Anthony Pettis wins decision vs. Benson Henderson

13 years after their first assembly, former UFC champions Anthony Pettis and Benson Henderson confronted one another for the third time in fight sports activities.

Whereas the primary two conferences happened in a cage underneath MMA guidelines, the trilogy bout would go down in a wide-open pit with ramped partitions at Karate Fight 43. The 170-pound catchweight combat was scheduled for 5 rounds, however would want a sixth to settle the choice. In the end, Pettis would deny Henderson once more after profitable a choice after a sudden victory spherical.

The acquainted foes began out measuring the vary with just a few early kicks, with Pettis providing a flashier number of methods. Maybe enjoying on reminiscences of their first matchup, Pettis teased utilizing the ramp to propel himself ahead. Henderson landed just a few good punches, together with a tough proper to the physique. Pettis completed the spherical searching for a again heel sweep kick.

Henderson attacked with low leg kicks early in Spherical 2, however Pettis answered with a well-timed facet kick adopted by a punch. Later within the spherical, Henderson would cost ahead with a pleasant mixture of punches, pushing Pettis into the ramp.

The third spherical was intently contested, till Pettis started constructing momentum after a kick to the physique adopted by a proper hand.

Henderson began Spherical 4 with large energy kicks, sending Pettis into the wall twice earlier than a low blow paused the motion. When the motion resumed, Pettis went again to his kick-punch combos as he seemed to reestablish his offense.

Henderson shucked Pettis into the wall and to the bottom in an aggressive begin to the fifth spherical. Pettis would reply with mixtures upstairs whereas making an attempt just a few crowd-pleasing methods.

The combat would go to a sudden victory sixth spherical, and each got here out firing onerous. Henderson related with a entrance kick to the face and landed properly to the physique with a punch. Fast jabs and onerous proper arms discovered the mark for each as they tried to place a stamp on the combat.

Judges decided Pettis was the winner of the sudden victory spherical, which in accordance with the Karate Fight guidelines, the higher fighter in that body is said the winner.

Pettis entered the trilogy bout with Henderson because the chief of their collection. Pettis received a unanimous resolution at WEC 53 to take the light-weight title from Henderson. It was the bout the place Pettis created one of the crucial viral highlights in MMA historical past by landing the “Showtime kick.”

The second assembly got here at UFC 164, the place as soon as once more, Pettis took a light-weight title from Henderson in spotlight vogue. Pettis cranked on a slick armbar within the closing minute of the primary spherical to get the faucet.

After 42 professional fights, Henderson retired from MMA competitors following a first-round loss to Usman Nurmagomedov at Bellator 292 in March.

Alternatively, Pettis has been lively in fight sports activities as just lately as April, when he laced up the boxing gloves in opposition to legend Roy Jones Jr. Pettis won a majority decision after eight rounds of motion.

You may watch a replay of the combat within the video above.