Dan Henderson – The quest to be the best remains unchanged

Cage Fighter Mark Coleman UFC 93 Walk-In Tee Related Products Cage Fighter Reverse Stitch Fight Shorts - White/Silver UFC Ultiman 1993 Cap Cage Fighter Branded Fight Shorts - Gray/Black TapouT American Gothic T-shirt Related News Official UFC 106 Weigh-In Results Tito Ortiz’ New Beginning Forrest Griffin – The Quest to Get That Winning Feeling Back Parisyan is out of UFC 106; Bout with Hazelett Off ‘Kos’ and Effect Headlines Official UFC 106 Weigh-In Results Tito Ortiz’ New Beginning Forrest Griffin – The Quest to Get That Winning Feeling Back UFC 106: Fantasy Preview Parisyan is out of UFC 106; Bout with Hazelett Off

By Thomas Gerbasi

If you hang around this game long enough, you’re usually able to get a read on fighters. Some guys enjoy the buildup to the fight more than the fight itself; others could do without the seemingly endless interviews and questions and would rather zoom right to fight night.

Dan Henderson’s one of those guys in the latter category.

And who can blame him? Through his years as an Olympic-level wrestler and in over 11 years as a pro mixed martial artist, he’s pretty much seen it all. So he knows that whether there’s a friendship between two fighters or bad blood, tons of hype or no hype at all, at the end of the day, one thing remains – you have to compete when the bell rings. So don’t expect any intimidating stares or vicious trash talk being sent in the direction of Henderson’s opponent this Saturday, Rich Franklin. When he steps in the Octagon, it’s just another day in the office.

“This is a job and a career and it’s a sport,” said Henderson during a recent media teleconference. “And you know that’s just the way it is. We do go in the gym and try to beat up some of our good friends, and you know it’s really no different going out there (to fight). I don’t need to generate any anger or dislike towards any opponent. I’ve never done that even if I really don’t like him. I don’t focus on that. I just focus on what I want to do and on my training and everything else.”

It doesn’t hurt that Henderson is in a bout that needs no pre-fight antics. Long considered one of the best in the world, pound for pound, the 38-year old shows no signs of slowing down, even after losses to Quinton Jackson and Anderson Silva in 2007-2008. In those bouts, Henderson lost a close decision to Jackson and had a good first round against Silva before getting tagged and then submitted by the middleweight boss in the second. And he bounced back in fine form with a three round win over Rousimar Palhares last September. But a win over Franklin can do a lot for “Hendo”, both in the Octagon and outside of it.

With a victory over Franklin, the former middleweight champion, Henderson will be pitted as a coach against Michael Bisping in season nine of The Ultimate Fighter. That six week long gig will get Henderson the type of mainstream stateside exposure that a fighter of his caliber has deserved for years. And when it’s over, it’s off to a pay-per-view showdown with Bisping, albeit back at 185 pounds. But dropping down to middleweight again isn’t an issue for Henderson.

“I’m okay with going to either weight class,” he said. “I’m right in between, kind of, so it doesn’t matter where I’m at. I would like to eventually get a title shot at either weight class. And I’m sure at either weight class, beating some of the top guys there will get you that title shot. So it’s just a matter of the matchups that UFC puts in and how well you do in those matchups.”

It’s hard to say who should be favored in this one though, and that’s what makes the UFC 93 main event so intriguing. Franklin looked sharp in his return to 205 pounds last September against Matt Hamill, and the only person to beat him at this weight was Lyoto Machida back in 2003. He also has the more technical striking game and a better submission attack. Henderson, on the other hand, is the superior wrestler of the two, and his ground and pound attack is also top notch. Add in a concussive right hand, and this is truly a pick ‘em bout. Maybe that’s why fans have wanted to see it for so long.

“I think that this is something that all of the fans have been wanting to see,” said Henderson. “Ever since he was UFC champ and I was Pride champ, they’ve wondered what would happen if we fought, and it’s finally going to happen.”

But will the fight come down to size, considering that despite their equal height, Franklin looks like the bigger man at 205? Plus, Franklin was able to dominate Hamill’s wrestling-based style with ease in their bout, not a good omen if Henderson is looking to take the fight to the mat. Henderson admits that he’s not a big 205-pounder, but as he points out, that’s never stopped him before, and the trail of light heavyweights he’s defeated over the years proves that.

“I’ve never felt a need to cut weight,” he said. “And I’ve never felt, and it’s probably just a mental thing, but I’ve never felt like I’m the smaller guy out there when I’m out there fighting. I’m out there trying to beat them up just the same. And I’ve never felt weak and that I couldn’t do what I wanted to do to my opponents no matter how big they were.”

That isn’t Henderson just blowing smoke either. Just look at perhaps the best resume in the sport when it comes to fighting world-class opposition: Anderson Silva, Quinton Jackson, Murilo Bustamante, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Kazuo Misaki, Ryo Chonan, Akihiro Gono, Yuki Kondo, ‘Ninja’ Rua, Renzo Gracie, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Carlos Newton, Ricardo Arona, and ‘Babalu’ Sobral. That’s a Murderers Row no matter how you slice it, and win or lose, it's why Henderson is considered one of the top fighters in the world today. Luckily for that world, he’s not done yet.

“I’m still focused on being the best fighter I can be.”

Share |