Benson Henderson prepares for the final round of his fight against Gilbert Melendez in their lightweight championship bout during the UFC on FOX event at the HP Pavilion on April 20, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)" width="1600" height="900" /> SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 20: Benson Henderson prepares for the final round of his fight against Gilbert Melendez in their lightweight championship bout during the UFC on FOX event at the HP Pavilion on April 20, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
BEN HENDERSON LEAVES THE UFC TO SIGN WITH BELLATOR
By Sherdog
Las Vegas, NV (February 1st, 2016)– Benson Henderson, the former lightweight titleholder of Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, has found a new home at Bellator MMA.
Henderson, 32, on Monday revealed the news in a blog post on his official website.
“I’d like to officially announce my move over to Bellator MMA,” Henderson wrote. “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.”
Specifics of the signing were not mentioned in Henderson’s post, in which the fighter also thanked former UFC bosses Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta for helping to change his life.
Henderson became a free agent after completing the final bout on his UFC contract in November, when he collected a five-round split decision over Jorge Masvidal in South Korea. UFC officials have confirmed that the promotion waived its rights to match offers for Henderson’s services.
Henderson exits the Octagon on a two-fight winning streak, with both of those victories coming at 170 pounds. It is currently unclear whether “Smooth” will remain at welterweight or return to 155 pounds, where he has held multiple world titles. His impressive 23-5 record includes wins against the likes of Frankie Edgar, Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone.
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