WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will make an appearance at Saturday night’s Tampa Bay Lightning versus Phoenix Coyotes NHL hockey game. According to a WEC press release (released prior to news of the UFC merger) he will drop the ceremonial pre-game puck as well as sign autographs.
Many MMA fighters have made appearances at other sporting events to promote the UFC. Most have thrown out first pitches at baseball games such as Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Rich Franklin and Jon Jones to name a few. Booking fighters to participate in pre-game festivities at mainstream sports is good for MMA. It creates visibility and credibility that MMA is a real sport. Henderson is an all-around nice guy and meeting with fans and signing autographs at an NHL game can change people’s perceptions of the sport and its fighters.
Payout Perspective:
Henderson’s appearance at the Coyote’s game makes sense since he trains in Glendale and the fight will take place at the Jobing.com Arena. The fact that Saturday may see an increase in attendance due to special Halloween activities prior to the game is also helpful in promoting the December 16thmatchup.
The appearance is bolstered even more by the news that Henderson will be appearing in the last WEC ever and winning his match against Pettis vaults him into a spot into a UFC championship match (and likely main event of a PPV).
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