Former UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson has lost two of three fights thus far in Bellator MMA.
With an eye towards turning his fortunes around in the promotion, the former champion looks to return this summer after having knee surgery.
“My surgeon has said nine to 12 months because it wasn’t just the ACL; it was ACL, MCL and meniscus,” Henderson said to MMA Junkie. “Because it’s everything it was, he recommends a longer layoff so I can do my due diligence with the rehab and all that stuff. He says nine to 12 months, but I’m a little bit more optimistic than that with me being the fighter I am. I’m a little bit more risky, so we’ll see. I want to be in there before nine months. I had surgery on Dec. 19, so basically at the beginning of the year in January is when my rehab started. If I can make it back before the ninth of September – I don’t want to push it and be crazy, but late July, maybe August. I want to have that Adrian Peterson comeback.”
The aforementioned knee surgery was to repair an ACL injury that Henderson has been dealing with since his Bellator MMA debut.
Henderson also gives full credit to the promotion he calls home for helping him and his family through the whole ordeal.
“Bellator has full insurance the same as the UFC; it’s another great, top class organization,” Henderson said.
In those first three fights with Bellator MMA, the former UFC fighter lost to current lightweight champion Michael Chandler and former welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov, with the lone win coming over current featherweight champion Patricio Freire.
