Benson Henderson signs new contract to stay with Bellator
Benson Henderson is staying put with Bellator.
Henderson, a two-time Bellator title challenger and former UFC and WEC lightweight champion, has signed a new multi-fight contract with the promotion, Bellator announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Henderson had the last fight on his previous deal in January and snapped a three-fight skid with a split decision upset of Islam Mamedov at Bellator 273. Henderson’s status after that was up in the air, but now his near-term future is set.
Henderson won the UFC lightweight title in against Frankie Edgar in February 2012. He beat him in a rematch later that year, then had title defenses against Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. He lost the belt to Anthony Pettis, who also beat him to win the WEC title in 2010 in that promotion’s final event before a merger with the UFC.
After Henderson lost the title, he went 4-2 in the UFC, including a win over Jorge Masvidal, before heading to Bellator as a free agent in 2016.
He fought Andrey Koreshkov for the welterweight title in his first fight in the promotion, but lost a decision. After a win over Patricio Freire at lightweight, he fought Michael Chandler for the 155-pound title, but dropped a split decision.
After a split call loss to Freire’s brother Patricky, Henderson had his best run in years with four straight wins. But in a rematch with Chandler, he was knocked out in the first round. Then he had two more setbacks against Jason Jackson and former champ Brent Primus before his bounce back against Mamedov.
Henderson, based in the Phoenix area, will turn 39 in November.