Benson Henderson Feels Bellator Deserved More From His Time With Them

Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson feels he didn’t live up to the lofty contract that Bellator paid him in his free agency a few years ago.

Henderson is fresh off of an impressive win over Islam Mamedov at Bellator 273 this past weekend. The victory snapped a three-fight losing streak with many questioning how much longer he would be able to compete for the promotion.

Henderson has been unable to achieve the same type of championship-level success that he enjoyed in the UFC. He has fallen short in welterweight and lightweight title shots against Michael Chandler and Andrey Koreshkov.

But Henderson’s most recent win has at least temporarily silenced the haters. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Henderson addressed his future with Bellator.

“I want to re-sign with Bellator,” Henderson said. “I want to get a Bellator belt around my waist. I feel bad for Bellator. I feel like I underperformed my contract for Bellator. They paid me a lot of money. I should have done a better job for Bellator.”

Benson Henderson Has Teased Retirement After Recent Fights

Many have questioned how much longer Henderson will compete in MMA, as he’s now 38 years old. He teased the idea of leaving the fight game after recent losses to Brent Primus and Jason Jackson.

Henderson still believes he can still compete against some of the most elite fighters in Bellator and hopes to get one last shot at a title before his career comes to a close. His win over Mamedov keeps him in the thick of things in the lightweight title picture, with his old rival Patricky Pitbull recently earning the belt.

It’s unclear how much longer Henderson has left to fight, but fans should embrace his greatness for as long as we can witness it. He’s arguably one of the most feared strikers in the history of the UFC and is somewhat responsible for putting the lightweight division on the map.

Who do you want to see Benson Henderson fight next?