Ron Chenoy-USA Today Sports
On Saturday, UFC on Fox 7 displayed some quality action from top to bottom. Headlining the card was a pivotal lightweight championship match between Ben Henderson and Gilbert Melendez.
A lot was on the line for both fighters. For Melendez, he was out to prove he can hang with the best of them, where Henderson was trying to keep his title defenses alive. The latter proved to be true, as Henderson was able to score a split-decision victory.
Rounds one and two were extremely close, where Melendez was able to force Henderson back and landed some good shots on the champ. These were, by far, Melendez’s best rounds of the fight, and it seemed like his strategy of catching the kicks and forcing Henderson back was working to perfection.
However, Henderson was able to gain steam in round three, landing some good leg kicks and pressuring Melendez with his elbows and jabs. At one point, Melendez slipped and Henderson briefly took his back. This was the most significant action in terms of the grappling aspect, and Henderson seemed to have found his stride. Rounds four and five were also razor-close, but the judges ultimately awarded Henderson with the win.
After the bout, Henderson proposed to his girlfriend, making it a memorable night for ‘Smooth’. Now, Henderson is currently 19-2 in his fighting career, and this makes it three straight title defenses in a row.
Melendez proved tonight that he has what it takes to be a champion, and many would argue that he won the bout. A rematch is certainly in order, which might even be the next match for both fighters. Needless to say, this was a very hard fight to score, and it will be interesting to see where both fighters go from this point.
