Submission Underground 2 (SUG 2): Jon Jones vs. Dan HendersonNov 17, 2016 by Jeremy Botter
SUG 2: Dan Henderson's 5 Best Career Moments
SUG 2: Dan Henderson's 5 Best Career Moments
UFC legend Dan Henderson's most remarkable moments during his incredible fighting career.
By Jim Edwards
If you thought Dan Henderson would simply ride away into the sunset never to be seen again after UFC 204, you better think again.
Just months after retiring after his epic title fight with Michael Bisping in Manchester, England, it was announced last week that Henderson would return to competitive action against Jon Jones in the main event of Submission Underground 2 on Dec. 11.
The two will go toe-to-toe in an eight-minute submission-only grappling match that will be contested inside a cage at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon.
Here's a timely reminder of Dan Henderson's top-five career moments.
It's very rare that a losing effort can be put into a fighter's top-five moments, but Henderson's last fight at UFC 204 against Michael Bisping will live long in the memory.
At 46 years old, it was quite incredible that Henderson was still fighting, let alone competing for a UFC title. At UFC 204, he not only participated, but also damn near won the fight--some would even argue that he did.
Henderson knocked Bisping down with his signature right hand in both rounds 1 and 2 and looked dangerous throughout the fight. Bisping rallied back bravely after the knockdowns to land a higher volume of strikes in all the remaining rounds, but Henderson did enough to make it a breathless moment as the scorecards were being read.
Despite losing a razor-tight decision, Henderson put in a heroic performance and left the Octagon with his head held high and the Manchester crowd chanting "Hendo, Hendo, Hendo" as he made his way to the back.
Having been defeated by Wanderlei Silva back in 2000 at PRIDE 12 -- Cold Fury, Dan Henderson squared off with the Brazilian for the second time seven years later at PRIDE 33 in what turn out to be his last fight in the organization.
That evening, retribution and pride were on the line, but so was an important bit of history. At the time, Henderson was the PRIDE welterweight champion, while Silva was the PRIDE middleweight champion. Henderson, then, had the opportunity to become the first person in history to become a two-weight world champion in a major organization--just like Conor McGregor did at UFC 205.
Henderson seized the opportunity with both hands and in typical Dan Henderson fashion. After dominating the Brazilian with his grappling early on, the American finished Silva with a devastating left hand to write himself into the history books.
Having lost his first ever Strikeforce title fight to Jake Shields in 2010, the pressure was on Dan Henderson to perform in his second against Rafael Cavalcante for the Strikeforce light heavyweight title.
For a while at least, it looked like Henderson would be denied for a second time after he was knocked down by Cavalcante in the first round following a swift right hand. In true "Rocky" movie style, the American picked himself up off the mat, and in the second round he ended the fight himself with his patented devastating right hand and follow-up strikes with Cavalcante helpless on the mat.
Henderson never defended his Strikeforce light heavyweight title, but his finest Strikeforce moment was still to come.
Having won the light heavyweight title in March, Henderson would take his next fight just four months later with none other than the legendary Fedor Emelianenko.
At the time, the match represented a dream matchup that some MMA fans never believed they would see. Having fought at middleweight and light heavyweight previously, Henderson took the fight at heavyweight and weighed in just two pounds over the light heavyweight limit at 207 lbs.
Anyone thinking Henderson would be at a big disadvantage due to the weight disparity (Fedor weighed 223 lbs.) needn't have given it a second thought. The Russian dominated the early part of the fight using his size and power, but in the latter stages of the first round Henderson began to turn it up.
The finish came when Henderson took top position after a scramble. From there, Henderson fired off a devastating ground strike to put Fedor out, winning the battle of legends. This fight ended up being Henderson's last in the Strikeforce organization as he retired his light heavyweight belt.
Henderson's finest moment is arguably the most iconic in UFC history.
Having coached opposite teams on The Ultimate Fighter Season 9: U.K. vs U.S.A, the rivalry between Henderson and Bisping had hit its boiling point following multiple verbal confrontations on the show. By the time July 11--the night of UFC 100--came around, Henderson had very much taken the babyface role in the feud, and people around the world were begging the American hero to shut up the trash-talking Brit.
Suffice to say, Henderson obliged in the most devastating fashion imaginable. In a moment that will be replayed for decades to come, Bisping circled one too many times into Henderson's power shot, and he took the brunt of a full force Dan Henderson 'H-Bomb."
Bisping was out on impact, but Henderson still found time to sneak in a hellacious diving forearm as his foe lay unconscious on the mat. The crowd went wild, and Henderson's legendary status was forever cemented.
If you thought Dan Henderson would simply ride away into the sunset never to be seen again after UFC 204, you better think again.
Just months after retiring after his epic title fight with Michael Bisping in Manchester, England, it was announced last week that Henderson would return to competitive action against Jon Jones in the main event of Submission Underground 2 on Dec. 11.
The two will go toe-to-toe in an eight-minute submission-only grappling match that will be contested inside a cage at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon.
Here's a timely reminder of Dan Henderson's top-five career moments.
#5 -- Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping -- UFC 204 -- October 8, 2016
It's very rare that a losing effort can be put into a fighter's top-five moments, but Henderson's last fight at UFC 204 against Michael Bisping will live long in the memory.
At 46 years old, it was quite incredible that Henderson was still fighting, let alone competing for a UFC title. At UFC 204, he not only participated, but also damn near won the fight--some would even argue that he did.
Henderson knocked Bisping down with his signature right hand in both rounds 1 and 2 and looked dangerous throughout the fight. Bisping rallied back bravely after the knockdowns to land a higher volume of strikes in all the remaining rounds, but Henderson did enough to make it a breathless moment as the scorecards were being read.
Despite losing a razor-tight decision, Henderson put in a heroic performance and left the Octagon with his head held high and the Manchester crowd chanting "Hendo, Hendo, Hendo" as he made his way to the back.
#4 -- Dan Henderson vs. Wanderlei Silva -- PRIDE 33 -- February 24, 2007
Having been defeated by Wanderlei Silva back in 2000 at PRIDE 12 -- Cold Fury, Dan Henderson squared off with the Brazilian for the second time seven years later at PRIDE 33 in what turn out to be his last fight in the organization.
That evening, retribution and pride were on the line, but so was an important bit of history. At the time, Henderson was the PRIDE welterweight champion, while Silva was the PRIDE middleweight champion. Henderson, then, had the opportunity to become the first person in history to become a two-weight world champion in a major organization--just like Conor McGregor did at UFC 205.
Henderson seized the opportunity with both hands and in typical Dan Henderson fashion. After dominating the Brazilian with his grappling early on, the American finished Silva with a devastating left hand to write himself into the history books.
#3 -- Dan Henderson vs. Rafael Cavalcante -- Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson -- March 5, 2011
Having lost his first ever Strikeforce title fight to Jake Shields in 2010, the pressure was on Dan Henderson to perform in his second against Rafael Cavalcante for the Strikeforce light heavyweight title.
For a while at least, it looked like Henderson would be denied for a second time after he was knocked down by Cavalcante in the first round following a swift right hand. In true "Rocky" movie style, the American picked himself up off the mat, and in the second round he ended the fight himself with his patented devastating right hand and follow-up strikes with Cavalcante helpless on the mat.
Henderson never defended his Strikeforce light heavyweight title, but his finest Strikeforce moment was still to come.
#2 -- Dan Henderson vs. Fedor Emelianenko -- Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson -- July 30, 2011
Having won the light heavyweight title in March, Henderson would take his next fight just four months later with none other than the legendary Fedor Emelianenko.
At the time, the match represented a dream matchup that some MMA fans never believed they would see. Having fought at middleweight and light heavyweight previously, Henderson took the fight at heavyweight and weighed in just two pounds over the light heavyweight limit at 207 lbs.
Anyone thinking Henderson would be at a big disadvantage due to the weight disparity (Fedor weighed 223 lbs.) needn't have given it a second thought. The Russian dominated the early part of the fight using his size and power, but in the latter stages of the first round Henderson began to turn it up.
The finish came when Henderson took top position after a scramble. From there, Henderson fired off a devastating ground strike to put Fedor out, winning the battle of legends. This fight ended up being Henderson's last in the Strikeforce organization as he retired his light heavyweight belt.
#1 -- Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping -- UFC 100 -- July 11, 2009
Henderson's finest moment is arguably the most iconic in UFC history.
Having coached opposite teams on The Ultimate Fighter Season 9: U.K. vs U.S.A, the rivalry between Henderson and Bisping had hit its boiling point following multiple verbal confrontations on the show. By the time July 11--the night of UFC 100--came around, Henderson had very much taken the babyface role in the feud, and people around the world were begging the American hero to shut up the trash-talking Brit.
Suffice to say, Henderson obliged in the most devastating fashion imaginable. In a moment that will be replayed for decades to come, Bisping circled one too many times into Henderson's power shot, and he took the brunt of a full force Dan Henderson 'H-Bomb."
Bisping was out on impact, but Henderson still found time to sneak in a hellacious diving forearm as his foe lay unconscious on the mat. The crowd went wild, and Henderson's legendary status was forever cemented.