Benson Henderson Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics

Benson Henderson is an American mixed martial artist known for winning various championships like the UFC Lightweight Championship and WEC Lightweight Championship. He fought his first professional match in 2006 against Dan Gregary. Benson has a mild social media fan base with more than 200k followers on Instagram, more than 300k followers on Twitter, and more than 400k followers on Facebook.

Born Name

Benson Henderson

Nick Name

Bendo, Smooth

Sun Sign

Scorpio

Born Place

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Residence

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nationality

Education

In 1998, Benson Henderson got enrolled at the Decatur High School in Federal Way, Washington. He graduated from the high school in 2001 and got admission at the Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. In 2006, he graduated from the college with a double major in sociology and criminal justice.

Occupation

Mixed Martial Artist

Family

• Father – Song Henderson
• Mother – Kim Sung-Hwa
• Siblings – Julius Henderson (Older Brother) (Has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do)

Manager

Benson Henderson is represented by Malki Kawa.

Build

Athletic

Height

5 ft 9 in or 175 cm

Weight

71 kg or 156.5 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Benson Henderson has dated –

1. Maria Magana (2013-Present) – Benson surprised his long-time girlfriend Maria Magana and UFC audiences in San Jose by proposing to her after having won a close fight against Gilbert Melendez. In January 2014, he pulled another surprise. This time with the assistance of his fianceé, he managed to surprise their family. He had invited them for a wedding rehearsal dinner and just before midnight, they were surprised to see Maria walk down the aisle with her father. They have 2 sons together.

Race / Ethnicity

Multiracial

On his father’s side, he has African American ancestry, while, on his mother’s side, he is of Korean descent.

Hair Color

Black

Eye Color

Dark Brown

Sexual Orientation

Straight

Distinctive Features

• Curly hair
• Eyes

Brand Endorsements

Benson Henderson has used his social media presence to promote various brands and products.

Religion

He is a devout Christian. He often credits his faith for his success on the field.

Best Known For

• Being one of the most successful American MMA fighters. He has won the UFC Lightweight Championship and WEC Lightweight Championship.
• His eventful and successful stint with the Bellator MMA.

First MMA Fight

• In 2006, he made his MMA debut in a match against Dan Gregary.
• He made his UFC debut in a fight against Mark Bocek at UFC 129 in April 2011. He won the match via unanimous decision.

First TV Show

Apart from the broadcast of MMA fights, Benson Henderson hasn’t appeared on any TV show till date.

Personal Trainer

Benson Henderson works very hard in the gym to remain at the top of his game. He works out 4 times a day. He starts the day with workout session with his conditioning and strength coach. Benson follows it up with a private session with a Muay Thai coach or boxing coach.

He also has a workout session with a martial arts standup coach and then works with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor. He also has to work with his head coach John Crouch. To make sure that he is not fatiguing his body, he rests his body completely for 3 days a week.

On the days when he exercises, he relies on smaller meals as it is difficult to work on a full stomach. He eats about an hour before workout and then, within an hour of workout. So overall, he eats 8 meals during the day. However, he is not a fan of nutritional supplements and relies solely on his dietary intake for his nutritional needs.

His first meal of the day is usually egg whites and oatmeal. On some days, he might add a slice of double fiber whole wheat toast to his breakfast meal. For the remaining meals, he usually eats chicken breast and brown rice. He occasionally switches chicken breast with fish and lean turkey. He also adds veggies for some of his meals.

Benson Henderson Facts

1. When he was 9 years old, he was enrolled in Tae Kwon Do class at his mother’s insistence. As Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art, she wanted him to get a bit of her culture and heritage.
2. While studying in high school, he was a member of the high school wrestling team. He was also a member of the wrestling team at the Dana College. He was also named an NAIA All-American on 2 occasions.
3. In February 2016, it was announced that he had signed a contract deal with Bellator MMA.
4. In 2012, he was recognized as the fighter of the year by UFC as well as ESPN.
5. Visit his official website @ www.smoothbensonhenderson.com.
6. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Featured Image by Benson Henderson / Instagram