'Bendo' brushes off White's parting shot, now advising other potential free agents

Benson Henderson doesn’t take everything UFC President Dana White says to heart. He can’t. It’d be foolish.

When the former UFC lightweight champ heard White’s parting comment following Henderson’s new deal with Bellator, telling MMAjunkie “we’re looking for top-5 guys, guys that are going from (No. 1) 15 to (No. 1) 1, not the other way around,” he shrugged it off.

It’s Dana White, after all.

“We know Dana,” Henderson (23-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) told MMAjunkie Radio. “You know Dana. I know Dana. We’ve heard some other things he said. That was the worst he said? He didn’t say my momma was ugly; he didn’t say I was the worst fighter in history? If that’s all he said, that’s not too bad, considering his history of outlandish quotes.”

Compared to others who’ve left the UFC or otherwise fallen out of favor with the promotion, White’s comment was pretty tame.

To be fair, it also came with a proclamation he was happy for Henderson and wasn’t angry about the defection.

In any event, Henderson is headed toward a title shot in the Viacom-owned Bellator with a contract that reportedly offered more money up front than that offered by the UFC, so he’s focusing his attention on the next chapter of his career. That begins April 22, when he challenges welterweight champ Andrey Koreshkov (18-1 MMA, 9-1 BMMA) in Bellator 153’s main event, which takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

While preparing for his transition, Henderson has also found himself cast as an advisor to other UFC fighters who might thinking about following him.

“I can’t even say how many texts and calls from other fighters asking me, ‘What did the UFC bring to the table? What did Bellator bring to the table? How did they treat you? Was (UFC Chairman) Lorenzo (Fertitta) mad? Did (UFC President) Dana (White) get all mad?’” Henderson said. “A ton of fighters hit me up and asked me that and asked for advice.”

Henderson said he’s grateful for what White and Fertitta have done for his career. They’ve allowed him to provide for his family and set him up for retirement.

But there’s another point the former free agent would like to make, if White is talking about rankings. How many other UFC fighters, Henderson asked, are ranked in two divisions?

The answer is none, discounting the promotion’s pound-for-pound list, which ranks fighters regardless of weight class. Before he was removed from the UFC’s official rankings, Henderson was ranked No. 13 at welterweight and No. 15 at lightweight.

So if you want to talk about his place, Henderson said, you have to note that he was considered among the top-15 in the world in two separate, highly competitive classes.

Then you have to consider what White’s statement means when it comes to other fighters who’ve held the belt or a top spot in the rankings and then fell on hard times.

“If you’re a onetime champion and you lose, does the UFC not want you at all any more?” Henderson asked. “Or how about all their past UFC champions who held gold, armbarred everybody in the first round, and then they lose and now they’re ranked No. 3 or 4 or 5?”

But that’s if you want to go that route.

“We know what those rankings mean anyway,” Henderson said. “There’s not much weight behind those rankings.

“It is what it is. I’m not too highly concerned with other people’s opinions. Obviously, I like to be well-liked, and I like to leave the organization on good terms. I don’t want to burn any bridges. Dana’s a good guy. We shook hands. I’ll see him again. I’m going to corner all my guys in the UFC. I don’t think there’s any bad blood. He makes outlandish quotes all the time.”

For more on Bellator 153, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show, available on SiriusXM Ch. 93, is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.