Sherdog.com’s 2014 Upset of the Year

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2. Rafael dos Anjos vs. Benson Henderson
UFC Fight Night “Henderson vs. Dos Anjos”
Aug. 23 | Tulsa, Okla.

After his year got off to a rough start in a decision loss to the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov, dos Anjos bounced back with three wins during the ensuing six months, none more career-changing than his first-round knockout of onetime World Extreme Cagefighting and UFC champion Benson Henderson at the BOK Center in August.

As much as Henderson is renowned for winning fights against top-level opposition, “Smooth” is also known for his lack of finishes. With one submission surrounded by eight decision wins, a loss via knockout or submission truly stands out; plus, it was the first strike-induced loss of Henderson’s career.

After losing his UFC lightweight title to Anthony Pettis at UFC 164, Henderson climbed back into title contention with wins against Josh Thomson and Rustam Khabilov. His ascent continued with a pairing against dos Anjos -- a fight in which Henderson was heavily favored, despite the Brazilian’s own success. The fight was scheduled for 25 minutes, and most expected the fight to go the distance, especially considering the amount of decision outcomes the two had between them. In the end, the bout only lasted 2:31, ending in shocking fashion.

Both men came out tentative, using their identical 70-inch reaches to paw at each other with jabs. A two-punch combination from Henderson landed, only to be countered by a flurry from dos Anjos. Henderson, who had remained against the cage since the outset, punched his way towards the center of the cage, landing a huge body shot. The punch seemed to stir the Gordo-Evolve Team product, as dos Anjos became more aggressive and was sent to the mat by a straight kick for his efforts. Then it happened.

Dos Anjos caught Henderson with a left hand as the former champion was lunging with a right, visibly staggering the MMA Lab team member. Dos Anjos opened up with shots, seemingly landing at will. The flurry culminated in a flying knee that dropped Henderson to the canvas. “Smooth” slowly climbed to his feet, but as he stood, he was met with a left hand that hit him square on the button, disconnecting his senses and forcing referee John McCarthy to wave it off.

The win has propelled dos Anjos to new heights in arguably the UFC’s strongest weight class, as he parlayed his victory with a unanimous decision thrashing of Nate Diaz to close out the year. With Nurmagomedov still recovering from knee surgery, a shot at Pettis’ title now looms. Henderson, meanwhile, has been thrown back into the fire, with a bout scheduled against Eddie Alvarez at UFC Fight Night “McGregor vs. Siver” in January. There, the 31-year-old will look to avoid the first two-fight losing streak of his career.

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