As reported earlier on the site, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson completed his UFC contract in late 2015 and chose to join Bellator.
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Henderson was a World Extreme Cagefighting Lightweight champion before the company merged with the UFC, resulting in a transfer of all the fighters.
“I’m beyond excited for this next phase of my career, it’s a big move, like any move when switching employers or jobs after having worked somewhere for such a long time”, he wrote.
“I’m honestly happy for Benson”.
“Coming over from the UFC with what I’ve accomplished, yes, we knew we would have a title shot in whichever weight class we decided”, Henderson told ESPN. Everybody behind the scenes who I personally dealt with every time I reported in or had to do something.
As for Henderson, he gets more up-front money, a chance to challenge for titles at both lightweight and welterweight and a host of fresh opponents. Bellator president Scott Coker confirmed the announcement on Twitter, welcoming Henderson to the promotion. They really want to see what their value is. This could be the last contract he ever signs.
Henderson brings a lot to the table, but it wasn’t enough for the UFC to want to keep him in the fold and even though the split was amicable and everyone said the right things, other fighters will take notice of his departure and consider following suit. “It’s always good for the industry to have more than one bidder”. You guys and girls are the ones who make that show great and allow us fighters to do what it is we love!!!
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So is this simply the departure of a single top-level fighter or is it symbolic of a much greater change on the MMA landscape as a whole?
