Habirora stops Henderson in 20 seconds to headline PFL Brussels at ING Arena

Patrick Habirora needed just 20 seconds to dismantle Benson Henderson at PFL Brussels on Saturday, stopping the former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champion with a first-round barrage at ING Arena in Belgium. The finish kept Habirora’s professional record spotless at 9-0 and extended his PFL run to 5-0.

The 42-year-old Henderson walked into a sharp left hook from “The Belgian Bomber”, and a follow-up right hook sent him crashing to the canvas. Prone and badly hurt, Henderson absorbed several right hands before referee Mike Beltran stepped in to wave off the contest. The defeat drops Henderson to 30-13 overall and 0-1 in the PFL.

In the co-main event, former Ares FC and TKO Major League MMA champion Taylor Lapilus earned a dominant unanimous decision over Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus Jake Hadley across three bantamweight rounds. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Lapilus, who now rides a six-fight winning streak at 25-4 overall and 4-0 in the PFL. Lapilus controlled the fight with sharp jabs, multi-punch combinations and low kicks while consistently denying Hadley’s takedown attempts. The Englishman grew visibly frustrated, resorting to a butt-scoot position on multiple occasions, only for Lapilus to move into open space and punish him with standing leg kicks.

Also on the main card, unbeaten Belgian Boris Mbarga Atangana of Team Sendo made short work of Jared Gooden in their middleweight contest, finishing him with punches 65 seconds into the opening round. Atangana, now 9-0 and 4-0 in the PFL, dropped Gooden with a head kick, drove him to the fence and unloaded with both hands. A cut opened under Gooden’s right eye before a vicious left hook and three unanswered right hands ended the fight. All nine of Atangana’s victories have come by finish, seven of them inside the first round.

Former Rizin Fighting Federation champion Naoki Inoue rounded out the notable action with a split-decision win over Chute Boxe’s Marcirley Alves in a closely fought bantamweight bout. Two judges scored it 29-28 for Inoue, while the third saw it 30-27 for Alves. The 28-year-old Inoue moved to 21-5 overall and 1-0 in the PFL, relying on lateral movement and his jab before a late surge proved decisive, despite Alves troubling him with sharp counters in the second round.