Ben Henderson Speaks Out On Frankie Edgar

[No More Sorrow]

"Frankie had a very tough situation," Henderson admitted. "He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (the rematch). He had to put himself on the line, I don't want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn't want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.'

"I'm more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let's do it. Set it up for tomorrow."

Henderson's logic is sound, and essentially follows the script laid out by Edgar. However, as White has voiced, yet another lightweight title rematch would clog up a division that just escaped a two-year traffic jam.

And what of the odd man out of this equation -- Anthony Pettis? The electrifying fan-favorite who scored a highlight-reel knockout on very same card, and also happens to be the last person to defeat Henderson.

Pettis, who was once guaranteed his own ill-fated UFC title shot, expressed disappointment through his manager last week, stating he feels disrespected by Henderson's seeming disinterest in fighting him. Though according to "Bendo," that's just par for the course.

"Of course he's going to go out and say that stuff because he wants his guy to fight for the belt," Henderson tensely responded. "What did you have Jeremy Stephens ranked before the Anthony Pettis fight? Not in the top ten. What did you have Joe Lauzon ranked before his fight?

"Does someone who has a split-decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy, is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last?"

Pettis did indeed hand Henderson his last loss, stealing away the final WEC lightweight championship at WEC 53 with a last-second off-the-cage ninja maneuver he dubbed the "Showtime Kick." It was a battle that many media outlets christened the "Fight of the Year," which adds to the perceived public interest in a rematch.

But Henderson wants to make it clear, he has no problems accepting that fight, eventually. Right now there's just a few people who are ahead in line.

"Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely," Henderson explained. "We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I'm going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it's not my job to give him a title shot. It's not up to me be like, ‘oh hey, I want to fight this guy. Lets go see this guy.' It's his job to work his way up to me.

"I can't jump the line and not fight the No. 1 contender, and then go fight the No. 4 guy or No. 3 guy or No. 10 guy."

Such is the life of a champion. Everybody wants a piece and everybody is a critic.

For someone as respectful as Henderson, the backlash has been an unexpected addendum to the belt. He's already received hundreds of messages from fans declaring him afraid of everybody from Jim Miller and Nick Diaz, to Jacob Volkmann.

But like he always says, it is what it is.

"Either way I go, I'm going to get crap," Henderson finally acknowledged.

"Hopefully people will start to realize and understand, I will fight anybody. I don't care. I'm going to smash them."

Fuck Edgar, more i think about it the more i want to see Benson vs. Gilbert Melendez in a title unification fight.

 

[Ben]

No more rematches for Edgar. The LW division which is pissing talent has been clogged with him getting rematches. Pettis, Miller, Diaz, Gilbert all better matches for UFC.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Agreed. The offer is still on the table for Edgar to drop down to 145 and get an immediate title shot with Jose Aldo, he should just take that offer. Like you said the division is way to packed to do rematches like this.

 

[Ben]

What's the deal with Gil...is he on one of those weird Showtime Contract where he can't move to UFC or is he free to go at anytime. If so with Dana ans Showtime having a sort of falling out, should just pluck the last big name they have.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Yeah when they re-did the Showtime/Steikfroce deal part of it was that Gil couldn't leave until he fulfilled the remaining fights on his contract then he'd be free to do whatever, I'm not a 100% sure though. It was something weird, it might have only been another 2 or 3 fights left on his contract though, not totally sure.

I think he'll end up in the UFC by the end of the year anyways if Dana White has it his way, it'd be best for him there's nobody in Strikeforce that he can really compete with anymore he's beaten them all.

I mean fuck, UFC raped Strikeforce already might as well go after the only remaining talent worthy of fighting for the UFC. Not counting Barnett because he's free to go after the Grand Prix Final, and I'd also say Paul Daley but eh he looked like shit in his fight on Saturday which was a very winnable fight for him.

 

[Ben]

SF is pretty much going to have nothing soon, and Crocker and Showtime don't know how to run it. Shame cause it could prob be solid like UFC.

 

[No More Sorrow]

Yeah It'd be Solid if they let Dana have full control of it, Obviously Dana doesn't know how to run a successful business though in the eyes of Showtime, bunch of morons. I mean hell, if Zuffa didn't buy Strikeforce back then they probably wouldn't even be in business now.

They're the ones who need Zuffa and Dana White to survive.

 

[The Cork]

Hes the 155lbs Jon Jones, and I can't see him losing that belt for a long ass time.

Would probably like to see Diaz next, as its a fresh fight.