Tag: UFC on Fox 1

Benson Henderson is one of the true examples of what it means to be a challenge or a “threat” to a fighter in the UFC Lightweight Division.

The man is an enduring sort of guy who often seems very difficult to submit, even when everyone can see that his opponent has his submission hold locked in deep on Henderson, and he hasn’t looked terrible (he hasn’t been bruised much) since the first time he fought Donald Cerrone.

He last lost to Anthony Pettis at WEC 53 in a bout that saw fans find difficulty in backing one fighter without disrespecting or downgrading the other, but of course, we all know how that went.

Since WEC 53, however, Henderson’s toughness, grit, and ability to handle good fighters on the ground have made him something of a fan favorite, and his UFC on Versus 5 win over Jim Miller cemented that fact in what was a classic encounter.

In Clay “The Carpenter” Guida, Henderson combats a durable wrestler with relentless top control and the ability to finish fights by way of submission or ground-and-pound, but Guida is a wild sort that has posted up memorable wins only to get a bit crazy and cost himself the fight somehow.

Of course, Guida is still an exciting fighter, but if he has a chance to get Henderson down and control him, he will do so even if it means lulling crowds to sleep.

Henderson’s will to win comes in his ability to stay calm in tough situations and work past difficult scenarios in which his opponent seems to have control. It is due in part to his takedown defense and his ability to adapt to his opponent’s game plan in order to combat it.

Guida’s best chance might be to hope that he can wear out Henderson the way he was able to wear Pettis out, but even when it seems like a man is wearing Henderson out, it winds up being Henderson that wears his opponents out.

The key for Henderson is to keep his composure, create mistakes for Guida to make through his own striking, if possible, and get Guida to the ground, or wear him out enough to catch Guida in a submission and make him tap out.

It’s not going to be easy, but none of Henderson’s past outings were easy, and the last anyone checked, that was just the way Henderson liked it.

Going Team Guida? If you’ve got to back Guida, you can click here to find out why you’re making a good decision.

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You don’t have to like Clay Guida, nor do you have to appreciate the fact that he grounded-and-pounded his way past a tough-guarding Anthony Pettis en route to a unanimous decision, but when a man fights like Guida does, it’s hard to not like the guy.

Save for the Pettis fight, in which he seemed to slow down a touch after a first round that started off how everyone predicted, Guida is one of the few wrestlers that will bring it and bring it hard with little to no sign of relenting.

Guida has the wrestling needed to put a good fighter in great danger, but he faces a problem in former WEC lightweight champion Benson “Smooth” Henderson.

What’s the problem, exactly, in fighting Ben Henderson?

“Bendo” has the crushing submission power that has famously put Guida down in the past, the jabs and striking that might force Guida to resort to frantic takedown attempts (thereby possibly affeting his gas tank), and he has the warrior’s spirit that Guida has not seen in a fighter since the TUF 9 classic versus Diego Sanchez’s.

Guida could lock Henderson in the same exact choke that put Takanori Gomi away, but to no avail—that is not as much an under-estimation of Guida’s own submission game as much as it is a testament to Henderson’s heart.

At the end of the day, though, strong wrestlers can do work and do work dominantly if they pace themselves correctly, and in a nutshell, that’s what Guida will do to Henderson, or at least hope to do to Henderson at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Guida’s head and body movements, as well as his footwork, are going to get a brief mention in this thesis because we’ve come to expect this in his defense, and he uses his footwork to attack from angles some foes find difficulty in effectively countering.

Leg kicks, jabs, and anything to keep Henderson at bay—that is what Guida has to use in order to put himself closer to winning the fight, as it will help break down any defense Henderson has and help Guida effectively mount his signature offense en route to what could be a submission victory. Guida should choose to attack the neck of Henderson and anyone who is familiar with “The Carpenter” and his submission offense knows that he does well at attacking the neck.

It will be a miracle if any man at 155 right now can make Henderson tap out, but if anyone could do so at this level of active lightweight competition, it would be Guida, and if he can do it on Saturday, there would be little question as to whether Guida should get Frankie Edgar next or not.

Going Team Bendo? Henderson supporters can click here for an opposing view.

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