UFC 144 Results: Benson Henderson Is Your New UFC Lightweight Champion

And the new UFC lightweight champion—Benson Henderson!

Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision at UFC 144 in what was an incredibly close fight.

The overall theme was the now-former champion Edgar landing more shots, but Henderson landing the heavier shots and doing more damage. Edgar also earned more takedowns than Henderson, but Henderson came close with a couple submissions.

By the end of the fight, Edgar looked considerably more banged up than Henderson, but that is not always a fair barometer to judge a fight by—some people do cut and swell easier than others.

Round 1 was a good one for Edgar, taking almost no damage, out-striking his opponent and earning a couple takedowns.

Round 2 was a turning point in the bout, as Henderson caught Edgar with a late up-kick that nearly knocked Edgar out—probably stealing the round for Henderson.

From there, the last three rounds were difficult to call. Henderson came the closest to finishing, catching a guillotine choke at one point, but Edgar had more takedowns.

At the end of the fight, it was apparent that both men thought they had won the fight. Both celebrated with their respective camps, while showing great appreciation for their opponent's efforts.

It was a remarkable fight and both men fought well, but in the end the judges gave it to Henderson.

Some would disagree with the call, but nonetheless we have a new UFC lightweight champion.

It will be interesting to see if Edgar is granted an immediate rematch, as both of the former champion's previous opponents, B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard, were given rematches after failing to defeat Edgar.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what's happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.