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Sport

18th Feb 2018

Former UFC champ tackles opponent off stage in London grappling event

Talk about a power double

Darragh Murphy

Benson Henderson is keeping busy.

Henderson has already fought four times since his move to Bellator in 2016 and while he’s endured a losing record after swapping allegiances from the UFC, he’s keeping himself sharp.

‘Smooth’ most recently lost a split decision to Patricky Freire in September and received a lengthy medical suspension after injuring his hand and rib in defeat.

But he’s definitely not spending his time lamenting his loss on the couch as he accepted a grappling match in London this weekend.

Pitted against the fearsome AJ Agazarm in the co-main event of Polaris 6, Henderson claimed a unanimous decision and the match-up wasn’t short of drama.

In the early stages, the former UFC lightweight champion put everything he had into a double-leg takedown and tackled Agazarm right off the platform and down several feet to the floor below.

The referee was sent tumbling down along with the competitors as he attempted to save the fall but, thankfully, nobody was seriously injured.

Remarkably, Henderson sent his opponent flying off the mat again just a few minutes later with another power double.

In the main event of the evening, Craig Jones was crowned Polaris’ middleweight champion after accomplishing something not many have managed when he submitted former UFC welterweight challenger Jake Shields.

An early heel hook handed Jones the win at the O2 Arena to close out an incredible evening of elite-level grappling.