Ben Henderson vs. Mark Bocek

Former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson(12-2) will face ground specialist Mark Bocek(9-3) at UFC 129 according to MMAjunkie.

13th ranked lightweight Ben Henderson lost his title at WEC 53 to Anthony Pettis in a back and forth war that once again showcased Henderson’s developing fight game. Henderson’s meteoric rise may have been briefly halted, but look for him to bounce back in his UFC debut.

Mark Bocek(ranked 40th) has quietly gone 4-1 in his last 5 fights, and the only loss was a controversial decision to current title contender Jim Miller. Bocek’s skills on the ground are unquestionable, but he has continued to round out the rest of his game and now has an opportunity to take out a big name in Henderson .

Henderson has been able to rely on his submission game when he gets in trouble on his feet, but he won’t be so lucky in this matchup. Henderson will have to rely heavily on his striking and look to incorporate his kicks early and often to keep Bocek from taking him down. Henderson, has the athleticism to outclass Bocek on the feet, but he needs to fight smart, and at times Henderson can get reckless. Bocek is a live underdog in this fight, but he just lacks too much reach in the striking department for my liking.