Benson Henderson has revealed the reasons behind his return to mixed martial arts, a sport he had previously announced he was stepping away from. The former WEC and UFC champion is set to headline PFL Brussels, where he will face Patrick Habirora in a Smart Cage bout on May 23rd.
Although Henderson has remained active in various martial arts disciplines such as wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and Karate Combat, this event marks his comeback to MMA after retiring his competitive gloves. When asked about Mike Kogan’s influence in persuading him to return to MMA, specifically under the PFL banner, Henderson commented:
“Yes, it was definitely Mike Kogan. He’s a smart guy. I love the guy. He’s awesome. He’s a good guy. But yes, he was definitely poking me a little, talking a bit of trash. Saying, ‘Oh, people online are saying this, saying that, and blah blah blah.’ I was like, ‘Ah, people online can say whatever they want.’ Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
“But he poked me a bit, and the next day he let it simmer with me for a while. He let it simmer with me for like a whole day. The next day, he texted me, ‘Oh, I have an opponent for you.’ I was like, ‘Okay, I see what you’re doing there. I see, I see. That’s smart, Kogan. That’s smart. Yes, let’s go. Sign me up. Oh, let me go beat this kid up. Let me go remind everyone who I am, what I do, and how I do it.’”
While an undefeated record tells a story, many are pointing to this as the most significant challenge of Habirora’s career to date. Habirora also has the home crowd advantage, but Henderson finds motivation in competing in hostile territory, which fuels him even further.
Regarding his opponent’s skills, with Habirora entering this fight on a streak of three consecutive first-round finishes, Benson Henderson stated:
“I think Patrick is really tough. I think he’s really good. I didn’t know who he was when they first gave me his name. But I looked him up and was able to watch his entire career. Eight fights, not too many. I was able to watch his entire career and see the progression he’s made. I think he could be good. I think he could be; what I look for is to see how much guys improve from fight to fight. To see if they have the same flaws, the same openings, the same weaknesses. They make the same mistakes from fight to fight.”
Benson Henderson Acknowledges Patrick Habirora’s Progress, Believes He’s on Another Level
As the 42-year-old veteran, known for his distinctive toothpick, continued to analyze the upcoming matchup, Benson Henderson added:
“Patrick has gotten better in all of his fights. He has actually improved. You can see the improvement if you watch all his past eight fights. So I think it’s really tough. I think he’s really good. I think it’s just a bit too much. I think it’s a big step for him to go from the competition he was facing. Even though his last two opponents were former UFC fighters, I still don’t think they had the same level of experience as I do. I don’t think they quite bring the same things to the table that I do.”
“Physically, as well as what I’ve accomplished, how I approach the game, and what I can bring to that Smart Cage. So I think it’s just a bit of a big step for him, but that’s what we’re here to find out. Obviously, he, his coaches, his management team, they think it’s not a big step. They think he’s going to get his hand raised, and it’s my job to make sure the referee has to pull me off of him.”
Benson Henderson Explains His Return to MMA for PFL Brussels
Benson Henderson details his reasons for re-entering mixed martial arts for PFL Brussels, where he will face Patrick Habirora. Henderson discusses Habirora’s development and his own resolve to reassert his dominance.