The UFC 129 main Pay Per View card will feature a lightweight bout between former WEC champ Ben Henderson and submission artist Mark Bocek.
Henderson is making his UFC debut after losing his WEC belt to Anthony Pettis in a classic bout at WEC 53. He preceded that loss with back-to-back wins over Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner.
In his WEC run Henderson showed that he's a game and gifted scrambler with a knack for escaping submission holds, especially chokes.
Bocek is coming in off a win over Dustin Hazelett in which he showed that his BJJ game operates at a much higher level than the typical MMA grappler, even the very good ones such as Hazelett. Prior to the Hazelett bout he lost a unanimou decision to Jim Miller in a bout some gave to Bocek, but I felt Bocek was worn down and ultimately out-classed by Miller.
Let's break down the fight:
| Aspect | Henderson | Points | Bocek | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Fighting | ||||
| Boxing | Journeyman | 1 | Improving | Henderson |
| Kickboxing | Effective | 1 | Passable | Henderson |
| Wrestling | Very Good | 1 | Good | Henderson |
| Clinch Fighting | ||||
| Dirty Boxing | Damaging | 1 | Strong | Henderson |
| Thai Clinch | Dangerous | 1 | Decent | Henderson |
| Throws/Trips | Strong | 1 | Good | Henderson |
| Ground Fighting | ||||
| Positional Control | Good | 1 | Excellent | Bocek |
| Top Game | Aggressive | 1 | Dangerous | Bocek |
| Bottom Game | Scrambler | 1 | Very Good | Bocek |
| Submissions | Good | 1 | Lethal | Bocek |
| Overall | Near Contender | 6/4 | Limited | Henderson |
It's pretty obvious what each guy has to do to win this one. Henderson needs to keep the fight on the feet and avoid going to his preferred scrambling ground fight because Bocek is just too dangerous down on the mat. Bocek will have to overcome Henderson's wrestling advantage and put the former WEC champ on his back.
Dana White previews the UFC 129 lightweight fight between Mark Bocek and Ben Henderson in this Fight Day exclusive.



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