UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar 2 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II. August 11, 2012. Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado. Benson Henderson defended the UFC Lightweight Championship against Frankie Edgar by split decision (48-47, 48-47, 46-49) in their second meeting of the year. Henderson had defeated Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan in February; the rematch was as controversial as the first.
Edgar knocked Henderson down in round two and nearly submitted him with a D’Arce choke. He had more total strikes, more significant strikes, more takedowns, and the fight’s only knockdown. Fight Metric agreed with Edgar. Two of three judges disagreed. Edgar flung his cap to the canvas post-fight. He did not pursue a third fight and moved down to featherweight. Donald Cerrone earned $120,000 in bonuses for a 76-second knockout of Melvin Guillard.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: August 11, 2012
Venue: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado, USA (second UFC PPV in Denver after UFC 135 in September 2011)
Main Event: Benson Henderson (c) vs. Frankie Edgar — UFC LW Championship (5 rounds; REMATCH of UFC 144)
Result: Henderson def. Edgar — SD (48-47, 48-47, 46-49) — first title defence; Edgar knocked Henderson DOWN in R2 + D’Arce choke attempt; CONTROVERSIAL
Notable: Edgar flings cap in disgust; ends LW bid; moves to FW; Cerrone $120k double bonus (76-sec KO Guillard); Holloway first UFC KO; $60k bonuses
The Build-Up
The first Edgar vs. Henderson fight at UFC 144 in Japan ended in a unanimous decision for Henderson that many observers felt Edgar had won. Edgar’s manager petitioned for an immediate rematch, which Dana White granted. Six months after the first, the second fight took place in Denver with the same two fighters in the same roles. Both knew every tendency the other carried into the octagon.
Main Event
Benson Henderson (c) vs. Frankie Edgar — UFC LW Championship
Henderson won the first round with a guillotine attempt in the closing seconds. Edgar rocked Henderson with a right hand in round two and followed with a D’Arce choke that Henderson barely escaped. Edgar had the knockdown, more total strikes across five rounds, and more significant strikes. Henderson landed a powerful right hand and a head kick in the final minute of round five that may have swayed two judges.
The scorecards read 48-47, 48-47 for Henderson and 46-49 for Edgar. Fight Metric’s post-fight analysis indicated the fight should have been a draw or an Edgar win. Edgar flung his cap to the canvas in disgust. Dana White confirmed there would be no third fight; Edgar subsequently moved to featherweight.
Co-Main Event
Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard — Lightweight
Cerrone staggered Guillard with a head kick inside the first 30 seconds. He followed with a right hand that dropped Guillard at 1:16 of round one. The stoppage earned Cerrone the Knockout of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses simultaneously, a combined total of $120,000 for 76 seconds of work.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Dennis Bermudez def. Tommy Hayden — Submission (Guillotine) — R1 — FW; Sub Night ($60k)
Max Holloway def. Justin Lawrence — KO — R? — FW; Holloway’s first UFC KO (age 20)
Yushin Okami def. Buddy Roberts — TKO — R? — MW
Jake Shields def. Ed Herman — Decision — R3 — MW (Shields returns to MW)
Main Card
Donald Cerrone def. Melvin Guillard — KO (Head Kick + Punch) — R1, 1:16 — LW; Co-Main; Cerrone $120k double bonus
UFC LW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Benson Henderson def. Frankie Edgar — Decision (Split) — R5, 5:00 (48-47, 48-47, 46-49) — LW Championship; controversial; Edgar had knockdown + D’Arce attempt
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night + KO of the Night: Donald Cerrone — $120,000 total ($60,000 FOTN + $60,000 KOTN). Cerrone earned both bonuses for his 76-second head kick knockout of Guillard.
Sub of the Night: Dennis Bermudez — $60,000.
Records & Milestones
Edgar vs. Henderson II was the second consecutive split decision between the same two fighters in the same calendar year — both controversial — a combination of outcomes that ended Edgar’s LW title pursuit and accelerated his move to featherweight.
Max Holloway — first UFC KO win at age 20; Holloway would go on to become UFC FW Champion in 2017 and make five consecutive defences.
Donald Cerrone double bonus ($120k) — a rare accomplishment; only a handful of fighters had earned two performance bonuses from a single fight at the time.
Legacy & Impact
The two Edgar-Henderson fights in 2012 define the period where LW title dispute was the sport’s most contentious judging argument. Both times, observers gave Edgar the edge on output and damage-taking. Both times, Henderson’s judges saw it differently. The result was Edgar’s shift to featherweight, where he challenged Jose Aldo for a third time.
Cerrone’s double bonus was notable for the efficiency of the work. 76 seconds. One head kick. $120,000. The fight’s most compelling 76 seconds came before anyone expected them.
FAQ
Did Edgar get robbed at UFC 150?
Edgar had the fight’s only knockdown, more total strikes, and more significant strikes. Fight Metric's post-fight analysis scored the fight in his favour. Two of three judges scored it for Henderson. Whether the knockdown and near-submission weighted sufficiently is disputed.
Was UFC 150 Henderson's first title defence?
Yes. Henderson had won the belt at UFC 144 in February 2012. The Edgar rematch at UFC 150 was his first official title defence.
Why did Frankie Edgar throw his cap at UFC 150?
Edgar flung his cap to the canvas post-fight in visible frustration at the split decision loss. He believed he had done enough to win, consistent with the statistical analysis of the fight. The gesture became one of the event's defining images.
How much did Donald Cerrone earn at UFC 150?
Cerrone earned $120,000 in bonuses — $60,000 for Fight of the Night and $60,000 for Knockout of the Night — for his 76-second head kick knockout of Melvin Guillard in the co-main event.
What did Frankie Edgar do after losing to Henderson at UFC 150?
Edgar moved down to featherweight following the result. He challenged Jose Aldo for the UFC FW Championship at UFC 156 in February 2013, losing by unanimous decision.
References
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