Benson Henderson says he will retire at the conclusion of the Bellator lightweight grand prix.
Henderson is set to headline Bellator 292 on Friday in the quarter-finals against the champ Usman Nurmagomedov. It’s a chance for Henderson to become a Bellator champion and sets him up to become the champ and win the grand prix later this year and walk away as the champ and be by his wife’s side as she starts her MMA career.
Benson Henderson on His Wife
“She put off her career, like a lot of wives do. It’s International Women’s Day today, so shoutout to all the women out there, internationally, everywhere,” Henderson said at media day. “They put up with a lot of stuff from us guys. My wife put off her career so I could shine and do what I do. It’s worked out pretty well for us. Now, it’s going to be my turn to step back and pick the kids up from school, drop them off at soccer practice, take them to chess practice and let her practice.
“At the end of these (three) fights, I’m done,” Henderson continued. “I think for everyone at retirement age and athletes who are going to retire, you always have that play-one-more Tom Brady, ‘Can you play one more? Can you not play one more?’ I still feel good. I still feel fast. I still feel I’m competitive. For me, it wouldn’t just be feeling competitive, like I can compete and hang with the best guys in the world and this and that. It’s mostly more about giving my wife her turn.”
Benson Henderson is currently 30-11 and coming off back-to-back wins over Peter Queally and Islam Mamedov to earn the title shot. He is the former UFC and WEC champion but is 0-2 in Bellator title fights so he knows adding the Bellator belt would be massive for his legacy.
