Ben Henderson Makes Bellator Debut – The Bellator 153 card comes to us this Friday April 22nd from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. As always, the main fights are set to air on Spike TV and the main event features Andrey Koreshkov taking on former UFC Lightweight champion Benson Henderson.
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Koreshkov (18-1) is the Bellator welterweight champion. He won the title last July with a unanimous decision victory over Douglas Lima. He has won five fights in a row since his lone loss at the hands of Ben Askren back in July of 2013. Koreshkov is as close a home developed talent as Bellator has right now, and the fact is that the last year’s roster likely presented Koreshkov little in the way of challenges for Koreshkov. Askren is fighting for ONE FC and no longer with the company, and there is not a loud voice calling for a rematch with Lima.
So when former UFC champion Benson Henderson became a free agent, Bellator swept in and signed the fighter right away. Some would criticize the group for giving Henderson an immediate title shot, as that is certainly not what the UFC would do with a Bellator champ (see Eddie Alvarez). But as a former UFC champion, Henderson comes over with alot of respect and name recognition.
It is a best case scenario for Bellator either way. If Koreshkov wins, he will have beaten his most decorated opponent by far. If Henderson wins, then he is becoming Bellator’s titleholder at the start of his freshly signed multi-fight contract, so Bellator is assured they will have time to make him their own. Should Henderson win, a match with former champion Lima is a math-up of fresh talents, but Bellator is going to need to continue importing talent like Henderson if they are going to maintain a competitive roster.
Ben Henderson Makes Bellator Debut
The live event features 15 fights in all, and the main card bouts that will air on the Spike TV broadcast are getting lines at the sport books.
Welterweight 5 rounds –
Andrey Koreshkov +200 o3½ -195
Benson Henderson -280 u3½ +155
Featherweight 3 rounds –
Henry Corrales +260 o1½ -210
Patricio Freire -380 u1½ +160
Note: Former Featherweight champion Freire returns to try and get a win that puts him back in the title picture.
Welterweight 3 rounds –
Evangelista Santos +300 o1½ +145
Brennan Ward -420 u1½ -185
Note: Ward is probably the next title challenger for the winner of Henderson and Koreshkov, but he has to win this one first.
Welterweight 3 rounds –
Jeremie Holloway +500 o1½ +170
Michael Page -900 u1½ -230
Note: Page at 9-0 is the striking phenom who has earned comparisons to Anderson Silva. Holloway is 7-1, but he is 0-1 with Bellator and faces a tall order in the ultra-unorthodox Page.
Lightweight 3 rounds –
Gleristone Santos +160 o2½ -150
Brent Primus -210 u2½ +110
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