UFC 144 Edgar vs. Henderson Saturday February 25, 2012 Tokyo, Japan Saitama Super Arena

UFC 144 was the first UFC to come to Japan since UFC 29 and they bring another exciting match up with current UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar (14–1–1) and former WEX Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson (15–2). Ben Henderson won a unanimous decision over  Frankie Edgar in what some would call controversial due to the number of strikes landed by Edgar, however Ben Henderson’s striking and octagon control impressed both fans and even UFC President Dana White.

Results:

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Featherweight bout: China Zhang Tiequan vs. Japan Issei Tamura

• Tamura defeated Zhang via KO (punch) at 0:32 of round 2.

Preliminary card (FX):

Bantamweight bout: Japan Takeya Mizugaki vs. United States Chris Cariaso

• Cariaso defeated Mizugaki via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).

Middleweight bout: Japan Riki Fukuda vs. United States Steve Cantwell

• Fukuda defeated Cantwell via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27).

Bantamweight bout: Japan Norifumi Yamamoto vs. England Vaughan Lee

• Lee defeated Yamamoto via submission (armbar) at 4:29 of round 1.

Lightweight bout: Japan Takanori Gomi vs. Japan Eiji Mitsuoka

• Gomi defeated Mitsuoka via TKO (punches) at 2:21 of round 2.

Main card (PPV):

Lightweight bout: United States Anthony Pettis vs. United States Joe Lauzon

• Pettis defeated Lauzon via KO (head kick & punches) at 1:21 of round 1.

Featherweight bout: Japan Hatsu Hioki vs. Poland Bart Palaszewski

• Hioki defeated Palazewski via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29–28).

Middleweight bout: Japan Yushin Okami vs. United States Tim Boetsch

• Boetsch defeated Okami via TKO (punches) at 0:54 of round 3.

Welterweight bout: Japan Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. United States Jake Shields

• Shields defeated Akiyama via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

Heavyweight bout: New Zealand Mark Hunt vs. France Cheick Kongo

• Hunt defeated Kongo via TKO (punches) at 2:11 of round 1.

Catchweight (211 lb) bout: United States Quinton Jackson vs. United States Ryan Bader

• Bader defeated Jackson via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

Lightweight Championship bout: United States Frankie Edgar (c) vs. United States Ben Henderson

• Henderson defeated Edgar via unanimous decision (49–46, 48–47, 49–46) to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion.

Added Notes: At the UFC 144 weigh ins, Quinton Jackson failed to make the 206 lb weight limit and came in 5 lbs overweight at 211 lbs. Jackson was fined 20 percent of his earnings and the bout was contested at a catch weight of 211 lb.