UFC Seoul recap: Henderson scores decision over Masvidal

Ben Henderson was successful in his second appearance at welterweight in the main event of UFC Fight Night 79, where he scored a split decision win over Jorge Masvidal.

Henderson utilized his high output striking to outpoint his opponent, but Masvidal made it a very close and gritty contest. The first few rounds could have gone either way, but "Smooth" pulled away in the later rounds with the use of his fantastic conditioning. Masvidal stepped up on short notice from the co-main event, so he didn't have nearly as long to prepare for a five-round bout.

What was the high point of this fight?

The high point of Henderson vs. Masvidal was the magnificent striking exchanges between the two elite athletes. The variety of kicks and punches was a pleasure to watch. There were a few other great moments, such as Masvidal's slick submission attempts in the later rounds, but nothing topped the devastating kicks and punches that landed in this main event.

Where do these two go from here?

It's tough to say where Henderson goes from here, because it looks like he could test free agency in the near future, as this was his last fight on his current UFC contract. If he re-signs with the organization, I think he remains at welterweight and if that's the case, he'd deserve a top 15 opponent next.

This wasn't too big of a setback for Masvidal because Henderson is a tough matchup for anybody in the UFC's lightweight or welterweight division. He does need to pick up a few consecutive wins to be considered a contender, however, and I think he'll be able to do just that and earn himself another high profile fight.

Watch now, later, or never?

For me, Henderson vs. Masvidal didn't quite cut it to be a "must-watch right away" type of fight. It was definitely entertaining and worth your time, but not right away.