Henderson said there were multiple reasons for signing with Bellator and admitted the ability to sign in-cage sponsors played a pivotal role in his decision.
As a Bellator athlete, Henderson is able to sign sponsors independently from the promotion. The UFC does not allow its athletes to wear sponsorships into the Octagon, due to its exclusive apparel deal with Reebok.
In his most recent fight, a UFC Fight Pass main event on Nov. 28 in Korea, Henderson made $15,000 sponsorship money per the Reebok agreement. He anticipates making more than that per fight with Bellator.
"I won't lie, it was a very big deal," Henderson said. "The ability to get sponsors on your own and not have to rely on the amount that Reebok dictates to you was a huge factor. I'd be straight up lying if I said it wasn't a very big part of my decision to go to Bellator.
"I also want to be a trailblazer for the betterment of fighters. Bellator is open to a fighters union -- fighters binding together to see what's in our best interest. That's something you can't even breathe about elsewhere. I think it's a good thing for myself and other fighters to have that."
That said, Henderson said he left the UFC on good terms. In his announcement regarding Bellator on his personal website on Monday, he made it a point to name individuals he worked with during his time with the company. In an interview with MMAJunkie.com, UFC president Dana White referred to Henderson as a "great guy" and said he signed the "right deal for him."
"[UFC CEO] Lorenzo Fertitta called me himself. So did [UFC president] Dana White," Henderson said. "I was able to speak to them. They were both super understanding. There is no animosity there. I have no ill will towards anyone at the UFC, so I thought everything worked out well."
LINK: Sponsorships, title shot drew Benson Henderson to Bellator
