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Benson Henderson, one of the most dominant figures in the world of mixed martial arts, has recently announced his retirement plans. The former UFC lightweight champion, who joined Bellator MMA in 2016, has stated that he will retire from the sport once he completes the Bellator lightweight tournament as a champion.
As the lightweight champion of the UFC and WEC during his MMA career, Benson Henderson has done a lot. He will have the chance to achieve a remarkable achievement on Saturday at SAP Center by winning the Bellator lightweight belt, which would be his third major professional title.
Following his victory over Peter Queally in September of last year, "Smooth" has not competed. The fact that it was the former champion's second consecutive success made it noteworthy. Earlier in the year, Henderson had defeated the much-fancied Islam Mamedov.
The lightweight will now be making a comparable appearance tomorrow evening. In the main event of Bellator 292, Henderson faces Usman Nurmagomedov for the lightweight championship. With eight boxers vying for gold and $1 million, the contest will serve as the lightweight Grand Prix's opening round.
Henderson acknowledged he seems to be in the prime of his chosen profession during Bellator 292 media day earlier this week, but he still chooses to call off his career. He certainly feels better physically. That's not the case. Maria, his wife, just agreed to a multi-fight contract with Bellator. Just as she was doing for him years back, Henderson is interested in paying her back, moving aside, and then letting her focus on her profession.
“Yeah, four fights left with the Grand Prix and I thought, ‘Wow, that works out well doesn’t it’. That would be a dream come true, but if you work your butt off man, you can live your dreams. You can have your dreams,” Benson Henderson stated at Bellator 292 media day this week. “No [there’s no temptation to stay], at the end of these fights I’m done.”
He continued, “I think for everyone, athletes who retire at this age, they always ask if they can play one more [time]. I still feel good, fast, competitive, but for me, it’s more than just being competitive and being able to hang with the best guys in the world. It’s more about my wife getting her turn, she needs to get going and be able to concentrate on training and fighting.”
“Our kids are getting old enough now that I can do my due diligence and take over more full-time, and let her do full-time training.”
Regardless of how one feels about his decision to retire, there is no denying the impact that Benson Henderson has had on the world of mixed martial arts. His career has been filled with memorable moments, and his legacy will undoubtedly endure for years to come.
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