PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Henrik Hendriks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benson Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hendriks comes to the cage accompanied by Toulouse. Henderson has chosen Sobota-tanczy as his entrance music. Henrik Hendriks has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hendriks
vs
Henderson

175 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Inexperienced

Ultimate Fighting Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Henrik Hendriks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Benson Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hendriks cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hendriks shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Henderson as he avoids it easily.
Hendriks is looking to clinch but Henderson is avoiding it.
Henderson throws a poor cross that misses

and Hendriks counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hendriks.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Hendriks from controlling successfully.
Hendriks throwing strikes but missing.
Henderson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hendriks trying to control but Henderson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendriks controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Henrik Hendriks just wasn't active enough.
Hendriks tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Henderson slaps away a takedown attempt from Hendriks, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hendriks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henderson circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henrik Hendriks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hendriks misses with a takedown attempt - Henderson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendriks with a poor takedown

and Henderson counters with a takedown into side control.
Henderson is staying tight to Hendriks's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Henderson trying to control the position but Hendriks is working away.
Hendriks tries to buck Henderson off but Henderson is having none of it.
Hendriks takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Hendriks down.
Hendriks tries to improve position but can't.
Hendriks misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Henderson just content to control the position.
Henderson working the head and body with strikes.
Hendriks manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wants to get back to full guard.
Henderson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Hendriks looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Henderson is trying is best to control the position here.

Hendriks is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Henderson is just riding it out for now. Hendriks eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Hendriks stands up from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hendriks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henderson circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Benson Henderson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hendriks gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Henderson counters with a single leg into guard. Hendriks didn't expect that.
Hendriks looking to control.
Henderson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hendriks is proving hard to escape from.

Henderson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hendriks has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Henderson has managed to get both his arms back between Hendriks's legs - danger averted.
Henderson lands a couple of elbows.
Henderson throws an elbow that misses. Hendriks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Henderson's guard. Nice move by Hendriks!
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Hendriks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Benson Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hendriks is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson looking for a sweep. Not yet Henderson, not yet.
Hendriks trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson pulls Hendriks in close to prevent any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Henderson can do anything to dispel that myth.

Hendriks is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Henderson is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Henderson has escaped and now he's on top!
Henderson wants to control from the top but Hendriks keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson sitting in guard here, content to control.

Hendriks looking for a guillotine here but Henderson defends easily.
Henderson lands a couple of elbows.

Hendriks is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Henderson defends well.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Hendriks keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henderson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Henderson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Henderson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Henderson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Henderson trying to control but Hendriks is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hendriks looking for a guillotine here but Henderson defends easily.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Hendriks keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Benson Henderson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Henderson trying to control from half guard but Hendriks is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benson Henderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hendriks shoots in but no luck this time.
Hendriks tries for a takedown but Henderson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hendriks tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Henderson swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henrik Hendriks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hendriks fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hendriks.
Hendriks fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Henderson avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hendriks is defended easily by Henderson.
Hendriks tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Henderson wants to take a breather but Hendriks is having none of it.
Hendriks won't allow Henderson to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Henderson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Henderson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hendriks does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Henderson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Hendriks looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Henderson trying to mount his opponent but Hendriks defends it.
Hendriks looks like he's trying to stand up.
Henderson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hendriks. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendriks tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Henderson lands strikes from half guard.
Hendriks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hendriks has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henderson is working away from the top position though.
Henderson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Henderson tries to pass to full mount but Hendriks defends it.
Henderson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Benson Henderson.

Hendriks tries to sprawl but Henderson drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Henderson is trying to control the action in half guard but Hendriks is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Well, if Henderson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Henderson stops Hendriks from getting back to his feet.
Henderson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Henrik Hendriks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Benson Henderson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hendriks misses with a two punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benson Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henderson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benson Henderson!
Benson Henderson took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Ultimate Fighting Gear for their support in the buildup to the fight.