UFC NEWS – Benson Henderson Has Welterweight Aspirations
“155 is my weight class and I’m going to own it. I want 55 to be synonymous with myself, I want to be synonymous with the 55-pound weight class, but that being said, the older you are the harder it is to cut weight. I’m getting a little bit older now and cutting weight sucks… There’s a few guys who’ve said things pretty similar as far as cutting weight when you get older, how hard it is. Dan (Henderson) is a perfect example. He’s wrestled forever. I wrestled and cut weight six months, seven months out of the year since I was 12 years old. It’s kind of getting old. I don’t like it so much anymore. It is hard on the body. People don’t realize how much of a factor it is. Thankfully, I hired a nutritionist, Travis Jeffries, full time and been a little bit smarter about it. As I get older, I eat healthier, try to eat the right things, make all these little sacrifices that it takes to be a champion… Hopefully, eventually my technique catches up where I can hang with guys that are freaking 20 pounds heavier than me, and use more of my speed when they’re bigger and slower, and my technique makes up for them being stronger than me.
UFC lightweight fighter, Benson Henderson tells mmaweekly.com that he eventually see’s himself moving up in to the UFC’s welterweight division.
Former lightweight such as BJ Penn and Matt Serra have made the jump up and won 170 pound titles in the process. However, other guys like Duane Ludwig and Diego Sanchez have failed to ascend through the welterweight rankings.
Will Henderson be able to make a successful trip up or will he go from contender to gatekeeper?
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Benson will be undersized as a welterweight. If he decides to move up in weight, that freakish takedown/submission defense of his will be above average at best against some of the higher tier fighters. I’d say he should cut back on the weights and become an even better endurance fighter. The pace the guy maintains is exhausting to the other guy as it is. The fact that he cuts +20 pounds per fight isn’t going to help him as he gets older.
Hope .. Hope Ben steals that Lw belt from Edgar! Make my year..I know he can do it!
Well Benson does have all the tools to take the belt from Edgar. The guy is massive as a lightweight and he’s proven that he has the endurance for a five rounder. Some argue that Frankie will out-dance Benson throughout the match, but people tend to forget this man’s ability to deliver punishment inside the pocket. Although his striking may not be as crisp as it could be, the guy is willing to eat a punch to dish out something harder. Despite his heart, the one thing we’ve learned from Frankie’s last two title shots is that his chin is susceptible to that one shot.
All that being said, the fact that Benson plans on gaining even more muscle for this title fight already outlines what his game plan is; couple exchanges standing, keep it to the ground. We all know that Frankie can take an ass woopin’, but his submission defense is relatively unknown. Although the guy knows how to bring the fight back to the feet, the only top tier wrestler to have fought Frankie was the knockout hungry Gray. Just thinking about a 180lb behemoth wrestler on top of an undersized lightweight screams mismatch.
Frankie better keep this shit standing, or else it’ll to Benson by “man handling”.
It’s funny how not too long ago, WEC fighters were considered inferior to UFC fighters. Now I think Benson has a great chance against Edgar. Edgar is a tough dude but I think Benson is equally tough and they both set an insane pace. It’s hard to call this one but I know it will be a violent fight.
I understand his point but then he will be more utilize if he will stay at 155 and dominate the division first and jump to the next division.
benson is so far from being a gatekeeper. frankie’s natural weight class is 145 and now that benson is saying that 170 is his gives us a better marker for how the two of them size up relative to one another. their fight is going to be the best in lightweight history (sorry BJ), i think. i think frankie is faster than benson and there is a reason for why he beat BJ twice. if he wins this fight he is the pound for pound king. benson is in my opinion the most well rounded fighter in mma. it’s going to be an excellent fight. maybe even more exciting than diaz vs st pierre, for 2012
best light weight in histrory? already? yeah probably not, it takes awhile, alot of title defence’s before someone would be considered the best of alll time in any weight class. p4p king? you really think he has more talent then a.silva? compare their talents, frankie has great traditional boxing, silva has great maui thai, i give the advantage to anderson cuz he gets hit less and knocks more people out, wrestling is obviously frankie, but grappling in general, its hard to say cuz when silva gets that clinch he ****s people up, and bjj silva is obviously better, so head to head anderson has the advantage in more parts of the fighting game and has jumped weight classes, so basicaly this whole comment was to ask how can frankie be ahead of silva?
Ben all tha way
Frankie Edgar is the best wrestler and boxer in the UFC today the only way Henderson has a shot is to stall Grey Maynard was a for time all American wrestler two weight classes above Edgar but in his pro career frankie just destroyed greys wrestling if anybody thinks he detains wresting is half as good as greys there nuts I really think this fight just proved how good franky is and how grey Frankie and bj are a big step up in the div O. No frankies fighting somebody bigger then him. Get the **** outta here Henderson a can
Edgar has the best boxing? You’re insane. Did you forget about nick Diaz and junior dos santos? The thing that Henderson has over edgars last opponents is he cam push a pace. It’s gonna be a great match I think Henderson will be the new champ of 2012
Yes. He is insane
omg. You guys are dumb as hell. Edgar has better boxing than Diaz, Junior and henderson. They are in different weight classes idiot. That should not take away anything from his great technique. I dont even like edgar but its very obvious he has the best boxing skill set of any MMA fighter in the UFC. Just because you have knockout power doesnt mean you have “great boxing skills”. Edgar has the best because when you judge you are suppose to judge on technique dumb asses.
dude you have no ****in clue what you’re talking about. edgar has better boxing than diaz and jds? i’m sorry but those are two of the top boxers in mma if not the best. edgar has heart and a great pace, that makes up for where he may lack.
Edgar does not have the best boxing. Anderson does. When Frankie can bob and weave and knock people out at will he will be a good boxer. Frankie is a wrestler with fast hands and feet that’s it.
yep @ frankie is a wrestler with fast hands and feet
frankies boxing is great, but like you said he is defiantly not better then jds, you could make an arguement that he is better then diaz or even or not as good,just depends on your opinion i guess,but i think the best boxer is between bj and jds, i just wish bj could have a little more gas in the tank, but you can see when he is not tired his boxing is great, probably the best.
Are u kidding me jds Hasn’t shown any boxing a hard right hand isn’t boxing hate to break it too u Edgar goin to walk all over Henderson he’s well rounded but not good in any area his pace isn’t half Edgars pace nor his conditioning I’ll put my life on it Henderson still hasn’t fought anybody like Edgar u guys just don’t get it Edgar ten steps above this guy
I got Frankie winning this battle too. Frankie is a BEAST!
I agree that Frankie is a beast; dude can take a punch like mad and has great hands. He’s super fast and can in and out quickly. That being said, you can’t underestimate Bendo’s talent; he has an amazing ability to rise to the occasion and manage to win fights even if it’s wayy outside his gameplan. I can’t wait to see this fight man. I got Bendo on this one by decision, but if Frankie does win, there’s no way it will be a ‘walk all over’ Bendo victory.
?……. did you see him fight carwin? JDS has a little more than a good right, ask almost any expert, or fighter, i think most of them would say JDS is the best boxer
When Bendo’s done making frankie his bitch frankie will prlly retire mma and go back to his old job being a plumber.
His last fight against guida was a good one but guida seemed weaker strength-wise
How tall is Bendo anyways? Usually the lower in weight class you go the shorter the fighters. Good luck to him if he wants to go up to ww in the future but he is gonna have a rough time with bigger opponents.
He’s 5’9 Ninja; & I agree 170 is going to be a different story for him. He’s a talented dude, but so is BJ. He’s 5’9 and look at the trouble he’s having.
on a side note: BJ vs. Hendo would be awesome to see.
yeah it would be tough… but hes gotta focus on 55.. theres enuff animals there
benson vs Bj would be cool,… but i really wanna see bj smash prick story or ellenberger
team penn all day!
BJ vs Hendo would be an awesome battle! BJ would have to pack on some muscle of course to make to mw, I don’t think Hendo can cut beyond 185.
i think grt was referring to B. Hendo not Dan hendo ninja
but ya D.hendo mos def cannot cut past 85 haha
LOL my phone is always making me say things I don’t mean. I though GRT meant Bendo but wasn’t sure.
lol, oops spelling error. I meant BJ vs Bendo.
BJ vs. Hendo though would still prob. be good. He fought Machida at 185 to a draw – amazing.
hahah idunno if it be such a good fight for bj (dan hendo)
he fought lyoto but lost a UD but lyoto weighed in like 15 or more lbs heavier … but yes bj is a true damn warrior
Yeah, I saw that one. BJ belongs in 155, he looked pretty round at 185 LOL! He certainly has looked his best at 155 shape-wise.
he fought him at heavy weight and lost a split decision i think, i’d have to check sherdog to see i forget.
hope Bendo beats Edgar!
hope Edgar beats Bendo!
Ben Hen is a better nickname. Bendo sounds like bend over which sounds Gay
hahahhahah, yah
Ben Hen is gay too…………..Benson~~~Smooth~~~Henderson…..
How about ya try winning the lightweight title first before ya talk shit about moving up. Clay Guida rematch might see the end of you. Stop talking shit and fight your a brilliant fighter but going to get stopped real quick … need the focus.