Benson Henderson: I haven’t brought the goods to Bellator
Benson Henderson: “I know I’m a big name still for Bellator, but I haven’t brought the goods, so it’s on me. it’s squarely on my shoulders to back it up, to bring the goods.”
It’s widely believed that all the world’s top fighters are in the UFC. However, experience doesn’t always bear that out. Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson left the world’s dominant league on a two-fight win streak.
But Henderson lost his Bellator debut in a welterweight title fight vs. Andrey Koreshkov via Unanimous Decision. Then Henderson returned to lightweight and beat Patricio Freire when the latter suffered a leg injury. That earned ‘Smooth’ a lightweight title shot vs. Michael Chandler, which he lost via Split Decision. And then Patricio’s brother Patricky beat him too, again via Split Decision.
Those decisions stand in stark contrast to the UFC, where Henderson had four Split Decisions and won them all. While everyone fights hurt, it can’t have helped that Henderson had a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus for the first three Bellator fights. He’s now fully recovered from surgery but ‘Smooth’ is not one to cite injury as an excuse.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, ‘Smooth’ was characteristically honest about his Bellator performance to date. He also discussed his fight with Roger Huerta, at lightweight, on April 6, in the main event of Bellator 196.
Anti-climatic. Not as advertised, said Henderson, as transcribed by Mike Chiappetta for MMA Fighting. I know I’m a big name still for Bellator, but I haven’t brought the goods, so it’s on me. it’s squarely on my shoulders to back it up, to bring the goods.
I pushed for 155. They offered a catch weight at first, but I know I didn’t have the best showing at 155, and I want to fight for titles. I want to fight for belts, and that’s why I do what I do. Knowing that, I didn’t want people to say, ‘Henderson’s last fight, he looked good and he won. He got the finish but it was 165, it wasn’t at 155 so is he really deserving?’”
I want to take away as many excuses as possible. I want to get another title shot. I need to get impressive victories. I need to go out there and win, get my hand raised, and I need it to be at 155, not 160, not 165, not 170.
Henderson once said he would retire at 33, but turned 34 in November.
Whenever it is I am done with this sport, I want it to be on my terms, he said. Whenever that point is, making sure it’s me on top, walking away with my held high.
