Benson Henderson Wants to One Up Anderson Silva’s Record

Before UFC 144 ever started, Benson Henderson proclaimed that his long term goal was to be the best fighter on the planet.

He took a big step forward in that quest as he defeated Frankie Edgar to become the UFC lightweight champion.

Now with the UFC gold around his waist, Henderson isn’t wavering from his objectives. He’s stating them even more clearly.

“I want to defend it however many times Anderson Silva defends his, plus one,” Henderson said with a smile just after winning the belt in Japan.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva currently holds the record for consecutive title defenses in the promotion’s history. The Brazilian has defended his 185lb title nine times in a row, plus picked up a couple of wins at light heavyweight along the way as well.

Henderson hopes to one day tackle that number, but first things first he has to defend the belt once to start the streak.

The decision now comes down to who he’ll defend the belt against.

There is a large contingency that believe now former champion Frankie Edgar deserves a rematch with Henderson after a very close decision at UFC 144. Others think former WEC champion and the last fighter to defeat Henderson, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis, should get the first show.

Henderson doesn’t care who gets the first crack at his belt. Line them up and he’ll knock them down.

“Whoever it happens to be whether it’s Frankie again, I’m down for that. Anthony Pettis, I see you doing big things, making waves, great fighter very spectacular. If it happens to be Anthony then so be it. Whoever it is I’m okay with it, sounds good to me,” Henderson said.

“I believe there’s a long list of guys, Nate (Diaz), Jim (Miller), Frankie, Anthony, let’s do it. Every single one of them.”

There probably won’t be much rest for the new champion as that long list of competitors will likely grow and grow, so Henderson won’t have to wait long to see if he can get the wins necessary to one day break Anderson Silva’s record.

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