Top five lightweight title contender Ben "Smooth" Henderson will be fighting for the UFC lightweight title against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan. Looking to win his second major title as a short-term goal Henderson reveals that he is also looking to top pound-4-pound king Anderson Silva in title defenses.

“I definitely have long-term goals (and) short-term goals, but that’s been my goal since I first got into fighting – to be the best fighter on the planet. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I want to be the best fighter, period. That goal is still in my sights. I still wake up thinking about that. I don’t think me beating Frankie gets me anywhere near the conversation. I’d have to beat Frankie and beat a couple of other guys and defend the belt – what is Anderson up to? He’s up to 12 right now? Thirteen? So after I beat whatever Anderson’s record is – whatever he stops at, 14 times, 15 times, after I beat that – then the conversation is going to begin.”

The former WEC lightweight champion is confident he will be walking away with the title after UFC 144, but when asked if there was one thing he may be worried about Bendo said losing a close fight on points which is what Edgar is most successful at doing.

“Maybe losing each round by a hair. Frankie does a great job in his fights of doing just enough, or not just enough – I don’t mean it to sound like that – but he does really good work in winning that round. He wins one round and then he does just enough the next time to win that round, and then the next round. So by the end of the fight, you’re down five rounds to none. You’re not really too beat up or too damaged, but you lost all five rounds to Frankie Edgar.”

UFC 144 will be taking place on Febuary 26th at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan where lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and number one contender Ben Henderson will headline the event. For more news, updates, and rumors on all things MMA stay connected with www.MMAMATRIX.com.

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