As entertaining as Saturday's five-round fight between Benson Henderson and Jorge Masvidal was, the most interesting part of the morning (or evening, for the South Korean audience) might have been Henderson's postfight comments. It's no secret that the 32-year-old former lightweight champion was on the final fight of his UFC contract and will now enter free agency on a two-fight winning streak.
While still standing in the Octagon, Henderson removed his UFC gloves, turned them toward the camera to make sure the brand's three letters were showing and then placed them on the canvas -- almost in a way that suggested he was doing so for the last time. Now, there's a very good chance the UFC won't allow one of its former champions -- a fighter who has proved to be capable in multiple divisions -- to walk and will match any offer Henderson receives from another promotion. Saturday's symbolic gesture (and postfight comments) made it clear, however, that the negotiation period started immediately as far as Henderson is concerned.
Let's break down Henderson's performance, as well as a few others from the UFC's first trip to Seoul.
Benson Henderson
UFC Fight Night (welterweight)
Defeated Jorge Masvidal (SD)
Wherever "Smooth" ends up, he deserves to be one of the highest-paid lightweights in the world. Note that I still characterize him as a lightweight. Henderson is so well-rounded and so smart in his approach, he'll have success at either weight -- but I don't think I'm stepping out on a limb here when I say his best shot at being No. 1 is at 155 pounds. He showed his versatility again on Saturday though, alternating from counter-puncher to offensive wrestler to clinch fighter and all that lies in between. He seems to win every scramble, whether it's at lightweight or welterweight, and his endurance is among the most impressive attributes of any athlete in the sport. When push comes to shove, he'll be in for a heck of a night against guys who walk above 200 pounds, but Henderson is such a gamer, how can you not want to see that? I would throw money at a matchup between Henderson and a top-five welterweight.
Dong Hyun Kim
UFC Fight Night (welterweight)
Defeated Dominic Waters (TKO1/3:11)
This fight became a gimme of sorts for Kim after the injury shakeups, but hey, it still takes a high level of skill to render a grown man completely helpless as Kim did with that full crucifix in the opening minutes of this fight. After apparently losing his mind and fighting like a drunken brawler in 2014, Kim seemed to find a happy medium this year -- that place between throwing wild haymakers for the fans and those grinding decision wins that used to get him regularly booed. Kim remains well under the radar, but he's 6-2 since 2012. If he doesn't get the Demian Maia rematch he asked for, I'd like to see him fight Neil Magny.
Doo Ho Choi
UFC Fight Night (featherweight)
Defeated Sam Sicilia (KO1/1:33)
It's super easy to fall in love with "The Korean Superboy," isn't it? If you missed Saturday's fights (and Choi's 18-second knockout UFC debut), you might be unfamiliar with this 24-year-old South Korean. Despite a photogenic grin and boyish haircut that look more boy band heartthrob than cage fighter, he's a violent kid with dynamite in his hands. After the fight, Choi said he wants to fight more frequently, break into the top 10 and face Japanese veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri next. The truth is, Sicilia was kind of tailor-made for Choi's style, and I'd vote to put him on a slow track. My guess is the UFC will do just that.
Jorge Masvidal
UFC Fight Night (welterweight)
Lost to Benson Henderson (SD)
Watching Masvidal go back and forth with an elite opponent in Henderson had me constantly thinking this guy is criminally underrated. Pound-for-pound, when you consider how good Masvidal is at every individual aspect of MMA and then compare it to the relative lack of exposure he has received in his career, "Gamebred" is right up there with some of the most underrated guys in the sport. What is undeniable though, is there seems to be this self-inflicted limitation on him. He didn't train for a five-round fight and was a late replacement for his injured teammate in the main event. Question: Why not? Why not train for a five-round fight? For as long as Masvidal has been in the game, he didn't think it was possible Thiago Alves could go down and he'd get a call to fight a former champion in a UFC main event? It's like, as much as a lack of training for five rounds is a good excuse -- it's also a terrible excuse. The book on Masvidal is that he's underrated, but is it also that he tends to come up short when he's been on the biggest stage? Unfortunately, that's how it reads at the moment.
Yoshihiro Akiyama
UFC Fight Night (welterweight)
Lost to Alberto Mina (SD)
He didn't look a day over 40 (in fact, his chiseled body didn't look a day over 27). Akiyama somehow appeared to be in the best shape of his life this weekend. Although he was badly hurt in the second round, he recovered very well. His speed didn't blow anyone away, but it doesn't appear to have left him in a significant way either. Quite frankly, when you consider some of the back-and-forth fights this guy has been in, he's holding up remarkably well. He's not winning much (1-5 in his last six), but can the UFC still roll "Sexyama" out there once or twice a year to provide a pop to its Asian (and female) fan base? They sure can.
Alberto Mina
UFC Fight Night (welterweight)
Defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama (SD)
The Brazilian stayed undefeated, although just barely. He stole the second round after hurting Akiyama with a left hook, shortly after the fight was paused due to an accidental kick to the groin by Mina. A win is a win, and you can certainly defend these scorecards, but Mina was hanging on for dear life in the final round to a 40-year-old opponent who hadn't fought in more than a year. It's hard to paint that as impressive, any way you slice it. He gave an exasperated look to referee Steve Percval at the end of the second round like, "You gonna call this thing or what?" He then went on to get thoroughly dominated over the next five minutes. Come on, bro.