Benson Henderson Edges Jorge Masvidal in UFC Fight Night 79 Main Event

You wanted high-level MMA in the morning? You got high-level MMA in the morning.

Benson Henderson and Jorge Masvidal battled for five tightly contest rounds inside the Octagon, and Henderson walked away with a split-decision victory at UFC Fight Night 79—staying true to the Benson Henderson five-round fight formula.

Henderson and Masvidal put on a showcase of what MMA can be when fought at its highest level. Technique was on full display on the feet and on the ground, and even defensively. The exchanges ran the full gamut of punches, kicks and knees going to the legs, body and head.

The former lightweight champion had the most successful punch of the fight early on when he dropped Masvidal by catching him off balance, and Masvidal had the most dangerous submission with a high-elbow guillotine.

How close was the fight on the feet? Jason Floyd of The MMA Report tallied the unofficial striking numbers as Henderson 127, Masvidal 124. It was Masvidal with a higher percentage landed, but Henderson also landed three takedowns in the fight.

This is the kind of fight we expected from the two veterans, and it delivered. Henderson got the nod, but Masvidal did nothing to disprove the notion that he, too, is a top-flight fighter.

Questions do still remain, as this was Henderson’s final fight on his current UFC contract and he may test the free market.

 

What’s Next?

• For Henderson, it is the aforementioned contract decision. Will he be re-signed, or will another MMA promotion pony up the cash to sign him? He is one of the world’s best fighters, but the premium price he may demand could see his exit from the UFC.
• Masvidal could fight just about any lightweight or welterweight and be competitive. However, he has some flaws in how he approaches rounds that sees him come out on the losing end. Saturday was no exception.
• If Henderson re-signs, he has earned a top-10 fight in the welterweight division. No. 7-ranked contender Dong Hyun Kim also competed on this card, and that fight would be huge for a return trip to South Korea. If he exits the MMA leader? Ben Askren in ONE FC makes sense; an immediate title eliminator at 155 or 170 in Bellator would suffice too.
• The South Korean crowd was phenomenal the entire night, and they brought it in the main event as well. If the numbers come through for the UFC, perhaps they should shift their Asian focus to the nation for future endeavours. This could be the right market for the UFC in the region.

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