Photo: Zekerags / CC0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Benson Henderson is one of those fighters who makes you realize just how deep the lightweight division's talent pool goes — and how criminally underrated he still is. "Smooth" Bendo out of Colorado Springs held both the WEC and UFC Lightweight titles, which alone puts him in a rarified class, and he did it with a relentless, multi-layered game built on elite wrestling, sharp boxing, and an almost otherworldly chin. The guy went to war with Frankie Edgar twice, dropped a razor-close decision to Anthony Pettis, and just kept showing up and competing at the highest level for years. After his UFC run he moved to Bellator and kept grinding well into the 2010s. For a guy nicknamed "Smooth," he fought anything but smooth — he was gritty, durable, and real. Lightweight GOAT conversations don't start with him, but they probably should mention him a lot more than they do.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Benson Henderson
- Name (Japanese)
- ベン・ヘンダーソン
- Reading
- べん・へんだーそん
- Born
- November 16, 1983 (age 42)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Boar
- Origin
- Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
- Height
- 175 cm
- Occupation
- amateur wrestler / boxer / mixed martial arts fighter
2. Background
- High school
- Decatur High School
- University
- Dana College
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Benson Henderson born?
Born November 16, 1983 (age 42).
Where is Benson Henderson from?
Benson Henderson is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.
What does Benson Henderson do?
Benson Henderson works as amateur wrestler, boxer, mixed martial arts fighter.
How tall is Benson Henderson?
Benson Henderson is 175 cm.
Amateur wrestler — see all → · Boxer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.