Benson Henderson – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Bellator 292 predictions: Can Benson Henderson upset massive favorite Usman Nurmagomedov?

Check out our staff members’ picks for Bellator 292 in San Jose, Calif., featuring the start of the lightweight grand prix.

	Nurmagomedov vs. Henson	Musayev vs. Shabliy	Moldavsky vs. Vassell	Page vs. Yamauchi
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 23-14	Nurmagomedov (68%)	Shabliy (57%)	Moldavsky (69%)	Page (66%)
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 27-13	Nurmagomedov	Shabliy	Vassell	Page
Nolan King @mma_kings 26-14	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Matt Erickson @MattE 26-14	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 26-14	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 25-15 2018, 2022 Champion	Nurmagomedov	Shabliy	Moldavsky	Page
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 24-16	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 24-16	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Yamauchi
Simon Samano @SJSamano 24-16	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Yamauchi
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 23-17 2014 Champion	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Brian Garcia @thegoze 22-18 2017 Champion	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 22-18	Nurmagomedov	Musayev	Moldavsky	Page

Bellator is back in its Northern California home base this week with a lightweight title fight at the top of the lineup.

Bellator 292 takes place Friday at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, lightweight champion [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (16-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) puts his title on the line for the first time since he won the belt this past November against Patricky Freire. He takes on former UFC and WEC lightweight champ and two-time Bellator title challenger [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (30-11 MMA, 7-6 BMMA) in a fight that doubles as a quarterfinal bout in Bellator’s lightweight grand prix.

Nurmagomedov is a massive favorite at -2500 at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Henderson is +900. Henderson never has been worse than a +350 underdog in his UFC and Bellator career until now. Given the odds, it’s not surprising our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Nurmagomedov as a unanimous pick at 11-0.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Tofiq Musayev[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Alexander Shabliy[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) on the other side of the lightweight grand prix bracket. Shabliy is a slight favorite at the betting window, but our pickers may have taken into account Musayev’s 27-second KO win in his Bellator debut, and they have him with a big 9-2 picks lead.

Also on the main card, former interim heavyweight champion [autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) will try to make a case for another shot at champ Ryan Bader when he takes on [autotag]Linton Vassell[/autotag] (23-8 MMA, 11-5 BMMA), who has won four straight. Moldavsky is more than a 3-1 favorite, though, and is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 16-2 BMMA) is just a slight betting favorite at -125 in his welterweight bout against [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 14-4 BMMA). The winner will be in prime position to ask for a title shot. But despite the close numbers from the oddsmakers, our pickers have Page with a big 9-2 lead.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Nurmagomedov (80 percent), Shabliy (57 percent), Moldavsky (69 percent), and Page 66 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 292.

Benson Henderson announces three-fight timeline for retirement, with history made before then

Former UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson announces the remaining fights on his Bellator MMA contract will be the final of his career.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] held UFC gold. He held WEC gold, too. Saturday at SAP Center, he’ll have the opportunity to win the Bellator lightweight championship, a third major promotional title, and a rare feat.

At Bellator 292, Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-6 BMMA) takes on Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA), the current Bellator lightweight champion and a surging younger cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. In addition to being a title fight, the bout is a quarterfinal of the promotion’s 155-pound grand prix.

Henderson admits he’s in the twilight phase of his career, but attributes the impending curtain close to a desire rather than a necessity. Physically, he still feels good. It’s not that. His wife, Maria, recently signed a multifight deal with Bellator. Henderson wants to repay the favor, step aside, and let her work on her craft – just like she did for him years ago.

“She put off her career, like a lot of wives do,” Henderson told reporters at media day Wednesday. “It’s International Women’s Day today, so shoutout to all the women out there, internationally, everywhere. They put up with a lot of stuff from us guys. My wife put off her career so I could shine and do what I do. It’s worked out pretty well for us. Now, it’s going to be my turn to step back and pick the kids up from school, drop them off at soccer practice, take them to chess practice and let her practice.

“… At the end of these (three) fights, I’m done. I think for everyone at retirement age and athletes who are going to retire, you always have that play-one-more Tom Brady, ‘Can you play one more? Can you not play one more?’ I still feel good. I still feel fast. I still feel I’m competitive. For me, it wouldn’t just be feeling competitive, like I can compete and hang with the best guys in the world and this and that. It’s mostly more about giving my wife her turn.”

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In most cases, a fighter in waning career years doesn’t have as much opportunity to make history as Henderson. Entering an eight-man tournament means Henderson has the opportunity to not only add another major promotion’s title to his wall, but could win a grand prix and cash an extra $1 million for his troubles – a storybook ending.

“I think winning this grand prix will be pretty amazing. I have done a lot of work,” Henderson said. “The decisions I’ve made in my career going this path, the path of least resistance or the more comfortable paths, or the more steady path you go or which path you choose, all the decisions I’ve made, winning this grand prix, winning this lightweight belt, the third belt of mine, the Bellator lightweight title, it means everything. It means absolutely everything to me.”

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UFC veterans in MMA action March 9-12

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in MMA action this weekend across the globe.

It’s another home game for the UFC, although this event isn’t taking place at the UFC Apex, nor T-Mobile Arena. UFC Fight Night 221 takes place at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, featuring a bantamweight clash between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.

Elsewhere, many other MMA events are taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

These 10 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA boxing this week from March 9-12.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Bellator 292 pre-event facts: All-time KO leader meets all-time submission leader

Bellator 292 will see the man who holds the most knockout wins in company history share the cage with the promotion’s all-time submission leader.

Bellator returns to its home base of San Jose, Calif., on Friday with Bellator 292, which takes place at SAP Center with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

The main event features the start of the promotion’s lightweight grand prix. The title will be on the line in the opening-round matchup, as reigning 155-pound champ [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (17-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) will attempt to make his first defense against former UFC and WEC titleholder [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (30-11 MMA, 7-6 BMMA).

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about Bellator 292.

Maria Henderson officially joins husband Benson on Bellator roster: ‘It’s something we’ve always hoped for’

Bellator MMA is now a family affair for the Hendersons – for the long haul.

Bellator MMA is now a family affair for the Hendersons.

Although [autotag]Maria Henderson[/autotag] has competed under the promotion’s banner as an amateur in a one-off deal, she wasn’t rostered long-term like her husband. Until Friday, that is. As first reported by MMA Underground, Henderson, wife of former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag], inked a multifight deal with the promotion.

A Bellator official has since informed MMA Junkie that Henderson (1-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) will next fight against 3-0 amateur Mackenzie Stiller (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at Bellator 293, a March 31 event at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif.

“It’s something we’ve always hoped for,” Henderson told MMA Junkie on Friday. “Like I said, we fought for them before and I knew I needed a little bit more experience in the cage. I fought for them once and I fought for LFA a few times. We needed to get our feet wet. I’ve been trying to transition into MMA for a while, like, get fully into it. When we went pro, that’s what we did. I feel like it’s a good time for us. We know we’re going to make exciting things happen with Bellator.”

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Henderson, 30, fought at Bellator 268 in October 2021, when she defeated Collette Santiago in 40 seconds by submission. The bout was a rare amateur bout for the promotion, which decided to go outside of its typical professional boundaries and capitalize on the opportunity to put a husband and wife on the same card.

After she obtained a 3-0 record as an amateur with two submissions, Henderson turned pro. Henderson won her pro debut by Americana in 102 seconds at LFA 135 in July. There were light conversations about a long-term deal with Bellator in the past, but after her most recent win, the seriousness went to another level.

One previously long-standing obstacle for Henderson was the lack of a strawweight division in Bellator. However, the promotion may look to add one in the future. When or if they do, Henderson will be ready to prove herself.

“I knew they didn’t have a division,” Henderson said. “I’ve joked around with some of the guys in the past, like, ‘Hey, you know I’m ready if you want to start that division.’ They’re like, ‘Hey, bump up to 125 and we’re good to go.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, no. I can’t do that. I don’t even walk around at 125. It’s just exciting. It means that not that they’re basing it off me or anything, but I’m ready to help them open that door.

“I don’t know how many girls they have on their roster so far. I know they’re going to be having a division going in the future. It’s just going to take some time to get it up and running. It’s just a bigger platform to get myself going in that 115-pound division. I’m going to be the best 115-pounder in the world.”

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Video: Bellator lightweight grand prix fighters face off for first time

Take a look as the participants for the Bellator lightweight grand prix came face to fight for the first time.

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is hosting a lightweight grand prix this year, and for the first time Friday, the promotion brought all eight participants together for a news conference, followed by faceoffs.

The tournament kicks off March 10 at Bellator 292 in San Jose, Calif., where champion [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (16-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) defends the title against [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (30-11MMA, 7-6 BMMA) in a quarterfinal. Also that night, [autotag]Tofiq Musayev[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) meets [autotag]Alexander Shabliy[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA).

On May 12 at Bellator Paris, [autotag]Mansour Barnaoui[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) will take on [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) in a quarterfinal. The remaining quarterfinal between [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (20-1MMA, 20-1 BMMA) and [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 15-9 BMMA) has yet to be booked for an event date and location.

In the video above, you can watch all the opponents come face to face.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 9-15)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Jan. 9-15.

Bellator announces 8 participants for lightweight grand prix; tournament starts March 10 in San Jose

Eight lightweights will fight for the end rewards of a Bellator lightweight title and a $1 million bonus, beginning in March.

The Bellator lightweight grand prix is official, and so are its eight participants.

While some matchups are still being worked out, the tournament is slated to begin at Bellator 292 on March 10 from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Bellator president Scott Coker announced the news Wednesday on “The MMA Hour.”

After a report Wednesday by OC Register, MMA Junkie confirmed with promotion officials the first two quarterfinal matchups at Bellator 290: champion Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Benson Henderson, and Tofiq Musayev vs. Alexander Shabliy.

This leaves Mansour Barnaoui, Sidney Outlaw, A.J. McKee, Patricky Freire, and Sidney Outlaw left to be matched up.

The lightweight grand prix is the fifth tournament during the Coker era of Bellator, but the first at lightweight. Heavyweight, featherweight, light heavyweight, and bantamweight previously have been featured.

Coker did not rule out the tournament could end by the end of 2023, depending on how the fights and scheduling plays out.

Scroll below to find out more about the eight fighters who earned a shot to compete in the Bellator lightweight grand prix.

Bellator 285 post-event facts: Yoel Romero makes history with late knockout

Check out the numbers behind Bellator 285, where Yoel Romero added to one of the most unique records in MMA.

Bellator returned from a six-week hiatus on Saturday with Bellator 285, which went down at 3Arena in Dublin and featured a 13-fight lineup on the card.

The main event featured a dominant performance from former UFC and WEC lightweight champion [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (30-11 MMA, 7-6 BMMA), who shut down Ireland’s [autotag]Peter Queally[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) over the course of five rounds to win a unanimous decision and begin his late-career push toward the title.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the event, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from Bellator 285.

Benson Henderson calls for winner of Patricky ‘Pitbull’ vs. Usman Nurmagomedov lightweight title bout

Benson Henderson wants to get his hands on Bellator gold.

[autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] is aiming for another shot at Bellator gold.

Following his dominant 25-minute display against Peter Queally in the main event of Bellator 285 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, Henderson made it clear who, what, and where he wants his next bout.

In the co-main event of Bellator 288, Patricky Freire puts his lightweight title on the line against the undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov. If Henderson gets his wish, he wants to face the winner of the bout, no matter who emerges with the gold around his waist. Although, if ‘Pitbull’ retains, Henderson admits that fight would mean a little more.

“I want the title shot next,” Henderson told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “It’s the Russian vs. Brazilian. Mad respect for ‘Pitbull,’ I’m a huge Patricio, Patricky fan. Patricky has the belt, and he has a ‘W’ over me. So, I think it would be very apropos for him to win his fight and for me to square off against him, and take the belt from him since he has a ‘W’ over me.

“But if Usman happens to win, if it’s him instead, let’s go ahead and have Bellator set up a fight in Russia. Ohh, eww – Russia’s a no-no right now. So, maybe we go somewhere else in the Eastern Europe and go do a title shot over there somewhere.”

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Henderson has faced both Freire bothers with mixed results. He defeated Patricio by TKO stoppage due to injury at Bellator 160, but Patricky avenged his brother’s loss by split decision win at Bellator 183 in 2017.

If Henderson does get his way, it would be the third opportunity for Bellator gold during his run with the promotion. In his debut following his UFC exit, Henderson faced Andrey Koreshkov for the welterweight title at Bellator 153, but lost a unanimous decision. His second title opportunity came at lightweight against Michael Chandler at Bellator 165, but was on the wrong side of a split decision.

After back-to-back wins, Henderson thinks it’s time for another shot at the lightweight strap.

“Whoever wins, that is what I want next,” Henderson said. “That’s why I said yes to Peter, he just fought for the belt, just lost for the belt. (The plan was) To go out there and go dominate, get my hand raised against Peter, and get a title shot next. … But, it’s up to the powers that be.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 285.

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