Ben Henderson Meets Rustam Khabilov in Albuquerque

The UFC will be heading to Albuquerque, NM for the first time in it's 20 year existence, June 7th.  The event will be a Fight Night Card headlined by former UFC/WEC Lightweight Champion, Benson "Smooth"  Henderson taking on Russian standout Rustam Khabliov in a 5-round fight.

Former champ, Benson Henderson, wants to prove himself against the rising contender, Khabilov, so that he can prove that his controversial decision win over Josh Thomson was not a fluke.  A win for Khabilov will get him the respect that he deserves and join the league of contenders vying for a shot at the title.  It will not be an easy fight for either man.  It is sure to be an entertaining fight and definitely main event worthy on a Fight Night card.  It will be interesting to see if we see any of Greg Jackson's fighters on the card.  Many of the UFC's top stars fight out of Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque.  UFC FLyweight John Dodson has already began to petition for a spot on the card:

Post by John "Magician" Dodson.

UFC on Fox 10: Could This Be the End for Thomson

After coming up short to Ben Henderson in a split decision victory, that many feel that he won, Josh Thomson has not come out and said that he is retiring, but he has hinted towards it.  At the post-fight conference Josh Thomson said that he will need to think about things before proceeding with the rest of his career. Josh Thomson stated that "this may be it" when referring to his loss to Benson Henderson.

I feel that Thomson may still be able to make a run for the title, but only if he wants to.  Sure he is 35-years-old, but Randy Couture win the UFC Heavyweight Championship for the third time at the age of 43?  Thomson is a spectacular fighter with all the tools to get to the top.  Thomson just needs to press forward with his career despite his disputable loss to the former champion on Saturday.  Thomson just needs another impressive dominate win such as the one over Nate Diaz to elevate him back to the top.

UFC on Fox 10 Results

Main Card:

Benson Henderson def. Josh Thomson via split decision
Stipe Miocic def. Gabriel Gonzaga via unanimous decision
Donald Cerrone def. Adriano Martins via first-round KO
Jeremy Stephens def. Darren Elkins via unanimous decision

Preliminary Card:

Alex Caceres def. Sergio Pettis via submission (rear-naked choke)
Eddie Wineland def. Yves Jabouin via second-round TKO
Chico Camus def. Yaotzin Meza via unanimous decision
Hugo Viana def. Junior Hernandez via unanimous decision
Daron Cruickshank def. Mike Rio via second-round TKO
George Sullivan def. Mike Rhodes via unanimous decision
Nikita Kyrlov def. Walt Harris via first-round TKO

UFC on Fox 10 Weigh-in Results

Main Card:

Josh Thomson (155) VS Benson Henderson (156)
Gabriel Gonzaga (258) VS Stipe Miocic (245)
Adriano Martins (155) VS Donald Cerrone (155)
Jeremy Stephens (146) VS Darren Elkins (145)

Preliminary Card:

Sergio Pettis (135) VS Alex Caceres (135)
Yves Jabouin (135) VS Eddie Wineland (135)
Yaotzin Meza (135) VS Chico Camus (135)
Hugo Viana (136) VS Junior Hernandez (136)
Mike Rio (155) VS Daron Cruickshank (155)
Mike Rhodes (171) VS George Sullivan (170)
Nikita Krylov (218) VS Walt Harris (241)

Anthony Pettis Injured, Henderson Returns to the Octogon

With Anthony Pettis suffering with an injured knee, Anthony Pettis is being pulled out of his title fight with Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9.  That fight is being entirely pulled from that card and will instead be headlined by Demetrius Johnson versus Joseph Benavidez II.  Since that fight was originally scheduled to be the headlining fight for the TUF 18 finale, Nate Diaz's fight with Gray Maynard will be headlining the TUF 18 finale.  Also with Pettis out of his title fight, the UFC has decided to put Thomson in a fight with former UFC Lightweight Champion, Benson Henderson in January 2014. This will be Henderson's first fight since losing the title in late August. 

UFC Fight Night 32 Weigh in Results

Main Card:

Vitor Belfort (204) vs. Dan Henderson (204)  Vote who you think will win!
Cezar Ferreira (185) vs. Daniel Sarafian (186)
Rafael Cavalcante (205) vs. Igor Pokrajac (204)
Rony Mariano Bezerra (146) vs. Jeremy Stephens (146)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (171) vs. Ryan LaFlare (170)
Paulo Thiago (170) vs. Brandon Thatch (170)

Preliminary Card:

Godofredo Castro (146) vs. Sam Sicilia (146)
Thiago de Oliveira Perpetuo (185) vs. Omari Akhmedov (182)
Thiago Tavares (156) vs. Justin Salas (155)
Daron Cruickshank (155) vs. Adriano Martins (155)
Dustin Ortiz (125) vs. Jose Maria Tome (126)

Rafael dos Anjos Willing to Accept Fight with Henderson

Earlier this week, Benson Henderson stated that he would be interested in a possible bout with Rafael dos Anjos who is on a five-fight win streak.  Rafael dos Anjos has stated that he is more than willing to accept the fight and already had Hdenderson in the back of his mind as a potential opponent to help get him closer to a title shot.  Like Henderson, dos Anjos is a very well-rounded mixed martial artist who can strike, grapple or finish from any position whether standing or on the feet.  This would be an interesting match that would be great for viewing and help decide a possible contender for the next title shot.  Aside from a bout with Henderson, dos Anjos was also interested in potential bouts with Gilbert Melendez or TJ Grant.

I would LOVE to see if Rafael dos Anjos is able to run through another top ten Lightweight in the form of former UFC Lightweight Champion, Benson Henderson.  I think that Henderson is a superior fighter, but I also believe that dos Anjos has the tools to pull of an upset.  If you don't believe it, just go watch dos Anjos systematically defeat Donald Cerrone to earn an obvious unanimous decision in August.

Henderon Wants a Fight with dos Anjos

After suffering his first loss in the UFC since his debut since the WEC ended a few years back, Henderson is finally vocal again and he knows who he wants.

Benson "Smooth" Henderson has finally revealed that his camp has some interest in red-hot Rafael dos Anjos in a fight that he believes will get him back to the title that once belonged to him not that long ago. I think tha a fight with dos Anjos is a smart move for Henderson considering dos Anjos is very close to a title shot if he can defeat another top ten fighter. Henderson, in my opinion, has an edge over everyman he faces with the exception of Anthony Pettis who has defeated him twice now. Henderson has the tools to defeat Pettis but he first must defeat a few men in order to get there.

Pettis-Aldo-Melendez-Grant

As reported earlier this week, Jose Aldo has continued to show interest in a lightweight fight with the UFC champion Anthony Pettis.  Also TJ Grant was the rightful man to a title shot before having to pull out of two title fights.  This week another curve has been thrown into the mix of the UFC Lightweight Championship; Gilbert Melendez has stated that he is ready again to take the title that he feels already belongs to him.  The following questions are now raised:

1. Who will the UFC give the next title fight to after the Pettis-Thomson fight?
2. Who stands a better chance of taking the title from Pettis?
3. Will Grant still be considered the number one contender upon his return?
4. If Aldo fights Pettis what happens if he fails to capture the title?
5. Also what will it take for Henderson to get back in the title picture?
6. Does Thomson have what it takes to pull the upset over newly crowned lightweight king, Pettis?

The UFC has a line of elite competitors all waiting to get their hands on Pettis and some important decisions to make as to the future of their Lightweight Division.  The answer to the first question is one that I do not have the answer to, but as soon as I do, you will all be the first to know.  In my opinion I would prefer to see Aldo or Melendez over Grant at this point.  I was anticipating the fight between Aldo and Pettis at UFC 163 so that is the match that makes the most sense to me.  The answer to who stands a better chance against Pettis is a debatable question, but if I had to pick one of the three to beat Pettis I would have to say that the man to stand the best chance is Gilbert Melendez.  I feel that Gilbert has the better gas tank of the three and an ability to be sharp and effective throughout a five round war if necessary.  Gilbert Melendez has a cerebral approach to fighting that has led to many victories and titles in the Strikeforce and WEC in the lightweight division.  He is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and has the ability to not walk right into Anthony Pettis' game plan.

In regards to TJ Grant, I feel that he has now lost his spot as the next guy in line for the title.  I think that he will have to return and win another fight before he gets back in the spot due to the delay in his return.  He will need a tune-up fight to get him in prime position to challenge for the UFC title.  Or the UFC wanted to put things back to the way that they should've been, they could still put together a match between TJ Grant and Ben Henderson for a number one contender's spot against the winner of the Pettis and Thomson match up.  Sure both men aren't fighting for the title as originally scheduled but this provide's the UFC the opportunity to put together the match that was meant to take place at UFC 164.  I think if this match was put together, the winner could justifiably ask for a title shot.

Though I think Gilbert has the best chance of beating Pettis, I also think that Aldo possesses what it takes to defeat Pettis as well.  Despite feeling that Aldo could beat Pettis, we must ask ourselves what would happen if Aldo were to lose against Pettis?  The UFC and internet forums are just assuming the current UFC Featherweight Jose Aldo will make his move to the lightweight division, take Pettis' title and continue the rest of his MMA career as a lightweight in the UFC.  Longtime followers of MMA know very well that anything can happen in MMA and it is very possible that Anthony Pettis could find a way to defeat Jose Aldo if they were to clash.  If this were to happen what would that mean for Jose Aldo?  If he loses there are two options that are possible: he could go back to 145 and continue to defend his belt or he could stay at 155 so then he wouldn't have to continue to cut so much weight to defend his UFC Featherweight Championship.  Jose Aldo has annihilated most of the featherweight roster in the UFC or in his time in the WEC; it would be interesting to see how he would handle the UFC's Lightweight roster.  I think Aldo could hold his own in the lightweight division as well, but I think that he will be challenged more by the slightly larger fighters in the division.  I think that Aldo will perform even better than we've seen him if he isn't cutting so much weight before getting in the cage.

The biggest question to ask would be can Thomson beat Pettis and the answer is yes!  When discussing anyone of these guys in this post, we are talking about the elite of the elite in the UFC, so anyone of them COULD beat the other guy, but it becomes a matter of who came into the fight with the best game plan.  I think Thomson definitely has the potential to beat Pettis and ruin all title fights discussed above.  Thomson could spoil all potential title fights involving Pettis and making us start thinking about Thomson vs. Aldo-Melendez-Grant-Henderson. Also if this were to occur would Pettis still have a shot to face Aldo at 145 lbs?  Also what if there is someone else that the UFC has in mind to fight for the title next?  Ladies and Gentleman, we have a very interesting UFC Lightweight Division and I can't wait to see what happens.

What Should Happen Next For Henderson

After Ben Henderson's title loss to new UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis we are left with the question of who Benson Henderson should fight next.  I think that there a few fights that make sense for the UFC to put together.

I think that a fight with current #4 ranked UFC Lightweight Josh Thomson would be the fight that I want to see the most.  Josh Thomson is coming off of a knockout finish over Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 7 in April.  Josh Thomson has been considered an elite lightweight fighter for many years.  In his UFC return he proved that the bright lights of the UFC place no extra pressure on the MMA vet.  I think that this match up is one that makes the most sense.  Thomson is on his way to the top and knocking on the door of his title shot and a win over Henderson would be a good way to secure a shot.

On the inverse it is also a beneficial match for Henderson as well.  Henderson has demolished most of the UFC's top lightweights upon his entrance into the UFC.  Now that Strikforce has been absorbed  by the UFC there are more options out there for Henderson to face.  If Henderson could defeat Thomson he could cement his elite status by defeating a very respected MMA vet who still has a lot of fight left.  Josh Thomson has many victories in Strikeforce and has challenged for the Strikforce title on three occasions.  Josh Thomson could arguably be considered the second best Lightweight fighter to come out of Strikeforce, following Gilbert Melendez.  If Henderson wins it means that he can still beat the UFC's best-of-the-best in the 155lb weight class.

Another option is the possibility of a Henderson-Cerrone III.  There's nothing that fans love more than a good trilogy.  Both men are coming off a defeat within the last two weeks and need a win.  Like Thomson, Cerrone has been a long time contender in the Zuffa organization.  Donald Cerrone has fought for the WEC Lightweight Championship on three occasions.  His first title fight was with Jamie Varner and his next two were with Benson Henderson.  Cerrone is a one of the UFC's best lighweights and a great match up for Henderson to produce a war.

In October at UFC 166, the king of the Strikforce Lightweight Division, Gilbert Melendez, will be facing the original Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez.  If Ben Henderson were to face the winner of the Melendez-Sanchez it provides UFC fans with two beautiful options: a rematch that allows Gilbert Melendez to avenge his split decision loss to Henderson earlier this year or a fresh match between two of the UFC's biggest stars whose paths have yet to cross.

Other options: Rafael dos Anjos, Gleison Tibau, Gray Maynard and BJ Penn if he chooses to pursuit his fight career again.

Pettis Gets Grant, Not Aldo

After UFC Champions Jose Aldo and Anthony Pettis have both expressed extreme interest in facing each other, Dana White and the UFC have other plans for Pettis. It has been announced that Anthony Pettis will be facing the man who was originally scheduled to fight this past weekend at UFC 164,  TJ Grant. Athony Pettis has suffered a sprain knee from his bout with Benson Henderson this past weekend.  Upon his return he will have have a hungry Grant waiting to snatch the title from Pettis. I think that this decision makes since and that Grant had definitely earned his title fight.

TJ Grant has won five straight victories since he has joined the UFC Lightweight Division including a win over former title challenge Gray "the Bully" Maynard at UFC 160. There is no one else in the division who can cjallenge Grants position at the top of the 155lb weight class.

UFC 164 Results

Last night was definitely a night of thrills that truly entertained. From the the prelims to the main event there was not a single dull moment. Lots of stars rose to the occassion at UFC 164 which was headlined by UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson taking on charismatic challenger Anthony Pettis. 

The main card was kicked off with a phenomenal featherweight fight between two of the sport's youngest rising stars and Top 10 contenders. In a fight in which Erik Koch was the favorite over Dustin Poirier, Poirier came out into that fight showing a very skilled grappling game to go along with his impressive standup striking skills. Early in the fight Koch snapped in a tight triangle that looked like it would quickly end the fight but Poirier endured and was one step ahead of Koch for the remainder of the fight. Poirier earned a much deserved unanimous decision. 

 The next fight featured the heavyweight return of Branden Vera in a tough match with longtime MMA fan favorite."Big" Ben Rothwell. Vera was relatively large in his fight last night opposed to his recent fights at 205. Vera did a good job at staying on the outside and throwing kicks from the outside and avoiding damage. Vera was able to land clean shots for the entire first two rounds. In the third round, Rothwell came into the third round knowing that he needed to go for broke and so...he did. "Big Ben" came out like a hyped up wildman out for revenge. Rothwell swung to the fences and put Vera on the mat to earn the tko victory. 

 Chad Mendes faced off with Clay Guida in another exciting Featherweight fight that was a long time coming. After injuries.had.postponed this fight for months, this fight finally happened. Clay Guida fought in his usual style of dancing around to throw off his opponent. For the most part it seemed to be working but Mendes still managed to put off some great shots on Guida. The fight was stopped in the third round when Chad put together a series of strikes that were able to stun Guida and stop him by strikes for the first time in his career in the third round.

Frank Mir and Josh Barnett were the co-mainevent fight of the evening. Frank Mir showed up in the best shape that he appeared to be in in years. Frank Mir and Barnett clinched early in the fight with Barnett getting Mir backed into the cage with Barnett controlling Mir while they were both striking in tight quarters. Barnett was definitely getting the better of the exchanges in the clinch. Within two minutes of the fight, Barnett landed a clean knee to the face that put Mir into enough trouble for the referee to stop the match.

Finally the event that we all were looking to see was the Pettis vs. Henderson. Henderson came out strong controlling Pettis against the cage using a unique calf kick to help stifle Pettis' offense. Pettis was able to break away from the cage and attack Henderson with a series of kicks to the body. Henderson took Pettis to the ground which proved to be a mistake when Pettis was able to catch Henderson in an armbar which forced Benson Henderson to verbally submit. Henderson admitted to his arm snapping during the fight. Anthony Pettis became the new UFC Lightweight Champion.

Anthony Pettis def. Benson Henderson via verbal submission (armbar) - Round 1, 4:31

Josh Barnett def. Frank Mir via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 1:56

Chad Mendes def. Clay Guida TKO (punches) - Round 3, 0:30

Ben Rothwell def. Brandon Vera via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 1:54

Dustin Poirier def. Erik Koch via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Gleison Tibau def. Jamie Varner via split decision (29-28, 27-29, 29-28)

Tim Elliott def. Louis Gaudinot via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Hyun Gyu Lim def. Pascal Krauss via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 3:58

Chico Camus def. Kyung Ho Kang via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Soa Palelei def. Nikita Krylov via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 1:34

Al Iaquinta def. Ryan Couture via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Magnus Cedenblad def. Jared Hamman via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 0:57

UFC Champion and Underdog

Benson Henderson (19-2), is the UFC's current and defending Champion this evening in his title fight with Anthony Pettis this evening.

Benson Henderson has been fighting under the Zuffa Brand since his WEC debut against Anthony Njokuani, in January 2009 in which he won by guillotine in the second round. Since then he has racked up a total of 12 combined victories in the UFC and WEC. He has defeated the likes of Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone (twice), Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, Clay Guida, Frankie Edgar (twice), Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. Ben Henderson's only loss since his WEC debut was in his final WEC bout with Anthony Pettis. It was a closely contested battle in which Anthony Pettis pulled his now famous Showtime Kick out of his bag of tricks to steal the fifth round and entire fight to become the WEC Lightweight Champion back in December 2010.

Anthony Pettis made his debut in the WEC in June 2009 against Mike Campbell in which he secured his victory with a triangle choke in the first round. Pettis has 8 victories under his belt under the Zuffa label. He has defeated current Champion Benson Henderson, Jeremy Stephens, Joe Lauzon, and most recently Donald Cerrone. He has acquired only two losses in the UFC/WEC to Bart Palaszewski and Clay Guida.

Since the both men have joined the UFC, Benson Henderson has not lost a single fight and has managed to capture the UFC's Lightweight title and defend it successfully three times. Even though Henderson has the better recordnand less blemishes under Zuffa, many sources are giving the edge to Pettis. Both men have grown since their last rendezvous in the WEC and Henderaon has continued to prove to the judges that he can control and win a fight. Pettis has still continued to grow in his creativity in strikes as well as his finishing ability.

I think that Pettis will be flahier this time around,  but I dont think that flashy approach guarentees success.  I think it will be another close fight in which I still see Benson Henderson coming out on top this time as he has against all of his UFC opponents since his arrival.