dan henderson
PRIDE middleweight champion Dan Henderson held an open workout on Wednesday at his Team Quest training center in Murrieta. Henderson has spent six weeks, including the past three weeks in Big Bear, preparing for his showdown against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 82 on March 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Henderson talked about his thoughts on Silva, moving down to 185 pounds and many other topics.
Henderson later entered the second PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix, losing by decision in a rematch with Misaki. Henderson’s final PRIDE bout was a rematch with Wanderlei Silva at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas on February 24, 2007, where he scored a knockout victory to become middleweight champion, while still holding his welterweight title.
On November 17, 2007, it was announced during the post fight at UFC 78, Henderson would fight UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to unify the PRIDE welterweight and UFC middleweight championships.
Silva defeated Henderson via submission at 4:52 of the second round due to a rear naked choke. His next fight will be at UFC 88 against Rousimar Palhares.
On September 8, 2007, Henderson returned to the UFC to face light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 75 in London, England, losing by unanimous decision after five rounds.
From all accounts, Henderson is 1/16 Walla Walla Native American.” After completing his collegiate eligibility, he moved to the international circuit, competing for the United States in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling.
Henderson later found a home with the PRIDE Fighting Championships, competing primarily in the middleweight and heavyweight divisions.
Henderson is the first fighter to simultaneously hold titles in two different weight classes in a major organization.
Henderson also owns the Clinch Gear apparel brand, which he acquired in January 2007 after wearing Clinch Gear shorts in many of his fights in the preceding two years. Bill drove Dan to wrestling tournaments all over the west coast in a yellow van with more than 200,000 miles on it.
Bill also recorded all of Dan’s wrestling matches with a Betamax video camcorder strapped to a car battery.
Bocek met Henderson while the MMA veteran was visiting Canada a few years ago and was invited to train in Temecula. He took the offer and has spent eight weeks in the warm Southern California sunshine.
Henderson is in Montreal assisting Bocek. Dodger ace Penny, a good friend of both Henderson and former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Tim Sylvia, asked the former Pride FC welterweight and middleweight champion to take in a game.
Not against Silva. Realizing that second opportunities are rare, Henderson is prepared to wait his turn.
It”s a fire inside that never dims. “I don”t know how much I would do differently,” said Henderson about his loss to Silva on March 1, 2008.
“Against Jackson if I had done things differently I would have won that fight,” said Henderson who lost by a decision.
“I had to work the corner of a guy of mine. “The first day I got to Europe I drove from Paris to Belgium,” Henderson said.
Ace vs. People always dog Franklin for not having those AAA wins on his record, and Henderson is about as vulnerable as he is ever gonna be at the moment.
Henderson is no Spring Chicken anymore and should not be taking easy fights to rebuild.
