'UFC promotes arrogant people more', says Henderson

Henderson (photo) is now a Bellator athlete. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

See too

Russian fighter reveals that UFC offered Fedor more money than Rizin

GSP reveals that politics with Reebok is an obstacle to his return

Alvarez promises to violently dethrone Dos Anjos

The meteoric rise of Conor McGregor raised debate in the world of MMA about the need for a more arrogant stance on the part of fighters in order to gain sudden fame. Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson believes that the main organization on the planet tends to promote controversial athletes outside the Octagon much more instead of the “good guys”.

“I always question this, especially in the UFC, where there are so many nice guys, family people who are not extravagant. There are a lot of people who don't get arrested in clubs, there are a lot of nice guys who don't get in trouble. For some reason these guys don't get promoted like they should, I guess. But if you're arrogant or cocky or whatever, you get promoted a lot more. The UFC is a smart company, but they don't promote some guys as they should”, analyzed the fighter, in an interview with the website of the North American magazine “Sports Illustrated”.

Henderson was UFC lightweight champion between 2012 and 2013. Dissatisfied with his condition within the organization, the fighter left the company and signed with Bellator, where he will fight for the welterweight belt next Friday (22), in front of Andrei Koreshkov.