Benson Henderson is sticking around with Bellator.

Henderson is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Saad Awad at Bellator 208 last month. This was the last fight of “Smooth’s” previous deal. Henderson said he planned on making his next contract his last and wanted to ensure his family would be taken care of before he leaves the sport of mixed martial arts.

A Bellator official has informed MMAJunkie.com that Henderson has signed a long-term exclusive deal with the promotion. Henderson has gone 3-3 under the Bellator banner. He has wins over current featherweight champion Patricio Freire, Roger Huerta, and Awad. He’s fallen short against Andrey Koreshkov, Michael Chandler, and Patricky Freire.

Now with a new contract and approaching the age of 35, Henderson hopes to get back in title contention before it’s too late. The former UFC lightweight title holder had been dealing with a torn ACL during his downfall in Bellator. He’s since tried to get on a bit of a resurgence, going 2-0 since the surgery. Time will tell whether or not the injury played a big role in halting Henderson from adding another title to his mantle.

Henderson’s bouts against Koreshkov and Chandler were championship bouts. If “Smooth” continues to ride the hot hand, then there will be no denying another opportunity at gold. It’s safe to say he’ll be keeping a close eye on the lightweight title rematch between champion Brent Primus and Chandler next month.