Ben Henderson has been notoriously known for fighting at a high level with a toothpick in his mouth for quite some time, including in a recent fight with Brandon Thatch. It’s very possible he has been fighting with a toothpick for the bulk of his career.
The former UFC lightweight champion competed at welterweight for the second time against Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC Fight Night 79 this past weekend and defeated “Gamebred” in a close decision. Mid-way through the fight, “Smooth” spat out his toothpick (which Herb Dean clearly picks up afterward) and video of it was posted online by YouTube user ‘bentleysuper8’. The video can be seen above, or if you have Fight Pass, just go to the :53 mark of round 3.
Fighting with a toothpick could bring up safety issues with an athletic commission or the UFC organization, as has been brought up by veteran MMA official Rob Hinds. With that being said, although it is very clear Henderson is fighting with one, it has been ignored.
Henderson (23-5) now enters free agency riding a two-fight winning streak, which also includes a stoppage win over Thatch in his 170-pound debut earlier this year. He lost his 155-pound belt in 2013 when he was submitted by Anthony Pettis in the first round, and has since gone 4-2.
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