Article by: Joe Romero    Photos by: Dave Mandel

The following article was previously featured in Vol. 6 of the Budovideos magazine (now called Martial Generation Magazine). Former PRIDE champion, and current UFC Middleweight contender, Dan Henderson talked with us prior to his UFC 93 main event fight with Rich “Ace” Franklin. In the article, Dan talks about how he got his start in MMA, his life outside of the octagon, and his plans for the future.

Located in southwestern Riveside County, Temecula, CA is home to approximately 101,000 people, and welcomes thousands more each year for it’s annual Wine Festival. Known primarily for it’s wineries, highly sought after golf courses, and historic buildings located in Old Town Temecula, not many people would think that the warm desert city is also home to one of the most decorated, and accomplished athletes ever to compete in MMA: Dan Henderson.

One look at Henderson’s resume and even the harshest critics would have to admit that he’s one of the best in the world. For most it’s not his devastating KO power, or his granite chin that they love to watch, it’s the overwhelming display of heart he shows each time he steps into the cage that has continued to wow people throughout his storied career.

While Dan has certainly earned his spot among the top fighters in the world, there’s more to this California native than just knockouts and world titles. He’s part owner of one of the top gyms in all of MMA – Team Quest, he’s got his own line of clothing (Clinch Gear), and he’s also a family man.

In the following interview Dan spends some time with us, and shares his thoughts on a variety of subjects spanning his life both in and out of the spotlight. From fighter to family man, Dan Henderson is one of the most multi-dimensional people you’re likely to talk to, and he shows no signs of slowing down in his personal or professional life.

Dan Henderson made his MMA debut at the Brazil open in the summer of 1997. “I was nervous. Didn’t know what to expect, and the tournament was being held in Brazil which made me a lot more nervous. I had never really sparred, and I had about two weeks of MMA training leading into the fight – so yeah, I was nervous.” Despite his lack of experience, Dan scored a first round TKO over Crezio de Souza and went on to win the Brazil open (a four man Heavyweight tournament). An new MMA star was born.

A year later Dan made his debut for a fledgling company named the UFC, and went on to become it’s first Middleweight champion. “After that I did about one event a year, and in 2000 after the Olympics I made the transition into MMA fulltime” he replies, thinking about his earlier years. Following his UFC tournament win Dan went on to compete in the RINGS: King of Kings tournament in Tokyo, Japan. The tournament would pit some of toughest fighters in the world (including current UFC interim Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) against each other to see who would emerge victorious. Dan went on to win all five of his fights and become the RINGS: King of Kings tournament champion.

On December 9th, 2000 Dan joined the PRIDE organization and suffered his first career loss via unanimous decision) against PRIDE superstar Wanderlei Silva. Following that loss, Henderson would go on to win his next three fights including a KO victory over MMA legend Renzo Gracie in 2001. During his seven year stay within the PRIDE organization, Dan amassed a 13-5 record and made PRIDE history becoming it’s first ever Welterweight champion, and Welterweight tournament champion, however Dan’s history making fights didn’t end there. At PRIDE 33: The Second Coming (2007) Henderson was scheduled to meet Wanderlei Silva (who had beaten him seven years before) for Silva’s Middleweight (205lbs) title in the night’s main event. “I think they (PRIDE) needed a big name to put up against Wanderlei on the US show an – an American. I had just beaten Vitor (Belfort) at the first US show so they approached me about fighting Wanderlei for the title and I said ‘sure’. I don’t really think they expected me to win – especially in the way that I ended up winning.”

With his KO win over Silva, Henderson became the first man in MMA history to hold two titles at the same time in two different weight classes. “It was definitely one of the proudest moments in my career” Dan remarks with his usual calm demeanor. “They wanted me to go out and put on a good show which is what I did, just not the way they expected.”

After PRIDE was bought out by the UFC (who had now become the top organization in the 9 years since he had fought for them) in 2007, Henderson again found himself fighting inside the world famous octagon. His first fight was at UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion and was billed as a title unification bout between himself and (then) current UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Henderson found valiantly, but ultimately lost a unanimous decision victory to Jackson.

Henderson’s next fight would again be a title unification bout at UFC 82: Pride of a Champion against current UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva. While Henderson took the first round by pressuring his opponent and out striking him, it would be Silva that would emerge victorious by submitting Dan with just 10 seconds left in the second round. “I was disappointed by my performance because I don’t feel that I lived up to my full potential. I hadn’t cut weight in awhile, and I didn’t do it properly for that fight – my body just felt tired during the second round.”

Following his fight with Silva, many fans questioned whether or not Henderson would continue to compete within the UFC. Their questions were answered when the UFC scheduled him to fight at UFC 88: Breakthrough against BJJ black belt Rousimar Phalhares. “Heading into this fight I didn’t feel any added pressure at all. I’m always excited to get back in the cage and fight, so I was looking forward to it.”  Dan scored a unanimous decision victory against Palhares (his first UFC victory in 10 years), and was once again back on the right track in his career.

Currently scheduled to fight former UFC Middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin at UFC 93: Dublin on January 17th, 2009 Dan has been hard at work training with members of Team Quest in his hometown of Temecula, CA. “I would say 2/3 of the e-mails and messages I get are from people asking me when I’m going to fight Rich. I know it’s something the fans have been wanting to see and I think the UFC picked up on that and put it together. I’m just excited to go in there and challenge myself against a tough opponent. Rich is a well rounded fighter with some long arms and some good kicks. His striking is definitely his strong point, but it just so happens to be one of mine too.”

Added to the mix of his main event fight against Franklin, the UFC has reported that the winner of the fight will go on to serve as the coach of “Team U.S.A” on the ninth season of the popular TV series “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite current UFC Middleweight Michael “The Count” Bisping (17-1). “I’m actually really excited about that idea. I’ve represented my country twice in the Olympics, and I would be honored to represent them again with the new format the show is taking. I’ve been in the game a long time, and I think I’ve got a lot to show a younger group of guys.”

On top of his grueling training schedule Dan still tries to maintain a normal family life with his wife Alison and their three children. “It’s tough to do. I’m gone so much in between fights and training that I miss out on a lot of what my kids have going on in their lives.

They know what I do, but it’s all they’ve ever known so I’m not sure if they realize how different it is from the jobs their friend’s Dad’s have. Last year they talked a lot about the Olympics at school, and everyone thought it was cool that their Dad was in the Olympics twice. They actually watch a lot of my fights, and what’s funny is they don’t get nearly as nervous as my wife does (laughs).” While Dan spends most of his time away from his actual family, he’s also quick to admit that his teammates at Team Quest have become like a second family to him, “We’re definitely strong as a team” he remarks “we’re a very close knit team, and I’d say we’re more of a family than anything. There’s a lot of loyalty at Team Quest, and if you’re not loyal then you usually won’t stick around too long.”

While the California native doesn’t want to look past his upcoming fight with Franklin, Henderson was also quick to bring up one particular fighter that he’s eager to get a shot at again. “I’m usually not really big on rematches, but another fight with Anderson Silva is something I’m really looking forward to. I think given another opportunity it would be a much different fight. My plan would be to stand and bang with him for awhile, and then take him down when the opportunity presented itself. I feel that I match up well with him, and I know I can beat him.” Dan was also very candid with his thoughts on the current state of MMA and the direction it’s headed. “I’ve always said that the sport would be huge, it’s just a matter of getting people to watch it. There’s so much more excitement and action than a kickboxing or boxing match. I think once you get people to watch it once they’re pretty much hooked.” While on the subject of MMA’s current state Henderson also brought up his feelings on the recent number of MMA promotions that have been forced to close their doors, and if he feels there is a company out there that can challenge the UFC. “I honestly think it’ll be awhile before anyone can challenge the UFC”  he remarks with a great deal of confidence. “Right now you’ve got a lot of these guys bitching about a bunch of different things, but what they don’t realize is how much the UFC has fast tracked the popularity of the sport. Sure they take the lion’s share of the profit, but I have a hard time complaining because they’ve made me and a lot of other people a good amount of money. The UFC is still a business and that’s what I think people tend to forget.”

Henderson definitely has his opinions about the UFC, it’s fighters, and the sport in general, however he expressed the fact that he generally likes to stay away from things like that. “I’m just doing my thing and trying to win. I don’t really get too involved in what other guys’ business.” While Dan may be hesitant to get too involved in the political side of the sport, he didn’t shy away from discussing his thoughts on the one topic most professional athletes dread: retirement. When asked how much longer he thinks he has left in him, Dan gave a very realistic answer. “You’d have to ask Randy (Couture) about that one. He’s definitely set the bar pretty high, but in all honesty I have no desire to compete with him for the ‘oldest man still fighting’ title. I’m 38 years old now, and I feel like I’ve still got a few good years ahead of me, but there’s no way I’ll still be fighting at 44.” When I asked him what factors he thought would contribute to his retirement, Dan didn’t mention the typical factors most athletes would list such as age, physical condition, etc. Instead Dan gave a very real, and honest reply. “Honestly I think what’s going to eventually lead to my retirement is my kids. Like I said before, it’s hard being away from them for so long and missing out on the things they’ve got going on, and I know eventually I’m going to reach a point where I’ve done all I can in the sport, and I need to be with my kids.”

During the course of my interview with “Hendo” (the nickname he prefers because “it suits me, and it’s my name”) I came to realize several things about the MMA pioneer. On top of being one of the greatest fighters the sport of Mixed Martial Arts has ever seen, Dan Henderson is also one of the most humble, and honest people you’re ever likely to talk to. While the amount of time left for him to compete may be uncertain, Dan was quick to promise one thing to his legion of loyal fans. “You can expect to see a lot of wins, and a lot of KO’s. My goal is to be champion, and I feel that I have the capability to do that so I’ve just got to keep going out there and racking up wins. The next title shot I get, against Silva, or whoever, I can guarantee one thing: I will not waste that opportunity. I honestly feel that there’s no one that I can’t beat.”

Tags: Interviews

Tags: Dan Henderson, MMA, UFC

This entry was posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 10:47 am and is filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.