Benson Henderson is eyeing a late summer return.

The former UFC lightweight kingpin has gone 1-2 since making the move to Bellator. A torn ACL and MCL, among other injuries forced Henderson to sit on the sidelines. Henderson is recovering from surgery and is hoping to step back inside the cage in two or three months.

Henderson said he’s hoping to have a similar comeback that an elite NFL running back had:

“My surgeon has said nine to 12 months because it wasn’t just the ACL; it was ACL, MCL and meniscus. Because it’s everything it was, he recommends a longer layoff so I can do my due diligence with the rehab and all that stuff. He says nine to 12 months, but I’m a little bit more optimistic than that with me being the fighter I am. I’m a little bit more risky, so we’ll see. I want to be in there before nine months. I had surgery on Dec. 19, so basically at the beginning of the year in January is when my rehab started. If I can make it back before the ninth of September – I don’t want to push it and be crazy, but late July, maybe August. I want to have that Adrian Peterson comeback.”