Benson Henderson isn’t interested in talking about his past — his future is about to come front and center.

The former UFC lightweight champion made headlines around the MMA world back in February when he opted to break ties with Zuffa and sign with the Bellator. While other fighters have dabbled in the free agent market before, Henderson is the first top-ranked talent to shrug the projected prestige of competing on the biggest stage in MMA for a more substantial payday.

Although Henderson is happy his transition brought attention to the growing competitive market, he has moved beyond the buzz of the moment. The 32-year-old MMA Lab leader will make his official promotional debut at Bellator 153 this Friday night when he faces reigning champion Andrey Koreshkov.

Henderson's inaugural showing inside the Bellator cage will be a watershed moment in MMA, but to the Arizona-based welterweight, it’s just another opportunity to prove his talent.

“Everything I’ve done in my career has prepared me for what happens next,” Henderson said. “I spent time fighting on undercards and then to main events and eventually title fights. All of that experience has prepared me to start this new chapter and go out and give a great performance on April 22.”

Henderson’s first challenge under the Bellator banner isn’t one he’s taking lightly. Koreshkov has only been bested once out of 19 professional outings, with his lone defeat coming from the hands of wrestling phenom Ben Askren back in 2013. The Russian champion’s consistent success isn’t lost on Henderson in the slightest, and he’s prepared for the fight as if it will be the toughest challenge of his career.

“I always have goals, but right now, my focus is on this fight with [Andrey] Koreshkov,” Henderson said. “He’s a tough fighter, and it’s his title I have to take. There is a lot riding on it for me because it’s my first in Bellator, but in reality, it’s just another fight I have to win. I have to step into that cage and perform at my best the same way I’ve always had to. I’ve put in the hard work, and now I have to go out there and get my hand raised.”

Henderson’s upcoming title tilt with Koreshkov will set the tone for his road ahead under the Belabor banner and adjust the focus on the larger scope of his overall career. Once an unheralded WEC fighter thought incapable by many of competing with the best the UFC had to offer, Henderson used an impressive title run to shatter that perception.

On Friday night, if Henderson is successful in his quest to obtain Bellator gold, he will become the first man to ever win titles in all three major promotions. That’s a notable feat by any measure, but it’s also the turn that could potentially solidify Henderson’s legacy in a sport that never quite understood his value.

If that happens, the MMA world probably won’t hear Henderson shouting from the rooftops or patting himself on the back. He’ll simply keep working to become one percent better in all aspects of his life, because progress is what truly matters to him at the end of the day.