Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Did the nature of Ben Henderson's UFC on Fox 10 win actually hurt his path back to a Title fight?
Jan 28, 2014 - 12:35:57 PM ROUNDTABLE: Did the nature of Ben Henderson's UFC on Fox 10 win actually hurt his path back to a Title fight?

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Does the controversial nature of his split-decision win over Josh Thomson actually hurt Benson Henderson's chances at working back to another fight with Anthony Pettis, or does he have the same lengthy road regardless? Why or why not?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Henderson was a country mile away from a title shot against Anthony Pettis on Saturday afternoon, and he's a country mile away from a title shot against Anthony Pettis now. Had he slaughtered Thomson, which he clearly did not do, he might have put himself a little bit closer. That he won ugly didn't help him get closer, but that he didn't lose means at worst he's at the same place he was before. Limbo. I also think Dana White is getting tired of Henderson's style, as evidenced by his sneering dismissal of another "typical (Benson) Henderson fight." Don't bore the boss when you fight. In the UFC that rule is sacrosanct, even more so than don't piss off the boss. Dana White will employ (sorry, Independently Contract) fighters he doesn't like, but he'll fire great fighters who bore him (See Okami, Yushin and Fitch, Jon).


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I am not convinced that it hurts him. It is not his fault the ref’s got it wrong. I agree that the decision was too close to call, but to penalize Henderson for not finishing a fight does not make any sense. Having said that the UFC has a horrible track record of making the title fights they want instead of making the fights for the most deserving fighters. Benson Henderson is two or three fights away from another title shot regardless.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think it's the same long road regardless. This is who Henderson is. He's demonstrated time and again that this is how he fights, and he's going to try to improve. The judges don't give him much incentive to improve either, with the way they judge things. He seems destined to be the new Jon Fitch, a guy who can beat almost everyone but the champ. The danger that Henderson faces is that if he loses a few in a row, he's out. I think his win over Thomson doesn't do much for his case at a title shot, but it doesn't hurt it either.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

It certainly hurts him now that Dana White has effectively ruled him out of another instant title shot this summer. I very much doubt he would have got one anyway, even if he'd finished Josh Thomson to earn his win.

It's difficult to sell a fight so soon after he lost so convincingly to Pettis in what was his second loss to the champ. To earn another shot is going to require at least one more win over a fellow top contender in the division.


[Benson Henderson art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]