It’s a far cry from where Henderson started out just a few years ago when he was cleaning toilets, mopping floors, and teaching classes at The MMA Lab in Arizona just to be able to train full time.
Well, from now on, whenever Henderson decides something needs to be cleaned up at the gym, he’ll be picking up on his own floors and his own mats.
Just a few weeks before Henderson makes the long journey to Japan to face Edgar at UFC 144, the former WEC champion purchased The MMA Lab to become its full-time owner, as well as one of its top teachers and fighters.
“It’s a pretty big difference from five years ago cleaning out the toilets, taking out the garbage, and going on Starbucks runs for the owner and his wife. Pretty big difference, and I’m happy for it,” Henderson joked when speaking with MMAWeekly.com.
When Henderson first moved to Arizona to work at the gym, he was already in a fortunate situation in that he was able to train full time, but not without more than a few sacrifices.
“I was pretty blessed with my situation when I came out here to Arizona. The old owner whose name was Jason Beck, he asked John Crouch, who he was friends with from back in the old school Gracie Academy days, he knew John had some fighters in Denver and he asked if he and some of his fighters would like to move to Arizona and just train and fight full time. So early on in my career I was able to move out here to Arizona and just train full time,” Henderson explained.
“I was sponsored from The Lab. I got like a couple hundred dollars a month, just barely enough to survive, but I cleaned toilets, mopped mats, do all the odd ends sort of jobs. So I was able to train full time, so I’d train in the mornings, train in the afternoons, but in between I’d clean up, I’d teach the kids’ classes, clean up at night also.”
Henderson’s days were pretty routine. It was either about training, teaching or cleaning up somebody’s mess, and that’s just how life was for the future UFC lightweight contender. It may sound mundane to you and me, but to Benson Henderson those were the building blocks on his road to a championship.
“I’d get there in the morning; I’d train in the morning. I’d have to clean up in the afternoon, clean the toilets, clean up the mats, take out the garbage. Then I’d train in the afternoon from three to five; afterwards I’d have to help teach some of the classes. Then I’d have to clean up at night after all the evening classes. I was there almost two years just training and working nonstop,” said Henderson. 
Yeah it ain't easy, but it can be done with sacrifice and determination. So I don't want to hear this excuse that the UFC should pay people more to let them trane full time. Noone is entitled to anything and being an mma fiter is a dream job.
I agree with you, my real concern is the path alot of fighter's careers start to take when they actually run a gym (they usually suffer) and own it, its a job that takes a good deal of work and can affect focus.
Yeah u should run a gym. But u can make ends meet to trane full time. It won't be fun. U won't have a Beemer, u won't be able to go to clubs, u won't have an Xbox, but if you want the glory u gotta suffer for it
I meant shouldnt run a gym
I've always looked Bendo as a guy with great work ethic. It's true, if you want to get in to the top you have to sacrifice a lot.
back in the wec days, ben was making crap. now with zuffa he has enough money to buy the gym.
It is impossible to not like bendo (unless you are a piece of shit or something)
Benson has a great team of partners and trainers around him that will be handling the majority of class instruction and gym management duties.
He is going to be just fine.
What happens when you retire with a number of severe injuries and not a lot of cash?
RyannVonDoom -goku - Yeah it ain't easy, but it can be done with sacrifice and determination. So I don't want to hear this excuse that the UFC should pay people more to let them trane full time. Noone is entitled to anything and being an mma fiter is a dream job.Get the fuck out of here. You and the writer need to be fucking slapped for this.
They are professional athletes, they are there because they are creame of the crop. They should focus 100% on training for fights. Do you see kobe talking about the second job he has? What about tom brady or any one in the nfl/nba/mlb/nhl? At this point, they shouldnt have a job unless they want to have it, not because they need it.
Try again. People
Call
The ufc the Super Bowl of mma but that us not true.
Fighters get into the octagon with little to no experience. You are entitled to get full time wages if you started traninh a year or two ago?
Grow up.
Also u obviously didn't read. Bendo DID trane full time making less than what UFC fighters make.
it is really ridiculous comparing UFC to real sports in america.
the numbers are nowhere close
the ufc has not played in one football stadium, let alone sell one out for multiple events. plus the tv deals nfl gets and the advertisers. i mean, seriously, look how much super bowl ads cost.
please, lets compare apples to apples.
the UFC will never be as big as football, and it shouldn't be
Other headlines:
Amy Winehouse shows that its possible to live on on 3 chicken nuggets a day.
Marky Mark shows that its possible for a small wealthy Jewish boy to become a gangsta rapper.
Addicts show us that you don't need food or housing just your next fix.
All of these things are possible. Just not easy.
SleepBomb - it is really ridiculous comparing UFC to real sports in america.
the numbers are nowhere close
the ufc has not played in one football stadium, let alone sell one out for multiple events. plus the tv deals nfl gets and the advertisers. i mean, seriously, look how much super bowl ads cost.
please, lets compare apples to apples.
the UFC will never be as big as football, and it shouldn't be
You're right. Let's compare the percentage of total revenue that the fighters get. Those are both apples.
Guess what? The UFC is way behind "real sports."
The Cooler - Other headlines:
Amy Winehouse shows that its possible to live on on 3 chicken nuggets a day.
Marky Mark shows that its possible for a small wealthy Jewish boy to become a gangsta rapper.
Addicts show us that you don't need food or housing just your next fix.
All of these things are possible. Just not easy.
Should it be easy?
goku - Should it be easy? <img src="/images/phone/apple.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
The UFC isn't the NFL. There is no well defined path into the UFC. Every fight is a fight that might end your career before it really begins. There is no team to share the glory or defeat with.
They struggle for years to even get into the UFC. There are no high school programs, there are no college programs. No boosters are calling you offering cars and money. No scouts are anxiously awaiting your appearance in the big game. You make it based on what you, and you alone, do.
So is it easy? You tell me.
I do know that once you get to the "big leagues" of MMA then paying your bills should be easy. You should rest easy when thinking about your future and the injuries you sustained and the potential career you ignored in favor of fighting your way into the UFC. So tell me...is it easy to fight your way into the UFC?
It's great that Henderson worked hard and is now making a good living, he deserves it. I have no idea what that has to do with not paying fighters more. Goku you are more of a fan of promoters than fighters maybe?
Ghenghis -
Wtf are you comparing athletes at the top of their sports to people just making it too the UFC? Are you so fucking dense that you think pros in other sports are so successful that they don't need to take on part time jobs? Maybe if GSP or some other fighters at the top had to take on a 2nd job to support themselves then you might have a point but it's not true. Your hate is pathetic.
http://www.google.com/search?q=nba+second+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=nba+day+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=nfl+second+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=nfl+day+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=nhl+second+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=nhl+day+job&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Found nothing but some guys who got day jobs during the lockout. Due to boredom.
NFL minimum salary: $375,000
NBA minimum salary: $473,604
NHL minumum salary: $525,000
Let's assume a brand new UFC rookie makes 20/20. He'd have to fight 10 times a year to even come close, assuming he won all 10 fights.
I know, I know, bonuses and sponsorships. I wonder why the NFL pays 400,000 a year to people "just making it in the sport" when they could all just go be on Wheatie boxes and become enormously wealthy off of sponsorship money?
Do I think UFC rookies need NFL rookie money? No, because obviously the NFL is far, far, bigger. But 80-100 a year would a good starting point.
And no one believes that NFL rookies are training and also having to work a day job. A: because they're so busy training they wouldn't have time for a career other than burger flipping/ditch digging/other unskilled work and B: because the amount they could bring in with their part time work wouldn't be worth it. When you're already making 375,000 a year then 20 hours a week at 8 bucks an hour really isn't much of an incentive.
Ghenghis -The Cooler -And no one believes that NFL rookies are training and also having to work a day job. A: because they're so busy training they wouldn't have time for a career other than burger flipping/ditch digging/other unskilled work and B: because the amount they could bring in with their part time work wouldn't be worth it. When you're already making 375,000 a year then 20 hours a week at 8 bucks an hour really isn't much of an incentive.
Yes... lets compare the salaries in a sport that makes billions a year to the UFC that probably won't even taken in a 10th of that... why don't you look up the pay for people playing Tennis or Rugby and compare it... how about professional strength athletes or a professional bowler... and wtf should some dude on a UFC undercard be making 100k a year?? Just because you think that is a good number???
How about lady's curling?
What about children's table tennis?
How about professional horse jumping?
What do any of those have to do with a billion dollar sport?
The UFC is the one who likes to compare themselves to the big leagues. If you're going to claim to be (and are) the biggest promotion in the World then you need to pay like you are.
"Some dude," who is a professional fighter fighting in the premiere MMA organization in the World, definitely deserves to earn 80-100 a year. The fighter pays for:
Coaches.
Training partners.
Training facilities.
Training equipment.
Nutrition.
Health insurance.
His agent.
Travel/board to and from fights.
His future/retirement.
Judging by your communication skills I'm going to assume you're well traveled. How much of 30 grand a year do you suppose just the travel/boarding eats up? Don't forget he has to bring his corner too.
So you tell me why 80-100 a year would be good.
Ah I fucked up the quote too. Oh well, I'm too lazy to fix it.