5 biggest names Benson Henderson fought in the UFC
Benson Henderson rebounded from the first three-fight losing streak of his career with a split decision win over Islam Mamedov at Bellator 273. The former UFC lightweight champion has competed against some of the best fighters in the world since his professional debut in 2006.
Fantastic win by Benson Henderson.
Was a sizeable underdog against a guy who hadn't lost in 12+ years.
He fought with so much determination and showed he still has much more in the tank.
Henderson was also a former WEC lightweight champion before his UFC run, which spanned from 2011-2015. During that time, he became the champion and impressively racked up three successful title defenses.
Competing at the top of one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC meant there was no shortage of big names for Henderson to fight. He also moved up to the welterweight division, creating an even bigger pool of high-profile opponents for him to face.
Following that, Henderson moved over to Bellator, where he challenged unsuccessfully for both the lightweight and welterweight titles. He continued to pick up plenty of wins but then suffered three straight defeats heading into last weekend.
Hopefully, his win on Saturday will see him go on another run, as he is great to watch when he's on his game. He already has quite the legacy and his list of opponents to prove that.
Here are the five biggest names Benson Henderson fought in the UFC:
Honorable mention: Rafael dos Anjos
#5. Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar
Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar had two famous battles inside the octagon, both of which were for the UFC lightweight championship. Both bouts were tightly contested, with each man operating at the top of their game.
The first fight between the pair came at UFC 144 when Henderson earned a unanimous decision victory to snatch the belt from Edgar. The pair then immediately ran it back and this time it was a highly controversial split decision win for Henderson. Many felt the wrong man had his hand raised.
Feb26.2012
Ben Henderson def. Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision,
to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion https://t.co/n4oNM1HMCF
Following that bout, Edgar dropped to the featherweight division, where he fought for gold on three separate occasions. He has now dropped down another weight class to bantamweight, where he is currently ranked No.11 and is on a two-fight skid.