Benson Henderson has revealed the reasons behind his comeback to mixed martial arts after previously announcing his retirement from the sport. The former WEC and UFC champion is set to headline PFL Brussels on May 23rd, where he will face Patrick Habirora in the Smart Cage.
Although Henderson has remained active in various martial arts disciplines like wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and Karate Combat, this marks his return to professional MMA after stepping away from the sport. When questioned about Mike Kogan’s role in persuading him to compete again under the PFL banner, Henderson shared:
“Yeah, it was definitely Mike Kogan. He’s a smart guy. I love the guy. He’s awesome. He’s a good guy. But yeah, he’s definitely poking me a little bit, talking a little bit of mess. Saying, “Oh, people online, they’re saying this, they’re saying that, and yada yada.” I was like, “Ah, people online, they can say whatever they want.” Everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
“But he poked me a little bit, and the next day he let it simmer with me for a little while. He let it simmer with me for like a whole day. The next day, he texted me, “Oh, I got 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. Yeah, let’s go. Sign me up. Oh, let me go beat this kid up. Let me go remind everybody who I am, what it is I do, and how I do it.””
While Habirora’s undefeated record is notable, many consider this to be the most significant challenge of his career thus far. Despite Habirora being the home favorite, Henderson finds motivation in fighting in hostile territory.
Analyzing his opponent’s skills, especially considering Habirora’s three consecutive first-round finishes, Henderson commented:
“I think Patrick’s really tough. I think he’s really good. I did not know who he was when they first gave me his name. But I looked him up and was able to watch his whole career. Eight fights, not too many. I was able to watch his whole career and see the progression he made along the way. I think he could be good. I think he could be; the thing I watch for is to see how much guys improve fight to fight. See if they have the same holes, the same openings, the same weaknesses. They make the same mistakes from fight to fight.”
Benson Henderson Acknowledges Patrick Habirora’s Improvement but Believes He’s on Another Level
The seasoned fighter, known for his distinct style, further elaborated on the matchup:
“Patrick has gotten better in all of his fights. He actually has improved. You can see the improvement if you go 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 little bit much. I think it’s a big step for him to go from the competition that he was at, that he did face. Even though his last two opponents were former UFC fighters, I still don’t think that they had the experience level that I have. I don’t think they quite bring the things to the table that I bring to the table.”
“Physically as well as what I’ve done, how I kind of 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 him, his coaches, his management team, they think that it’s not a big step. They think that he’s going to go get his hand raised, and it’s my job to make sure the referee pulls me off of him.”
