The lightweight title was on the line in the main event as Benson Henderson took on Strikeforce Champion Gilbert Melendez.
Melendez was very calm in the first stanza of the championship fight. He landed nice leg-kicks and punches on the champion. Henderson however seemed fairly tentative to start the fight. At the end of round one Henderson had landed some nice kicks and according to the numbers on the screen he landed 20 in the very first round.
Again Melendez pushed the pace to start the second. He landed some nice inside leg-kicks and continued to keep Henderson on the backpedal. Midway through the round, Henderson began to use his awkward technique of jabbing Melendez’s leg. On numerous occasions in the fight when Henderson would throw the leg kick, Melendez caught it and countered with either a takedown or a nicely timed punch. To finish the round the pace changed with Henderson pushing forward.
The two exchange with nice shots to start the third. Henderson landed a beautiful leg-kick which made Melendez drop to the mat, the champ wasn’t able to follow up. The two dirtied up the middle of the cage with just under two minutes left in the round and Henderson attempted a takedown, but Melendez just shrugged it off. By the end of the third you could call this fight a war. Henderson dropped Melendez with a beautiful leg kick to finish the round.
The fourth round was much the same as the past three, with both men landing some nice combinations. However Henderson seemed to pull ahead a little bit, as he landed some more.
Inside leg kicks and elbows continuously land for Henderson in the fifth round. The two men went the distance in a five-round all out war.
Benson Henderson def. Gilbert Melendez by Split Decision (48-47,47–48,48-47)
Following the decision Henderson dropped down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend.
