Tuesday

Benson Henderson defends belt, then proposes to girlfriend at UFC on FX 7

UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson won a very close decision over Gilbert Melendez at UFC on Fox 7. With the win, he held onto his gold championship belt, but right after the decision was read, another piece of jewelry was on his mind.

With the crowd in San Jose booing, Henderson's girlfriend, Maria Magana, was led into the Octagon. Henderson told UFC commentator Joe Rogan, "I gotta see about a girl real quick." He motioned to one of his cornermen, who pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket and handed it to Henderson. The champ then dropped to one knee and popped the question.

"I love you. I'm not perfect. I never have been, but you make me happier every single day than any man has a right to be. I love you. Will you marry me?"

[Related: Benson Henderson's controversial win caps off thrilling night]

Magana answered yes, even as the crowd continued to boo. The post-fight proposal had to be approved by several parties including UFC president Dana White and Magana's father.

The happy couple posed for a picture right after the fight.

The night could have very easily been much less joyful for the couple, as Henderson's win was razor-close. Melendez, the Strikeforce champion who was making his UFC debut, started strong. He neutralized Henderson by landing several kicks.

But as the fight wore on into the fourth and fifth rounds, the momentum turned towards Henderson. He finished with impressive flurries late in the third round, and was able to land enough kicks on Melendez that a welt appeared on his leg. Melendez slowed down, but neither fighter was able to consistently apply offense.

That didn't matter to Henderson after the bout.

"There's a lot of bigger things than fighting, and I had to take care of one of those things tonight," Henderson told Rogan after the successful fight and proposal.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Images from the manhunt, capture of Boston bombing suspect
? Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is ready for his encore
? Ball Don't Lie Power Rankings: First-round NBA playoff matchups
? David Ortiz punctuates Red Sox pregame with strong statement

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/benson-henderson-defends-belt-then-proposes-girlfriend-ufc-023837351--mma.html

Jose Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida