UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (18-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) recently signed a new eight-fight deal with the world's largest MMA promotion. Now his manager hopes to see him sign a bout agreement that reads, "Gilbert Melendez."
"We really like the Gilbert Melendez fight, and I'll tell you why: Gilbert Melendez has been ranked either No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 between himself, Frankie Edgar and Benson," Henderson's manager, Malki Kawa, told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com). "Frankie was considered No. 1 in the world, and Benson beat him. Now some people are saying Gilbert might be No. 1 in the world. OK, well Benson would like to beat him, too, and leave no doubt that he is the best 155-pounder in the world.
"Depending on whose poll you look at over the past few years, it's been those guys in the top three spots, and Benson definitely wants to fight the best guys in the world. He's already defeated Frankie. Beating Gilbert would prove that Benson is absolutely the best lightweight in MMA."
Henderson this weekend announced the new deal and said the contract actually brought him to reconsider the entire trajectory of his career.
"Proud to announce that I just signed my new contract, which will keep me around for at least eight more fight," Henderson wrote. "This deal made me think long-term and what it all means and what I'm here for.
"I hope I can use these few years to really inspire, introduce, encourage and do some of His will."
As with all fighter contracts, UFC officials declined to confirm any specifics, including whether or not the deal was worth more than the offer recently tendered to former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez, which was scheduled to start the lightweight at $70,000 to show and $70,000 to win and raise incrementally with each victory until it topped out at a guaranteed $210,000 for a winning effort. Kawa also refused to talk specifics but said the deal, which he said has been in the works for some two months, was a marked improvement over the terms Henderson had been working under, which saw him earn a reported $78,000 for his December title defense over Nate Diaz.
"Obviously we could never get into specifics about a contract, but it's a very fair deal and one that stands to make Benson a lot of money," Kawa said. "We felt the UFC was very fair in their handling of the discussions, and this is a very lucrative contract.
"This contract can secure Benson's future. He just has to go out and win. If he can win his next few fights, he'll be a very happy man."
Sources close to the promotion indicated the deal, which was largely in place well before the details of Alvarez's contract came to public light, was built with a "very different" structure in mind. Kawa could not disclose the exact terms of the new contract but was happy to reiterate the deal was "very lucrative."
Henderson, a former WEC title holder, became the UFC champion with a hotly contested February 2012 decision win over Frankie Edgar. He then downed Edgar again in an August 2012 rematch, though the close nature of the two fights led many to question Henderson validity as a champion. That changed in December, when Henderson looked absolutely dominant in a unanimous-decision win over Nate Diaz.
Kawa believes that performance definitely helped his client earn respect in the public's eye.
"After the Nate Diaz fight, I think he's getting the respect he deserves," Kawa said. "He beat up a guy that was beating everybody up – a guy that brings it every time and had never been dominated the way he was dominated."
Henderson's next fight has yet to be announced by UFC officials, but he has been linked to both Melendez and Alvarez. Of course, with Alvarez's ongoing legal dispute with Bellator MMA, it's unknown when (and if) the Blackzilian fighter would be eligible to compete in the UFC's octagon.
Kawa, however, doesn't believe that contract status really matters much at all.
"For a guy who's not even the champion in another organization, it just wouldn't seem right for him to get a title shot against Benson," Kawa said. "Anyway, he's tied up right now with those contract discussions, so it's not really something worth discussing.
"We're really interested in fighting Gilbert Melendez, and we've got a lot of confidence that the UFC will make that fight happen. Right now we're just happy to have this contract done, and we're going to sit back and hope that this is the fight they give us. It's the top two lightweight fighters in the world at this point. It needs to happen."
