Henderson Not Looking Past Pettis

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WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is just two fights away from being crowned the greatest lightweight on the planet.

The 155-pound titleholder will defend his strap against challenger Anthony Pettis on Saturday in the main event of WEC 53, going down at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The show will mark the promotion's last-ever event, as the organization has merged with the UFC.

The victor of Henderson's clash with Pettis will not only go down as forever the WEC champion, but he will also be granted the No. 1 contender slot for the UFC lightweight belt.

“I definitely try not to look that far ahead. I just think of the fight that's in front of me. To a certain point, every fight is the biggest of fight of your life. It's huge,” said Henderson. “There's a whole other level of pressure that you have to get used to. That's just the next step in my career, and I’m looking forward to it.”

In Pettis, Henderson faces a dangerous striker with slick submission skills. Trained by Duke Roufus, the 23-year-old owns only one decision amid his 12 career victories.

“The biggest thing I like about Anthony is he gets better every fight, and he has a quickly-improving takedown defense game,” said Henderson. “He's unpredictable. You're not quite sure what he's going to do at any given moment. He could throw a flying knee or some capoeira-style back flip kick that I’ve never seen before. I can't fall asleep. Also, he has a nasty armlock-triangle that he transitions into well.”

In order to get the job done on Dec. 16, says Henderson, he'll have to dictate where the fight takes place.

“I have to go out there and instill my will instead of reacting to Anthony. I have to do what I want to do. If I say we're going to the ground, then we're going to the ground. If I say we're going to kickbox, we're going to kickbox,” he said.

The 27-year-old made his WEC debut in 2009, submitting Anthony Njokuani at WEC 38. Since that time, the champ has gone undefeated in his four subsequent WEC outings. Regardless of the outcome against Pettis, says the MMA Lab product, he will enter the UFC with something to prove.

“[WEC fighters] don't get quite the recognition we think we deserve. I want people to realize that on every card there was a potential 'Fight of the Year' candidate. I want the legacy of the WEC to be nonstop action,” he said. “When some of us go fight the UFC lightweights, I know I’m going fight with a chip on my shoulder. It's nothing personal, but I’ve got to lead that legacy.”