Benson Henderson Scouting Report

Benson Henderson Scouting Report

Vitals
5’9″ 170 lbs (Welterweight)
70″ reach, Southpaw
November 16, 1983

Record

23-5 (UFC: 11-3)

Current Streak

2 straight wins

Training

Black belt in Taekwondo
Black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Two-time NAIA All-American wrestler
2011 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship Brown Belt Bronze Medalist

Championships Held

WEC Interim Lightweight Champion: 2009
WEC Lightweight Champion: 2010 (one successful title defense)
UFC Lightweight Champion: 2012-2013 (three successful title defenses)

Strengths

– incredible athlete
– crazy flexibility
– well schooled in all aspects of martial arts
– no real discernible weaknesses
– can be a very aggressive fighter
– incredible submission defense – next to impossible to submit him – can get out of almost any situation
– cardio for days
– really pushes the pace in fights
– tremendous with submissions – almost half his wins have come via tapout
– great chin
– unique & varied strikes
– huge heart/determination
– very good wrestler
– huge legs allow for crippling kicks
– great at passing guard on the ground
– dangerous in the clinch
– brutal ground and pound
– very good striking defense
– very experienced
– good at switching stances

Weaknesses

– no knockout power
– not a very accurate striker
– mediocre takedown defense
– doesn’t finish fights
– fights passively at times – doesn’t look to finish
– just squeezes by opponents – doesn’t win convincingly
– is vastly undersized at welterweight

Synopsis

It’s extremely hard to come up with too many weaknesses in Smooth’s game – the UFC’s former lightweight king is a complete fighter – and a complete nightmare to opponents.