A Rapid Victory for the Local Hope

Patrick Habirora has firmly established himself as a powerhouse in the European MMA scene. In a spectacular main event at PFL Brussels this past Saturday, the 25-year-old Belgian fighter secured a decisive victory, dispatching former WEC and UFC champion Benson Henderson in a mere 20 seconds.

The fight began with explosive intensity. Habirora (9-0) landed a perfectly timed looping left hand that sent the veteran Henderson (30-13) to the canvas. A few follow-up strikes were all that was needed to end the bout, sending the home crowd at the ING Arena into a frenzy. This performance marks Habirora’s eighth knockout in nine professional victories, with seven of those wins coming within the opening round.

Respect for a Legend and Future Ambitions

Following the stunning upset, Habirora demonstrated great sportsmanship by directing the crowd's attention toward his opponent. “Maximum applause for the legend Benson Henderson, please guys,” he stated during his post-fight interview. “Respect.”

Looking ahead, the undefeated welterweight wasted no time in scouting his next challenge. Habirora used his platform to issue a call-out to BKFC standout Mike Perry. “Hey Mike Perry, if you’re coming to PFL, let’s go,” he challenged.

Henderson’s Recent Struggles

For Benson Henderson, the result continues a difficult trend in his storied career. The 42-year-old, who has long been a fixture in major promotions like the UFC and Bellator, has now dropped five of his last seven appearances, suffering three first-round finishes in that span. Saturday’s main event marked Henderson's first MMA contest since March 2023.

PFL Brussels Results

The event featured a full card of competitive bouts. Here are the results from the evening:

  • Welterweight: Patrick Habirora def. Benson Henderson via TKO (punches) at 0:20 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Middleweight: Boris Mbarga Atangana def. Jared Gooden via KO (punches) at 1:05 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Naoki Inoue def. Marcirley Alves via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)
  • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj def. Keisuke Sasu via KO (head kick) at 2:22 of R2
  • Bantamweight: Gustavo Oliveira def. Baris Adiguzel via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:10 of R2
  • Light heavyweight: Donegi Abena def. Joe Schilling via TKO (retirement) at 0:36 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Movsar Ibragimov def. Shane Campbell via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:28 of R1
  • Welterweight: Khamzat Abaev def. Luca Poclit via TKO (strikes) at 2:56 of R1
  • Featherweight: Adam Meskini def. Keweny Lopes via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
  • Welterweight: Ashley Reece def. Rustam Serbiev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)