Ben Henderson dominates Nate Diaz to retain UFC lightweight title
ASSOCIATED PRESS December 9, 2012 12:29PM
UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson celebrates after his match against Nate Diaz in a mixed martial arts bout at a UFC on FOX 5 event in Seattle, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. Henderson retained his title via unanimous 5-rd. decision. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
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SEATTLE — Benson Henderson came home and impressively retained the UFC lightweight championship Saturday night during UFC on Fox, unanimously outpointing a flustered Nate Diaz.
Henderson controlled the main event from the start, just a few miles from where he grew up in Federal Way. With the partisan crowd chanting Henderson’s name throughout the fight, he took a decisive 50-43, 50-45 and 50-45 decision, his second successful title defense.
Prior to the main event, rising Canadian star Rory MacDonald took apart former champion B.J. Penn in a decisive unanimous decision that left Penn’s face blooded and his body throbbing from body shots.
In the light heavyweight division, Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson won a unanimous decision over former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, likely earning himself a shot at the light heavyweight title next year.
