A Rising Star in Belgium

Patrick Habirora has firmly established himself as a legitimate contender on the international MMA stage. Representing Belgium, the 25-year-old showcased his explosive potential this past Saturday at the PFL Brussels event held at the ING Arena, where he secured a blistering victory in the welterweight headliner.


A Quick Finish Over a Legend

Habirora (9-0) needed less than half a minute to dismantle former UFC and WEC champion Benson Henderson. The fight concluded just 20 seconds into the opening round when Habirora landed a powerful looping left hand that sent the veteran to the canvas. A flurry of follow-up strikes forced the referee to intervene, sending the hometown crowd into a frenzy.


This victory marks Habirora’s eighth knockout in nine professional appearances, with seven of those wins coming within the first round. Following the bout, the Belgian prospect showed respect toward his opponent:


“Maximum applause for the legend Benson Henderson, please guys. Respect.”

Future Ambitions

Reflecting on his future in the PFL, Habirora wasted no time in setting his sights on his next challenge. During his post-fight interview, he issued a direct invitation to BKFC star Mike Perry, saying, “Hey Mike Perry, if you’re coming to PFL, let’s go.”


For Benson Henderson (30-13), the loss continues a difficult stretch in his storied career. Having not competed in professional MMA since March 2023, the 42-year-old has now dropped five of his last seven outings, with three of those defeats coming via first-round finishes.


PFL Brussels Results

The event featured a packed card with notable performances across several weight classes:

  • Welterweight: Patrick Habirora def. Benson Henderson via TKO at 0:20 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Middleweight: Boris Mbarga Atangana def. Jared Gooden via KO at 1:05 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Naoki Inoue def. Marcirley Alves via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)
  • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj def. Keisuke Sasu via KO at 2:22 of R2
  • Bantamweight: Gustavo Oliveira def. Baris Adiguzel via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:10 of R2
  • Light Heavyweight: Donegi Abena def. Joe Schilling via TKO (retirement) at 0:36 of R1
  • Bantamweight: Movsar Ibragimov def. Shane Campbell via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:28 of R1
  • Welterweight: Khamzat Abaev def. Luca Poclit via TKO at 2:56 of R1
  • Featherweight: Adam Meskini def. Keweny Lopes via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
  • Welterweight: Ashley Reece def. Rustam Serbiev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)