Dan Henderson - Challenger

Title fights by nature are supposed to represent the best that combat sports have to offer, top contenders vying for the top position…in their division. And both champion Wanderlei Silva and challenger “Dangerous” Dan Henderson are surely two of the best fighters…in their two separate weight categories. Yeah, Dan finally moved down to 183 pounds a few years back and (as expected) won the Pride belt there on New Years Ever (2005) after a grueling tournament that saw him best Murilo Bustamante (a second time) by decision in the finals.

Since he entered Pride in 1999, Silva has been on a scorched Earth binge against mainly Japanese opposition and has for the most part had his way.

But in the last 3 years “The Ax Murderer” (Silva) has seen growing challenges…and three defeats: Mark Hunt (split decision-December 31, 2004), Ricardo Arona (unanimous decision-August 28, 2005) and Wanderlei’s last fight where he was KO’d by Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (September 10, 2006). His invincible aura was now in question.

Which brings us to this Pride middleweight title match (205 pounds) and how one qualifies to get a shot at it.

Arona “lost” his last fight (a rematch) with Wanderlei by a razor close split decision. But many in attendance that night thought Ricardo had done enough to win. Either way Arona truly deserves a third shot at Silva because he beat him the first time they fought, in one of Pride’s infamous “non-title” fights.

The ‘other’ Nogueira, Rogerio, has also earned his chance at the Pride belt by a unanimous decision over Kazushi Sakuraba, two wins over Kazuhiro Nakamura (one by submission, one by split decision), two victories against Alistair Overeem (one unanimous decision and one TKO) and of course his armbar submission against…Dan Henderson.

So WHY is Rogerio Nogueira not fighting Wanderlei in this title fight? It’s anyone’s guess. We’ll just have to chalk up another championship match seemingly staged for marketing purposes first and sportive semblance second. “Oh, no one knows Rogerio Nogueira in the states and Dan Henderson is an American, so everybody here will automatically know him” might be the range of “thinking” behind this. Oh, OK…I guess.

Henderson and Silva met previously on December 9, 2000 in a fight that saw Dan rock and lump up Wanderlei early only to be beaten, stomped and barely escape on the wrong side of a decision.

It’s actually ‘possible’ for Dan to pull off a victory in this rematch®, mainly because Silva has been at the top for so long (27 appearances in Pride, 38 fights total) that he theoretically may be teetering on that mountain and about to fall off. I say possible, because I feel it is also unlikely. Silva is probably more motivated than ever, mainly because he was knocked out in his last fight! He must protect his legacy now. He MUST beat Dan Henderson!

Dan is one of those fighters who, like Sakuraba, should have never had to compete in the upper division (205) in my opinion. Yet he did quite well considering, even though he had to bulk up to fight the naturally larger men. But no matter how many protein shakes he drank and how much food he consumed, he never exceeded the maximum weight of 205 pounds, when most of his opponents were cutting down to make that weight.

Now that Hendo is closing in on 37 years old, the guts and mental fire that propelled him to rise to those David versus Goliath moments will be harder and harder to summon. But Dan never backs down from a challenge, thus he sees this fight with Silva as the golden opportunity it is, a chance to cement the bookend on his library of achievements, by being a sort of MMA Billy Conn.

Because the first match was competitive this one will be too. Silva should again expect Hendo’s power packed right hand. And because the fight is taking place in the US, soccer kicks and knees to the head of a downed opponent, two of The Ax Murderer’s favorite tools, are illegal. But Silva’s swarming Muay Thai style will be in full effect.

I doubt this will be anywhere near as exciting as their first grind out. It would be too easy for me to say that Silva would take this because in the back of my mind I honestly believe it could go either way.
 

    Nick Diaz

Gomi by decision.

   Travis Wiuff

   Mac Danzig

   Frank Trigg

  Alistair Overeem

   Sokoudjou

   Jason Ireland