SAN JOSE, CA, November 16, 2011 – He’s baaack! It seems like only yesterday that Dan Henderson scored 2009’s knockout of the year in nearly decapitating Michael Bisping with one of his trademark right hands at UFC 100. That kill shot plus the Tito Santana-like flying forearm smash that followed would have been his last in the octagon in another world but alas, that’s not the case. The formerly exiled fighter returns from a 3-1 stint in Strikeforce this Saturday at UFC 139 against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Heading into this fight with his fellow PRIDE star, Henderson feels he still has much left to accomplish in the sport at the ripe young age of 41. In fact, if all goes according to plan and he beats Shogun, he may look to accomplish the one thing that’s eluded him in his illustrious career – winning a UFC championship.
“I feel I have got a lot of fights left in myself,” the former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion says about how feels at this stage of his career and another run in the UFC. “I am 41 and feel great. I’m not putting a time limit on anything. I think I can put a game plan together to beat anyone out there.”
Based on his track record, that’s a fair self-assessment. Henderson has beaten everybody from Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (all in their primes) years ago to the aforementioned Bisping, Rousimar Palhares, and Fedor Emelianenko in more recent times. With those and a right hand that remains as potent as ever, it’s safe to say that Dan Henderson can beat anybody on any given day. At the age of 41, he feels like he can still do it and who are we to judge? After all, his former Team Quest teammate Randy Couture won the UFC light heavyweight title for the second time at the same age and would go on to win the heavyweight title three years after. Henderson could be on the same path and all starts with this bout against Rua.
“I am going to try to out strike Shogun,” he says about his gameplan for this Saturday. “I am going to try to beat him in every aspect of MMA. I guess I could get knocked out like anyone can get knocked out, but I’ve been lucky enough not to get hit on the button yet. But, him saying he’s going to be the first man to knock me out, good luck to him on that one.”
Looking ahead while trying not to, Henderson already feels confident that he can beat a fighter many feel may be the closest to unbeatable as there is in the uFC.
“I am not thinking about (light heavyweight champion) Jon Jones, but I’ve given it a bit of thought and that’s a fight I think I can win. I’m thinking more about the belt, and beating Shogun gets me in line to fight for the UFC belt again. I don’t know which belt I’d rather have a shot at (middleweight or light heavyweight), but that’s something I will think about after I beat Shogun. I’m happy with the form I am in, where I am in my career, and I’m confident. This is going to be a big night for me.”
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