Anthony Pettis still has Benson Henderson’s number.
On Friday night, Anthony Pettis and Henderson faced off in a catchweight fight at Karate Combat 43 at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas, marking the third time the two former UFC champions have faced off.
And just like their first two fights, it was “Showtime” who walked away with the win.
Anthony Pettis spent much of the fight looking to land flashier, more karate-inspired attacks like spinning kicks and Superman punches. Henderson, meanwhile, chopped away with calf kicks, body shots, forward pressure, and combination punches, building up an early lead.
As the fight wore on, both men upped their aggression, with Henderson pushing the pace and Pettis starting to land nasty counter shots. At the end of five rounds, it seemed liked Henderson had done enough to get the win, but the judges decided that a sudden-death sixth round was necessary.
With the fight on the line, both men really got after it, but Pettis was able to finish stronger, landing the bigger shots as the round came to a close.
Ultimately, the judges awarded Anthony Pettis a unanimous decision victory, and afterward, he called for a fight with Karate Combat commentator Georges St-Pierre, who politely declined.
In the co-main event, Sam Alvey won the inaugural heavyweight championship, taking a decision victory over Ross Lavine. Alvey was noticeably larger than the middleweight champion and made the most of that size advantage, landing considerably more effective and punches and ground shots, which ultimately won him the fight.
Afterward, Alvey called out free agent Darren Till for his first title defense.