Benson Henderson entered the main event of Bellator 292 not only to advance to the Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix semi-finals, but also knowing that his fight with lightweight champion Osman Nurmagomedov was likely his last chance to win. fight for a major world championship. Unfortunately for the former UFC and WEC champion, Nurmagomedov overdid it, earning a first-round victory.
Decisive finish from the champ!@Usmannmgdv kicks off his #BellatorLWGP campaign with a HUGE win.
📺 #Bellator292 | LIVE NOW | 🇺🇸 @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/af7yIvZjlE
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 11, 2023
It took only seconds for things to go badly for Henderson. After Nurmagomedov landed a body kick, he threw a question mark kick that landed to Henderson’s jaw and sent him crashing to the cage.
Nurmagomedov followed Henderson to the ground, landing crushing ground and pound until securing the back and locking in a rear-naked choke that forced Henderson to tap at the 2:37 mark of Round 1.
The win was the first defense of Nurmagomedov’s lightweight title, which he won from Patricio Pitbull in November 2022. With the win, he advanced to 17-0 in his professional career. He now moves on to the semifinals of the Lightweight World Grand Prix.
After the fight, Henderson retired from professional mixed martial arts, laying down his gloves in the ring.
“I always told myself the last four fights I signed with Bellator, if I lose any of those four fights, it’s about that time,” Henderson said.
Henderson retires with a record of 30-12. He won the WEC lightweight title with a win over Jamie Varner in January 2010, successfully defending the title once. He would again hold championship gold in February 2012, beating Frankie Edgar to become UFC lightweight champion and making three successful title defenses before dropping the belt to Anthony Pettis in August 2013.
