scheduled to face UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 144 this weekend, Henderson once held a title of his own, as he reigned over the lightweight division in the now-defunct WEC.
He is no stranger to competition, as Henderson has faced formidable opponents in Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller. But in Edgar, who possesses strong boxing, quick footwork and heart, Henderson faces a fighter unlike any other.
Although he couldn’t necessarily point out many weaknesses in the champion, Henderson believes hard work and perseverance can neutralize Edgar’s boxing and angles.
“Keep throwing the kitchen sink at him,” Henderson told MMAFighting.com. “If you want me to beat you up for 25 minutes, let’s do that. I’m OK doing that.”
Henderson’s size and strength, combined with his wrestling and relentless pressure, has stifled many opponents’ game plans in the past, allowing him to capitalize on openings and pull off the win.
Although he wasn’t quick to point out many weaknesses, Henderson recalled the champion’s last few bouts were he saw potential areas he could exploit at UFC 144.
“He leaves openings,” he said. “Gray (Maynard) had him doing the funky chicken dance twice in both of the fights. So, because of that, we know he leaves openings.”
And Henderson believes he will be able to capitalize on those missed opportunities.
“If he lets me touch his chin, I will capitalize and finish off that,” he said.
The stage has been set for Benson Henderson to prove that he’s worthy of sharing the same octagon with Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 144 Japan. A victory come fight night will gain him the respect of not only his peers, but also the MMA world in general.