Ht/Wt: 5’10/155 lbs.
Age: 29
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, Nev.
Team: Xtreme Couture
Record: 5-1
The Breakdown: Another one of the highly touted prospects populating Team Takedown, Roller’s wrestling pedigree and surprising offensive dynamism makes him one of the WEC’s most compelling prospects. While Henderson lacks the same talent for takedowns, his versatile offense makes him a stiff test for Roller. Staying focused on controlling Henderson with his wrestling while avoiding any youthful mistakes is crucial.
The X Factor: Talented as he may be, Roller has the bad habit of making mental errors inside the cage. Thus far, his excess of athleticism has been his saving grace, but one mental malfunction too many against Henderson will leave Roller joining Jake Rosholt on Team Takedown’s bust list.
Benson “Smooth” Henderson Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 5’9/155 lbs.
Age: 25
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Fighting out of: Glendale, Ariz.
Team: The MMA Lab
Record: 8-1
The Breakdown: Rangy and unorthodox, Henderson needs to keep Roller off-balance as Roller’s suffocating top control makes him nearly impossible to corral. What Henderson should look to take advantage of is Roller’s recklessness in the cage, ideally by drawing him into standing exchanges that would get Roller away from relying on his wrestling.
The X Factor: Henderson’s long frame gives him a serpentine reach, but he isn’t terribly strong from up close and that is where Roller excels. If nothing else, Henderson has to keep Roller at bay or end up fighting on Roller’s terms -- a losing proposition for most of the lightweight division.
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The Bottom Line: After watching Team Takedown’s Jake Rosholt move on to the UFC and get knocked off, the WEC is hoping that they’ve struck gold with Roller. That remains to be seen, but he should be able to overpower Henderson en route to a ground-and-pound stoppage.