For a man who retired over a yr in the past, Benson Henderson positive is preventing lots as of late.
Whereas his MMA profession got here to a detailed again in March 2023, the previous UFC light-weight champion is one way or the other busier than ever after competing in a number of grappling tournaments and even a Karate Fight combat in opposition to outdated foe Anthony Pettis this previous December. On Saturday, Henderson turns into the newest MMA fighter to cross over to a brand new fight sport after inking a deal to affix Misfits Boxing for a one-night event happening in Newcastle, England.
It seems, Henderson all the time needed to check himself in boxing so this actually was the proper alternative to strive however he additionally has loads of plans for the long run with hopes to remain busy doing just about something apart from MMA.
“I feel the way it took place was social media,” Henderson advised MMA Combating about his introduction to Misfits Boxing. “Any individual reached out to any person they usually contacted a supervisor right here within the UK and the supervisor mentioned ‘I do know his brother-in-law’ so he contacted my sister-in-law and he or she hit me up and mentioned ‘hey, what do you concentrate on boxing? I mentioned positive, no drawback, in fact. I’ve all the time mentioned I needed to do it.
“I all the time mentioned I needed to do boxing. I’ll do a Muay Thai combat in Thailand. I’m going to indicate up and I’m going to take my youngsters on a household trip, I’m not even going to inform my spouse, [I’ll just show up] perhaps take per week or two weeks to coach on the market. So I’m going to combat in Thailand doing Muay Thai. I’d like to do a sambo event. I wish to do a Kyokushin karate event. I can nonetheless do wrestling. I wish to do all of it. I used to be going to do Masters Worlds [in Brazilian jiu-jitsu] however I bought the decision to do that and Masters Worlds was this weekend in Vegas so I couldn’t do this. Subsequent yr, I’m going to try this. Simply go compete, go have enjoyable. You understand me, I wish to get after it. I wish to nonetheless get on the market, get after it, have some enjoyable.”
That’s an entire lot of exercise for a man who’s presupposed to be retired however Henderson by no means mentioned he was going to cease competing — he simply has no plans to do MMA once more.
Actually, Henderson truly relishes the prospect to do much less proper now whereas his spouse Maria lastly takes the time to pursue her personal profession in MMA.
“I’m having fun with retirement,” Henderson mentioned. “I’m having fun with having time to select and select what I do. I like to go do Polaris [grappling] some extra, I’d like to do ADCC, go do all of the grappling tournaments. Have enjoyable with that Fight jiu-jitsu hit me up, me and Joe Riggs are going to go be on a card. Karate Fight. It’s good to select and select, nonetheless prepare onerous, nonetheless prepare to be the perfect on the earth however now I’m not coaching seven days, twelve months a yr.
“Now I’m coaching for a month earlier than a boxing match. Coaching a month earlier than a jiu-jitsu event. A month earlier than a wrestling event. I prepare for a month. I skilled actually onerous to be the perfect on the earth however now it’s my spouse’s flip, now it’s Maria’s flip to coach one hundred pc significantly.”
That will sound like a tricky transition however Henderson all the time noticed this coming.
As soon as his spouse began preventing, Henderson knew it was solely a matter of time earlier than he pumped the brakes on his profession and allowed her to pursue her dream. Whereas Henderson nonetheless loves coaching and goes to the health club as typically as potential, he’s letting Maria spend day after day preparing for her subsequent combat and he will get to play Mr. Mother.
“Now it’s my flip to go house, take the children to high school,” Henderson mentioned. “It’s my job to take them to chess observe, decide them up from chess observe. All that completely different stuff. It’s now my spouse’s flip to coach yr lengthy so she will enhance and combat. Hopefully she has a combat quickly. We’d like to get her in LFA once more.”
In his first boxing match, Henderson truly faces a stiff check going up in opposition to fellow UFC and Bellator veteran Chris Avila, who didn’t all the time have probably the most spectacular MMA profession however he’s rattled off six straight wins in boxing together with victories over Anthony Pettis, Jeremy Stephens and Anthony Taylor.
Henderson positively anticipates successful the combat after which shifting onto the finals within the Mixfits Boxing event however greater than something, he simply desires to get pleasure from himself within the ring.
“With the ability to delve into the world of the candy science of boxing has been superior,” Henderson mentioned. “It’s been tremendous enjoyable. It’s been refreshing.”
The entire course of working with Misfits has been a pleasure so Henderson says he would gladly return there to combat once more after his debut on Saturday.
However don’t anticipate him to only persist with boxing, even when Henderson wins, as a result of he’s bought loads of choices obtainable and he seemingly desires to strive nearly every part.
“The one-offs for me, whether or not it’s Misfits Boxing or Polaris or Eddie Bravo or [Combat Jiu-Jitsu] or regardless of the case could also be, it’s time for me to go have enjoyable,” Henderson mentioned. “To get after it. To go lay it on the road and do my factor.”