Former UFC lightweight champion, Benson Henderson continues his purple patch toward the end of his professional career, managing to land a unanimous decision win over Peter Queally in the main event of Bellator 285 in Dublin, Ireland.
A blistering opening start to tonight’s main event as Queally marches Henderson down and lands a couple of early strikes in close.
Grappling at the fence during the opening round, Henderson managed to close the opening frame well in front of a hugely hostile enemy crowd, slashing a cut upon on the head of Queally with a sharp, step-in elbow.
In the early goings of the second round, however, Henderson managed to land an inadvertent groin strike, causing a lengthy stoppage in the action, as Queally gathered himself. For his low strike, Henderson was deducted a point by cage official, Kevin MacDonald. And another one of those slashing step-in elbows lands for Henderson in the setup to more clinch work at the fence in the second frame.
A well-timed double leg in the third from Henderson catches Queally on the entry as he overextends, with the Waterford veteran put to his backside. Some excellent pocket fighting from Henderson as well as Queally makes his way to his feet. The ex-UFC champion lands a knee, and a series of elbows before again shooting a double-leg takedown. Prolonged clinch work and most importantly, damage and output for Henderson land him the third frame.
Henderson lands himself a knockdown in the fourth via another one of those elbows, and momentarily looks for a front choke before wearing on Queally once again. We see a fifth and final round. Queally needs a finish most certainly — even considering the point deduction.
Some more heavy clinch work from Henderson in the fifth frame — as to be expected with the well-rounded, savvy veteran. And that is it, Benson Henderson emerges with a unanimous decision win over Peter Queally.
