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Benson Henderson wins welterweight debut

Benson Henderson submitted Brandon Thatch with a rear-naked choke © Getty Images

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Benson Henderson has won four UFC title fights in his career. None of them might have been as impressive as what he did this weekend.

Henderson (22-5) submitted Brandon Thatch in the fourth round of a welterweight bout inside the 1stBank Center on Saturday. The tap came at the 3:58 mark, due to a rear-naked choke.

It was the former lightweight champion's 170-pound debut - and it came on short notice, as Henderson agreed to fill in late for an injured Stephen Thompson.

Considered a huge welterweight, Thatch (11-2) dwarfed Henderson inside the cage and won the first two rounds. Henderson weathered the storm, though, and came on late.

"Hey, sometimes, guys, you've got to go out and test yourself," Henderson said. "I didn't know if I could win this fight. A lot of times, you have to do what you don't know.

"Every win you get, whether it's your first fight, amateur, local fights - whether it's winning and defending a UFC championship - every win is the most important win of your career."

Henderson, 31, had been noncommittal prior to the fight on whether he would stay at 170 pounds or move back to the 155-pound division. Immediately after his result was read on Saturday, Henderson issued a challenge to welterweight contender Rory MacDonald, who had a bout cancelled earlier this week due to a failed drug test by Hector Lombard.

"I hear there's a big name, MacDonald, needs a fight," Henderson said. "If he still needs it, I'm game."

UFC president Dana White stated MacDonald (18-2) already has an opponent booked, but the fight is not ready to be announced. White said he would leave the decision of weight class up to Henderson.

"He looked unbelievable tonight against a tough, big guy," White said. "It was insane. He looked so good. You know me. I'm not a big fan of small guys moving up to bigger weight classes, but how can you deny him? He looked unbelievable."

After years of competing as a large lightweight, Henderson had to significantly change his tactics as the much smaller man. He utilised all of the Octagon against Thatch, circling constantly along the perimeter of the cage, darting in here, in there with right uppercuts to the body and straight lefts.

Thatch, who hadn't fought since November 2013 due to injury, handled Henderson's elusiveness well in the early rounds. He calmly stalked Henderson with right hands and kicks. When action went to the trenches, Thatch threw relatively effective knees to the body.

Henderson managed his opponent's offence well, though, absorbing single shots but staying clear of the welterweight's full power. He went to the well with the right hand to the body and wore his opponent out with constant movement. Although Thatch never completely gassed, he looked sluggish by the fourth round.

"Going out there and getting the W," said Henderson, on his game plan going into the fight. "Whatever it takes to get my hand raised. I knew he would come out in the first round like a monster. I didn't want to run away, but the dude is huge. I wanted to be more elusive and in the second, third, fourth rounds, pick it up."

After the second round, the high pace seemed to wear on Thatch, who had not fought past the first round since 2008.

He easily stuffed several deep takedown attempts by Henderson, but persistence eventually paid off and Henderson took him down midway through the third.

Henderson immediately took Thatch's back and started to hunt a rear-naked. Thatch, who wore welts under both eyes after the fight, fought off Henderson's submissions the remainder of the round before eventually succumbing to them in the fourth.

"I think I got too confident in the clinch," Thatch said. "I let him get a lot closer than I should. Benson is a vet and an athlete and I think I let my confidence get the best of me. I didn't stick to my range.

"I got a little more comfortable with the clinch than I should have."

According to immediate Fightmetrics stats, Henderson and Thatch landed a nearly identical amount of total strikes, at 83 and 81, respectively.

Henderson improves to 10-3 under the UFC banner. Thatch falls to 2-1.

Holloway wins fifth consecutive fight

Max Holloway added to an already impressive UFC résumé, defeating Cole Miller via unanimous decision.

Holloway (12-3) battered Miller on the feet and escaped a few submissions en route to his fifth consecutive win. All three judges scored the featherweight fight for the Hawaiian: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.

Immediately after the win, the UFC offered Holloway a fight against Cub Swanson (21-6) on April 18 in Newark, New Jersey.

In the second round, Miller (21-9) got the worst of an accidental head-butt. The collision opened a cut near his left eye and appeared to cause him significant pain for the rest of the fight.

Moments after the initial head-butt, Miller complained to referee Adam Martinez of a second foul, as Holloway pressed forward into the clinch. Martinez made no motion to stop the action, which visibly infuriated Miller.

Miller's best work came in the first round, as he was able to land several kicks to the body at range. Holloway appeared slightly tentative trying to get inside Miller's length and ate several knees in the clinch when he did make it inside.

Holloway found his range in the second and third rounds, however, opening up on Miller with spinning back fists and kicks. He refused to follow his opponent to the floor, after Miller would fall to his back after some scrambles.

With the cut bothering Miller in the final round, Holloway started to pour it on. He hurt Miller with a counter right hand late. Miller tried to fight his way through it, throwing defensive shots after retreating to the fence. Holloway showed composure, following him to the edge of the cage and targeting the body.

Miller, 30, sees a two-fight win streak snapped in the loss. He fought just once in 2014 due to injury, earning a submission win against Sam Sicilia in January.

This article originally appeared on ESPN.com

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