When Being Smooth Gets Rough
Benson Henderson lost a controversial split decision against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire last weekend at Bellator 183 was far from not being aggressive and pushed forward more than he has in previous bouts. His game in the past has been criticized for playing it safe and the reason why he hasn’t been winning lately.
But should he be written off for fighting smart and trying to reduce the amount of injuries in fights?
It goes without saying in a fight, every attack opens an opportunity to be attacked but fighting defensively in combat sports; while smart and can lead to a long career isn’t very marketable. This is not something Henderson should be slighted for and should not take away from his accomplishments in the sport.
Instead, maybe articles should be written about his drive to compete and to pursuing titles since he lost the UFC lightweight title in 2013. Many MMA fans might not be aware that he also competes in IBJJF tournaments when not signed to fight anyone in MMA and does very well.
Henderson has been chasing titles since his arrival at Bellator and while this most recent loss puts him further away from that, keep in mind that a split decision means not everyone is in agreement that he lost.
Playing it safe may not win over the judges but staying healthy is certainly a smooth move for Henderson to have the longevity to keep at it.
Edward Carbajal is a contributing writer for MMA at Frontproof Media and a Verified Creator at Creators.co. You can follow Edward on Twitter @Carbazel or at his website TheBlogBoardJungle.com. Check out his YouTube channel.
