(Showboat all you like, Thomson, but God will still be on Bendo’s side come decision time. / Photo via Getty)
Josh Thomson is 35 and, if you ask us, should be coming off the biggest win in his career over Benson Henderson. But the UFC didn’t ask us, they asked three judges who gave the nod in UFC on FOX 10‘s main event to Henderson—a controversial decision which put many fans in a state of furious disbelief. Even UFC president Dana White disagreed, and even slighted Henderson’s fighting style.
Alas, a win—no matter how questionable—is still a win. Henderson will climb the ladder, while Thomson and the thumb he broke in the first round will fall down the chute. This is more than Thomson can seemingly bear.
“This might be it, man,” Thomson said at the post-fight press conference when asked about whether his time in MMA was almost over. The frustrations of fighting on the world’s largest stage spilled out of Thomson.
(Showboat all you like, Thomson, but God will still be on Bendo’s side come decision time. / Photo via Getty)
Josh Thomson is 35 and, if you ask us, should be coming off the biggest win in his career over Benson Henderson. But the UFC didn’t ask us, they asked three judges who gave the nod in UFC on FOX 10‘s main event to Henderson—a controversial decision which put many fans in a state of furious disbelief. Even UFC president Dana White disagreed, and even slighted Henderson’s fighting style.
Alas, a win—no matter how questionable—is still a win. Henderson will climb the ladder, while Thomson and the thumb he broke in the first round will fall down the chute. This is more than Thomson can seemingly bear.
“This might be it, man,” Thomson said at the post-fight press conference when asked about whether his time in MMA was almost over. The frustrations of fighting on the world’s largest stage spilled out of Thomson.
“You train this hard, for this long, for such a long camp, and I see my title shot just fucking disappearing, you know? Without getting emotional right now, it’s really irritating me.”
“I felt like I won. And I won with one hand. I beat the former UFC champion, who was a guy who’s been here for two years, and I beat him with one hand. That’s what I can’t stomach. I’m a better fighter, and that pisses me off.”
Nevertheless, Thomson said he would’ve contemplated retirement even if he had won.
“I’d still be in the same position…what’s the point of winning the title knowing that you’re not going to fight that much longer? I don’t want to do that to the UFC either. But like I said, I’ve got to sit down with them and just talk about the direction of how this all should go.”
Will retirement be a wise decision for Josh Thomson? It’s difficult to tell. At age 35, his time is definitely limited. However, as Thomson himself said, he took it to a former champ while basically one-handed. The 35-year-old that can do that might want to stick around for just a couple more years.
Benson Henderson won’t go quietly.
The former lightweight champion’s split-decision victory over Josh Thomson on Saturday kept him comfortably ensconced among the 155-pound elite, much to the chagrin of his opponent, most spectators and pro…
Benson Henderson won’t go quietly.
The former lightweight champion’s split-decision victory over Josh Thomson on Saturday kept him comfortably ensconced among the 155-pound elite, much to the chagrin of his opponent, most spectators and probably UFC matchmakers too.
As for the fact that yet another controversial judges’ verdict in his favor only reinforced Henderson’s reputation as perhaps the sport’s most vexing talent—a guy whose UFC record contains more than its share of questionable decisions—he refused to apologize.
“I like Ws,” Henderson said at the post-fight press conference (via MMAJunkie). “I like getting my hand raised and I’ll take it any way I can get it. Slipping on a banana peel, by the skin of my teeth. By any means, you know?”
With his penchant for getting the nod in close fights, Henderson has grown into a singular, frustrating figure in the MMA landscape. I’m not sure we’ve ever seen anyone quite like him before—a guy so adept at winning bouts the vast majority of onlookers think he ought to have lost.
Certainly, he is among the very best fighters of the talent-rich lightweight class, but it’s now been nearly four years since he’s crafted a stoppage victory.
His game-planning and fighting style seem specifically designed to get him into close bouts and the fact that he’s won a few that easily could’ve gone the other way hasn’t earned him much capital with fans.
This latest outcome also did very little to point the way forward for a 155-pound division stuck in the doldrums, with both its champion (Anthony Pettis) and erstwhile No. 1 contender (T.J. Grant) out nursing injuries.
According to MMAJunkie, UFC president Dana White told a Las Vegas television station this was just a “typical Ben Henderson fight,” by which he meant it was very long, very close and resulted in very few definitive answers.
Many spectators thought Thomson would be announced as the winner after he controlled much the competitive, five-round affair with his grappling. Even after he broke his thumb in the first round, he managed to take Henderson down and capture his back on numerous occasions throughout the fight.
In the end, however, the judges appeared to favor Henderson’s sheer volume of strikes over Thomson’s control, handing Henderson a split verdict (48-47, 47-48, 49-46).
MMAJunkie suggests that, had Thomson won the razor-close decision, he would have been “next in line” for a championship opportunity. Henderson, with two previous losses to Pettis on his record, won’t get the same deal. Even after Saturday’s victory, White indicated Bendoshouldn’t hold his breath.
“He didn’t do anything that’s going to have anybody screaming, ‘Oh, I want to see him get another shot at Pettis,’” White said.
In other words, there is still no clear direction for the lightweight division, still no healthy and clear-cut No. 1 contender, and still no great ideas about what exactly to do with Henderson.
Much of what happens next may depend on how quickly Pettis and Grant can get healthy. If their rehabilitation schedules somehow line up, Grant could finally get the title shot first promised to him last August. If not, then Henderson’s win could potentially open the door for a litany of contenders.
The most obvious course of action might be to have Henderson rematch with Thomson, but few people seemed to be scrambling for that in the immediate aftermath.
Perhaps half because Thomson’s broken thumb could keep him on the shelf for a while and half because fans know deep down it would only result in another “typical” Henderson fight.
Depending on any number of uncontrollable factors, Henderson may next end up with a rematch against Gilbert Melendez in what would seem like as good a title eliminator as any. A bevy of top-10 lightweights like KhabibNurmagomedov, Rafael dos Anjos or even Donald Cerrone—who also won on Saturday night—could also wind up in the pole position after another win or two.
The future is perhaps most uncertain for Thomson, who came to the post-fight press conference with his arm in a sling, emotionally wrought and saying he wasn’t sure if he could muster the will to launch another comeback.
“This could be it, man,” said the deflated former Strikeforce champion.
Though he shook Henderson’s hand and told him “good job,” no one seemed more befuddled by the decision than Thomson. At 35 years old, he said he could feel his last best chance at UFC gold slipping through his fingers.
It remains unclear if his hints at retirement will stick, but he wasn’t in a very optimistic mood after the decision was announced.
“This fight, I felt like I won,” Thomson said. “I won it with one hand. I beat the former UFC champion, the guy who was here for two years and I beat him with one hand. That’s what I can’t stomach. I’m a better fighter, that’s what pisses me off.”
Stipe Miocic earned his second win in a row over a well-entrenched gatekeeper Saturday night at UFC on Fox 10, out-landing an exhausted Gabriel Gonzaga.
It wasn’t the most emphatic win of his career, but a win is a win and Miocic has five of them in th…
StipeMiocic earned his second win in a row over a well-entrenched gatekeeper Saturday night at UFC on Fox 10, out-landing an exhausted Gabriel Gonzaga.
It wasn’t the most emphatic win of his career, but a win is a win and Miocic has five of them in the UFC, offset by just one loss to the MIA Stefan Struve. That makes him a dark-horse title contender and a breath of fresh air in the otherwise stagnant heavyweight top 10.
So, how will the UFC handle him next? Who might it match him against next? What will the ramifications of that fight be?
Josh Thomson came up just short at UFC on Fox 10.
In a competitive five-round bout with former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, Thomson was on the wrong end of a split decision. Henderson’s luck with judges continued in the close bout. …
In a competitive five-round bout with former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, Thomson was on the wrong end of a split decision. Henderson’s luck with judges continued in the close bout. The loss for Thomson meant he would not be guaranteed the next title shot against Anthony Pettis.
After the event concluded, Thomson mentioned that “this might be it” for his illustrious career. That would be unfortunate and not at all official. If Thomson does decide to return to the cage, the question is: Who is up next for the elite fighter?
Thomson brings in a complete skill set, quality name value and a high ranking. The options are not great, but here are three names for Thomson’s next outing.
Anthony Pettis
This fight won’t happen, but the UFC should not completely take it off the table.
Why? Timing, injuries and the lack of a for-sure top contender.
Henderson is not likely to get the title shot, and TJ Grant has yet to return from injury. That leaves Gilbert Melendez as the lone opponent for Pettis. What if something happens to Melendez in training, or what if the timing isn’t quite right? Thomson still makes sense as the backup contender.
The UFC can push how close and contentious the decision loss to Henderson was. The fighters below Thomson in the rankings are not ready to challenge for the championship, and that leaves Thomson sitting pretty.
The UFC should not throw Thomson out of the title picture just yet.
TJ Grant
Grant was on a roll, and he earned a title shot. A concussion in training forced him out of the title shot. He has not returned since.
There is no set timetable for Grant’s return, and with Thomson’s post-fight revelation, that could work to this fight’s benefit.
Grant will most likely not return to a title shot after such a lengthy absence, and the fight with Thomson could be a title eliminator bout later in 2014 when both men are ready to return to action. It is a fight that makes a lot of sense for both men and the UFC Lightweight Championship.
Benson Henderson
Rematches are not the fans’ favorites, but sometimes they makes the most sense. That is the case with this potential rematch.
Henderson is not getting the next title shot, and it was a very contentious split decision. There is little reason not to make this fight.
Thomson broke his hand early in the bout, and that altered how the fight played out. It left questions surrounding the contest. With both men sitting high in the rankings, this fight could play out as a title eliminator.
The fight would not sell a pay-per-view, but it would make an outstanding main event for a future Fox Sports 1 or UFC on Fox card. It cannot be a co-main event. This fight must be five rounds and not three.
Henderson vs. Thomson was one of the most fun lightweight tilts in the past year. Seeing it again would be a treat. The result would hopefully be more definitive than the one we got on Saturday in Chicago.
This opinion might be unpopular, but it’s true. UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis‘ younger brother just isn’t ready.
Sergio Pettis is talented, of that there is no doubt. While most 20-somethings were complaining about trivial social justice issues on Thought Catalog or watching Girls, Sergio Pettis was kicking ass en route to the UFC, showing that he has ample technique and a bright future. The hype wanted us to believe Pettis’ future was now. Fuck the Super Mario Brothers, it was time for the Super Pettis Brothers.
Alas, like with nearly every young, buzzworthy prospect, Pettis faltered. The hype train managed to steamroll over his pedestrian UFC debut, but not so for his follow-up fight against Alex Caceres at UFC on FOX 10. Pettis lost via submission in the third round. Even though the fight was close and well-fought up until the submission, a loss is still a loss.
“He’s just not as good as his brother,” some will say. Others will be harsher, citing Alexander Emelianenko syndrome. “If it wasn’t for his last name, you’d have never heard him; he’s nothing special.”
They’ll be right, but only about the “if it wasn’t for his last name” part.
This opinion might be unpopular, but it’s true. UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis‘ younger brother just isn’t ready.
Sergio Pettis is talented, of that there is no doubt. While most 20-somethings were complaining about trivial social justice issues on Thought Catalog or watching Girls, Sergio Pettis was kicking ass en route to the UFC, showing that he has ample technique and a bright future. The hype wanted us to believe Pettis’ future was now. Fuck the Super Mario Brothers, it was time for the Super Pettis Brothers.
Alas, like with nearly every young, buzzworthy prospect, Pettis faltered. The hype train managed to steamroll over his pedestrian UFC debut, but not so for his follow-up fight against Alex Caceres at UFC on FOX 10. Pettis lost via submission in the third round. Even though the fight was close and well-fought up until the submission, a loss is still a loss.
“He’s just not as good as his brother,” some will say. Others will be harsher, citing Alexander Emelianenko syndrome. “If it wasn’t for his last name, you’d have never heard him; he’s nothing special.”
They’ll be right, but only about the “if it wasn’t for his last name” part.
If Sergio Pettis was just a highly skilled 20-year-old without the baggage of a notable surname, he might not have been brought into the UFC so quickly. And even if the UFC had hired him, the negative, hateful fallout from a loss—or even from a lackluster victory—wouldn’t be so great.
The UFC has a history of throwing still-developing prospects into the fire nuclear reactor a little too soon. They fed a 20-year-old, 4-0 Max Holloway to Dustin Poirier back at UFC 143. Charles Oliveira‘s career was rushed as well. He went from fighting the likes of Efrain Escudero straight to top-flight talent like Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone. The young Brazilian wasn’t ready for this dramatic uptick in competition, and his career suffered. It still hasn’t rebounded.
But you don’t hear about these fighters quite so much because they don’t have famous older brothers. The MMA twitterverse isn’t rife with activity when these fighters lose. It was when Sergio Pettis lost.
In MMA, the drawbacks of a famous last name often outnumber the benefits; exposure is a double-edged sword that slays the lesser brother, leaving their career as one of many corpses the message board vultures pick clean.
2014 is not Pettis’ time. He’s quite a talent for his age, but he’s still green. At 20, and with a skill set that’s not quite there yet (but still growing tremendously with loads of potential), he’s not a world-beater. He might be one day, but not today. He’d benefit from more time on the regional circuit. But since he’s got a famous last name, the UFC might not heed this advice and let Pettis go develop his skills more. They’ll keep pushing Sergio Pettis before he’s ready just because he’s Sergio Pettis, the champ’s brother. And if he fails, he’ll forever become the Luigi to Anthony’s Mario—the perennial understudy—all because of his last name.
Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson entered UFC on Fox 10 with aspirations of moving up the ladder in the lightweight division, but in the end it was Henderson who overcame a tough challenge from Thomson to perhaps put himself in position for a title sho…
Benson Henderson and Josh Thomson entered UFC on Fox 10 with aspirations of moving up the ladder in the lightweight division, but in the end it was Henderson who overcame a tough challenge from Thomson to perhaps put himself in position for a title shot.
Despite coming into the fight as a heavy favorite in the main event, Henderson squeaked out a very close split decision. Despite a 46-19 advantage in significant strikes and a 114-33 advantage in total strikes, Henderson lost the fight on one card, 48-47, while picking up wins on the other two, 49-46 and 48-47, per FightMetric.
The decision win might not have been what “Bendo” was looking for in his return to the Octagon as a contender, but it did make a little UFC history:
There was plenty of buzz surrounding the main event at the United Center in Chicago, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Both men desperately tried to outdo the other, and it spoke to the depth and high level of competition within the UFC’s lightweight class.
It wasn’t long ago that the 30-year-old Henderson was the UFC Lightweight Champion and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Henderson dropped the title to Anthony Pettis back in August, though, which marked his second career loss to the current lightweight champ.
Even with the loss, Henderson remained atop the lightweight hierarchy in terms of title contenders. Rather than simply giving him another crack at the championship, however, Bendo had to prove his worth by beating the No. 4-ranked Thomson.
Henderson revealed his plan to be aggressive against Thomson, according to UFC on Twitter, and put that strategy into action.
Henderson also had some added motivation stemming from comments Thomson made about the ranking of Henderson and other WEC fighters a few years ago, according to Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie.
“I have a pretty good memory, and I remember when guys talk smack about me,” Henderson said. “I remember when other fighters say something derogatory about me. I don’t forget that stuff.”
This fight represented perhaps the greatest opportunity of Thomson’s career. After a great run with Strikeforce, the 35-year-old Thomson decimated Nate Diaz in his first UFC fight since 2004 in April. That put Thomson a win over Henderson away from possibly challenging Pettis for the strap.
Unfortunately for Thomson, though, Henderson proved to be too much. The loss is obviously a huge setback for Thomson in his quest for the title considering his age, but he acquitted himself well and could eventually get back in the mix down the line.
In fact, Thomson was supposed to face Pettis for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, but a knee injury suffered by Pettis resulted in the fight being put on hold, and now it may not happen at all after Thomson’s loss to Henderson.
The result wasn’t a huge surprise considering some of the information that came to light prior to the bout. According to MMAjunkie, Thomson had an awful training camp leading up to Saturday’s contest.
That may have contributed heavily to Thomson’s inability to overcome Henderson, although some might argue that Henderson is simply the better fighter.
As for Henderson, he was expected by most to come away victorious against Thomson. He did what he was supposed to do, but the focus now shifts to the speed bump known as Pettis. Henderson has twice lost to Pettis and it remains to be seen if he has what it takes to overcome his kryptonite.
Whenever Pettis returns from injury, conventional wisdom suggests that Henderson is next in line for a crack at the title despite his past struggles against him. Henderson will eventually have to get past that obstacle to become the best lightweight in mixed martial arts yet again, and his win over Thomson suggests that he is capable.
Benson Henderson won’t go quietly.