Benson Henderson’s quirky love for toothpicks

Benson Henderson has a quirky habit of fighting with a toothpick in his mouth.

In 2011 at UFC on Fox 1 he fought Clay Guida, and at the close of the fight, before the decision announcement, you couldn’t miss it.

In 2012 at UFC on FOX 5 he fought Nate Diaz, and during the third round, calmly extracted a toothpick from his mouthpiece and chewed on it, no hands.

During the UFC on FOX 5 post fight in cage interview with Joe Rogan, Henderson was asked about the toothpick.

I normally do (fight with a toothpick in my mouth), yeah, Henderson initially acknowledged. I have it in practices, when I spar and when I fight. It’s a bad habit, but whatever… I’ve gotten away with it so far.

Concerned perhaps of the dim view that a regulating commission would take of a fighter competing with a toothpick in his mouth, Henderson later recanted.

I was joking, I didn’t have a toothpick in my mouth during the fight, he said. I was being facetious.

If by facetious he meant “yes, I fight with a toothpick in my mouth” then the statement was factually correct.

At UFC Fight Night 60 on Saturday, he did it again. This was taken immediately after he submitted Brandon Thatch in the fourth round.

Henderson accurately describes it as a bad habit, and could have health consequences if he was knocked out and aspirated it.

Plus Nick Diaz accurately characterized the practice in 2012, when asked if he knew Benson kept a toothpick in his mouth.

I don’t know if he did,” said Diaz, who added correctly “but that’s weird.”

Officials ask the fighter before each fight if he has a mouthpiece in and cup on. Going forward they need also to ask Benson Henderson to spit out the toothpick.