Benson Henderson KO in 20 seconds

Benson Henderson was knocked out in 20 seconds by Patrick Habirora in the main event of PFL Brussels on Saturday at ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium. The Professional Fighters League listed the result as a first-round knockout at the 0:20 mark after Habirora, an unbeaten Belgian welterweight, stopped the former UFC and WEC lightweight champion in front of a home crowd. Henderson, 42, had returned for the bout after last fighting in March 2023, when he lost to Usman Nurmagomedov in Bellator. The matchup paired a veteran name with a local prospect on a card PFL promoted as Habirora vs. Henderson. MMA Junkie’s event listing identified Henderson entering at 30-13 and Habirora at 9-0, with the fight booked at welterweight. PFL said the finish sent the Brussels crowd into “a raucous ovation.” (pflmma.com) ### Who stopped Henderson that quickly? Patrick Habirora was the undefeated hometown fighter in the Brussels main event, and multiple event result listings identified him as the man who finished Henderson. Yahoo Sports said the 25-year-old Belgian improved to 9-0 with the win, while PFL’s official results package put him at the center of the card’s close in Belgium’s capital. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) FightNews reported that Habirora ended the bout with a leaping left hook, while Yahoo Sports described a looping left hand followed by several shots on the ground. Video clips circulating from the event showed the exchange ending almost immediately after the opening engagement, though the official result remains a knockout at 20 seconds. ### Why was Henderson fighting in Brussels at age 42? (uk.sports.yahoo.com) Benson Henderson entered the bout as a former UFC and WEC champion making another appearance after a lengthy layoff. Cageside Press said he was returning from retirement and competing for the first time since March 2023, when he lost to Usman Nurmagomedov in a Bellator lightweight grand prix title fight. MMA Junkie likewise framed the booking as Henderson’s return to action against an unbeaten prospect. (fightnews.com) The setting also mattered. Brussels was Habirora’s home market, and PFL built the card around a Belgian headliner at ING Arena. That gave the promotion a recognizable former champion on one side and an unbeaten local fighter on the other. ### How unusual was the finish? The official time made this one of the shortest main-event outcomes on the card. PFL’s results page listed the Henderson-Habirora fight ending at 0:20 of Round 1, while the next-fastest stoppage on the main card was Boris Atangana’s knockout of Jared Gooden at 1:05. (cagesidepress.com) Yahoo Sports said the win was Habirora’s eighth knockout in nine professional victories and his seventh first-round finish. (pflmma.com) Those numbers place the Henderson result within a broader pattern for Habirora rather than as a one-off ending. ### What else happened on the Brussels card? (pflmma.com) Taylor Lapilus beat Jake Hadley by unanimous decision in the co-main event, and PFL said afterward that Lapilus called for a title shot. The official results page also listed Naoki Inoue defeating Sarvarjon Khamidov by unanimous decision and Boris Atangana stopping Jared Gooden by first-round knockout. MMA Fighting’s event page listed the card’s U.S. distribution on the ESPN App, with the main card beginning at 3 p.m. (uk.sports.yahoo.com) Eastern. Tapology and PFL both listed the event for May 23 in Brussels, reflecting the local Saturday staging even as some previews published on May 22 in the United States. ### What comes next for the two fighters? Patrick Habirora left Brussels with his unbeaten record intact and a main-event knockout over one of the best-known names on the card. (pflmma.com) PFL’s official post-event coverage and MMA outlets were already leading their Brussels packages with Habirora’s finish and Lapilus’ co-main victory on May 23. Henderson’s next step was not announced in the official results release. (mmafighting.com)