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Benson borrowed thigh punch from Bruce Leeroy - Mixed Martial Arts News

Retweeted by The MMA LAB (Benson Henderson's gym)
‏@xMatthewxOceanx
@BruceLeeroyGlow Haha so you showed @BensonHenderson that knee/thigh punch? Brilliant stuff man!

When the Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz fight was announced, hardcore fans anticipated a battle between Nate's hands and Henderson's wrestling and kicks.

The fight quickly played out that way, before taking a strange turn. Henderson began jabbing Diaz, in the thigh, to the Stockton native's clear discomfort.

Techniques get added to the MMA repetoire when they work, and this one works. Sometimes a move become distinctively associated with an individual, like the Von Flue or Darse chokes. However, the thigh punch won't be called the Benson, as in a post fight interview with FUEL TV, the reigning UFC Lightweight champion said he got the move from Alex "Bruce Leeroy" Caceres, who perhaps got the idea from Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites in 2009.

“I actually planned that," said Henderson. "I’ve got to thank Alex Caceres on that one. He came up to the MMA Lab and he did it to me and it actually hurt. He’s a 135-pounder, he weighs 150 pounds soaking wet, and he did it to me and it hurt me.

"I started using it and did it to my sparring partners and it hurt them. They asked me to stop because it hurt too much. It worked. I stole it from Alex and thank him very much.

"It was effective. You saw it against Nate Diaz and it was pretty effective. I’m always trying to add new tricks, work on my fundamentals, and get better and improve.”