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UFC 150 will go down on August 11th in Denver, and there was a bit of confusion about what would serve as the main event of the card for a while. Frankie Edgar would have liked to stage the rematch with Ben Henderson in September, but apparently he will not get his way and they'll meet on this card instead. Only three other bouts have been announced so far, the biggest being Jake Shields stepping back up to middleweight for the first time in the UFC to meet the surging Ed Herman. Yushin Okami will also look to rebound from his crushing loss to Tim Boetsch when he meets Luiz Cane. Here's how the very early card looks right now: Aug 11th, live on PPV from Denver, CO: Ben Henderson (16-2) vs. Frankie Edgar (14-2-1) [LW title] Ed Herman (20-7) vs. Jake Shields (27-6-1) Dennis Hallman (51-14-2, 1 NC) vs. Thiago Tavares (17-4-1) Luiz Cane (12-4, 1 NC) vs. Yushin Okami (26-7) SBN coverage of UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II

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Dan Henderson has his date with destiny, or doom, depending on how you feel his upcoming fight against 205-pound champion Jon Jones on Labor Day weekend 2012 will turn out. The former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion will attempt to do what no other former mixed martial arts (MMA) champion has been able to do to date, which is beat "Bones" in Denver, Colo., on Sept. 1, 2012. Mauricio Rua, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans have all tried, but all have failed. "Suga" was the only one of the bunch who took Jones the distance in their recent fight at UFC 145. And while he may have had more success than his predecessors, Henderson feels Evans -- who boasts perhaps the most dominating MMA wrestling today -- played right into the hands of his former training partner. Check it out: "The most surprising thing was what Rashad Evans didn't do, not what Jon Jones did do. It was more about what Rashad didn't attempt. In the first round he kind of mixed it up a little but, but he still didn't get offensive with his wrestling at all, didn't try to set it up, didn't try and control the fight with his wrestling.... With Jones trying to hit you in the face so much, there were definitely some opening where he could have capitalized, but Rashad didn't really try to. He fought Jon Jones' fight." Henderson is an Olympic-level Greco Roman wrestler; however, he rarely applies his dominant trade in MMA fights. He certainly uses it in tie ups and along the cage, but Henderson shooting for takedowns or attempting throws just doesn't happen very often. Perhaps that will change in the "Mile High City." In addition to his upcoming fight with Jones, Henderson offers a UFC on Fuel TV 3 breakdown, UFC 146 thoughts, including the growth of Alistair Overeem, the origin of the "H-Bomb" and a whole lote more in this extensive conversation. Check out part two of the extensive interview with Dan Henderson after the jump: For more on the UFC 151 main event between Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.

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UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones will take on Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 151 on Sept 1 in Las Vegas.

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, dan henderson, official

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It looks like Jon Jones anticipated outing against legendary light heavyweight Dan Henderson has an official date! According to UFC President Dana White (via Twitter), “Bones” will battle Henderson on September 1 in Las Vegas. Though the show does not have a numerical label yet the card is expected to be UFC 151. When the 29-8 Henderson gets around to facing Jones he will have been out of action for ten months with his last bout coming this past November. However, his absence has been intentional rather than health-related as “Hendo” has been holding on to the title-shot he earned in that victory rather than risk it in the interim. The 41-year old icon is currently on a four-fight winning streak including victories over Renato Sobral, Fedor Emelianenko, and most recently Mauricio Rua. Henderson Taking His Career Year-by-Year, Not Fight-by-Fight Comparably, Jones is 16-1 with his only stumble involving an unnecessary disqualification. He has successfully defended the divisional title three times since winning it from Rua with all of the wins coming against former champions (Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, and Rashad Evans). PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, las vegas

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Well, it's finally official. At just 41 years young, Dan Henderson is slated to fight 24-year-old phenom Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight strap. Not surprisingly, Henderson opened as nearly a 6-to-1 underdog, and really, after watching Jones treat the upper echelon of 205 pounds like his own personal plaything, the argument could be made for the odds to be higher. It's almost been a foregone conclusion Hendo will lose, but there's really an underrated storyline here that seems to be getting lost under the hype. Daniel Cormier recently touched on it when asked what Dan fighting a different champion, Junior dos Santos, would represent. "It's just what he's done his whole career," Cormier said to MMA:30. "He's fought heavyweights, he's fought middleweights, he's fought 205-pounders, and if you look at his record, it's amazing. So Dan Henderson should be mentioned as one of the greatest fighters of all-time, if not the greatest fighter of all-time, but he's missing that UFC title. He has to be a UFC champion. I think if he is, Dan Henderson will universally be considered the best fighter of all-time." Cormier has a point. Amid all of Henderson's many accomplishments, the sheen of a UFC belt is the one monstrous, glistening omission. So really, the amount of legacy at stake for Hendo here is astounding. This one fight could potentially change everything. No one expects Henderson to win, but what happens if he somehow lands the mother-of-all-H-bombs, stuns the world one last time, defeats the undefeatable, and finally gets that elusive belt? Couldn't a very, very convincing case be made for Henderson to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time? Of course, the overriding sentiment is that Jones will win handedly. But still, somewhere in the back of his mind, Hendo has to know this his last shot at UFC gold. And that kind of desperation can be a dangerous asset. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson. Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight strap against MMA legend Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 151, scheduled for September 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV. Dominick Cruz discusses 'devastating' knee injury. UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz revealed how he tore the ACL in his left knee, how long he expects to be out, and what he thinks about the UFC's decision to institute an interim title. Ronda Rousey speaks to critics. Strikeforce bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey spoke about the influx of media attention she's received and why Dana White seems to be a big fan of hers, while offering some choice words for both her critics and upcoming opponent, Sarah Kaufman. Chris Lytle loses Indiana State Senate election. Former UFC brawler Chris Lytle lost in his bid to reach the Indiana State Senate, finishing less than 2,000 votes short of eventual Republican nomination winner Mike Crider. Bellator 68 predictions. Preview Friday night's Bellator 68 main card with analysis and predictions for Daniel Straus vs. Marlon Sandro, Marcos Galvao vs. Travis Marx, Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli, and Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf. MEDIA STEW It's rare that MMA hits the airwaves on something as mainstream as Comedy Central's The Daily Show, but that's exactly what happened earlier this week. Though, it wasn't quite in the context you'd expect. The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook Chael Sonnen rapping -- great thing or greatest thing? And of course, your daily does of violence. Wait for the finish, it's totally worth it. (Around the 2:50 mark for the impatient.) So, about how long until we see someone bust this out in the cage? (HT: Reddit) Katerina Pyle, the wife of UFC fighter Mike Pyle, reveals how she met her hubby, and it's pretty much the least romantic thing we've ever heard. (HT: MiddleEasy) WHO EXACTLY IS THIS JOHN JONES FELLA John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on Sept 1st in Las Vegas!!!! — Dana White (@danawhite) May 10, 2012 BACK TO THE GRIND My next fight will be against... j-lau.com/LR9JTC — Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) May 9, 2012 ALSO... Mother's Day is this Sunday. #YouHaveBeenWarned — Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) May 9, 2012 EVGENI & VINNY Douche Bigalow Fighting Gigalo and side kick shit-for-brains manager, where is today's stormfront of homophobia? #unemploymentisnotshameful — evgeni kogan (@evgenikogan) May 9, 2012 @evgenikogan aka Fancy Boy talks about unemployment as if it was a fact. I'm following doing nothing but honoring a contract that I signed. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) May 9, 2012 @evgenikogan talks about unemployment, but he forgets that it was up to me to take his laughable offer when he made me one, and I didn't. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) May 9, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Wednesday, May 9, 2012): - UFC 151: Jon Jones (16-1) vs. Dan Henderson (29-8) announced for September 1 - UFC on FOX 4: Joe Lauzon (21-7) vs. Terry Eitm (15-4) - UFC on FOX 4: Matt Mitrione (5-1) vs. Rob Broughton (15-7-1) - UFC on FOX 4: Oli Thompson (9-3) vs. Phil De Fries (8-1) - Bellator 69: Shanon Slack (3-0) vs. Booker Arthur (2-1) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day features Hobbie wistfully looking back at what could have been: The Sad Story of Fedor and the UFC Only Becomes Sadder in Hindsight Anyone who was an MMA nerd back then remembers how insane the "Fedor is coming to the UFC" hype was. Sure, this was a news story that cropped up every few months or so (it still does, actually) but this time was special. The timing was perfect, the opportunity was there, and everything seemed set for the biggest signing in MMA history. It never happened. Like something out of a Dr. Seuss story, White and company offered Fedor money. They offered M-1 exposure on their PPV broadcast. They offered him even more money. They offered to let him compete in Sambo tournaments. And did I mention they offered him a ton of money? But still, Fedor would not eat those green eggs and ham, Sam I Am. Now lots has been written about this failed business deal, by folks far more "in the know" than I. Still, reading over this news item, I couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. There's so much to regret in the failed UFC/Fedor deal, and the passage of time has only added to the unbelievable sense of missed opportunity for Fedor. Why do I say that? There's a few reasons, but chief among them are: Fedor would have beaten Brock Lesnar I know I know, there's nothing worse than some blogger stating that fighter X would "definitely" beat fighter Y, especially in a past-tense, completely hypothetical scenario. But follow my logic here. Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

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UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will fight for the second time this year when he meets Dan Henderson on September 1 at what will likely be UFC 151 (though the actual event has yet to be officially announced). However, UFC President Dana White confirmed the date’s attachment to the match-up via Twitter where he also mentioned it would take place in Las Vegas. Jones (16-1) has successfully defended the belt three times against former UFC champions, toppling Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by way of submission last year and Rashad Evans by decision last month. While he may have never held the UFC title, Henderson (29-8) is a former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion. He secured his shot at “Bones” by defeating Mauricio Rua in a Fight of the Year contender this past November and has won four straight including finishes of Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, and Fedor Emelianenko. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, henderson, mauricio rua, rashad evans, lyoto machida

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"I don't hope for anything less than a knockout, but it's not easy on Hendo. He's putting his hands on him, buddy. If he didn't have this (reach) advantage things would be much simpler, even because he has many flaws on his defensive system. But there's no unbeatable reach you can't win with patience and calm. We're having him doing sparrings with guys the same size as Jones so that Dan get used to it. It's important not to rush things and want to punch him right away. We have to cut well the octagon, putting pressure but not rushing into things. We have to try to make the octagon small, leaving no space out for Jones to escape Henderson. We have to use a lot of flow, combine kicks, move the head and work on the reach." -- The confidence runs high with Dan Henderson's boxing coach, Gustavo Pugliesi, who tells Tatame that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight will indeed "put his hands" on the current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones, when the two meet at the recently-announced UFC 151 on Sept. 1, 2012. "Bones," who is aiming for his fourth consecutive title defense in 12 months, will definitely have his hands full with the wily veteran. The title fight will be Henderson's third chance at capturing UFC gold. The former PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight champion came up short against Quinton Jackson at UFC 75 in a 205-pound title unification match, followed by his loss to Anderson Silva in their 185-pound title fight six months later. In a bout that embodies youth versus experience, Jones will most likely be on the lookout for the former Olympian's dangerous right hand, which has put the hurt on veterans such as Fedor Emelianenko, Rafael Cavalcante, Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva, among others. Jones, who has taking a few licks from the likes of Lyoto Machida and most recently Rashad Evans has proven he can take a shot, but will an "H-Bomb" be too much for him to handle? Remember: It's a game of inches.

Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, hand

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As expected, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his title against Dan Henderson on September 1, 2012, in the main event of UFC 151. The championship match-up, which will be Jones' first title defense in Las Vegas, was announced by UFC President Dana White via Twitter late Wednesday night. Jones (16-1), of course, recently retained his title by dominating longtime rival Rashad Evans over the course of five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory at UFC 145. The match marked the first time the 24-year-old reached the judges' scorecards since a 2009 victory over Stephan Bonnar. Ultimately, Henderson serves as one of the final top-10 fighters in Jones' path, as the young champion has essentially cleaned out the 205-pound division in a span of 14 months after an unprecedented string of victories over Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Evans. However, at a spry 41 years old, Henderson (29-8) possesses one of the most celebrated résumés in mixed martial arts history, claiming multiple titles across weight classes while picking up notable wins over Fedor Emelianenko, Michael Bisping, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He last fought at UFC 139, besting Shogun Rua in a legendary war of attrition that many believed to be one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.

Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, victory

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Get ready for a Light Heavyweight delight this upcoming Labor Day weekend. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White just announced that his brightest star, Jon Jones, will defend his 205-pound title for the fourth time in 12 months when he collides with mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Dan Henderson on Sept. 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. No specific venue is known at this time. Nor were any other specific details announced; however, the super showdown will certainly headline the UFC 151 fight card. Jones most recently toppled former Jackson's MMA stablemate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Ga., on Apr. 21, 2012, earning a unanimous decision on the judges scorecards and perhaps the distinction as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Sounds silly, considering "Bones" is just 24-years-young, but there is nothing silly about a dangerous man who has ripped through a Murderer's Row of former champions that includes Evans, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua in devastating fashion. Henderson, a former dual Pride FC champion and sure-fire Hall of Fame inductee, would be another major feather in a very crowded cap. With a sensational, "Fight of the Year" performance in a win over the aforementioned Rua in Nov. 2011, Henderson punched his ticket to most likely his last championship fight inside the Octagon. He's already had two bites at the apple, back-to-back fights against Jackson in 2007 (Unanimous Decision) and then Anderson Silva in 2008 (Submission). Henderson, who will be 42 years old by the time fight night rolls around, has won four consecutive fights, which includes victories over Fedor Emelianenko and Rafael Cavalcante, who he finished to win the Strikeforce 205-pound world title. New Age vs. Old Guard, The Future vs. The Past, Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson: Who ya' got? Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for the latest UFC 151 news, notes and the still-developing fight card.

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Dana White confirmed on Twitter Wednesday night that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will face no. 1 contender Dan Henderson on Saturday, September 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be the main event of what is expected to be UFC 151, one of two pay-per-views set for September. @danawhiteDana White John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on Sept 1st in Las Vegas!!!! May 10 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply The 24-year-old Jones (16-1) will be looking for the fourth successful defense of the title he won in March 2011 by defeating Mauricio Rua. He's won seven in a row, defeating rival Rashad Evans by unanimous decision several weeks ago at UFC 145. Henderson (29-8) essentially earned the shot with a unanimous decision classic over Rua last November at UFC 139. Before that, he was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, taking the title from Rafael Cavalcante last March but never defending the gold. The 41-year-old has won four in a row and notably finished Fedor Emelianenko last July in Strikeforce.

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Jon Jones will look to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for a fourth time when he steps inside the Octagon against another legend in Dan Henderson. UFC president Dana White confirmed on Twitter that Jones-Henderson will go down September 1 from Las Vegas. John Jones vs Dan Henderson for Jones UFC LHW title on [...]

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UFC president Dana White, as usual, has had a busy week, but took time out with UFC Tonight to discuss Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, and Henderson vs. Edgar II. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

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Well, that got turned around pretty fast. A few days ago Frankie Edgar said his rematch against Ben Henderson for the UFC lightweight title wouldn't be taking place at UFC 150 on August 11th due to a nose issue. It seems that is not the case though, because UFC president Dana White confirmed last night on UFC Tonight that the fight will take place at - you guessed it, UFC 150: "Benson and Edgar will fight August 11th." Maybe Dana laid down the law and told Edgar that he asked for the rematch and got it, and now he was going to fight where the UFC decided the bout should take place? Just a guess. Anyway here's the video of White's announcement, and you can catch the current UFC 150 lineup after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar 2 Current UFC 150 card: Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar (LW title)Dennis Hallman vs. Thiago TavaresLuiz Cane vs. Yushin OkamiEd Herman vs. Jake Shields

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Benson Henderson’s rumored Aug. 11 lightweight title defense is now official, as UFC President Dana White announced Tuesday that Henderson will rematch former champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 150.

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, title defense, title rematch

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The Mile High City will host a match-up with equally tall expectations in August when UFC lightweight title-holder Benson Henderson puts his gold up for grabs against Frankie Edgar in the main event at UFC 150. The two met previously this past February with “Bendo” bringing home the belt by way of a closely-contested decision. Edgar received an immediate rematch based on how competitive the fight was in addition to outside factors including the division’s lack of a clear-cut contender as well as Edgar’s willingness to do the same against previous opponents Gray Maynard and BJ Penn. While the bout was already expected to take place this fall the UFC’s announcement of the August 11 date in Denver is the first official confirmation of the clash’s specifics. Henderson is 16-2 with four wins inside the Octagon including those against Jim Miller and Clay Guida. The 28-year old has finished ten of the opponents he’s beaten and has only been stopped himself a single time with the stumble coming more than five years ago. “Bendo” Ready to Beat Up All-Comers “The Answer”, who holds an overall record of 14-2, has a reputation for tenacity and a slew of impressive victories as well to his credit featuring names like Maynard, Miller, Penn, and Sean Sherk. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, bj penn, henderson, edgar, clearcut contender

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It's settled, once and for all. For months now, mixed martial arts (MMA) fans have waited to find out what's going to happen between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar. The rematch has never been in doubt, but because of some circumstances (mainly the health of Edgar), the exact date and event have been up in the air. Until now. UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson will take on number one contender and former champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 150 in Denver, Colo., on Aug. 11, 2012. UFC President Dana White made the announcement tonight (May 8, 2012) on FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight." The announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise after FUEL TV's Ariel Helwani reported that the fight would definitely not happen on Aug. 11 and would occur at a later date. According to White, that report is not true, and the title fight will definitely take place at UFC 150. Not much is known, as of yet, about the UFC 150 card, but there is a rumored lightweight match up between veteran Dennis Hallman and the always dangerous Thiago Tavares. There's also an expected Middleweight mash up between "Short Fuse" Ed Herman and former Welterweight number one contender Jake Shields, who will be making the move back to 170 pounds. Lastly, reports indicate that there will be an additional bout between Luiz Cane and Yushin Okami. The card will continue to build and develop, but it does appear as a certainty that the title fight between Henderson and Edgar will be the headlining main event that the pay-per-view (PPV) will be built upon. The much anticipated rematch will see "The Answer" looking to offer his response after losing a five-round decision to the new champion when they last faced at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan, on Feb. 26, 2012. Hopefully, "Henderson vs. Edgar II" will bring some clarity to the division. Specifically, top contenders Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz will be watching with peaked interest to see who will come out on top. As the card develops, MMAmania.com will be front and center with all the speculation, rumors and fight card information, from top to bottom. In the meantime be sure to check out all the latest UFC 150 news here.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, title fight, card, edgar

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Benson Henderson's first defense of the UFC lightweight title is official. UFC president Dana White today confirmed Henderson and former champ Frankie Edgar have will meet at UFC 150 on Aug. 11. MMAjunkie.com first reported the likely date this past month. White made the official announcement during tonight's new edition of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, official announcement, official, frankie

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I've got some bad news for Colorado MMA fans. You know that card you're hosting in Denver on August 11th? I believe it's called UFC 150? You thought you were going to have a UFC lightweight title rematch between Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar on top of the card, but that is looking very unlikely now. Former champion Edgar was in attendance at UFC on Fox 3 and spoke to MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani about his upcoming bout. It turns out that an injury will likely delay the bout until September. Here's the video. You can catch the quotes and a bit of analysis after the jump. I don't have a definite date, but I think it's gonna be more like September than it is August. ... Yeah, you know, I had some issues with my nose. My nose obviously breaks pretty frequently, at least for the last couple of fights, so I just need some time to let it heal properly so I can get back to sparring. He followed that up by making a statement directly to Henderson (who was in the studio watching) that they'd meet "in September". So if the fight does take place in September, where will it be? The UFC has tentatively scheduled a card for September 1st, which would be UFC 151, and UFC 152 is in Toronto on September 22nd. As stated earlier, UFC 151 is the likely destination for the UFC light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Dan Henderson, so UFC 152 seems like the more logical place for it.

Posted in: ufc, september, henderson, frankie edgar, september heres

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It appears that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be meeting Dan Henderson on September 1st. The card hasn't been announced yet, but would likely be called UFC 151 based on currently scheduling. MMA Fighting relays the info: UFC president Dana White said that the organization was targeting an early September date for the UFC light-heavyweight champion's next title defense, likely on Labor Day weekend. That would put it exactly three weeks after UFC 150 in Denver and three weeks before UFC 152 in Toronto, which seems like a good fit. No location has been determined for the tentative card as of yet. Related Stories: Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson Won't Happen At UFC 149, Likely August Or September | Jon Jones Opens As Huge Favorite Over Dan Henderson Jones is coming off his third straight successful title defense, defeating Rashad Evans by unanimous decision at UFC 145 last month. Henderson hasn't competed since he picked up a narrow victory in a war with Mauricio "Shugun" Rua last November at UFC 139. He had been sitting out in hopes of getting a title shot, and it was granted shorty after Jones defeated Evans.

Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, henderson, title defense

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One of the things that's always fascinated me about Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight contender Nate Diaz is how closely his style mimics that of his brother, Nick Diaz, as well as parallel improvements both have made over the same timeline. The latter has lifted both from being merely talented fighters, with one glaring deficit, to potent contenders who are an incredibly difficult package to contend with. Lack of takedown defense and core wrestling ability was the Achilles heel for both in the early part of their careers. Both Diaz's, during the first half of their UFC campaigns, could pretty much be reliably beaten in one way and one way only: by strong wrestlers taking them down, working them within the confines of the top position (quite often to little effect) and winning a judges' decision. The Diaz brothers possess incredible durability along with stifling jiu-jitsu, and better foes seemed to pursue a very narrow but clear-cut strategy to ride these out to a decision. But with Nick's quantum leap in striking, which fully kicked in during his Strikeforce days, he became another kind of fighter altogether. It created an added level of pressure to opponents, fatiguing them as much mentally as physically; Nate has now reached that same level. Two years younger than Nick, the lightweight battler put on a career-defining performance Saturday night in the UFC on Fox 3 main event from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., dispatching Jim Miller with a second round submission and landing an eventual 155-pound title shot in the process. That same Diaz pressure that is now Nick's signature style is obviously something Nate has mastered, and in breaking Miller's will, Nate did something that Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson came nowhere close to doing: he finished Miller, one of the most tenacious and reliable fighters in the sport. You can also see the great jiu-jitsu game in Nate in terms of how he outs of a potentially troublesome bottom position; when Miller did get Diaz on the mat, Nate immediately secured a butterfly hook/counter move to deny Miller the chance to solidify his spot, then creating a scramble to get free. It's going to be fun to watch the lightweight title work its way to Diaz, with Henderson rematching Edgar, presently scheduled for UFC 150 on Aug. 11, 2012. Whomever wins -- and I like Henderson on account of the first fight, and his inevitable improvement -- facing Diaz is a whole different kind of assignment. It's the small things Diaz does to wear out opponents, underwritten by incredible grappling smarts and toughness. Whether it's banging foes in close, or bouncing shots off their heads in the endless stand up confrontations he seems to relish in forcing, Diaz wears down opponents because he's always, always, always fighting. His improved takedown defense was what changed the tone of the Miller bout, as he stuffed Jim's early attempts with solid countering and positioning, something you didn't see earlier in his career. Over a five-round fight, improved takedowns and a surging ability to strike make Diaz an incredibly tough assignment. He and Ben Henderson might be one of the best match ups the game has to offer, with Henderson's punishing blend of size, wrestling and Houdini-like ability to wrest himself out of bad positions and excruciating submissions. Until then, whoever is preparing to fight Nate Diaz knows there are no easy spots, no places to rest, and you're in for one hell of a long night and fight. That's good news for Diaz fans, and waited since he arrived after winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 in June 2007. Jason Probst can be reached at Jason@jasonprobst.com or at twitter.com/jasonprobst.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, henderson, miller, nate

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NEW YORK - Jon Jones' next title defense likely will come in early September. Earlier this week, UFC president Dana White said the UFC's light-heavyweight champion is expected to meet No. 1 contender Dan Henderson on Labor Day weekend. Although no event has been announced, that'd mean a possible Sept. 1 date, likely as UFC 151.

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Reports of the Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar rematch headlining the upcoming UFC 150 event scheduled for Aug. 11, 2012, in Denver, Colorado, have proved to be a tad premature. That's because Ariel Helwani reported today on FUEL TV that the lightweight championship showdown will not headline the event as originally suspected. Instead, it will take place later this year, leaving a glaring hole in the landmark show. Perhaps the Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson light heavyweight title bout could fill it? Either way, a 155-pound title fight will not be taking place on the card. Henderson and Edgar initially met back on Feb. 25 at UFC 144 in Japan. On that night, "Bendo" turned in the performance of a lifetime, going toe-to-toe with one of the toughest men in the entire sport and outworking the imitable "Answer" over five grueling rounds. After 25 minutes of back-and-forth action, the judges sided with the "Smooth" one and he became the new champion. A bit of controversy ensued shortly after, with Edgar pining for a rematch and the powers that be with the UFC trying to avoid it. Eventually, though, that's the route that was decided on and now a date and location simply needs to be nailed down. We don't know exactly when that will be, but we now know it won't be Aug. 11 in Denver.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, edgar, championship showdown

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UFC light heavyweight Dan Henderson is known for a lot of things but none so much as “The H-Bomb”, his brutal overhand right known for leaving opponents like Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva gasping for air. However, Henderson’s next opponent – champion Jon Jones – isn’t necessarily concerned about getting blasted by the former Strikeforce/PRIDE title-holder’s best weapon. “No, I’m not worried about the ‘H-Bomb,’” said Jones on this week’s edition of MMA Uncensored. “I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had an awesome overhand right. I’m just not worried about it. It’s a single technique that I’m prepared for, extensively.” “’Hendo’ actually has a good left hook, as well, so, I’m not worried about single strikes,” Jones concluded, understanding Henderson is dangerous for reasons beyond his trademark blow. The 24-year old’s analytical approach to his adversaries comes from having seen some of his peers make the mistake of losing focus instead of appreciating all the possibilities at play. It was also likely influenced by eating a few stiff shots from Evans in their recent bout including one that “wobbled” him. “You know, I have this thing where I don’t like to rush. I definitely don’t want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch,” explained Jones. “There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez*, I think that’s who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Eddie Alvarez. I think that’s who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart.” No date is set for Jones vs. Henderson though UFC President Dana White has come out to say the UFC is looking at September with a possible attachment to Labor Day Weekend. * – Editor’s Note: Sounds like Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell, not an Alvarez fight PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, right, henderson

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NEW YORK -- Jon Jones' murderer's row of opponents looks like it will resume again during the dog days of summer.On Thursday, UFC president Dana White said that the organization was targeting an early September date for the UFC light-heavyweight champion's next title defense, likely on Labor Day weekend. The UFC currently has no September 1 show on its official schedule, but if and when it gets added, future Hall of Famer Dan Henderson is on deck in the challenger's role. Jones (16-1) has so far successfully run the gauntlet of former champions thrown his way, smashing through Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans consecutively. Add in his February 2011 win over Ryan Bader, and he defeated five top 10 opponents in the span of 14 months.Jones' manager Malki Kawa recently told MMA Fighting that Jones preferred to take some time off after his recent stretch of activity, and that he was likely to be ready to fight again in August or September. Meanwhile, Henderson (29-8) hasn't fought since last November, when he beat Rua in a fight many have called the greatest bout in MMA history. He's won seven of his last eight.

Posted in: ufc, jone, september, henderson, title defense

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When Dan Henderson finally meets Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title he will be 42 years old meaning he was a senior in high school when Jones was still an infant. However, the wily veteran has no plans of slowing down in the near future as long as his body holds up, and when considering his recent success it’s hard to blame the former PRIDE/Strikeforce champion. Henderson recently spoke about his approach to competition where he made it clear he expects to be taking to the cage in 2013 and beyond. “I see myself fighting another couple years at least,” said Henderson in an interview with Fightlinker. “Right now I am taking it year by year, not necessarily fight by fight. I do feel as though I have a few good years left in me and I love to compete. I am training a lot smarter than I used to, I don’t beat my body up as bad as I used to.” Jones Hopeful Henderson Will Avoid Trash-Talk In Jones the 29-8 legend will take on an opponent unlike any he’s faced before, combining raw athletic ability with creative striking and technically sound grappling. It’s a match-up that clearly excites Henderson. “It’ll probably be a more entertaining fight than if I had faced Rashad Evans. Evans would’ve looked to put me on my back and try to win the fight on the ground whereas Jones would be more apt to keep the fight standing,” admitted Henderson of Jones in comparison to the champ’s adversary two weeks ago at UFC 145. “I think the fans are happy that I will be facing Jones instead of Evans.” No date has been set for Henderson’s shot at dethroning Jones though it seems late August or early September could be in line for the bout. “Hendo” is currently on a four-fight winning streak including success against Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko, and Mauricio Rua. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, year

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Malki Kawa, who knows the future of UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones almost better than anyone else, is fairly certain his fighter will not return to action this summer as many have speculated. As such, the likelihood of Jones defending his title against Dan Henderson in the main event of UFC 149 is highly unlikely. “He will not be fighting in July,” said Kawa in a recent interview with MMAFighting. “It’s just probably a little too soon. There’s been no timetable yet, but July probably isn’t going to happen. Jon’s going to take a little time to himself, and then he’ll get back into it.” Jones earned another successful title-defense by scoring a decision against Rashad Evans two weeks ago at UFC 145. The fight was the first “Bones” had gone the distance in after holding onto his belt in prompter fashion against ex-champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Henderson has been sitting on the sidelines awaiting his shot at the young champion since defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year. UFC President Dana White mentioned Jones-Henderson as a possibility for the card, but did say he had no idea if Jones would be ready to go again that quickly. Jones has said he would like to fight at least four times this year though it seems unlikely at this point. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, jon, jone, henderson, dan henderson

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This weekend two of the top lightweights in MMA will meet in headlining action on network television when Jim Miller mixes it up with Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 3. Leading up to the five-round bout fans have been led to believe the winner of the fight will emerge as the top contender in the UFC’s stacked 155-pound division. While that may sound nice and sell tickets, when examining the circumstances surrounding the match-up as well as the state of the weight-class it seems fairly clear the man emerging with his hand raised will NOT be receiving a crack at the championship in his next outing. Lightweight title-holder Benson Henderson will put his belt on the line in mid-August against Frankie Edgar. Rest assured, if Edgar comes out with a close win Henderson will be granted the rematch he was willing to give “The Answer”. However, even if Henderson wins convincingly the bout is three months away. “Bendo” would likely need another few months off afterwards to regroup and prepare, putting Miller/Diaz in the position of sitting on the sidelines for six months while other deserving challengers emerge in the interim. Diaz-Miller Talk Title-Shots It also needs to be taken into account that Diaz/Miller haven’t dominated as of late. There’s no question both are sharp but Miller was handled by Henderson less than a year ago and Diaz, who is more deserving of a title-shot than Miller, lost two fights in a row at welterweight before deciding to drop down. I know the defeats can’t be held against him as much as they would be had they come at 155 pounds but it still merits consideration. The best way for the UFC to handle the matter is to book the winner of Diaz/Miller against Anthony Pettis when he returns from injury and schedule it for around the time Edgar-Henderson face off. That fight would eliminate any debate surrounding the true #1 contender and be extremely entertaining as well. It would also keep Diaz/Miller busy instead of on the sidelines collecting dust. If not Pettis then another threat such as Edson Barboza, Clay Guida, or Gray Maynard. Whatever happens, one thing is certain. No matter what is said don’t believe for a second Miller or Diaz will earn a title-shot on Saturday night. Nothing is guaranteed in MMA and no promise is worth a dime without it being printed on a piece of paper with a “sign here” line and the words “bout agreement” at the top. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, diaz, henderson, miller, titleshot

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submitted by bykliebhan [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: time, henderson, dan, hendo, bykliebhan

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Dan Henderson's 15 years in the 18-year-old sport of mixed martial arts render "Hendo" one of the 10 greatest mixed fighters of all-time. As the 41-year-old MMA legend next prepares to challenge UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones - the youngest titleholder in octagon history - the question arises. Is Jones facing the greatest of all-time?

Posted in: jone, jon jones, henderson, alltime, octagon history

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UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has dealt with some of the best trash-talkers in the UFC’s light heavyweight division since securing the belt. After taking care of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and his “spy-gate” claims last year, Jones downed one-time-teammate Rashad Evans earlier this month. Now, as he prepares to face Dan Henderson later this [...]

Posted in: jone, heavyweight, henderson, dan, year jones

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For all those in Alberta that were still clinging to the hope that they'd get to see a UFC light heavyweight title fight at UFC 149 on July 21st in Calgary, you can officially kill any thought of that. Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson won't be taking place until later in the summer. Why? The champ won't be ready by July, according to his manager (via MMA Fighting): Jones' manager Malki Kawa told MMA Fighting on Monday that the UFC light-heavyweight champion would not be available for the show, which is scheduled exactly three months to the day after Jones' five-round unanimous decision win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145. "He will not be fighting in July," Kawa said. "It's just probably a little too soon. There's been no timetable yet but July probably isn't going to happen." If that is indeed true, there are currently two candidates to host the fight - UFC 150 on August 11th, and the Toronto event on September 22nd. That event is presently labeled at UFC 152, but that could change (or the UFC is going to make UFC 151 a UK show). The UFC lightweight title bout between Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar is penciled in for UFC 150 though, so at this point in time, September is looking like a more likely option. Henderson turns 42 on August 24th.

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, july, july kawa

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We knew before Jon Jones ever stepped into the cage against Rashad Evans at UFC 145 who his next opponent would be if he won: Dan Henderson. Shortly after it was officially announced that Jones would be taking on Henderson his next time out, UFC president Dana White revealed that the two would likely be meeting at the impending UFC 149 event. Those plans no longer seem to be intact. Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa, spoke with MMAFighting this week and revealed that his client won’t be ready to return to training in time to make the date for the UFC’s first Calgary-hosted fight card. With the event scheduled for July 21, Jones would have just three months turnaround from his recent title defense over Rashad Evans. Jones battled his former rival for five rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory at UFC 145 earlier this month and would like to take more time than that to relax and recover. Henderson has been on the sidelines waiting for a shot at either the middleweight or light heavyweight titles – whichever one opened up first – since November, when he earned a narrow unanimous decision over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139. MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, time, jone, jon jones, henderson

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It sounds like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is drained. Certainly not physically, as the young phenom barely breaks a sweat in any of his fights, but mentally, having endured a protracted pre-fight trash-talking campaign against Rashad Evans in the build-up to their UFC 145 title fight earlier this month. It's something he hopes to avoid in his upcoming title defense against Dan Henderson. "As far as Dan Henderson, I'm excited about [him], he's a great fighter. You know, I've gone through a lot with Rashad as far as all of the trash talking and I really hope Dan's listening and I really hope that Dan keeps it classy throughout this fight. I respect him as an older man, I respect him as a warrior and I just hope he keeps it classy and not drag me through another trash-talking bout. Let's stick to why we're really here, let's just fight." Hear the rest of "Bones" message for "Hendo" (via ESPN's MMA Live), as well as his recap of the "Suga" fight, after the jump. For more on Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson click here.

Posted in: fight, jon jones, henderson, dan henderson, dan

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With the news that Mauricio Rua would be stepping into the cage for a fight with Thiago Silva, some felt that "Shogun" was being granted a bit of an easy fight. After all, his last nine fights have been against former champions. After the initial reaction to the fight, it seemed that people started to think twice about how easy a fight with the hard hitting would actually be. After all, despite only being 30 years old, Shogun has a ton of "ring miles" on his body. He's been fighting at a high level against world class opponents for nine years and his gutsy style hasn't been easy on him physically. Between the repeated knee injuries and damage suffered in bouts like last November's unbelievable war with Dan Henderson, should any fight against a legitimate opponent really be considered a "gimmie" at this point in his career? The risks associated with such a fan friendly fight as Shogun vs. Henderson are something noted trainer Mike Winkeljohn is all too familiar with. In a recent interview with Sherdog, the topic of risk and the dangers of being involved with a potential "fight of the night" came up: "I'm all about angles -- hitting and not getting hit. That's kind of how I want my guys to fight; not stand there and brawl, which I know excites the fans," he said. "I tell guys all the time: I'm not against winning the ‘Fight of the Night,' but really I'm not excited about it. Usually, [it] means there's a slugfest and it could shorten your lifespan down the road." Not that it should be expected for anyone to walk into a fight and come out healthier, but the Shogun/Hendo fight did feel like we were watching both guys engage in something that would change their lives significantly down the road. But post-career problems aren't really the subject at hand. Fights like that can age a fighter in the cage (or ring) as well. Between the inconsistent schedule of Mauricio due to injuries and the war with Henderson, along with several other great moments of violence, is it fair to look at his fight with Thiago Silva and expect him to walk through a heavy hitting 205'er? If you pushed me on who I'm picking, it's Shogun. But I wouldn't lay a dollar of my own money on the fight either way. There are simply too many variables at play every time Shogun enters the cage.

Posted in: fight, henderson, shogun, thiago silva, im

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Event: UFC 150: "Henderson vs. Edgar"Date: Sat., Aug. 11, 2012, at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-viewLocation: Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado Main Event: 155 lbs.: Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar Other Scheduled Fights: 185 lbs.: Yushin Okami vs. Luiz Cane155 lbs.: Thiago Tavares vs. Dennis Hallman For up-to-the-minute updates on UFC 150 and all the latest news and notes click here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, lb, denver colorado

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It should come as no surprise that early estimates by oddsmakers have UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones cast as a sizeable favorite to win his next title defense. The 24-year-old dynamo just defeated Rashad Evans by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 145 and has already been matched up with Dan Henderson for his next title defense. The linemakers over at MMA Oddsbreakers have released early odds for the bout, with Jones sitting as the -565 favorite and Henderson the +385 underdog. After stringing together a four-fight run in 2011 that many have called the most impressive single year in any athlete’s MMA career, Jones is poised to lord over the 205lbs division for many years to come. The prodigious young fighter has already knocked off veterans and former champions (and a couple of Hendo’s former Pride FC peers) Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans during his title run and will be looking to add Henderson’s name to that list. At 41-years-old, Henderson is one of MMA’s few remaining elder statesmen who belongs fighting for a UFC title. A four-fight run in Strikeforce saw the Team Quest co-founder drop a decision to Jake Shields before knocking out Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante (to capture the promotion’s light heavyweight title) and Fedor Emelianenko in succession. After returning to the UFC, Hendo waged a five round war with Shogun at UFC 139 that has been described as one of the best fights in MMA history. The two are rumored to be facing off at UFC 149 on July 21 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Posted in: ufc, mma, title, jone, henderson

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UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be facing former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson next, and some betting lines for the bout dropped today. To be honest, they're kind of shocking. Bookmaker opened things with a semi-normal line, but 5Dimes and SportBet quickly followed with ludicrous odds. Here are the three lines: Bookmaker 5Dimes SportBet Jones -565 -1125 -1043 Henderson +385 +575 +657 I realize that Jones looks unbeatable at the moment with three title defenses under his belt, but two of those lines are amongst the most lopsided I've ever seen, especially for a UFC title fight. Henderson might be 41 years old but he has won four fights in a row, with the last two coming over Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio Rua. He shouldn't be taken so lightly, by Jones or the oddsmakers. The Jones vs. Henderson bout still doesn't have a home as of this moment. Dana White wanted to put it on UFC 149 on July 21st, but that doesn't seem likely now with Jose Aldo defending his UFC light heavyweight title against Erik Koch on the card. Could it be at UFC 150 on August 11th in Denver? We'll find out soon enough.

Posted in: ufc, title, jone, henderson, line

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Lightweight champion Benson Henderson appears to finally have a date set for his rematch with Frankie Edgar after taking the UFC belt from “The Answer” this past February in a competitive clash at UFC 144. According to multiple sources, Henderson and Edgar will meet at UFC 150 to settle their score in hopes of a more definitive conclusion than one relating to the judges’ scorecards in Japan. The card is scheduled for August 11 in Denver, Colorado and will also feature match-ups between Dennis Hallman-Thiago Tavares and Luiz Cane-Yushin Okami. Henderson Ready to “Beat Up” Anyone the UFC Puts in Front of Him MMAJunkie first reported the story with MMAWeekly also confirming it, each outlet citing individuals involved with the situation. Henderson’s Unanimous Decision over Edgar marked his fourth straight win since joining the UFC’s roster including triumphs over top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida. He holds an overall record of 16-2 including ten stoppages. Meanwhile, the bout with “Bendo” will mark Edgar’s third consecutive rematch after having to beat Gray Maynard in light of their Draw and BJ Penn for reasons similar to those surrounding his second go at Henderson. The 14-2-1 scrapper also holds impressive victories over Sean Sherk, Hermes Franca, Tyson Griffin, and Miller. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, henderson, edgar, frankie edgar, ufc belt

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The rematch between UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson and former title-holder Frankie Edgar appears to finally have a date and location in mind with the host-city having an altitude worthy of the bout’s lofty expectations. According to multiple reports, Henderson will defend his belt against Edgar at UFC 150 in Denver, Colorado. The fight marks the second time UFC gold will have been defended in the “Mile High City” in recent memory with Jon Jones’ submission victory over Quinton Jackson taking place there this past September. News of the match-up and its attachment to UFC 150 was first reported by MMAJunkie with MMAWeekly also confirming the information with sources close to both scrappers. Edgar and Henderson first met in February where the two went at it for twenty-five competitive minutes with “Bendo” ultimately emerging with the judges’ nod after doing more damage and controlling the bulk of the bout’s action. However, Edgar was awarded a second shot based on a public plea where the immediate rematches he gave to B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard were mentioned as well as the lack of another clear-cut #1 contender at 155 pounds. Prior to the loss Edgar was 6-0-1 with wins over Maynard, Penn, and Sean Sherk. Meanwhile, Henderson’s performance pushed his winning streak in the UFC to four with success against Edgar, Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, and Clay Guida. UFC 150 is scheduled for August 11 and will feature other bouts including Yushin Okami-Luiz Cane and Dennis Hallman-Thiago Tavares. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, bj penn, bout, henderson, edgar

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After all the smoke had settled at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sat., April 21, 2012, at UFC 145, and Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones had successfully defended his title by soundly defeating the fighter who knew him best, Rashad Evans, one question rang out from mixed martial arts (MMA) fans everywhere. Who can stop this man? It's an impossible question to answer, though many will try. And it's the task of UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and promotion President Dana White to do their damnedest to find the best candidate for the job. First up on the list is former Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson, who will challenge Jones sometime this year, possibly at UFC 149 on July 21 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With his monster right hand, wrestling pedigree, and uncanny ability to fend off Father Time, he's been given about as much chance as anyone else in the 205-pound division, at least by fans and pundits. Oddsmakers? Now that's another story. The MMAOddsbreakers show released its odds on the fight and Jones comes in as a whopping -565 favorite while Henderson limps in as a +385 underdog. Quite frankly, it's amazing that a championship fight would favor one more over the other that heavily. It's truly a testament to how dominant "Bones" has been during his run competing inside the Octagon. When examining all the reasons he's favored so heavily, it makes perfect sense. He's 24-years-old with a 16-1 career record. And that one loss was a disqualification due to his throwing illegal elbows. He was handily winning the fight beforehand. Not only that, here are the names Jones has beaten once he reached the championship level -- Mauricio Rua (to win the title), Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans. Are you kidding me? Henderson is a formidable foe, no doubt, but he's 41-years-old and nearly died of exhaustion trying to finish "Shogun" last November, the same man Jones obliterated to take his place at the throne of the light heavyweight division. Simply put, there's very little reason to believe "Hendo" will be the man to take the crown from the 205-pound king. Anyone want to disagree?

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, he, names jones

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On Nov. 12, 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held its first event ever at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. With a reported attendance of just 2,800 and only 86,000 buys on pay-per-view (PPV), you can really tell how far the company -- and the sport -- has come over the past 20 years. Now, the company will return to the land from whence it came for its next historic show, UFC 150, on Aug. 11, 2012, at the Pepsi Center. And it will have one hell of a headlining match-up. That's because MMAWeekly.com brings word that UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson will grant Frankie Edgar his rematch wish on this very show. The two initially met back on Feb. 25 at UFC 144 in Japan. On that night, Henderson turned in the performance of a lifetime, going toe-to-toe with one of the toughest men in the entire sport and outworking the imitable Edgar over five grueling rounds. After 25 minutes of back-and-forth action, the judges sided with "Bendo" and he became the new champion. And then a bit of controversy ensued. UFC President Dana White all but promised Anthony Pettis the next title shot. This was intriguing simply because Pettis and Henderson had met once before at the final World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) event in Dec. 2010. It resulted in one of the best fights in that organizations history and one of the best moments of all time in mixed martial arts (MMA) altogether. It was no surprise, then, that the powers that be wanted to give the two talented lightweights a bigger stage to see if they could replicate that special night down in Glendale, Arizona. There was just one problem. They forgot about Frankie. Indeed, Edgar felt slighted by the very thought that he wouldn't be granted an immediate rematch, especially after he had done so on multiple occasions against guys like B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard. After a brief stalemate between both parties, Edgar got "the answer" he wanted and he was granted to shot at redeeming himself and regaining the 155-pound belt he worked so hard to protect. Hope y'all ready. UFC 150 is expected to be headlined by Henderson vs. Edgar while other bouts announced for the card include Yushin Okami vs. Luiz Cane in a middleweight mash up and Thiago Tavares vs. Dennis Hallman in lightweight action. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for future updates.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, vs, henderson, edgar

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After traveling all the way to Japan to take on Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight title, Benson Henderson will defend the belt against Edgar in his backyard of Denver, Colorado at UFC 150 on August 11th. The event, which has yet to be announced, is expected to take place at the Pepsi Center, which was also the site of UFC 135 last September. Henderson (16-2) was born in nearby Colorado Springs, Colorado, but he now fights out of Glendale, Arizona. He defeated Edgar in a closely-contested battle at UFC 144 in February. This was his fourth consecutive victory, dating back to a loss to Anthony Pettis, which saw him lose his WEC lightweight title in December 2010. He has since enjoyed an undefeated run in the UFC, culminating in earning the UFC lightweight belt with the win over Edgar. Edgar (14-2-1) will be taking on the same opponent for the third consecutive matchup, as he also had an immediate rematch with BJ Penn in 2010 and Gray Maynard in 2011.  However, the matchup with Henderson was the first one that saw Edgar on the losing end. The New Jersey native also has just 2 losses to his name, the first of which he avenged in his third matchup with Gray Maynard. He will be looking to do the same against Henderson. Also added to the UFC 150 roster is another lightweight matchup with Dennis Hallman taking on Thiago Tavares. Both coming off victories, the lightweights will hope to continue those streaks at the August event. Tavares actually replaced Hallman at UFC on Fox 3 next month in taking on Tony Ferguson, but Tavares also ended up withdrawing due to injury. Now the two will match up against each other three months later. For complete coverage of UFC 150, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, henderson, edgar, tavare, matchup

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After beating four consecutive UFC champions, Jon Jones will look to add an all-time great to his resume when he faces Dan Henderson in his next title defense. That matchup is already locked in, according to UFC president Dana White. Still to come are the date and location, although he seemed to indicate that UFC 149 in Calgary was a possible. According to the first odds released on the fight, Jones is a heavy favorite to beat the multi-time, multi-division champion. In a line released by noted MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas, Jones is nearly a 6-to-1 favorite to defeat Henderson, with the number coming in at -565. Henderson is a +385 underdog. Jones has been favored in all but the first two of his UFC fights. Since a UFC 100 victory over Jake O'Brien, he's always been the betting favorite, and often by a lopsided margin. Even when he stepped up to fight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on short notice, he was expected to win. So far, he's come through to the tune of a 16-1 career record, with his only loss coming via disqualification after landing illegal downward elbow strikes in a fight against Matt Hamill that he was otherwise dominating. In defeating Rashad Evans at last weekend's UFC 145, he became the first man ever to defeat four former UFC champions (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rua were his other victims). Henderson (29-8) may be the most decorate U.S. mixed martial artist ever, with wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva and Rua, among others. He's won seven of his last eight fights, and was the reigning Strikeforce light-heavyweight champ when his contract expired and he left to rejoin the UFC. At 41, Henderson is bidding to become the second-oldest UFC champ ever, right behind his former teammate Randy Couture.

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, dan henderson

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Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar….take two….has now been scheduled. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: vs, henderson, frankie, benson, bull

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Benson Henderson's first defense of the UFC lightweight belt is likely to take place in Denver. MMAjunkie.com today confirmed with sources close to the event that Henderson and former champ Frankie Edgar have verbally agreed to meet at UFC 150, which is expected to take place on Aug. 11. UFC officials have yet to make an official announcement regarding the event or the headliner. Contracts for the fight have yet to be distributed.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, official announcement, frankie, headliner contracts

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When Jose Aldo was removed from the UFC‘s July card in Canada, UFC President Dana White mentioned the possibility of Jon Jones defending his light heavyweight title against Dan Henderson as a replacement. While Jones is recently-removed from a five-round fight with Rashad Evans, he has mentioned wanting to fight four times this year and certainly didn’t absorb a ton of damage against Evans. While nothing is official, UFC Director of Operations in Canada Tom Wright would be more than happy to have his country host Jones-Henderson. “I would love to see that fight happen,” said Wright in a recent interview with the Toronto Sun. “Having Jon Jones defend his championship in Calgary against Dan Henderson – that would be a monster fight. It demonstrates we have an understanding and a respect for how knowledgeable the fight fans are in Alberta, and how important this market is for our business.” Henderson earned his shot at the belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year in addition to being the Strikeforce 205-pound champ prior to re-joining the UFC. “Hendo” has been out of action since his November meeting with Rua, patiently waiting for his championship opportunity. If the bout materializes it will mark Jones’ second visit to Canada as champ since winning the belt. “Bones” defended the title last year in Toronto, choking out Lyoto Machida with a memorable Standing Guillotine Choke at UFC 140. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, jon jones, henderson

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According to a report from mmajunkie.com, Ben Henderson will defend his Lightweight title this summer, reportedly August 11 in Denver, Colorado. The match has not been officially announced as of yet. As the likely headliner of UFC 150, the fight will be a rematch of the close decision where Henderson gained the belt at February's UFC 144. Benson Henderson has been on a tear through the UFC's Lightweight division since his arrival. The winner of four straight, he sits atop a stacked division of challengers

Posted in: ufc, denver, henderson, ben henderson, denver colorado

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Director of Operations for Canada, Tom Wright, wants a "marquee" match-up when the promotion invades the Scotiabank Saddledome for UFC 149 on July 21, 2012 in Calgary. If that's the case, you can't do much better than a light heavyweight title fight featuring Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson. "Bones" disposed of Rashad Evans at UFC 145 just last week and has already mapped out an aggressive 2012 fight campaign that could see him compete two more times before the year's out, presumably against "Hendo" and Alexander Gustafsson, if "The Mauler" can win his next fight in style. I guess Jones is in quite a hurry to make his heavyweight debut. UFC President Dana White is not in favor of him moving up a weight class; however, the shallow pool of 205-pound title contenders is rapidly drying up. Then again, Henderson could turn the entire division on its head with one solid punch. Hear why Wright (via Toronto Sun) would "love to see that fight happen" at UFC 149, after the jump. "I would love to see that fight happen. Having Jon Jones defend his championship in Calgary against Dan Henderson — that would be a monster fight. I think it’s really important (to have a marquee bout). It demonstrates we have an understanding and a respect for how knowledgeable the fight fans are in Alberta, and how important this market is to our business." UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo was previously penciled in as the Calgary headliner; however, his services were needed at UFC 147 in his native Brazil after the long-awaited middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen was boxed up and shipped to Las Vegas. With just about every notable fighter already booked for action between the next three pay-per-view (PPV) events, not including the FOX, FX and FUEL TV cards, the ability to deliver a marquee match-up could prove difficult in any other division except light heavyweight. Where two of the biggest stars in the sport are destined to collide. For more on the upcoming UFC 149 event in Calgary check out our comprehensive news archive by clicking here.

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With all the fluctuation between main events for UFC 147 and UFC 148, with Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen being moved to UFC 148, and Jose Aldo likely now headlining UFC 147, UFC President Dana White mentioned the possibility that Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson could be taking place at UFC 149 in July. UFC 149 takes place on July 21st from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. At today’s press conference for Silva vs. Sonnen, White discussed multiple events, including UFC 149, which was expected to be headlined by Jose Aldo and a soon-to-be announced opponent. However, Aldo is likely going to be fighting at UFC 147, instead. With that, UFC 149 would be lacking of a main event. White mentioned that the recently announced matchup between Jones and Henderson is a possibility. “Dan Henderson and Jon Jones could be a possibility,” said White. “Jones just fought his first five round fight, his hands are sore, all the things that go along with coming out of a fight like that. We’ve got to give him a few weeks to see how he feels, then we’ll figure out what the main event is going to be in Calgary. But that would be awesome. If we could make that fight, that would be great.” Jones (16-1) defeated Rashad Evans this past weekend at UFC 145 in Atlanta. Following the event, Henderson was announced as his next opponent. This will be Jones’ fourth title defense since earning the title at UFC 128 in March 2011, where Jones defeated “Shogun” Rua. He has since defeated “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Evans in the past year. This unprecedented string of title defenses, with all being former champions, has had Jones quickly rise up to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. He will take on Henderson (29-8), who returned to the UFC in November at UFC 139. He defeated “Shogun” Rua in a bout that has since been touted as one of the greatest fights of all-time. Henderson enjoyed an immensely successful 2011, earning the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, along with defeating legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko in July. Now he will take on Jones, who at 24 years old, is nearly half his age. For complete coverage of UFC 149, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

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UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the undisputed #1 LHW in the world according to the USA TODAY/MMA Nation Consensus Rankings. He's also the most dominant LHW UFC champ since Chuck Liddell's reign ended in 2007 and yet fans are not flocking to the 24-year-old champ to the degree his accomplishments would seem to merit. MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani asked Jones' next challenger, UFC, Pride and Strikeforce veteran Dan Henderson for his take on why Jones isn't clicking with fans. Henderson's reply was characteristically direct: "I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him. "His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by." "I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get." UFC president Dana White today said that Jones vs. Henderson may headline UFC 149 in Calgary, Canada, Video of the interview after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, fan, i dont

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones has already told the ZUFFA brass he wants to compete (at least) four times in 2012. And with a possible title defense against Dan Henderson at UFC 149 on July 21 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, "Bones" would be halfway there. That's one possible scenario for the world's largest fight promotion, which is currently shuffling its existing fight cards to help fill the void left by its scheduling difficulties in Brazil. The rematch between Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen is no longer booked for UFC 147 in "Rio," and UFC President Dana White has already considered bringing Jose Aldo from his tentatively scheduled main event in Calgary to help add some star power to the tattered South American fight card. That would leave the headlining bout available for the previously announced bout of "Jones vs. Henderson," an idea that White not only described as "possible," but "awesome" as well. Nothing is official at this time, as Jones is still on the mend following a five round title defense against "Suga" Rashad Evans back on April 21 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. While the contest didn't bring about the violent finish some were expecting, it was still 25 minutes of combat, so the jury is still out on how soon the champion would be willing to get back inside the Octagon. Stay tuned. For more news and notes from today's UFC 148 press conference click here. To see what else is brewing for UFC 149 in Calgary click here.

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In beating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Jon Jones vanquished his fifth top 10 opponent since Feb. 2011. A summertime matchup with Dan Henderson could make it six within 18 months, a blistering pace of historic proportions. The bout with Henderson is confirmed, though a date likely won't be cemented for at least a few weeks.A good sign? Jones has experienced many of the best qualities exhibited by Henderson. Quinton Jackson represents danger in both hands, Mauricio Rua shows the same fearless aggression, Rashad Evans boasts quality MMA wrestling. None of it has been especially problematic for Jones, who has had barely a moment of trouble along the way. Henderson will face many of the same problems as the rest of Jones' opponents. He's sized similarly as Evans, just 5-foot-11 with a 74-inch reach (Evans has a 75-inch reach). He's also nearing 42 years old (on August 24). No one discounts Henderson's chances of winning, but given Jones' ability to get opponents to play his game, it will be an uphill task. Jones has also shown a durable chin; against Evans, he ate a head kick with barely a stumble. That's a trait that will serve him well against the iron-fisted Hendo. At least we know what direction the top of the light-heavyweight division is headed. Now let's take a look at what might be next for some of the rest of UFC 145's participants.Rashad EvansEvans would be wise to consider a move to middleweight. Not because he can't hack it at 205; he's been criminally underrated there. But if his goal is to be No. 1, it's an easier road to a title shot at middleweight, where the top-line talent pool is a bit more shallow. That said, he seemed to indicate a preference to stay at light-heavyweight. That's his prerogative. His hand speed will continue to serve him well if he stays within the division, as I suspect he will.Prediction: He faces Shogun RuaRory MacDonaldThe UFC's matchmaking philosophy with MacDonald has been a bit unusual. After beating vet Mike Guymon his first fight, he got Carlos Condit. He nearly won that, but lost late in the third. Since then, his matchups went from the always tough Nate Diaz, who was then miscast as a lightweight, to durable journeyman Mike Pyle to little-known Che Mills. At 13-1, MacDonald is ready for the jump. He deserves a top 10 opponent, now. Prediction: He faces the winner of May 5's Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck fightMichael McDonaldMcDonald just turned 21 three months ago, and he's already closing in on the bantamweight top five after his crushing knockout of Miguel Torres. With the rapid ascension, Jones' record as youngest-ever UFC champion (23 years, 243 days) is also in danger. Now 4-0 in the octagon, McDonald is knocking on the door of a title shot. He'll still need at least 1-2 more wins though.Prediction: He faces Brian BowlesBen RothwellOver the weekend, I wrote that featherweight Eddie Yagin was the feel-good story of UFC 145 for his huge upset of Mark Hominick, but Rothwell deserves honorable mention for picking up his first win in nearly two years with a KO of Brendan Schaub. I would have liked to see Rothwell get offered a chance to fill in at UFC 146 against Roy Nelson, but that slot went to Gabriel Gonzaga. Let's not let time get in the way of it.Prediction: He faces the Nelson-Gonzaga winnerTravis BrowneAn athletic 6-foot-7 heavyweight with power, a chin, and he trains regularly with Jon Jones? This dude is getting downright scary. Given his skill set and durability, he is going to be a tough out going forward. He's definitely got the finisher's mentality, too. Nine career first-round stoppages, including seven that took less than 2:30 following his submission win over Chad Griggs. Prediction: If Mark Hunt beats Stefan Struve in May, Browne faces Hunt. If not, he welcomes Shane Carwin back to action in the late summer.Brendan SchaubAfter a four-fight win streak, Schaub has now lost two in a row, with both losses coming via knockout. Afterward, Schaub was introspective, saying in a FUEL post-fight interview that he might consider a move down to light-heavyweight. Considering he weighed in at 237 for UFC 145, it won't be an easy cut for him. But it is a doable cut. In an attempt to jumpstart his career, it might be worth the effort. His speed and quickness will follow him there, and he won't be facing the monsters he often saw at heavyweight (in KO losses to Rothwell and Nelson, he was out-weighed by more than 20 pounds).Prediction: Schaub tries out 205. The UFC should give him some time to make it there, so we'll project him for a fall return, say against the winner of July's Brandon Vera vs. James Te Huna matchup.

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, evan, he

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It’s been nearly two months since the UFC announced lightweight champion Benson Henderson would face former title-holder Frankie Edgar in an immediate rematch of their February fight and still no date has been set for the scrap. In fact, it appears Henderson is as in the dark about the bout as most folks, patiently awaiting word from his superiors while staying busy in the gym. “I’m ready to go now. We can do it now. I’ve gotta cut a little weight first but I’m ready to go right now,” laughed Henderson when asked for his take on the topic last weekend after UFC 145 had concluded. “It’s up to Dana (White), whatever they think is best time-wise, but I’m down for whatever.” While he may not be ready for the scale yet, Henderson was happy to weigh in on how he was approaching Edgar this time around with the roles of champion-challenger being reversed. “I don’t really think about to much as defending the belt as going out there and doing whatever it takes to get my hand raised, no matter what it is. Whether you’re winning the belt, defending the belt, whether it’s your first time in the UFC, whether it’s your first time being on the main card, whatever it is…it’s just get your hand raised,” explained the polished 28-year old. Currently the most logical destinations for Henderson vs. Edgar II appear to be UFC 149 on July 21 or UFC on FOX 4 in Los Angeles a few weeks later. Time certainly appears to be of the essence as well in terms of making the match-up, as the next #1 contender to the lightweight belt will be revealed on May 5 when Jim Miller meets Nate Diaz in the main event at UFC on FOX 3. Watch the full interview with “Bendo” below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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"I don't know, I think it all has to do with him being genuine. The fans sense when you are and you are not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time. I don't know if they get that impression from him. Not really, (if he gets the same impression from him) he was a little better after his fight with Rashad than he has been in the past, but I have not gotten that impression from him, no. His whole attitude, it's not completely not genuine, but I think that is what the fans are turned off by. I don't know him personally, so I can't say if it's genuine or not, it's just the impression that I think that is what the fans get." -- One of the true mixed martial arts (MMA) legends of all time, Dan Henderson, shared his opinion today on "The MMA Hour" today (April 23, 2012) on the possible reason fans haven't yet embraced Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight, Jon Jones. Though he undoubtedly does have a strong fan base, "Bones" has often been met with criticism and boos from fans because of his confident attitude that many perceive to be flat out cocky. Not one to shy away from his confident attitude, Jones takes it all in stride, knowing that it is all simply part of the game. But is Jones genuine? "Hendo" seems to think that the fans can sense it, and when it comes to Jon, fans feel he is simply not. In fact, Jones is already preparing himself for the "haters" when he squares off against Henderson later this year. Genuine or not, Henderson will have a tall task if he hopes to be the one to end the very impressive run that the 205-pound kingpin is currently on --- seven straight wins with three consecutive title defenses. Jones latest victory came at the expense of former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans, this past weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps an "H-Bomb" can set him straight?

Posted in: jone, henderson, fan, impression, attitude

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After defeating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones might be on the cusp of stardom. He's certainly closer now than ever before. Yet, the 24 year-old phenom is still polarizing to MMA fans. That is not a secret, of course, but the question is why? Why, despite unbelievable athletic accomplishments at such a young age, is the Endicott, New York native not clicking with some fans? Dan Henderson, Jones' next opponent, thinks he understands what's going on. "I'm sure you can answer that question, too. Why do you suppose that is?", the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion rhetorically asked Ariel Helwani today on The MMA Hour. When pressed further for his take, Henderson offered a theory. "I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him." That may be what the fans are thinking, but what about Henderson himself? Does he get the impression Jones is genuine in his personal interactions with others? "Not really," Henderson confessed. "I think he was a little bit better after his fight with Rashad than he had been in the past, but I haven't got that impression from him, no." Henderson isn't suggesting Jones is entirely putting on a public act. The top light heavyweight contender isn't exactly accusing Jones of being an actor. But if Henderson detects anything, it's that the polarizing effect the light heavyweight champion has on fans is as consequence of Jones having something manufactured about what he shows the public. "His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by." "I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get." If he doesn't know for certain that Jones is sincere, there is one thing he seems very confident about. Namely, that Jones' fighting style is a good fit for him. No matter how dominant Jones is believed to be, Henderson isn't short on the belief that he has what it takes to be the first one to give Jones problems. "Everybody has holes in their game," he argued, "I just think he matches up style wise well with me." For Henderson, it has to do with where he and Jones prefer to contest their bouts. "He's gonna stand and bang a little bit," he continued. "He gets in there and starts to throw some punches and then gets on the inside a little bit, too, and likes to get into the clinch. Those are places where I'm sure that our fight will go that I'm very comfortable with." In the wake of Jones' victory over Evans, the considerable reach of Jones has become even more difficult for challengers to handle. If a former training partner and fighter with the speed of Evans can't get inside on Jones, some would suggest Henderson will have no easier of a time. The former Olympian, however, thinks solving that problem boils down to a mindset and one Evans lacked in his title fight on Saturday. "I think it all has to do with - you gotta commit to being offensive, throwing those punches - getting on the inside and staying outside that reach." "I think Rashad definitely could've taken him down," Henderson suggested. "I don't think he really had too solid of a takedown attempts. Maybe one decent attempt, but he didn't set it up at all and Rashad usually does that pretty well. He did that real well against Phil Davis, but it's a little bit harder for him. He fights a lot better moving forward and he was moving back most of the fight." Beyond a larger, more general perspective, Henderson wasn't ready to divulge any specific details about what he'll do when he gets his chance inside the Octagon with Jones. However, the former PRIDE middleweight champion clearly believes there is a blueprint to follow. And it shouldn't be too hard. For Henderson, he just has to do what he already does best. "A lot of it is pressuring him, cutting him off," Henderson said. "A lot of times it's tough to do, tough to implement sometimes - to keep a guy always on the defense, keep pressuring him - but against some like Jon that should be the game plan."

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Welcome back, haters, he's been expecting you. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones, who is expected to defend his 205-pound title against Dan Henderson later this year, knows he's got to conquer not just his opponent, but the former Strikeforce and PRIDE Champion's "huge fanbase" as well. He's okay with that. It comes with the championship territory, and the boo birds gave him a preview for his future "Hendo" tilt during the pre-fight festivities for UFC 145, the April 21 pay-per-view (PPV) event that saw "Bones" defend his strap against arch nemesis "Suga" Rashad Evans. Jones breaks it all down during last weekend's press conference, after the jump. "I feel great that I already have a mission. I'm going to work extremely hard to better myself. I did things that I could have done better and Dan Henderson is an awesome opponent. He's a winner. He has a huge fanbase and I'm sure the haters are going to come right away, which I'm okay with. There's just going to be a lot of things to conquer in this fight. He has extreme knockout power. I don't know who hits harder between him and Rampage but he has extreme knockout power and I'm excited to conquer it." Henderson has been riding the pine since huffing and puffing his way past Mauricio Rua last November. While he teased a middleweight title fight against Anderson Silva later this year, the 41 year-old slugger instead opted to keep himself at the heavier weight -- while bailing Joe Silva out of a matchmaking conundrum. At least for now. So how about it haters, who's representing the boo-oh-nine when these two warriors mix it up on fight night? Let yourselves be heard!

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Dan Henderson has had one of the best mixed martial arts careers in the sport's short history and he'll look to cement his legacy when he challenges phenom Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title. Henderson possesses the savvy and powerful right hand to make it a long night for Jones but he knows the value of coming in with a gameplan. Hendo spoke to USA Today about the upcoming fight and had the following to say about how he thinks he needs to fight Jones: "You've really got to get inside and fight with him and end up in the clinch with him a lot," Henderson says. "Jones is better than most guys in the clinch. ... (But) that's where I'm most comfortable. At the same time I need to be real careful with catching one of those goofy elbows that he throws." ... "Rashad's game should have been a little bit more mix it up from the outside and threaten more with takedowns and put Jones on his back," Henderson says. "Rashad fought Jon Jones' fight, not his own. ... I definitely saw (openings) that Rashad should have capitalized on." We'll see if Dan is able to land one of his big right hands or dirty things up enough in the clinch to pull off the huge upset. As for when the fight will take place? Henderson is hoping that the UFC can throw it on the July 7 card, even though that may be a bit too soon for the UFC and Jones. But given the pace that the UFC has suggested they want Jon to fight at, it's possible they decide that yet another big summer main event is worth the quick turnaround. While Jones was forced to go the full five rounds with Rashad, it's not like he took much damage in the fight. It's all about if he feels up to getting right back into the gym and prepping for another big test.

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, rashad

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Following his successful title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 145, Jon Jones has immediately turned his attention to his next opponent. Dana White announced that Dan Henderson, coming off a dramatic win over Mauricio Rua in a spectacular fight, would be the man to get the next shot at Jones' title and it led to Jon hitting up Twitter with a question. Jones asked his followers this about Henderson: @JonnyBonesJon Bones Jones What's Dan Henderson's reach compared to Rashads? Apr 22 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply When one fan saw fit to try to redirect the conversation from reach to power, Jones was very honest about the situation. He didn't run from the fact that Hendo will have the power edge: @JonnyBonesJon Bones Jones I would think he would be the harder Puncher "@MIKEYBFILTHMMA: Should be asking what's Jon Jones power compared to Hendo's @JonnyBones" Apr 22 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply Henderson is much more plodding on the feet than Jones or Evans, but he has a somewhat freakish ability to always manage to find a way to land his right hand. It's no secret that he's looking to uncork the powerful right, but opponents still keep getting hit with it. Jones should be able to work from the outside with success and avoid Henderson ever really connecting clean, but Henderson also has a great chin that will allow him to take the chance of eating a big shot in exchange for closing distance. "Bones" deserves to be the heavy favorite coming in to the bout, but no one should ever put anything past Dan Henderson.

Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, dan henderson, dan

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ATLANTA - Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones neutralized his toughest opponent yet when he defeated former titleholder Rashad Evans early Sunday, but the next challenge won't get easier. The UFC on Sunday confirmed that venerable star Dan Henderson will face Jones next. Henderson has been waiting for a title shot since beating ex-champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a November. Now, the two fighters discuss the upcoming matchup.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, jone, henderson, sunday

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Let me go on record by stating if Dan Henderson defeats Jon Jones in his upcoming title fight, I will name my first born 'Hendo.' That is, if I decide to actually bring a human into a world devoid of cartridge-based videogame systems and Surge soft drinks. I think I'll hold off on the whole kid thing -- there's still a plethora of irresponsible and selfish activities I need to illegally engage in. The fight you've always suspected will occur in the future is now a verified reality. During the UFC 145 post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed Jon Jones' next opponent will be the 41-year-old potential GOAT, Hollywood Henderson. Yes, that was his real nickname back in the day. People also called Hendo 'Decision Dan,' not because he was involved in decisions, but because he was always on the raw end of a decision. Look at me, dropping knowledge like I knocked over a rack of encyclopedias. Hendo sat down with USA Today shortly after UFC 145 to talk about his newly acquired title shot, break down what Rashad Evans did wrong against the champion, and above all else state exactly what he will do in his fight with Jon Jones. "You've really got to get inside and fight with him and end up in the clinch with him a lot," said Henderson. "Jones is better than most guys in the clinch. ... (But) that's where I'm most comfortable. At the same time I need to be real careful with catching one of those goofy elbows that he throws." "I look at my clinch as a little more active clinch, where I'm always looking for takedowns or different angles or strikes and things, (so) I don't really look to those guys for clinch knowledge. I think we have two different views on the clinch." Hey, Dan Henderson wouldn't own ClinchGear if he wasn't really nasty with the clinch. There's no set date for Hendo vs. Bones, but we're assuming that it will happen on a television set near you.

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Dan “Hendo” Henderson came out today with a few comments about his strategy to defeat Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship. Never one to beat around the bush, Henderson was frank in his discussion about the title fight at this weekend's UFC 145. While Jones did not finish the former champion Rashad Evans as he had three previous champions, he utilized accurate strikes to keep Evans well outside of his range. That is not the way to be successful against a fighter like Jon Jones

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The match-up many already believed would happen was confirmed Saturday night when UFC President Dana White announced Dan Henderson will be the next opponent for light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones defended his belt in victorious fashion over Rashad Evans in the main event last night at UFC 145, giving him yet another title-win over a former champion. Previously Jones topped Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in championship bouts. White confirmed Jones’ bout with Henderson could come sooner than expected with a summer date to being looked at. Henderson earned his shot by defeating Rua, the same person Jones took the belt from over a year ago, in addition to recently holding Strikeforce‘s equivalent championship and beating legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko prior to re-joining the UFC. When asked for his take on Henderson, Jones labeled him as “a great opponent”. “He’s a winner, and he has a huge fan base, so the haters will come out. He has extreme knockout power, and I’m excited to conquer,” explained Jones of the 41-year old icon. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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After another dominant performance to make the third defense of the title he'd won just 13 months ago, Jon Jones was unmarked and unfazed, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight belt securely his. And with a one-sided, five-round clinic over Rashad Evans in the UFC 145 main event last night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., it's apparent that Jones is well on his way to cleaning out the 205-pound division, at least in terms of the cadre of marketable challengers that comprised its elite when "Bones" was moving up the ranks. Consider the list. A veritable Murderer's Row, or so it seemed, coming into 2011, when Jones was heading into his showdown with then-unbeaten Ryan Bader. Mauricio Rua had seemingly regained something of the potent killer that tore through the Pride ranks during the final months of the promotion. Lyoto Machida, recently dethroned by Rua, remained a vexing and difficult proposition for any fighter in the division. Quinton Jackson loomed as one of the best combinations of punching power and toughness in the game. Jones steamrolled all of them in 2011, in addition to Bader, pretty much scuttling the division's elite in such one-sided fashion that a rematch with any would've been a hard sell. Now, with Evans similarly dispatched -- and the sole moral take-away for Rashad is that he managed to go the distance, where Rua, Jackson and Machida could not -- Jones has turned the trick again. He's beating challengers so handily that he simultaneously demonstrated the gap between him and the next best available challenger, while making it pretty obvious that entertaining the notion of a rematch is on nobody's agenda. That's the appeal of a tough, competitive championship fight, and the downside of a one-sided one that keeps happening over and over. As it stands, the UFC light heavyweight division has one man left, at this point, to give Jones a fight that he hasn't failed to previously, and that's Dan Henderson. The veteran, the last of the stars from the late-90s to still compete at a world-class level, has as many of the tools you could reasonably ask for in creating a guy to beat Jones, whose evolving game and seemingly endless streak of inventiveness make him a terribly vexing proposition on the feet, backed by a shockingly dominating ability to plant people on the mat and dominate them with disdainful ease. Henderson's lightning-bolt right hand, outstanding wrestling and old-man savvy probably give him the best and most compelling shot at Jones as things stand now. It's also the last of the 205-pound "old guard" for Jones to take on before the UFC has to readily build new contenders, or fall back on recycling rematches nobody particularly wants to see, at least not for competitive purposes. You can already tell they're scrambling a bit to fill the gap, one Jones exacerbates with each recital, a kind of treatise on how much better he is than those who dare challenge him, as Mike Tyson once said, with their primitive skills. During Alexander Gustaffson's workmanlike, but unspectacular win over Thiago Silva in the UFC on Fuel TV 2 main event, announcer Mike Goldberg suggested Gustaffson was reminiscent of Jones given his slippery stand up style, height and reach. It would have been laughable as a kind of passing hyperbole except for the fact that Gustaffson is nowhere near Jones' level technically, and he's not Jones when it comes to wrestling, which is pretty much saying someone fights like a prime Roy Jones, Jr. except for the fact that he doesn't have speed. I'm willing to excuse Goldie for the occasional venture into the improbable, but it was indicative of how the UFC is already scrambling to find someone to fill the gap. Gustaffson's an interesting prospect with some good basic tools, but there is absolutely nothing he did against a faded, flat and post-steroids Silva that suggested he's anywhere ready for a top-five light-heavy, except if he manages to catch someone like Quinton Jackson on a blue period (an increasingly likely prospect, given Rampage's dissatisfaction with the UFC, and fighting in general). Jones' wrestling is absolutely the key to everything he does, and why he's so successful, even though he barely used it against Evans. It creates a serious deterrence to getting close to him, which makes it impossible to close the gap because you're worried about takedowns. And unlike most lanky strikers, it's not like you can shoot in on the guy and take him down. Jones does the taking-down, thank you, with a kind of man-child leverage and strength that is humbling to opponents. That's why Henderson is a pretty good choice as his next opponent. Henderson has an iron chin, dogged patience, and the kind of one-shot power that is a fantastic equalizer. He's also been in a zillion wars, and would have the kind of mindset to absorb the likely beating he'd take early. Evans didn't quit Saturday night, but after tons of smack-talk, he parked his car halfway between trying hard enough to keep it quasi-interesting and stopping short of going out on his shield. Jones does that to people, and that's the compelling thing about Henderson. He always wins or goes out on his shield. Given the expanding gap between Jones' skill set -- which seems to add a freakishly clever move every fight, with jumping teep kicks displayed against Evans -- and everyone else's, it would be one hell of a closing act for Henderson, 41, to take on the torch-bearer who is clearly the wave of the next generation. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or at Jason@jasonprobst.com

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ATLANTA -- After beating four consecutive UFC champions, the road will not get any easier for current light-heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones.The 24-year-old star's next opponent will be multi-time, multi-division champion Dan Henderson, according to UFC president Dana White, who confirmed the pairing shortly after Jones topped Rashad Evans at UFC 145. White didn't have a timetable for the fight's scheduling, but said UFC 149 in Calgary could be a possibility. "You know what? I feel great that I already have a mission," said Jones (16-1). " I'm going to work extremely hard to better myself. I did things that I could've done better. Dan Henderson is an awesome opponent. He’s a winner and he has a huge fan base. I'm sure the haters are going to come right away. I'm OK with it. There's going to be a lot of things to conquer in this fight. He has extreme knockout power. I don't know who hits harder between him or Rampage. He has extreme knockout power and I’m excited to conquer it."The 41-year-old Henderson has been sitting on the sidelines since last November, after beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a match considered by many to be the best MMA fight in the sport's history.Henderson (29-8) was in attendance at the Philips Arena to watch Jones beat former teammate Evans. He has won seven of his last eight overall. If he beats Jones, he'll be the only man ever to win major championships in the UFC, Strikeforce and PRIDE.

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Four fights, four former champions, four victories for Jon Jones. Tonight (April 21) when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rolled into Atlanta, "Bones" proved he was alone atop the light heavyweight mountain when he took apart his UFC 145 opponent, Rashad Evans, over the course of 25 minutes. "Suga" found a measure of success in the opening round, taking the five minute period on two judges' scorecards but standing elbows in the second stanza changed the entire complexion of the fight. As Jones' elbows cracked against his opponent's skull, the tide began to shift significantly in the champion's favor and in the following three rounds, he never looked back as he began to pull away from the challenger. Evans, ranked as the number one 205-pounder after he defeated Forrest Griffin at UFC 92, marks the fourth such fighter "Bones" has defeated in as many fights. He yanked the title from Mauricio Rua's waist and then submitted both Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida, all in a 13 month period which could very well go down as the most impressive span of fights in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. There doesn't seem to be anyone left to challenge the young champion. Well, no one except a veteran with a bomb for a right hand. Ever since his epic five-round war with "Shogun" at UFC 139, Dan Henderson has been waiting in the wings, holding out to score a title shot against either Jones or former rival Anderson Silva. With "The Spider" being kept busy with Chael Sonnen and a light heavyweight division now bereft of challengers, it looks as if "Hendo" will be the latest former champion to match up against Jones. In UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship history, there have been -- aside from "Bones" -- 12 men to hold a light heavyweight title. Three -- Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock -- are retired, and two -- Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva -- have dropped to 185-pounds. Two -- Tito Ortiz and Griffin -- are miles away from their heyday and will likely never get back into title contention while the aforementioned four have already lost to Jones. Dan Henderson is the only one who remains. Before UFC 145, I wrote that a win for Jones would make him the greatest light heavyweight of all time. He's only held the belt for 13 months but he's picked apart just about every other fighter who had it before him. Who is left for him to beat? After Henderson, perhaps Alexander Gustafsson? The Swede is good but still at least two or three fights away from being ready to challenge for Jones' crown. "Bones" is simply on a level unmatched by any of his peers. He proved it at UFC 128. He proved it again at UFC 135 and UFC 140. And in case you didn't believe him the first three times, he shoved the proof in everyone's -- especially Evans' -- face tonight in Atlanta. Just be thankful you don't have a welt on your forehead like "Suga" does.

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While it is not a surprise, UFC President Dana White announced at the UFC 145 post-fight press conference that Jon Jones’ next title defense will be against Dan Henderson. White stated that he informed Henderson prior to the fight between Jones and Rashad Evans that he would face off against the winner. Henderson, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, has waited for this opportunity since returning to the UFC at UFC 139 in November. “Hendo” defeated “Shogun” Rua in one of the greatest MMA fights of all-time. Despite being offered possible opponents in non-title fights since that win, Henderson has turned those matchups down, instead waiting for the title shot. He enjoyed arguably the most successful year of his career in 2011, at 41 years old. He fought for and won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title against “Feijao” Cavalcante in March, knocking out the Brazilian in the third round. He then moved up to heavyweight to take on the legendary Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson knocked him out in the first round in stunning fashion, becoming the first fighter to ever knock the Russian down and then knock him out. Then he concluded the year in the classic five-round fight with “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, where Henderson and Rua had a back-and-forth battle for the duration of the entire fight. Now Henderson will look to continue that momentum into 2012 as he will take on Jones, who had an even more impressive 2011, defeating Ryan Bader, Rua, “Rampage” Jackson, and Lyoto Machida all within eleven months.

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ATLANTA - As expected Dan Henderson is getting the next shot at UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones' title. UFC president Dana White confirmed the plans after Saturday's UFC 145 event, where Jones scored a decision victory over Rashad Evans for his third consecutive title defense. "We told Dan Henderson he would fight the winner of this fight, yes," White said.

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In the wake of the UFC 145 main event that saw Jon Jones dominate Rashad Evans en route to a unanimous decision title defense, the obvious question was "who's next?" Dana White confirmed that at the post-fight press conference. Ariel Helwani tweeted out the news: @arielhelwaniAriel Helwani Dana confirms Hendo is next for Jones. Apr 22 via Echofon Favorite Retweet Reply Dan Henderson is coming off an amazing win in his last fight against Mauricio Rua. That fight was one of the best in the history of the UFC and was just the latest in a string of great wins for Henderson that included going up to heavyweight and knocking out the great Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson has been waiting patiently for his title show and now he'll get what he wanted and take on the best fighter in the sport. Can he pull off the huge upset and cement his spot as one of the best fighters the sport has ever seen? SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

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Dan Henderson doesn’t believe Jon Jones will walk through Rashad Evans this evening in the main event of UFC 145. “Hendo,” who is currently awaiting the chance to cash in his title-opportunity, talked about the Jones-Evans fight and his future during a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio. I think it’s going to be a [...]

Posted in: jon jones, henderson, dan henderson, rashad evans, jonesevans fight

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Whomever he ends up fighting, Dan Henderson admits his next title shot could be his last. "With my career winding down, I know that I probably won't have too many title shots in the future if I don't take advantage of this one," Henderson told MMAjunkie.com Radio. Henderson is expected to meet the winner of tomorrow's light-heavyweight title bout between champ Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.

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There has been plenty of speculation about what comes next for Dan Henderson: a UFC 205-pound title shot, or one at 185? But he made it clear to HeavyMMA's Duane Finley: "The only fight that makes...

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Though Dan Henderson has been given an option to fight for the UFC middleweight championship, possibly avenging a loss to Anderson Silva in the process, it appears the legendary scrapper’s sole focus at the moment relates to this weekend’s title-fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. Due to his recent success and overall standing as a top competitor, Henderson is in the unique position of also being top contender at 205-pounds as well meaning he’ll be scouting a future opponent when the light heavyweight rivals lock horns on Saturday night at UFC 145. In the past Henderson stated he truly only wanted to face Silva as a middleweight rather than make a run in the division but now the 41-year old veteran looks to even be backing off that stance. “I’m not real keen on fighting 185, but it’s a possibility still. I’m not ruling it out. I’m not really worried about it. But right now I’d like to fight at 205. I fought him, I lost awhile back. If it happens it happens,” said Henderson of a rematch with Silva during an interview with FightHub TV. “I’m not in need of a rematch just to redeem myself. I know what I’m capable of doing. It’d be nice to fight him when I’m having a good day rather than a bad day but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.” Henderson Says Fans Shouldn’t Count Evans Out of Jones Fight As such, Henderson will almost certainly face Jones or Evans depending on who emerges from the Octagon with a title in tow. “Hendo” is currently on a four-fight winning streak including victories over Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio Rua with success in seven of his last eight outings. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Dan Henderson is in a position to challenge for either the UFC light heavyweight or middleweight championship belt. While most feel like Henderson will go after the light heavyweight title, many would prefer to see him rematch against Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title. Back in 2008, Silva earned a second round submission victory [...]

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Hey look, it’s Dan Henderson beating the living crap out of Cung Le in Jean Claude Van Damme’s new movie “Dragon Eyes.” Poor defenseless Cung eats H-Bomb after H-Bomb after H-Bomb. Uh, can you say worst nightmare? HT: FightLinker

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Dan Henderson, aside from beating a who's-who of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters under the PRIDE and Strikeforce banners, has done fairly well for himself as an employee of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), despite never wearing gold inside the Octagon. That could change in the latter part of 2012, as "Hendo" will soon have his pick of the championship litter. But will he fight the winner of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, who compete for the 205-pound strap at UFC 145, or the winner of Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, who battle for the Middleweight belt this June? Preferably the former, as Henderson explains to Fight Hub TV, because at age 41, he's "not real keen on fighting at 185," despite an opportunity to avenge his loss to "The Spider" back in 2008. "The 205 belt, the Light Heavyweight belt. I'm not real keen on fighting at 185 but it's still a possibility, I'm not ruling it out. I'm not real worried about it but right now I'd like to fight at 205. I fought [Anderson Silva] and lost awhile back and if it happens, it happens. I'm not in need of a rematch just to redeem myself. I know what I'm capable of and it would be nice to fight him when I'm having a good day and not a bad day but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. Both (Evans and Jones) are tough and have been around for a little while but for me the bigger thing is getting that UFC belt. It's the only thing I haven't gotten. That would be the motivation and it would definitely be a good sense of accomplishment." Hear more from Henderson, after the jump. Who do you, as a fan, want to see "Hendo" fight next?

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As part of their continuing quest for global domination, the UFC held its first event in Japan since 2000 earlier this year with UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. The event took place on February 26 and was staged at the site of the legendary Pride Fighting Championships, the Saitama, Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. In addition to featuring a host of Japanese talent and a few Pride FC throwbacks, the UFC 144 fight card saw the UFC lightweight title disputed between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. After five rounds of intense, back-and-forth action, Henderson was declared the victor via unanimous decision to become the new kingpin at 155lbs. Being that the event took place overseas in the absence of any official athletic commission, the UFC oversaw whatever an athletic commission usually would, including drug tests. MMAJunkie obtained the results from the tests from the UFC’s vice president of governing and regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner. Eight fighters from the card were tested for performance enhancing drugs, as well as for drugs of abuse; all fighters tested passed. Of the fighters tested, Ratner would only name the two main event participants, Edgar and Henderson. Considering the close and controversial nature of their UFC 144 fight, Edgar has been granted an immediate rematch against Henderson which should take place sometime this summer.

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People think when I wear shorts I'm showing off my tattoo, but that's not the case. I'm showing off the ability that I can wear half-a-pants and still function in society. Sort of like how Dan Henderson has a set of dentures, but conveniently hides them in his persona of 'unbelievable roughneck hardass'. There's only one person on this planet that asked Henderson to remove his dentures before a fight, and that person managed to grab a unanimous decision over Hendo at UFC 75. That fight was at light heavyweight, a division we've seen Dan Henderson excel at over the years. Now in an interview with Studio MMA, it appears that Dan Henderson will take a fight at heavyweight against Junior dos Santos, and he even has a gameplan ready for the UFC champion.

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Barring some sort of divine intervention where St. Slobberknocker comes down from above to turn Alistair Overeem’s “B” sample into holy water it seems the only thing “The Demolition Man” will have destroyed by the end of May 2012 is the UFC 146 main event. Scheduled to face heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos for the divisional title, Overeem’s recent hit for testosterone abuse has left the UFC in a unique position where a huge headliner is in limbo with a lack of adequate replacements compounding the issue. Though Frank Mir is the most logical substitute, UFC President Dana White seems intent on maintaining Mir’s match-up with Cain Velasquez at the same event in order to determine a clear-cut top contender. That being said, to save the Zuffa matchmaking team anymore trouble I’ll provide three solid options the UFC should consider in Overeem’s place who are all relatively available and would make for intriguing adversaries. Overeem Appearing in Front of NSAC on April 24 Fabricio Werdum – Werdum is the only heavyweight on the UFC’s roster who isn’t booked at UFC 146 and could conceivably be bought as an actual replacement rankings-wise for Overeem. “Vai Cavalo” is 5-2 in his last seven fights with the losses coming to Dos Santos and Overeem, the first of which was far more dominant in nature. He’s currently in line to face Mike Russow in late June, so it would obviously push his camp up, but for a title-shot and chance at redemption against “Cigano” I’m sure the Brazilian would be down to make the adjustment. Daniel Cormier – This is a stretch since Cormier has Grand Prix commitments in line but sometimes you have to think outside the box when adversity calls. Though perhaps not as deserving, he’s more desirable than Josh Barnett based on his Olympic credentials, non-association with steroids, and lack of negative history with White. He’s also undefeated which never hurts. With Cormier preparing to fight on May 19 the date would work and, perhaps with a little arm-twisting and the promise of a major heavyweight on a Strikeforce card later this year, Showtime could be open to listening. Dan Henderson – In no way does Henderson deserve a crack at Dos Santos’ championship simply because he beat Fedor Emelianenko and holds wins over a handful of respectable guys in a different division. However, Henderson is a fan-favorite and has said he’d fight JDS if called upon to do so. It would also give him a fight to maintain his activity while he wants for the winner of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans to heal up for the title-shot he has coming. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Barring some sort of divine intervention where St. Slobberknocker comes down from above to turn Alistair Overeem’s “B” sample into holy water it seems the only thing “The Demolition Man” will have destroyed by the end of May 2012 is the UFC 146 main event. Scheduled to face heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos for the divisional title, Overeem’s recent hit for testosterone abuse has left the UFC in a unique position where a huge headliner is in limbo with a lack of adequate replacements compounding the issue. Though Frank Mir is the most logical substitute, UFC President Dana White seems intent on maintaining Mir’s match-up with Cain Velasquez at the same event in order to determine a clear-cut top contender. That being said, to save the Zuffa matchmaking team anymore trouble I’ll provide three solid options the UFC should consider in Overeem’s place who are all relatively available and would make for intriguing adversaries. Overeem Appearing in Front of NSAC on April 24 Fabricio Werdum – Werdum is the only heavyweight on the UFC’s roster who isn’t booked at UFC 146 and could conceivably be bought as an actual replacement rankings-wise for Overeem. “Vai Cavalo” is 5-2 in his last seven fights with the losses coming to Dos Santos and Overeem, the first of which was far more dominant in nature. He’s currently in line to face Mike Russow in late June, so it would obviously push his camp up, but for a title-shot and chance at redemption against “Cigano” I’m sure the Brazilian would be down to make the adjustment. Daniel Cormier – This is a stretch since Cormier has Grand Prix commitments in line but sometimes you have to think outside the box when adversity calls. Though perhaps not as deserving, he’s more desirable than Josh Barnett based on his Olympic credentials, non-association with steroids, and lack of negative history with White. He’s also undefeated which never hurts. With Cormier preparing to fight on May 19 the date would work and, perhaps with a little arm-twisting and the promise of a major heavyweight on a Strikeforce card later this year, Showtime could be open to listening. Dan Henderson – In no way does Henderson deserve a crack at Dos Santos’ championship simply because he beat Fedor Emelianenko and holds wins over a handful of respectable guys in a different division. However, Henderson is a fan-favorite and has said he’d fight JDS if called upon to do so. It would also give him a fight to maintain his activity while he wants for the winner of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans to heal up for the title-shot he has coming. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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"I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded. He'll stand and bang with me a little, but he'll be trying to put me on my back-a lot more than Jones would. Jones is real awkward and kind of poses a different threat. He's awkward, unorthodox and a little tougher to figure out, and that's also what intrigues me about it-he's different. If I had to bet money, I'd put it on Jones, but I'd say Rashad has a real good chance. It's going to be a close fight." At 41 years of age, you would think a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter would be taking his foot off the gas and looking to coast throughout remainder of his career. Not Dan Henderson. If openly stating he desires a rematch with the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world and current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva wasn't enough, "Hendo" also recently campaigned to be a possible last minute replacement for Alistair Overeem against UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 due to "The Reem's" unfortunate positive tinkle test. Realistically, though, Henderson is counting down the days to April 21, 2012, where he will find out who will be his next opponent, as he is expected to get the winner of the UFC 145 main event between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. Though the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion feels that too many people are counting out "Suga," he tells Bleacher Report that he would still lay money down on "Bones" to come out the victor. Perhaps it's wishful thinking from the former Olympic wrestler due to the fact that deep down he wants a fight with the 205-pound phenom in order to ensure his chance at figuring out Jones' "awkward" style. That, coupled with the fact that Henderson feels a fight aganst Jones would prove to be more of a stand up battle, which Dan has proven he prefers, as opposed to a wrestling battle that will likely ensue if he were to face the former NCAA Division I wrestler Evans. In just 14 days, we will all find out if Henderson will be standing and trading leather with Jones or if he'll be fending off the takedowns of Evans. Which do you think it will be?

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Dan Henderson has come forward with his preference for his promised UFC title fight, and he is pulling no punches concerning the reasons why. Henderson said that he would rather fight Jon Jones than Rashad Evans due to how their respective styles match up. He had the following to say on the subject: “I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded, he’ll stand and bang with me a little, but he’ll be

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If UFC president Dana White comes calling, Dan Henderson would be willing to accept the challenge of fighting UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos. Currently, we are all awaiting word on what will happen with Alistair Overeem following his failed drug test. Henderson, on his Twitter account, was asked if he would accept a match with dos Santos at UFC 146 in May if it was offered to him. For sure. Henderson is currently awaiting a shot at either the UFC light heavyweight title or middleweight belt, but the opportunity to get back inside the Octagon much sooner than either of those titles will likely present could push “Hendo” to compete at heavyweight again. In his last Strikeforce bout, Henderson defeated former heavyweight king Fedor Emelianenko. Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting

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This thing might be getting a little out of hand. Thanks to division number one contender Alistair Overeem failing a surprise drug test, his main event fight against Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight championship at UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, is likely off. And it's led to all out insanity amongst mixed martial arts (MMA) fans. Writers, too. The obvious choice to replace Overeem is Frank Mir, seeing as he's on a three-fight winning streak and he's held the title once before. Mir vs. Dos Santos isn't a sexy fight, by any means, but it will work in a pinch. Certain writers on this here website have lobbied for UFC President Dana White to put his differences with Mother Russia aside and sign Fedor Emelianenko for a once in a lifetime fight, though we now know that has no chance of actually happening. That's not what fans want, though. No, fans are dying to see a certain "Super Samoan" slide right into the void. That's right, ladies and sirs, the one and only Mark Hunt has a rally going for him on Twitter right now appealing to the powers that be within the UFC to give him the vacant spot. A few of the more defiant fans have even suggested Dan Henderson. Hey, he's not doing anything else at the moment and if Fedor is in consideration, why not "Hendo?" After all, "Dangerous" Dan did knock him out inside of one round in Strikeforce. Henderson even said on Twitter he would accept the match-up if it was offered. Again, Mir is the likely choice because he's been in the main event before and he's a former world champion. He's also a true heavyweight. Plus, his management team hasn't pissed off Dana White time and again. Oh, and his record is better than 8-7. He's probably getting the fight, Maniacs. But who do you really want to see now that Henderson has thrown his name in the ring? Is it him? Hunt? Fedor? Someone else? Sound off in the comments section below with your wildest suggestions. They couldn't be any crazier than what we're already seeing.

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Though UFC President Dana White recently came forward to guarantee Dan Henderson a title-shot in the division of his choosing, the actual adversary “Hendo” will test his skills against later this year remains up in the air. That somewhat foggy future will become a bit clearer later this month when light heavyweight champion Jon Jones puts his gold up for grabs against rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145 and even more so in June when Anderson Silva defends his middleweight belt against Chael Sonnen. However, while he may not know who he’ll be fighting next, Henderson definitely has a preference on how things will unfold. “I think Jon Jones is a better fight for me. His style matches up better. Jones will stand-up with me more. Rashad is real well-rounded. He’ll stand and bang with me a little, but he’ll be trying to put me on my back—a lot more than Jones would,” explained Henderson in an interview with Bleacher Report. “(Jones is) awkward, unorthodox, and a little tougher to figure out…that’s also what intrigues me about it—he’s different.” Henderson went on to pick Jones in the upcoming bout though made sure to give Evans credit as having more than a slim chance of returning the divisional strap around his waist. In terms of his 185-pound peers, Henderson made it clear the title isn’t important to him so much as avenging a previous loss to Silva. “I’m not real keen on fighting 185 right now unless it’s Anderson so if Chael wins, I’d maybe still fight Anderson. Who knows,” Henderson asked rhetorically, shying away from the notion of fighting his Team Quest teammate. The 41-year old was tapped by the talented Brazilian in the second round of a meeting four years ago despite coming out strong in the first frame. The stoppage is the only of Henderson’s career in the last seven years. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: jone, jon jones, henderson, anderson silva, ” henderson

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With only a few weeks remaining before Jon Jones’ much-anticipated main event match-up with Rashad Evans at UFC 145, opinions on the likely result have been rolling in at an increased pace from fans, media, and fighters alike. One man with a significant interest in how things will unfold is Dan Henderson, a top contender seemingly set to face whoever emerges victorious in the April 21 bout. While it seems most people are picking Jones to retain his belt, shrugging off notions of Evans’ ability to contend with the dynamic champion’s diverse skill-set and size, Henderson isn’t so sure such will be the case and envisions a scenario where Evans emerges with the title in tow. “Rashad got a lot of criticism for his last performance but I thought he fought really well, really solid. Jon Jones is tough but Rashad could definitely come out winning,” said Henderson in an interview with ESPN. “He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler. It’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones (won’t) be able to stop him taking him down for that long.” “Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Everybody’s assuming it will be Jones, but Rashad is a good fighter too,” concluded Henderson on the topic. Henderson’s next move involves waiting for Jones-Evans to face off, possibly even holding out for a few more months after being promised a shot at the middleweight strap as well if he so desires. The decorated veteran holds an overall record of 29-8 with wins in his last four fights including an instant classic against Mauricio Rua this past November. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: jone, ’t, henderson, rashad, evan

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Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson looked good in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, putting up an instant classic against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139. Henderson will face the winner of the Rashad Evans vs.

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Count Dan Henderson among the minority around MMA, as “Hendo” feels Rashad Evans can take Jon Jones down and defeat the UFC light heavyweight champion. Evans will face Jones at UFC 145 on April 21, with the winner likely to meet Henderson later this year barring any serious injury. In a recent interview with ESPN’s United Kingdom staff, Henderson explained why he feels “Suga” has a chance against the phenom that is “Bones.” Don’t count out Rashad Evans. Rashad is a good fighter too. He will definitely put Jones on his back if he fights like he did against Phil Davis. Rashad’s the better wrestler, it’s just that Jones is awkward. But Jones wouldn’t be able to stop him from taking him down for that long. Henderson earned his shot at a UFC belt by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year. He has waited on the sidelines for a chance to cash in his opportunity, and will do so as soon as possible. Henderson against either Evans or Jones would make for an exciting fight, as all three are sound wrestlers who hold power in their strikes. Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting

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Make no bones about it, Dan Henderson wants the winner of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, but there is one man that could draw him back to middleweight.

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Light Heavyweight veteran Dan Henderson, who was last seen in action defeating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in November, confirms reports that he is, in fact, next in line to challenge for the Light Heavyweight title, and discusses a potential rematch with Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva. Henderson says that though he would be interested in a rematch with Silva, it is the only fight he wants at 185-pounds.

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UFC president Dana White isn't known for kow-towing to fighters, even the top stars. Generally when a fighter is offered a bout by White or UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, they better take it if they know what's good for them. White and Silva have been willing to bench some pretty big names for extended periods when they felt those fighters were behaving like prima donnas (ask Andrei Arlovski or Roger Huerta). But there are some fighters Dana is willing to make an exception for and former Strikeforce and Pride multi-division champ Dan Henderson is one of them. He spoke to Fight Day (transcribed by MMA Mania) and here's what he had to say: "Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight (Jones vs. Evans) or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight. Dan Henderson just wants a title shot. You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight. Normally I don't do that. Guys don't sit around and wait and pick their fights. There's been very specific cases where that has happened and it's guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Listen, Henderson has been around forever. He is forty-something years old. He has been knocking guys out left and right and if he wants to sit around and wait for this title shot, he can do it." So it looks like the 40-year-old Henderson will be watching the Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans light heavyweight title fight at UFC 145 and the Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen middleweight title bout at UFC 147 very closely. Dan's already said he won't fight his old training partner Chael Sonnen so I am kind of expecting him to go ahead and take the winner of Jones/Evans as soon as that fight is over.

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Having a “hard head” is definitely a good thing when it comes to excelling in Mixed Martial Arts. Not only can a rock-solid dome absorb more punches than someone with less constitution, but sticking to one’s guns rather than fold in the face of adversity also has a tendency to play out advantageously. Former PRIDE/Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson has shown himself to be a perfect example of both characteristics throughout his career having never been knocked out and always remaining a man of principle. The latter recently paid off after Henderson refused to accept bouts against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or Mauricio Rua only to receive the title-shot he desired in the end. UFC President Dana White recently confirmed Henderson would get a crack at either the light heavyweight or middleweight championship in his next outing with the more likely option involving the winner of Jon Jones-Rashad Evans‘ 205-pound tilt next month at UFC 145. Henderson Wants Winner of Jones vs. Evans “Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight (against Chael Sonnen),” explained White in an interview with Fight Day. “You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight. Normally I don’t do that. Guys don’t sit around and wait and pick their fights. There’s been very specific cases where that has happened and it’s guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Listen, Henderson has been around forever. He is forty-something years old. He has been knocking guys out left and right and if he wants to sit around and wait for this title shot, he can do it.” Henderson earned his status as a contender by beating Rua in an all-time classic this past November in addition to holding consecutive wins over Rafael Cavalcante, Renato Sobral, and Fedor Emelianenko in his three previous in-ring appearances. Evans-Jones fight on April 21, while Silva vs. Sonnen is expected to take place on June 23 at UFC 147. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Dana White may have a hardened exterior but the fist he rules the UFC with is as fair as it is firm. Though the UFC President recently attempted to book iconic veteran Dan Henderson in bouts against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, the 41-year old held out in hopes of a title-fight only to see White come around in the end instead of lashing out at his defiance. White was recently asked by HeavyMMA’s Fight Day if Henderson would receive a crack at the winner of Jon Jones’ upcoming defense of the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans and, somewhat surprisingly, responded affirmatively. “Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight (vs. Chael Sonnen),” said White. “You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight. Normally I don’t do that. Guys don’t sit around and wait and pick their fights. There’s been very specific cases where that has happened and it’s guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Listen, Henderson has been around forever. He is forty-something years old. He has been knocking guys out left and right and if he wants to sit around and wait for this title shot, he can do it.” For fans who have been living in a cage for the past decade, Henderson is a former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion with a 29-8 record and notable victories over Rua, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Rich Franklin, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Fedor Emelianenko. He’s currently on a four-fight winning streak and found success in seven of his last eight outings. Jones-Evans are set to scrap on April 21 in Atlanta at UFC 145 while Silva-Sonnen fight on June 23 in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 147. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Dan Henderson has been the root of several possible fights for several months now. The former Strikeforce champion has, according to reports, turned down matches with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in hopes of fighting for UFC gold. Last year, when Henderson defeated Rua in an epic war, it was determined that he would be the No. 1 contender to either the UFC light heavyweight or middleweight title. Well, since that time, the belt has been put into matches that do not involve Henderson. UFC president Dana White told Fight Day during a recent interview that Henderson will challenge for one of the two titles following the upcoming defenses by UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (vs. Rashad Evans) and UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva (vs. Chael Sonnen). Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight (Jones vs. Evans) or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight. Dan Henderson just wants a title shot. You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight (for the title). Normally, I don’t do that. Guys don’t sit around and wait and pick their fights. There’s been very specific cases where that has happened and it’s the guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Jones and Evans will meet first, comprising the main event of UFC 145 on April 21. Silva-Sonnen is set for UFC 147 on June 23. Barring any serious injury to the victor, it would seem Henderson is likely to face either “Bones” or “Suga” for the UFC 205-pound title later this year. Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting

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According to UFC President Dana White, he has offered Dan Henderson two fights since he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, which took place at San Jose’s HP Pavilion. White has stated that Henderson has turned down both of those fights. For his part Henderson has made it clear that he is only interested in a title shot, at either middleweight or light heavyweight.  Earlier this week, White announced that he would capitulate to Henderson’s desires, but made it clear that

Posted in: title shot, henderson, dan henderson, light heavyweight  , part henderson

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Long-time mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran and current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight contender Dan Henderson definitely has something to smile about. In a career that spans more than 15 years, "Hendo" has put his time in the sport of MMA, participating all over the world with top organizations such as Pride FC and Strikeforce, earning world titles with both promotions. After failing to win gold in the UFC against Quinton Jackson at 205-pounds and Anderson Silva at Middleweight, the window of opportunity is closing little by little in his chance of capturing the elusive UFC world title. After all, the former Olympic wrestler is no spring chicken. After recently stating that he will probably "fight for three more years," and "voicing his displeasure of being passed over for a title fight against Jon Jones," Henderson might be thrilled to hear that UFC President Dana White has confirmed that he will indeed be the next challenger for either the 205-pound title or the promotion's 185-pound strap, because he has earned it. Make the jump to see what White told Fight Day after yesterdays UFC 146 press conference: "Yes, Dan Henderson will get the winner of that fight (Jones vs. Evans) or the winner of the Anderson Silva fight. Dan Henderson just wants a title shot. You know, there was a lot of talk about the stuff I said. Here is the thing. I offered Dan Henderson two fights. Dan Henderson wants this fight. Normally I don't do that. Guys don't sit around and wait and pick their fights. There's been very specific cases where that has happened and it's guys who have earned it or deserved it. Dan Henderson is one of those guys. Listen, Henderson has been around forever. He is forty-something years old. He has been knocking guys out left and right and if he wants to sit around and wait for this title shot, he can do it." "Dangerous Dan" will turn 42 this fall, though his recent victories would not indicate that this MMA legend has not lost a step. Sure, he was visibly gassed in his epic bout against the much younger Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 last November, but his dominating knockout victories over Fedor Emelianenko, Rafael Cavalcante and Renato Sobral prior, gave glimpses of a fighter that was barely hitting his stride. After receiving White's approval to sit around and wait for the title shot, "Hendo" can now rest easy knowing that he will have at least one more try to add a UFC world title to his mantle of impressive accomplishments. Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will tangle for the 205-pound title at UFC 145 on April 21, 2012, in Atlanta, Ga., while Chael Sonnen will try to once again rip the 185-pound title from the hands of Anderson Silva at UFC 147 on June 23, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anyone care to venture a guess as to which world title Henderson will fight for his next time out? Better yet, which challenge will prove more difficult for the MMA legend? Opinions, please.

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UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson understands fans and his fellow fighters might not be on board with his decision to give former title-holder Frankie Edgar an immediate rematch. He just doesn’t necessarily care given the lack of a clear-cut contender and Edgar’s class in the past. Edgar lost a hard-fought decision to Henderson in February, receiving a second shot based on it being a relatively close affair along with his willingness to do the same against opponents while he held the belt. “Frankie giving two rematches, it’s criminal not to give him a rematch after a decision, because, as a champ, he gave two rematches,” explained the 28-year old this week on UFC Ultimate Insider. “I think it’s something that has to be done sometimes. There’s just no alternative. It does create a bit of a logjam at the top, I guess you could say, but if you’re a challenger, the idea is you have to keep winning. It doesn’t matter. You have to keep winning. So if there’s a logjam…guess what? You gotta fight. You gotta win. Oh well. That’s the way life goes.” Henderson Ready to “Beat Up” Anyone the UFC Puts Him Against One of the louder critics has been Anthony Pettis who beat Henderson in WEC and is coming off a knockout win over Joe Lauzon. However, Henderson shrugged off Pettis’ claims of deserving to challenge for the belt, pointing out Lauzon’s status as a fringe Top 10 guy and Pettis’ previous win coming via Split Decision against an unranked opponent (Jeremy Stephens). No date has been set for Edgar vs. Henderson II. Watch the complete interview with “Bendo” below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Now that former UFC champion Mauricio Rua has had an opportunity to heal up from his incredible war of attrition with Dan Henderson in November the fan-favorite Brazilian is ready to return to the ring. Though it appeared “Shogun” even had an opponent lined up with Quinton Jackson, “Rampage” is no longer an option based on knee surgery, leaving Rua without an adversary on the horizon. The 30-year old Brazilian recently spoke some about his future, saying he wants to fight this summer and has his fingers crossed he’ll have a chance to do so in front of a sea of screaming countrymen at UFC 147. “I dream about being part of this card, even because it’s a huge event. I would really like to be a part of it,” said Rua in an interview with TATAME. “It would be very exciting. The first time I was touched by it. At Engenhao you can put like three times more people… It’s overwhelming as a fighter. I work for the UFC, so I’m just waiting. Whatever UFC decides it’s decided.” Rua fought Forrest Griffin last August at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Engenhao, where UFC 147 is set to take place on June 23, seats more than 60,000 people. Rua also responded to Jackson’s withdrawal from a tentatively scheduled tilt, as well as Henderson supposedly turning down a rematch taking place at UFC 149 in Calgary. “It’s something I know ‘Rampage’ really wanted and so did I, but you gotta be like super prepared to fight,” explained Rua of Jackson, before turning to Henderson, stating, “It’s something I really wanted. It was a fight that pleased the fans and the press. I really wanted it but unfortunately it didn’t happen. I’m sure I’ll eventually get a chance to beat Dan Henderson.” The former PRIDE stand-out concluded the conversation by saying he was open to facing anyone the matchmaking team put him against, avoiding emotional investment in a fight that may never materialize. Possibilities based on availability could include Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Lyoto Machida, or even the winner of an upcoming April bout between Alexander Gustafsson-Thiago Silva. UFC 147 is set to feature a pair of much-anticipated rematches in Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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"UFC Ultimate Insider" host Jon Anik goes one-on-one with new lightweight champion Ben Henderson, who says it's perfectly fair for Frankie Edgar to get a rematch against him later this year.

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Was it the greatest MMA fight of all time? There are plenty of people in that camp. But even if it isn't No. 1, there's no denying last year's five-round war between Dan Henderson and Mauricio...

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UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, who will meet Frankie Edgar for the second time this year, looks back on his performance in Japan and shares his thoughts on "The Answer" being granted an immediate rematch. Henderson says he "absolutely" agrees with the decision to book the rematch, insisting that not doing so would be "criminal." The champ also talks about a future encounter with Anthony Pettis, who currently stands as the last man to defeat him.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has a new "King of the Hill" in its lightweight division these days. The crowning came when Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan on Feb. 25, 2012. "Smooth" didn't get to enjoy his victory for long before he was having to answer questions about who would be the challenger for his first title defense. While there were a few options, the fact that his win over Edgar came by way of decision seemed to point to an immediate rematch. Ultimately, the bout was confirmed and will be taking place some time this summer. Henderson appeared on "UFC Ultimate Insider," last night (March, 27, 2012) to talk about his newly acquired belt, as well as how he feels about having to face Edgar again: "Frankie gave two rematches. It's criminal not to give him a rematch after a decision, because, as a champ, he gave two rematches. I think it's something that has to be done sometimes. There's just no alternative. It does create a little bit of a logjam, I guess you could say, from the top, but, if you're a challenger, the idea is you have to keep winning. It doesn't matter. You have to keep on winning. So, if there's a logjam...guess what? You gotta fight. You gotta win. Oh well. That's the way life goes." Check out what "Bendo" had to say about the man that some felt should have been given the first crack at his belt, Anthony Pettis: The last time Henderson was defeated, it came at the hands of Pettis, who used a highlight reel, off-the-cage kick, to help garner a unanimous decision victory at WEC 53 in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 16, 2010. After Pettis scored a brutal, first round knockout win over Joe Lauzon at UFC 144, it looked as though things may have been coming together for Henderson to get a chance to avenge his last loss. It obviously never came together, but it's a fight that will likely happen at some point in the future. Henderson was asked if he thought Pettis was deserving of getting a title shot at this point in time: "I would say probably not so much. He had a split decision over an unranked Jeremy Stephens. I believe Ariel Helwani had Joe Lauzon ranked number ten. Nice win. Good stoppage over a number ten guy, but I don't think that catapults you over guys like Jim Miller or Nate Diaz, who's on a nice little run. So, it's hard to say, really. Oh, absolutely. We're gonna do it. Before I retire, before I die -- he and I are gonna dance again in the Octagon. I'm gonna have the belt for a while. I'm gonna hold on to the belt. I'm not letting go of it for the next four, five years or so. It's a matter of Pettis working his way up to the top to be a number one contender and get the title shot. I'm definitely looking forward to it. I wanna get my hands on him. But, you know, it's up to Dana White, Joe Silva and those guys." Now that it's a done deal that Henderson will be facing Edgar for a second time, he's set his sights on the target and has been making preparations. First on his "to do list" was watching his UFC 144 bout again and to take some notes. Here's what he thought about his performance: "I wasn't as busy as I wanted to be. I thought, in my head, I was a lot busier and more proactive with my boxing and whatnot. As I re-watched the fight, I was like, 'Oh, wow. I wasn't nearly as busy as I thought I was.' There were a lot of openings that Frankie left that I did not take advantage of. Going into the rematch, when I see an opening, I am going to go for it." The new champion was nothing but complimentary of the man who he defeated to win the belt. He credited Edgar for his heart and his toughness, citing that he believes many lesser men would have folded under comparable pressure: "I think a lot of guys would have folded. Frankie has a great heart. He was a great champ. He's a great fighter. Tough as heck and a great chin. I think a lot of guys, going into the third round, would have been pretty sad and would have folded a little bit. But Frankie? There was no fold, no quit in him." Henderson went on to re-state his desire to not just hold the belt for a short time and be a very good fighter -- he wants to break records and be considered the best in the world: "I'm gonna get nine title defenses. Whatever Anderson Silva has, I'm gonna get plus one. That's the ultimate goal. I wanna be the best fighter on the planet, period. It's a lofty goal, but, to be a UFC champion, that was a pretty lofty goal. When I was first starting out as a fighter, when I was an amateur guy, guess what...I got it done. I think me going for Anderson Silva's records and whatnot might be kinda lofty and out there and far reaching, but guess what...those are my goals." Lofty, indeed. The event and date of Henderson's rematch versus Edgar are both currently unconfirmed, but MMAmania.com will be prompt to bring you the information as it becomes official.

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Dan Henderson remains idle and on the sidelines, waiting for the UFC light heavyweight and middleweight titles to be defended later this year. However, if Henderson had his way it would be his name and not Rashad Evans‘ set to meet 205-pound champion Jon Jones in April at UFC 145. “Hendo” secured a #1 contender position by defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year and, despite previous speculation to the contrary, has now confirmed he’ll be holding out for a crack at a divisional belt . “I guess Dana (White) promised Rashad he was next for the title shot. But timing-wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner,” said Henderson, in an interview with ESPN. “That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and it’s probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he’s going to have to fight me pretty quickly, as well.” Henderson also added he knows nothing is set, but mentioned he felt it was the only logical scenario, stating, “The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I’ve got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I’ll fight the winner.” Reports have claimed Henderson to have turned down bouts with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and a rematch with Rua over the past few months. Now, with his recent statements, it’s clear exactly why. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Legendary light heavyweight Dan Henderson cleared up speculation on his future plans over the weekend in an interview where he confirmed notions his sole interest at the moment lies in receiving a shot at the winner of Jon Jones’ upcoming title-defense against rival Rashad Evans. Prior to his recent statements on the matter Henderson had only denied turning down a match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira rather than dismissing all other opponents as options save for Jones/Evans. “The only fight that makes sense is a title shot, I was hoping to jump the line in front of Rashad, but I’ve got to wait until Rashad fights Jon Jones and then I’ll fight the winner,” said Henderson to ESPN. “I guess Dana promised Rashad he was next for the title shot,” the 41-year old continued before expressing his opinion that the UFC had erred in going that route. “Timing wise, it would have been better for me to fight Jones, and then have Rashad fight the winner. That would have been better than having Rashad come right back after fighting Phil Davis, and (timing) is probably going to be pushed again if Rashad wins because he’s going to have to fight me pretty quickly as well.” Henderson Wants to Fight at Least Four More Times Before Retiring Jones and Evans meet on April 21 in the main event at UFC 145. Henderson has been twiddling his thumbs since November when he turned in a Fight of the Year performance with Mauricio Rua. Including the decision nod over “Shogun”, the 29-8 former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion has won his last four bouts including finishes of Rafael Cavalcante, Renato Sobral, and Fedor Emelianenko. PHOTO CREDIT -  STRIKEFORCE Tweet

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41-year-old Dan Henderson isn't showing any signs of slowing down. The former Pride and Strikeforce champion is already a legend of the sport, but he's still in the thick of things in the UFC light heavyweight division and wants to ride that out. He spoke to ESPN UK about his contract status with the UFC, and whether retirement is an option anytime soon: "I've got three more fights on my deal, and I'll probably sign one more deal after that. So two or three more years [left]," Henderson told ESPN. "I definitely won't be as old as Randy [Couture] when I retire!" So how has Hendo lasted so long? And how will he be able to continue, long after reaching an age that stops most athletes in their tracks: "I've changed my training, I'm smarter with my training. I'm also smarter with my positioning and techniques," he said. "I know what works and what doesn't. And I'm still learning from those at my gym. "I guess others lose motivation but my I know my time is limited and I want to make the most of it." Hendo is not currently scheduled to fight, but is looking at a possible matchup with the winner of the UFC 145 light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans at UFC 145. UFC president Dana White has stated that Henderson turned down bouts with both Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua over the last month. Dan has denied the Machida statement and deflected comments in regards to a Shogun rematch, but it's not hard to see that he thinks he's earned a title shot and is going to wait for it. While some have criticized Dan for doing that at his age, he clearly believes he has the longevity to play hardball. All I know is that I want to see him back in the cage ASAP.

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If you ask Dan Henderson, retirement is not something he has on his mind at the moment. Rather, “Hendo” is instead focusing on cashing in on a victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua from last November by turning it into a championship fight for either the light heavyweight or middleweight title. As such, for the time being, Henderson will remain patient and await an opening for one of those two belts to become available. However, just because he’s holding out for a specific scrap doesn’t mean he’s on the cusp of calling it quits. While fast-approaching his 42nd birthday, Henderson’s thought on retirement are not those many would expect to hear, with the former Strikeforce champion instead feeling he has years left in his seemingly ageless body. “I’ve changed my training, I’m smarter with my training,” said Henderson, in an interview with ESPN. “I’m also smarter with my positioning and techniques. I know what works and what doesn’t. I’ve got three fights on my deal, and I’ll probably sign one more deal after that.” As long as the scenario play out as he expects, that could put Henderson close to the same age as Randy Couture when he finally decided to retire, though Henderson quickly added, “I definitely won’t be as old as Randy when I retire!” If things work out, expect to see Henderson matched up against either Jon Jones or Rashad Evans once the two meet in April or Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen if somehow that bout falls through. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

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"I've got three more fights on my deal, and I'll probably sign one more deal after that. So two or three more years. I definitely won't be as old as Randy [Couture] when I retire! I've changed my training, I'm smarter with my training. I'm also smarter with my positioning and techniques. I know what works and what doesn't. And I'm still learning from those at my gym. I guess others lose motivation but my I know my time is limited and I want to make the most of it." -- With one of the most storied and respected mixed martial arts (MMA) careers in his back pocket, Dan Henderson isn't looking to hang up his gloves anytime soon. At least that's what the 41-year-old told ESPN.com. "Hendo" has been competing in MMA for more than 15 years and has been involved in plenty of memorable bouts against some of today's top star such as Quinton Jackson, Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva and, of course, his epic bout against Mauricio Rua last November at UFC 139. Along the way, Henderson picked up the Pride FC Welterweight and Middleweight titles, as well as the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight strap. Though he won the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 17 Middleweight tournament in 1998, the former Olympic wrestler has yet to win a UFC world title, but that's not to say he hasn't had his chances. Henderson came up short in his two previous back-to-back title bids against "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 75 for the 205-pound title and against 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva at UFC 82. With a few years left in his stellar fight career, perhaps one cannot blame Henderson for passing up rematches in favor of holding out for title shots. So i leave it to you Maniacs, will "Hendo's" legacy be incomplete should he fail to capture UFC gold, or has he done enough thus far to cement his place in MMA history?

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During a recent interview with Mauro Ranallo on The Score, UFC president Dana White mentioned talk of a possible Dan Henderson-Mauricio “Shogun” Rua rematch for one of the upcoming cards in Canada. White, however, said Henderson turned down the opportunity to face Rua again. Last year, Henderson claimed a decision victory over Rua in what many called the “Fight of the Year.” The scoring was very close in the eyes of many, but “Hendo” won and earned somewhat of a No. 1 contender spot to be determined. The former Strikeforce champion has yet to cash in, waiting for a shot at either the UFC light heavyweight or middleweight title. I was trying to put together Dan Henderson vs. ‘Shogun’ II (for UFC 149) and Henderson doesn’t want to do the fight. He wants Anderson Silva if Silva wins (vs. Chael Sonnen); he’ll make that cut. Otherwise, he wants to fight the winner of Rashad (Evans) and (Jon) Jones. Henderson, via his Twitter account, replied back when asked by a follower to confirm or deny turning Rua down. For the record, Rua is currently booked to face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, but Jackson is going under the knife for double knee surgery and will be out for an extended period of time. If dana said it then out must be true. Lol.. Henderson has not competed since the Rua match. He also turned down a match with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, according to a previous report by White.

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By Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White's count, Dan Henderson has turned down three straight fights. According to "Hendo," he's only refused one. They're both in agreement that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was offered for the UFC on FUEL TV 2 main event on April 14 in Sweden, a fight the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion didn't have enough time to prepare for, but what about the subsequent offer of ex-division champ Lyoto Machida? "Dangerous Dan" claims it never happened. Now the latest and greatest opponent to be presented -- and shot down -- is none other than Mauricio Rua, who took his fellow PRIDE veteran to the five-round limit at UFC 139 before falling on points, in what is widely considered as one of the greatest fights of 2011. White told Mauro Ranallo at yesterday's Calgary press conference that he, as well as the fans, were clamoring for a rematch, but couldn't put pen to paper because the former Olympic wrestler didn't want it. "Yeah, I was trying to put together Dan Henderson vs. Shogun II and Henderson doesn't want to do the fight. Henderson wants to wait for the winner of either Jonny "Bones" Jones or Anderson Silva. He wants Anderson Silva, if Silva wins, he will make that cut. Otherwise, he wants to fight the winner of Rashad and Jones." Henderson responds after the jump: If dana said it then out must be true. Lol.. Henderson has repeatedly said he isn't interested in fighting inside the Octagon unless it's for the 185 or 205-pound title. Fortunately for "Hollywood," he may not have to wait very long. That's because Jon Jones is expected to defend his strap against Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, currently scheduled for Sat., April 21, 2012, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. If "Bones" retains, it's not out of the question for him to compete again in early-to-mid summer, having already mapped out an ambitious 2012 fight campaign. Do any MMA fans believe Henderson should continue to hold out for a title shot? Or take an "in-between" fight while he waits? What if the winner of "Jones vs. Evans" or "Silva vs. Sonnen" gets hurt and requires a layoff? Lots of scenarios to consider here Maniacs ... let your voice be heard. MMAmania's Adam Guillen contributed to this report.

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After the rematch between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar was announced for this summer, top contender Anthony Pettis has decided to go under the knife as opposed to enter the cage for his next move. Pettis is expected to undergo an undisclosed surgery which will sideline the former WEC champion for two to three months. Pettis (15-2) defeated Joe Lauzon via first round knockout at UFC 144 in February. He was hoping that was enough to earn a title shot against whomever came out the victor in the main event between Henderson and Edgar. Unfortunately for Pettis, due to the close matchup, a rematch between Henderson and Edgar was made. Pettis already owns a win over the current UFC champion, defeating Henderson in the final WEC event at WEC 53 in December 2010. He was promised a title shot against the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125. But, again, due to the close match (which was scored a draw), an immediate rematch was made. He then went on to lose his UFC debut against Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale in June. While rumors of a possible drop to featherweight and a title shot against champion Jose Also were discussed, Pettis will remain at lightweight and likely will return some time later this summer.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, petti, henderson, champion

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At 41-years old Dan Henderson has some miles on his body, making his MMA debut in 1997. Since that fight, a TKO victory over Crezio de Souza, he has gone 29-8, with his last fight, a 25 minute battle with Marucio Rua, considered by many to be one of the best main event fights in UFC history. Henderson is currently laying in wait, hoping to get a shot at the winner of the Jon Jones versus Rashad Evans UFC Light Heavyweight title bout, which will headline UFC 145 on April 21. If you think that Henderson is

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, event fights, marucio rua

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Don’t let the long hair or love of comic books fool you. UFC lightweight Benson Henderson is as blue-collar a fighter as you’ll find on the organization’s roster. When it comes to his chosen profession, rather than craving attention, acting out, or making demands, “Bendo” is content bringing his lunch-pail to his proverbial office on a daily basis and simply going to work. Henderson offered a look into his mindset during a recent interview with the UFC’s website in addressing his attitude about fighting, pointing out he has a habit of competing in BJJ tournaments while remaining under the radar and even did so a week after winning the lightweight title from Frankie Edgar at UFC 144. “I don’t need the spotlight on me. I love to compete, I love the competition aspect of life, and I love the martial arts aspect of living and constantly improving and bettering yourself and not getting complacent. I’m trying to get better, even if it’s the weekend after a fight. I’m trying to have fun, go compete, and improve whatever realm I’m in,” explained the 28-year old. As one might expect, the same attitude carries over into the cage as well where Henderson has looked better than ever over the past year, racking up victories over Edgar, Mark Bocek, Clay Guida, and Jim Miller. When it comes to opponents in general, Henderson is happy to take on any adversary based on both his confidence as well as an approach to MMA allowing his bosses to their jobs so he can focus on his own responsibilities. “In my eyes, I don’t really see myself as one of those prima donna wide receivers: ‘I want this, and this has gotta happen.’ I represent the UFC, I’m the 155-pound guy right now, and even if you don’t have the belt, it’s not about you calling some guys out. To me, that’s kinda tacky and disrespectful,” said Henderson. “It’s Sean Shelby, Joe Silva, and Dana White’s job to put somebody in front of you. Whoever they put in front of me, I will beat up. It doesn’t matter. My job is not to match myself up and call this guy or that guy out. I’m not gonna go on Twitter and make my own match. Some guys are into that and that’s the way they want to pursue their career, and they can go right ahead. My job is to beat people up.” Though some have read his nonchalance about match-ups as obscene self-assuredness, the 16-2 Henderson is quick to dismiss that notion, saying that striving to go down in history as one of the top competitors his chosen sport has ever seen is an essential element found in any high-level athlete. “People seem to think that I’m arrogant or cocky, and I don’t want to come across like that,” offered Henderson on the topic of how he’s been perceived in certain circles. “I’ve said it from the very beginning that I want to be the best fighter and I want to fight and beat everybody. It’s not me looking ahead and being cocky all of a sudden like, oh, I beat Frankie Edgar and now all of a sudden I’m gonna smash everybody. I was saying this from the beginning. I’m as confident as any other fighter on the UFC roster. I’m a very confident fighter and all fighters are, or they should be. I want to fight everybody on the roster at 155, I want to beat ‘em all, and I want to have a nice long reign at 155. I’ll do a Bernard Hopkins or Joe Louis. I want to make 155 my weight class and I want my name to be synonymous with it. I think that would be something special.” Henderson will have a chance to further solidify his reputation later this year, possibly at UFC 149 in Calgary, by taking on Edgar a second time to eliminate any doubt about his decision win over “The Answer” last month. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Ask Dan Henderson, and the former Strikeforce champion will tell you exactly what he wants: a shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship. Currently, “Hendo” is awaiting word on his next fight. The UFC light heavyweight title is tied up, as champ Jon Jones is set to defend against Rashad Evans. That leaves Henderson with a gap between his last fight – a win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua – and a crack at the gold belt. That seems to be fine with Henderson, as he tells ESPN in a recent interview. “I don’t have any real desire to fight at middleweight. The only guy I’d cut weight for is Anderson Silva (current UFC middleweight champion), win or lose that could still happen.” UFC president Dana White had previously told reporters that Henderson would be fine with facing Silva or Chael Sonnen, who is expected to get the next shot at Silva. That, however, seems untrue, according to Henderson. “Chael lives up in Oregon, but I know him real well. He was with me and Randy (Couture) when we first started our team.” Silva and Henderson have fought before, with “The Spider” unifying the UFC and PRIDE middleweight titles with a victory. It remains to be seen when Henderson will accept another fight, or if he will stay true to his word and await a shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt. Photo credit: James Law/MMA Fighting

Posted in: ufc, heavyweight, silva, henderson, dan henderson

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Winning 14 out of his last 15 bouts, including his five round battle with Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, late last month, it's safe to say that newly minted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Ben Henderson is one of the hottest fighters in the sport today. But is he cocky? After defeating the former 155-pound kingpin in the "Land of the Rising Sun," Henderson stated that he would defeat any and all of the challenges ahead of him in the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's crowded Lightweight division. Known for being one of the nicest and most humble guys in the sport today and never been one to come off as arrogant, perhaps his comments of proclaiming he can and will defeat all challengers over and over again were interpreted as arrogance by a select few people. At least that's what "Smooth" told UFC.com. Check it out: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} "I definitely don't want to get too far ahead of myself. People seem to think that I'm arrogant or cocky, and I don't want to come across like that. I've said it from the very beginning that I want to be the best fighter and I want to fight and beat everybody. It's not me looking ahead and being cocky all of a sudden like, oh, I beat Frankie Edgar and now all of a sudden I'm gonna smash everybody. I was saying this from the beginning. I'm as confident as any other fighter on the UFC roster. I'm a very confident fighter and all fighters are, or they should be. I want to fight everybody on the roster at 155, I want to beat ‘em all, and I want to have a nice long reign at 155. I'll do a Bernard Hopkins or Joe Louis. I want to make 155 my weight class and I want my name to be synonymous with it. I think that would be something special." "Smooth" simply feels he is a confident fighter, as is the rest of the promotion's roster. Henderson will have the chance to put that confidence into play real soon as he is slated to rematch Edgar sometime this summer: "Let's run that back, let's do it again. In my eyes, I don't really see myself as one of those primadonna wide receivers: 'I want this, and this has gotta happen.' I represent the UFC, I'm the 155-pound guy right now, and even if you don't have the belt, it's not about you calling some guys out. To me, that's kinda tacky and disrespectful. It's Sean Shelby, Joe Silva, and Dana White's job to put somebody in front of you. Whoever they put in front of me, I will beat up. It doesn't matter. My job is not to match myself up and call this guy or that guy out. I'm not gonna go on Twitter and make my own match. Some guys are into that and that's the way they want to pursue their career, and they can go right ahead. My job is to beat people up." With a bevy of challengers lining up who are all looking to dethrone Henderson, he will have plenty of opportunities to prove he can defeat the best of the best at 155 pounds. First things first, however, as he will have to prove to the MMA world once again that his win over Edgar was indeed legit, by attempting to defeat him in back-to-back fights. Can he do it? Or will "The Answer" reclaim his title when the two lock horns later this year?

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I know that title probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to most, but it seems that Dan Henderson has had to clarify his stance on the middleweight division once again after some comments by UFC president Dana White. Dana apparently that believes Henderson is just waiting at home for a title shot, any title shot, and wants to face either the winner of the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans matchup at UFC 145, or the winner of the UFC 147 middleweight bout between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen (via ESPN UK): "He'll fight whoever has that belt. Dan doesn't seem too picky, I think he would fight Chael Sonnen [if he won the belt from Silva]." Dan says that's not really true. At all: "Chael lives up in Oregon but I know him real well. He was with me and Randy [Couture] when we first started our team," Henderson told ESPN. "I don't have any real desire to fight at middleweight. The only guy I'd cut weight for is Anderson Silva, win or lose that could still happen. "But it's not high up on my list at all. Silva's the only guy I'd cut weight for. I've got the light-heavyweight thing in my mind and that's it. I'd fight Anderson Silva but I'm only interested in the UFC light-heavyweight title right now." Henderson is coming off a slim victory over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 138 in one of the best fights of all time. Will he meet the winner of Evans vs. Jones? Maybe Anderson? We'll find out sooner or later. And that brings our daily version of "Debunking Dana" to a close. Have a good day.

Posted in: ufc, silva, henderson, anderson silva, anderson

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The dreaded crucifix, many great fighters have used it for success while just as many have fallen victim to it. Jay Glazer and Dan Henderson walk you through how to pull it off.

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, dan, jay glazer, crucifix

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Early in March, UFC President Dana White, speaking of Dan Henderson said, “He’ll fight whoever has that belt,” said White, musing on situation. “Dan doesn’t seem too picky, I think he would fight Chael Sonnen (if he won the belt from Silva).” – for more see MMAWeekly. The comment may have come as a surprise to some as Henderson had seemed focus on fighting for the Light Heavyweight crown after defeating Maurcio Rua at UFC 139. However, Henderson had fought at

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, dan, chael sonnen, maurcio rua

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Here’s the difference between Benson Henderson and the rest of us. The week after winning the UFC lightweight title should have been a time for the Arizonan to be taking his victory lap, blowing up to middleweight on a steady diet of food not meant for world-class athletes, and generally living it up.Instead, the newly crowned titlist, one weekend removed from winning a five rounder over Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan, was back in action, competing in the Arizona International Open jiu-jitsu tournament. As a brown belt he took first place in the middleweight division and third in the absolute class, but the results really don’t matter – not in the great scheme of things and not to Henderson. It was all about getting out there and doing it.“I’ve done that after all my UFC fights,” he said, almost matter-of-factly, as if it’s no big deal to be back competing just a week after a grueling five round MMA fight. “It just so happens, coincidentally, that there’s always a jiu-jitsu tournament the weekend after I get back. I like to compete, I like to have fun, and it’s a nice little break for me being able to compete and the world isn’t on the line, like ‘You have to win, it’s all or nothing.’ If I lose, big deal; I get caught in an arm lock, yeah, okay, I lost, but I had fun competing.”It’s a pleasant reminder that while this is prizefighting and a way to make a living and a business, there are still fighters out there who embrace the martial arts aspect of the sport, and that still look at getting better as the greatest reward.“I don’t need the spotlight on me,” said Henderson. “I love to compete, I love the competition aspect of life, and I love the martial arts aspect of living and constantly improving and bettering yourself and not getting complacent. I’m trying to get better, even if it’s the weekend after a fight. I’m trying to have fun, go compete, and improve whatever realm I’m in.”That attitude allowed Henderson to sail to the top of the WEC’s lightweight division in 2009-10, and in less than a year in the Octagon, he’s done the same in the UFC, defeating Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, Clay Guida, and Edgar to ascend to the throne. And in typical Henderson fashion, he defeated Edgar in a close and exciting battle that left no fan disappointed. Well, maybe Henderson, who, as a perfectionist, would have liked to end the bout with a flourish.“My take on the fight is that it was a good scrap, but I definitely think I could have done better,” said the 28-year old, who earned the belt via scores of 49-46 twice, and 48-47. “I left some holes out there and didn’t quite get the finish that I wanted, but it was a good scrap.”“Good scrap” is an understatement, and it’s the reason why Henderson and Edgar will meet up again later this year for a rematch. And that’s just fine with the new champ.“Let’s run that back, let’s do it again,” he said. “In my eyes, I don’t really see myself as one of those primadonna wide receivers: “I want this, and this has gotta happen.” I represent the UFC, I’m the 155-pound guy right now, and even if you don’t have the belt, it’s not about you calling some guys out. To me, that’s kinda tacky and disrespectful. It’s Sean Shelby, Joe Silva, and Dana White’s job to put somebody in front of you. Whoever they put in front of me, I will beat up. It doesn’t matter. My job is not to match myself up and call this guy or that guy out. I’m not gonna go on Twitter and make my own match. Some guys are into that and that’s the way they want to pursue their career, and they can go right ahead. My job is to beat people up.”Henderson takes that job seriously, and if you didn’t know that from a WEC career that saw him face Anthony Njokuani, Shane Roller, Donald Cerrone (twice), Jamie Varner, and Anthony Pettis, you can certainly see it in his UFC resume thus far. Simply put, Henderson doesn’t back down from a fight, and when he says that as champion he wants to fight everyone, it’s not a catchy quote; it’s reality. And while he knows it may take some time for the rest of the world to catch on, he’s willing to put in the time to make sure everyone knows that he’s not a talker, he’s a doer.“I definitely don’t want to get too far ahead of myself,” he admits. “People seem to think that I’m arrogant or cocky, and I don’t want to come across like that. I’ve said it from the very beginning that I want to be the best fighter and I want to fight and beat everybody. It’s not me looking ahead and being cocky all of a sudden like, oh, I beat Frankie Edgar and now all of a sudden I’m gonna smash everybody. I was saying this from the beginning. I’m as confident as any other fighter on the UFC roster. I’m a very confident fighter and all fighters are, or they should be. I want to fight everybody on the roster at 155, I want to beat ‘em all, and I want to have a nice long reign at 155. I’ll do a Bernard Hopkins or Joe Louis. I want to make 155 my weight class and I want my name to be synonymous with it. I think that would be something special.”Considering that boxing greats Hopkins and Louis each reigned for over a decade, that would be something pretty special, but Henderson is up for the challenge. And though it remains to be seen, his eventual impact may turn out to be greater outside the Octagon than in it, as he’s a many-layered individual with interests and a back story that goes far beyond what is seen as typical these days. As I wrote of Henderson back in the WEC days, “In a world of black and white, WEC lightweight contender Ben Henderson emerges in Technicolor.” Nothing has happened since to dispel that notion. If anything, he’s turned into an even more compelling figure to watch. But he’s not about to change under the bright lights. He’s still Benson Henderson. He just has more people paying attention these days.“It’s not something I really thought about until later on, until I started to realize that I’m on a much bigger platform to get the things that I talk about and bring up and love out there,” said Henderson, a self-proclaimed comics, sci-fi, and fantasy junkie who is also a devout Christian. “But I don’t want to be the guy who just does all that stuff just for the sake of doing it. I want people to know that it’s okay to be a comic book nerd and still go beat people up. (Laughs) But the thing I want to be adamant about is being a Christian and being that guy for some kid who always hears about it from his grandmother but doesn’t give it any serious thought; now he can hear about when he’s watching Pay-Per-View and then go ‘yeah, maybe I’ll listen to this.’”

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Newly crowned Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson, alongside FoxSports analyst Jay Glazer, heads overseas to connect with his heritage and visit the troops in South Korea. Along the way, they attend a taekwondo seminar, where Henderson picks up some new moves to add to his arsenal, and experience a simulated day in the life of a soldier.

Posted in: henderson, ben henderson, visit, taekwondo seminar, visits troops

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Just days after his manager was telling reporters he was considering a drop down to 145-pounds to fight UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, Anthony Pettis has made his immediate plans clear. "I'm not dropping to 145-pounds to fight Aldo," he tweeted. "155-pounds is my home and I'll get that belt soon." Lofty aspirations, no doubt, but his optimism isn't exactly misplaced. The man currently holding the lightweight championship, Ben Henderson, is the very same man "Showtime" posterized with his "off-the-wall" kick at WEC 53 back in Dec. 2010. Pettis took "Bendo's" lightweight title then; why couldn't he do so now? Well, for starters, a pesky scrapper from New Jersey is getting in the way of Pettis realizing his dream. And it isn't the first time Frankie Edgar has muddied up the 155-pound waters. When Pettis defeated Henderson at the previously mentioned WEC 53, he earned a title shot against the winner of the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard title fight set for UFC 125 the very next month as a nice, simple way to unify the titles after the two brands merged. Alas it was not to be, as Edgar and Maynard fought to an unsatisfying draw in one of the best fights of the year. Naturally, that meant an immediate rematch, which left Pettis with a tough decision -- risk his status as number one contender to stay active or wait for his guaranteed shot. He chose the former ... and it cost him. The Duke Roufus product dropped a unanimous decision to Clay Guida and fell back down the ladder. All the while Henderson was steady climbing his way up it. "Smooth" eventually earned a title shot against Edgar, who had knocked Maynard out to retain his belt months prior, at UFC 144, a card that also featured Pettis taking on veteran submission ace Joe Lauzon. Henderson would go on to outpoint Edgar after five extremely close -- dare I say, controversial -- rounds while Pettis destroyed Lauzon via head kick knockout in just over a minute. After the event, UFC President Dana White set the wheels in motion for Pettis to rematch Henderson. But Edgar wouldn't go away so easy. While White was busy trying to convince him to move down to featherweight, a more natural weight class for him, even promising him an immediate title shot, "The Answer" was demanding an immediate rematch. He gave one to both B.J. Penn and Maynard, after all; he should get the same respect. When White was unsuccessful in his bid to convince him otherwise, he set up the rematch and now Pettis is once again on the outside looking in. Perhaps that's why rumors started to fly regarding his potentially dropping down to fight Aldo but he has every reason to stay at lightweight. Especially if Henderson defeats Edgar for a second time. "Showtime" beat him once, he knows he can beat him again. In the meantime, though, he may very well have to risk his number one contender status. But against who? For that will have to stay tuned. No matter what, though, we now know his next fight will be at 155-pounds. Like it or not.

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Frankie Edgar announced via twitter last week that he will receive his rematch against Ben Henderson. Dana White has tentatively scheduled the fight for this summer. Via Edgar’s twitter: Rematch anyone??…….it’s on!! Thanks to @danawhite @lorenzofertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go!! — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) March 6, 2012 Payout Perspective: Once again Anthony Pettis is put on hold. Its likely the right call and shows that certain fighters have some weight when it comes to making career decisions. It appeared that Edgar was being pushed into the Featherweight division without much say. But, to Edgar (and his camp’s) credit, he was able to convince White he deserved a rematch. For Showtime, the change in course has to be frustrating. He will have to take another fight before his title shot. And, as we know, he lost to Clay Guida.  Also, the Nate Diaz-Jim Miller fight for UFC on Fox 3 will likely be for a top contender spot instead of a title shot at Henderson. The contenders to Henderson’s title reflect the dept of the lightweight division.

Posted in: fight, title shot, henderson, rematch, edgar

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UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson has some of the most devastating kicks in all of MMA. Using his arsenal of strikes, “Smooth” scored the divisional title by outpointing Frankie Edgar in Japan last month. In a recent video on UFC Tonight Henderson showed off some of his techniques including an Inside Crescent Kick, An Axe Kick, a Back-Left Roundhouse kick, and his patented double-leg takedown. Referring to one of his favorite kicks, Henderson said, “I know I landed a few ones (on Clay Guida) that made him make a sad face.” Check out the video below (Disclaimer – 5 OZ will not be held responsible for any pulled groins after attempting to emulate Henderson’s work): PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, henderson, “ i, doubleleg takedown, axe kick

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If you think newly crowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson is ducking anyone in the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's 155-pound division, well, think again. After he defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 a few weeks ago in Japan, there was no shortage of opponents jumping at the chance to be the first to dethrone the new 155-pound kingpin. Specifically, the aforementioned Frankie Edgar and the last man to defeat "Smooth," Anthony Pettis. After participating in two back-to-back-rematches of his own, Edgar believes he is deserving of the promotion granting him an immediate rematch against Henderson while Pettis feels he has done enough to earn first crack at the title. "The Answer" ultimately got the nod after he stood his ground and refused to dip down to the Featherweight division. Even though an opponent is now confirmed for his first title defense in a stacked UFC lightweight division, Henderson won't have any problems whatsoever moving forward finding suitable opponents to challenge him, but as Henderson said on his appearance on "The MMA Hour," he will take on anybody who is put in front of him and defeat them, too. Check it out: "I will fight anybody that Dana White puts inside the cage against me. I want to fight every UFC 55 pounder on the roster, I want to beat all of them. I want to be that dilemma child for Joe Silva and for Sean Shelby. I want them to be like, 'Oh man, who are we going to give to Henderson next? Who is he going to fight next? He beat the entire roster, who is he going to fight next?' The fan in me feels, Frankie had a very tough situation, he had a rough road with two rematches right away, so the fan in me feels that he deserves, he had to put himself on the line and ... I don't think you guys really understand when I say this, I want to fight everybody, I'm going to beat everybody, just line them up. But they are going to have to work their way up to me." Anthony Pettis, the last man to defeat Henderson at WEC 53 two years ago, say's even though he would love nothing more than to rematch against Benson, he doesn't feel the feeling is mutual. Henderson gave his thoughts on the situation: "Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely, we will see each other again, before I retire, before I die I'm going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it's not my job to give him a title shot, it's not up to me to be like "Oh hey, I want to fight this guy, let's go see this guy." It's his job to work his way up to me, but we will see each other again. He will work his way up again, I know that, he is a tough kid. But is he worth of shot for beating number 10 Joe Lauzon and then and split decision over unranked Jeremy Stephens, or is he deserving because he beat me last? What makes him deserving? But it is what it is, whoever Dana White wants to put in front of me, my job is to go out there and go beat them. I don't want anyone saying I'm afraid to fight this guy or that guy." So what did we learn today? Ben Henderson will fight anybody you put in front of him. Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are also looking to throw their names in that hat as well, as they lock horns at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5, 2012 in a fight that will have major title shot implications. It's a good problem to have for the UFC and apparently Henderson, too.

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Watch Benson Henderson's moves in ultra-slow motion, as the UFC lightweight champ teaches his most powerful techniques with lasting impact.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White seems to think so. Former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Dan Henderson, who made a successful return to the Octagon at UFC 139 last November in a five round war against Mauricio Rua, earned the right to fight for the title with his "Fight of the Year" candidate against "Shogun." But which title? That remains to be seen. "Hendo," who historically has remained competitive at both middleweight and light heavyweight, could have his pick of the litter by the end of the summer. Jon Jones is currently scheduled to defend his 205-pound title opposite Rashad Evans at UFC 145 next month while Anderson Silva puts his 185-pound strap on the line opposite Chael Sonnen in June. And as White explains to media members at the UFC on FOX 3 press conference earlier this week (via MMA Weekly), Henderson "doesn't seem too picky" about which champion he'll face -- even if it turns out to be his longtime buddy from Team Quest. Those comments, after the jump. "He wants a title fight. He either wants Anderson Silva or whoever has the belt at 185 or the winner of Evans and Jones. Last time I talked to Henderson, he wanted to wait to fight one of these guys for the title. He’ll fight whoever has that belt. Dan doesn’t seem too picky, I think he would fight Chael Sonnen." "Hendo" was offered a headlining bout opposite former PRIDE FC rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who submitted the Greco-Roman wrestler via first round armbar at "Total Elimination" back in 2005. The rematch, as well as the opportunity to avenge his loss to "Little Nog," was a fight he "didn't think the fans would be interested in." In addition, he wanted "more time to prepare for a five round main event." On the shelf since late last year, he may get up to a year for said preparation. The former UFC middleweight number one contender told the powers that be "thanks, but no thanks," and Nogueira was quickly paired off against Alexander Gustafsson (and later replaced by Thiago Silva) for the UFC on FUEL TV 2 fight card on April 14 in Sweden. Was it worth the wait? We'll find out soon enough, but from a fan's perspective, which weight class to do you want to see the "H-Bomb" detonate in and why?

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, henderson, anderson silva

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Some would say Anthony Pettis has been robbed twice. He was "promised" a UFC lightweight title shot when he defeated Ben Henderson for the WEC lightweight title in the last fight World Extreme Cagefighting ever promoted. Unfortunately for him, he watched as Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard went to a draw at UFC 125, and a third bout between the two was necessary. Since then he has rebounded from a loss to Clay Guida by beating Jeremy Stephens, and he followed that up with a spectacular head-kick knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144. When Dana White was asked after UFC 144 if Pettis would get his title shot, his answer was short, but typically vague: "Probably. But we'll see what happens." "We'll see what happens" turned out to be a Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson rematch. I won't argue the merits of that decision here, though I do believe that the majority of fans aren't interested in seeing that again. This post is about what the UFC should do with Showtime now that he has been shut out of the title picture once again. To me, there's only one option - Gray Maynard. And here's why. 1. Pettis needs a signature win in the UFC. Wins over Jeremy Stephens and Joe Lauzon are good, but not good enough to give him the cred he needs to fight for a title. Sure, he holds a win over the champion, and did it in style. But like it or not, it was in another organization that only a fraction of UFC fans watched. Henderson earned his shot with three UFC wins, two over top-ten fighters. If Pettis beats Maynard, there's no denying him the shot. 2. Maynard deserves a top opponent for his comeback fight. Other than Clay Guida, there is no one else worthy of a fight with Gray. Maynard is still one of the best lightweights in the world, and has taken his training to another level since the Edgar loss. He has worked with Jose Aldo in Brazil, spent time at American Kickboxing Academy, and has taken a page out of B.J. Penn's book by working with Marv and Gary Marinovich on his conditioning. Maynard is still right there, and could easily earn another title shot if Henderson retains against Edgar and he can beat Pettis. 3. Showtime's reputation will be greatly enhanced with a win over a wrestler. Yes, he beat Ben Henderson in the WEC. But he was completely grounded by Clay Guida in his UFC debut, and UFC fans have short memories. A win over an excellent wrestler like Maynard would go a long way towards erasing the belief that Pettis can't hang with wrestlers in the big leagues. 4. It's the most logical fight to make.The only thing that comes close is Guida/Maynard, and that leaves Pettis out of the top-tier once again. Guida can fight Joe Lauzon or Gleison Tibau next. Maybe even Melvin Guillard, now that he's left Jackson's. 5. The booking should generate some trash talk. Maynard is known as a guy who is brutally honest when he does interviews, and he took Pettis to town in an interview last year. Pettis undoubtedly feels slighted by the fact that Edgar got a rematch, and has been viewed by some as a tad cocky. I think they'll have a few things to say about each other, which will help sell the bout. The winner of Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 will likely meet the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson 2. That's fine. But there's nothing wrong with booking this fight as well. It wouldn't happen until the summer, and the bout can be promoted as a number one contender's bout if things play out the right way. It's the best way to go. Joe Silva - let's do this.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, henderson, maynard

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There was a time in the WEC days when Ben Henderson followed MiddleEasy on Twitter. He used to RT our stories, but for some reason we never followed him back. Perhaps it was the influx of Christian-centric tweets which emerged from his timeline that got us in the end. If we wanted to be inundated with religious tweets, we would have just followed @Scientology on Twitter. Those guys have Tom Cruise and they believe in intergalactic aliens. If you're going to believe in any religion, you might as well go for the one with the most space ships. Now that Ben Henderson is the UFC lightweight champion, it would be entirely too bandwagonish if we started following him on Twitter now. So to maintain our integrity, we will pretend like Ben Henderson is still that guy in WEC with the long hair and continue to not follow him on Twitter. We still love the guy, but we're caught in a conundrum of 'keeping it real' in the Twitterverse. However, our decision will not stop us from publishing a newly acquired Ben Henderson video on MiddleEasy. Last weekend at the 7th Arizona Brazilian Jiu JItsu International Open, the UFC lightweight champion competed in the Brown Open Division and was submitted by Daniel Grippaudo -- marking the first time anyone in combat sports has ever successfully slapped a submission on Ben Henderson. [Source]

Posted in: guy, ben, henderson, ben henderson, twitter

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Loss? What loss? Despite coming up short in his lightweight title defense against Ben Henderson, which took place at UFC 144 last month in Japan, Frankie Edgar is still the odds-on favorite heading into their mid-year rematch. "The Answer" opened at -125, slightly ahead of the "Smooth" champion at -105. That's according to our fiscal friends at Best Fight Odds. And if the purpose of odds and betting lines is to initiate wagers, I'd say today's numbers will likely accomplish that feat. Edgar dropped a five-round unanimous decision loss to Henderson ended his nearly two-year stranglehold on the 155-pound division. However, during that span, "The Answer" only fought two guys (B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard), albeit in a total of four championship matches. Henderson, a former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion (along with most of the lightweight division) held a huge size advantage over the 5'6" Edgar, and did significant damage over the course of the 25-minute fight, accordingly. Edgar, as usual, absorbed the punishment, as well as fired back, bobbing, weaving and landing shots with solid frequency. However, the shots did little to no damage to Henderson and didn't do enough to impress the ringside judges, either. That's not to say it wasn't close -- White actually scored the fight in Edgar's favor on his unofficial scorecard and the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's matchmaker, Joe Silva, thought he won by a "landslide." Get read for part deux. But who are you taking in the rematch? And what's you take on these opening odds? Anyone ready to plunk down some coin before the line shift? More on Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson II right here.

Posted in: loss, henderson, odd, edgar, frankie

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For the third consecutive time the UFC lightweight championship is set to be featured in an immediate rematch after it was revealed on Tuesday former title-holder Frankie Edgar will indeed receive a second shot at Benson Henderson as the result of a close fight the first time around at UFC 144 (in addition to a few other factors). The match-up has been confirmed by the UFC, and, though no specific date has been attached to the affair, the two are tentatively scheduled to scrap this summer. Edgar and Henderson turned in a Fight of the Night performance a few weeks ago in Japan where “Bendo” came away with the belt despite many feeling as though Edgar deserved to retain the gold he won from B.J. Penn in April 2010. Moments after the bout Edgar began asking for a chance at redemption, both due to the nature of the result and the notion he’d done the same for Penn and Gray Maynard. While UFC President Dana White originally balked at the idea, instead urging the undersized 155er to move to the featherweight division, a firm stance from “The Answer” and the lack of any clear-cut contender in place apparently were enough to force the organization’s hand. The timing of the tussle also aligns perfectly with a May meeting between Jim Miller-Nate Diaz with the winner likely emerging as the next challenger to the lightweight crown. Left in the cold is Anthony Pettis who is now forced to turn his attention to the next opponent the UFC lines up for him instead of a title-shot some felt he’d earned by knocking out Joe Lauzon last month as well as holding an earlier, and exciting, win over Henderson. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, henderson, edgar, benson henderson, clearcut contender

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It appears that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will get his wish. According to a tweet he sent out that was later confirmed by UFC president Dana White, Edgar will rematch new champion Ben Henderson for the title. Here's what they both had to say: @FrankieEdgarFrankie Edgar Rematch anyone??.......it's on!! Thanks to @danawhite @lorenzofertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go!! Mar 06 via UberSocial for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply @danawhiteDana White Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson rematch will be this summer Mar 06 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply Henderson claimed the title by winning a unanimous decision over Edgar at UFC 144. The scores were 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 but every round was close. Edgar gave rematches to both B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard (though the second bout with Maynard was a draw), so it seems that the UFC believed he deserved one as well. While it's bound to be an exciting fight, it will definitely be demoralizing for Anthony Pettis, who loses an expected title shot once again.

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, edgar, frankie edgar

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Ten days after he lost the UFC lightweight title to Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar has been given a rematch. Edgar confirmed the news on Twitter with a message thanking UFC President Dana White and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta for making the rematch happen. The news was then confirmed on Twitter by White. "Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson rematch will be this summer," White wrote. The decision is a departure from what White had previously indicated was his preferred choice: In the press conference immediately following Henderson's unanimous decision victory over Edgar, White said he thought Edgar should move down to featherweight to challenge champion Jose Aldo, and that Anthony Pettis deserved the next shot at Henderson. But White has apparently been persuaded by Edgar, who has insisted that lightweight is the right division for him, and by the fans who have asked for Henderson-Edgar 2. That means Edgar will now be in the unusual position of fighting the same opponent back to back three consecutive times. First Edgar won the lightweight title from B.J. Penn in 2010 and then defended it against Penn later that year. Then Edgar fought Gray Maynard to a draw to start 2011 and then beat Maynard later in 2011. Now Edgar has lost to Henderson to start 2012 and will get another shot at him later in the year. This also means that Pettis has missed out on a lightweight title shot he thought he had earned for the second time. Pettis beat Henderson to become the last World Extreme Cagefighting champion and was promised a shot at the UFC lightweight title when the UFC absorbed the WEC, but that title shot was taken from him when the Edgar-Maynard draw necessitated a rematch. Now Pettis is once again being passed over. Pettis's next step is unclear. But what is clear is that we'll see more of the same at lightweight: Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar for the title.

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, rematch, edgar

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Fans asked for it, Frankie Edgar lobbied for it, Benson Henderson appeared open to it, and now, after a few weeks of conversation on the matter, the UFC has scheduled it. According to an announcement from the UFC earlier today Henderson and Edgar will lock horns once again with the lightweight championship on the line after having already fought for five highly-entertaining rounds at UFC 144. “Bendo” ultimately emerged with the judges’ nod, though even UFC President Dana White expressed his belief Edgar had deserved to win the fight. “Rematch anyone??…….it’s on!! Thanks to Dana White (and) Lorenzo Fertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go,” an excited Edgar wrote of the rematch on Twitter. Despite being urged to drop down to 145 pounds by White after his loss in Japan, Edgar stood firm and has now seen his efforts pay off. Henderson was also quoted over the weekend as saying he wanted to fight Edgar a second time to clear up any confusion about who was most deserving of the right to be the divisional title-holder. Henderson Explains Willingness to Fight Edgar Again No specific date was mentioned for the match-up other than that it would take place this summer. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, edgar, fight edgar

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Anthony Pettis will step aside once again. UFC president Dana White today announced via Twitter that former UFC champ Frankie Edgar will get his wish and take a second shot at the man that took his belt in February, Benson Henderson. A date for the matchup has yet to be planned, but White said the fight will take place "this summer."

Posted in: ufc, henderson, frankie, summer, benson

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Just hours after declaring he “had no idea” what he was going to do with the lightweight division, Dana White confirmed on his Twitter account that Frankie Edgar will get the rematch he wants, and will face Benson Henderson again this summer. The pair fought to a closely contested decision at UFC 144 in Japan that went Henderson’s way. White stated after the fight that he felt Edgar should drop to 145 pounds, and that he would be given an immediate title shot against current featherweight champion Jose Aldo. During today’s UFC on Fox 3 press conference, White mentioned that the future of the lightweight division would be decided after he talked with Edgar today. Edgar stated immediately after the loss that he wanted to continue fighting at 155 pounds, and that he has no intentions of moving around in weight classes just yet. Henderson stated earlier this week on MMAFighting.com that he, as a fan, felt that Edgar deserved a rematch. While he was open to fighting other lightweight contenders such as Anthony Pettis, Nate Diaz, or even Jacob Volkmann, it seemed even he was on board with giving Edgar the rematch after the close fight just a few weeks prior. But with Edgar remaining adamant that he will stay in the lightweight division,  Henderson will now be able to confirm his status as a champion, along with giving Edgar the rematch he feels he deserves. White also announced today that the main event at UFC on Fox 3 between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller will be a number one contender’s bout. That matchup takes place on May 5th, so the winner will face the winner of the Henderson vs. Edgar rematch. What was not announced was when the second matchup will take place. UFC 149 is the earliest pay-per-view event that is scheduled that does not have a main event on tap. UFC 149 is currently scheduled for July 21st in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but it has not been officially announced by the UFC. UFC on Fox 4 is also a possibility, as it too does not have a main event. That event is scheduled for August 4th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. For complete coverage of the ongoing lightweight division developments, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, event, henderson, rematch, edgar

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Frankie Edgar got what he was looking for. He will rematch with Ben Henderson for the UFC lightweight title sometime this summer, UFC president Dana White said.

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, ben henderson, frankie

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After much back and forth with UFC president Dana White, and an outpouring of fan support, former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar gets an immediate rematch against Benson Henderson.

Posted in: henderson, frankie, benson henderson, fan support, man rematch

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Frankie Edgar finally got "The Answer" he was looking for. The former lightweight champion, who lost his title to Ben Henderson at UFC 144 this past Feb. 25, 2012, in Japan, in a somewhat controversial five-round decision, has been granted his rematch. From Edgar's Twitter: "Rematch anyone??.......it's on!! Thanks to @danawhite @lorenzofertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go!!" Not long after, UFC President Dana White tweeted the bout will take place sometime this summer. Everyone good with this decision?

Posted in: henderson, rematch, edgar, fiveround decision, summer everyone

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The UFC lightweight title picture got a little more cloudy today. Prior to today’s UFC on FOX 3 press conference, it was believed that the next lightweight title shot would either go to Frankie Edgar or Anthony Pettis. Well, it seems Nate Diaz and Jim Miller may also be in the running as well. In response to questions about where Diaz and Miller fit into the picture, Dana White stated that the winner would get a title shot. Dana’s comments via MMA Weekly. “Well, I’m still obviously still dealing with the whole Frankie Edgar thing. I’m talking to Frankie and we’ll figure this thing out,” White said, before adding, “We did, we said the winner of (Diaz vs. Miller) would get the shot.” Pressed further by a fan, who asked, “From what I remember, the winner of Jim Miller facing Nate Diaz gets a title shot, is this correct?” White responded, “This is correct.” What’s not clear is if Dana meant the Diaz-Miller winner would get the next title or just a title shot later this year. As you may recall, Dana had previously stated at the UFC 144 post-fight press conference that he “thinks” Anthony Pettis will get first crack at Henderson, but he didn’t even mention him today. Meanwhile, the champ maintains that he’s still willing to fight whoever the UFC puts in front of him, but he does have his opinions about who that should be. And judging by his comments on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani yesterday, Frankie Edgar should be at the front of line. “Frankie had a very tough situation,” Henderson admitted. “He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (the rematch). He had to put himself on the line, I don’t want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn’t want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.’ I’m more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let’s do it. Set it up for tomorrow.” The one rematch Henderson still isn’t crazy about though, at least not now, is Anthony Pettis. He still thinks Pettis needs more wins to establish himself as the true number one contender. “Does someone who has a split-decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy, is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last?” “Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely,” Henderson explained. “We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I’m going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it’s not my job to give him a title shot. It’s not up to me be like, ‘oh hey, I want to fight this guy. Lets go see this guy.’ It’s his job to work his way up to me. I can’t jump the line and not fight the No. 1 contender, and then go fight the No. 4 guy or No. 3 guy or No. 10 guy.” Bottom line though, Henderson says he really “doesn’t care” who he fights because he’s going to “smash” everyone anyways. To summarize, the lightweight title picture is kind of a mess. It’s a problem the UFC will have to sort out no doubt, but it’s certainly a better problem to have than the one they have with Jose Aldo — not having any clear contenders at all.

Posted in: title shot, title, henderson, shot, frankie

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Newly named UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson has cleared the air surrounding divisional contendership, saying he is open to fight former title-holder Frankie Edgar a second time to eliminate any doubt surrounding who should have the strap after their closely-contested bout a few weeks back at UFC 144. Edgar has been actively lobbying for a rematch since losing the five-round decision, as have fans, while UFC President Dana White has even gone on record saying he felt “The Answer” deserved the victory the first time around. “Frankie had a very tough situation. He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (one),” Henderson explained Monday as a guest on The MMA Hour. “He had to put himself on the line, I don’t want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn’t want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.’ I’m more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let’s do it. Set it up for tomorrow.” Henderson also addressed Anthony Pettis’ claims that he should be next in line based on a devastating knockout of Joe Lauzon in his most recent outing as well as being the man who last beat “Bendo”. While the 28-year old champion acknowledged Pettis’ abilities, he still doesn’t feel “Showtime” has done enough inside the Octagon yet to merit a title-shot. “Does someone who has a Split Decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy…is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last,” Henderson asked rhetorically, referring to Pettis’ narrow outpointing of Jeremy Stephens and finish of Lauzon. Henderson Out to Become the Best of All Time While no indication has been given from the UFC brass on what they intend to do, Henderson’s support of Edgar’s cause certainly implies a second scrap between the two is far more likely now than it was as recently as last week. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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There has been less controversy than some expected coming out of Ben Henderson's title win over Frankie Edgar, but there still are some that feel a rematch is in order. After all, the fight was close and competitive, even if Henderson did deserve the nod. Henderson was on the MMA Hour yesterday and discussed the idea of giving Edgar a rematch: "Frankie had a very tough situation," Henderson admitted. "He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (the rematch). He had to put himself on the line, I don't want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn't want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.' "I'm more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let's do it. Set it up for tomorrow." Henderson was not quite as interested in the talk of a rematch with Anthony Pettis, the last man to score a victory over him. Last week Pettis made it clear (via his manager) that he was disappointed in Henderson's dismissal of him as a title challenger. Henderson expanded on this during the interview: "Of course he's going to go out and say that stuff because he wants his guy to fight for the belt," Henderson tensely responded. "What did you have Jeremy Stephens ranked before the Anthony Pettis fight? Not in the top ten. What did you have Joe Lauzon ranked before his fight? "Does someone who has a split-decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy, is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last?" Later in the interview Henderson did make it clear that he does want to fight Pettis again eventually, but it's not up to him to decide the next challenger. Video after the jump... MMA Hour video:

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New UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson doesn't yet know who will get the first crack at his belt, but according to him, it doesn't matter who is given the slot. After all, Henderson said, he's more than willing to fight each and every fighter on the UFC roster. And that includes those he's already defeated, including former champ Frankie Edgar.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, ufc roster, doesnt, edgar rematch

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For new UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson it has been nothing short of a crazy few weeks since winning the title at UFC 144. Instead of returning to the U.S. and basking in his glory, Henderson took a visit to Korea after defeating Frankie Edgar for the belt in Japan while hearing constant questioning about what his next move would be. “Smooth” seems ready to get back in the routine of practice and training, and, as he revealed yesterday, is even willing to give Edgar the rematch he seeks. “Frankie had a very tough situation. He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses,” said Henderson while serving as a guest on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “I’m more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let’s do it. Set it up for tomorrow.” “Bendo” also elaborated saying he as a MMA fan understood Edgar’s case and didn’t want to be a guy they felt was afraid of giving the 30-year old another shot to make things right. Additionally, Henderson talked about facing Anthony Pettis who UFC President Dana White said was near the front of the line in terms of a title-shot. “Showtime” was the last man to defeat Henderson, taking a WEC title from him, and picked up a Knockout of the Night win at UFC 144 over Joe Lauzon. “Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely,” Henderson said after questioning Pettis’ recent accomplishments. “We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I’m going to see Anthony Pettis again.” For now, Henderson will wait and see what the UFC decides is next for him, but he will do so as the champion and with an open mind in terms of who he faces. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, anthony pettis, petti, henderson, rematch

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No matter how passionate you are about something, there comes a time when you need a break. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder -- a phrase not associated with MMA these days with an event nearly every single weekend. Those who strictly follow the UFC will get a break from shows for the next six weeks, the longest consecutive gap since a five week stretch from the July 2nd UFC 132 to the August 6th UFC 133 last year. Sure, we'll have The Ultimate Fighter on Friday nights but when it comes to what brings in the money, it's vacation time. Say what you will about UFC president Dana White, but even the most anti-White zealot would be hard pressed to call him lazy. Seemingly traveling way more than he's actually home in Las Vegas, White is on a mission powered by energy drinks, fanfare and all that comes with being a celebrity in pro sports. But a lot can get done in the next six weeks that will make the following 30 weeks even better. To save the big guy some time from making a to-do list, I went ahead and came up with four things I want to see him to do. Take a week off from everything While this is as realistic as Tim Sylvia fighting Brock Lesnar in a UFC main event, White should grab the family, board the jet and go on a vacation where no one can reach them. The business needs him at his freshest and if that means a week off Twitter and dealing with the day-to-day of the UFC, he should do it. I don't care who it is: the grind of this schedule and pace will get everyone at some point. He's done remarkably well so far, but there have been a few signs of cracking, notably not coming out for the UFC On Fox 2 post-event presser because he didn't want to deal with criticism of the fights. Like him or hate him, MMA is better with Dana White at 100%. Take a break, boss man. Lorenzo and the rest of the all-star team has got your back. Figure out what's going on with one Henderson... After fighting in an instant classic against Mauricio Rua last November, we've been asking the same question: what's next for Dan Henderson? The answer seems obvious: a UFC light heavyweight title shot. However, there hasn't been a ton of movement in any direction. Hendo wants big fights and it makes sense to have him fight the winner of April's Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans clash in Atlanta. Here's hoping White can confirm that prior to the event, so we immediately have another big fight to look forward to this summer. What two other things did I add to Dana's list? One might surprise you, but it's something I bet you'll agree with. Find out after the jump. ...and then decide what's going on with the other Henderson. Was White's enhanced interest in Frankie Edgar dropping to 145 pounds to help make his No. 1 contender decision that much easier? Not likely, but it certainly would help. New UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson has two great options in front of him: a rematch with the surging Anthony Pettis or a rematch with Edgar. Either way, it's a great fight. Either way, someone's left out in the cold for now. I am flipping back and forth on this, but am leaning toward Bendo/Pettis II on a Fox show later this summer as the smart move. I get why Edgar doesn't want to move down to 145, but a title match against Jose Aldo would be a hell of a lot of fun, wouldn't it? It's a good problem to have, but White needs to figure this one out so all of us can start talking about it. Fix UFC Countdown This is a personal gripe of mine and now that White is done worrying about Strikeforce, I'm making a personal plea to blow up and rebuild the approach to the Countdown specials. Designed to get people hyped to buy the pay-per-views, they are ridiculously formulaic. They use the same music, always feature the challenger first, have plenty of Bruce Buffer announcing names, Joe Rogan being emotionless explaining things, a trainer saying, "He's in the best shape of his life," etc. I think I could predict the layout before I even see each show. Fight promotions live on hype and these shows are dreadful at doing their job. I'd actually be fine with them giving the production to Fox and treating them as real sports shows. Talk about guys losing and be honest. Fans get into the reality of situations rather than having smoke blown up their butts by pretending fighters are what they aren't. Create drama and create emotion filled hours that make you feel dumb if you don't hit 'Buy'. What else should Dana work on during the next six weeks? Comment below and let's grow his list.

Posted in: ufc, fight, week, dana, henderson

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A Lightweight rematch between newly crowned division Champion Benson Henderson and former title holder Frankie Edgar will take place this Summer.UFC President Dana White has confirmed the bout, which was initially revealed by Edgar via Twitter:"Rematch anyone??.......it's on!! Thanks to @danawhite @lorenzofertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go!!"Edgar was dethroned by Henderson after coming up short on the judges' scorecards at UFC 144 in Japan. Despite being offered an instant title shot at 145-pounds,

Posted in: henderson, edgar, judges scorecards, danawhite lorenzofertitta, summer event

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UFC President Dana White did more than lead the UFC on FOX 3 press conference at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Tuesday. He also took care of some business with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, and as far as fight fans are concerned, the news was good."Rematch anyone??.......it's on!! Thanks to @danawhite @lorenzofertitta. Me and Henderson 2. Here we go!!" tweeted Edgar, letting the news out that he and the man who defeated him for the 155-pound strap, Benson Henderson, will meet again to revisit their action-packed battle from UFC 144 last month.White later tweeted that the rematch is expected to take place this summer.Henderson's social network response was short and sweet: #SustainedExplosion!!!

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On Feb. 25, 2012, a new Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion was crowned as Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar in a violent, five-round war at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan. Since that infamous night, speculation has run rampant regarding who "Smooth" will take on in his very first title defense. Edgar made it known that he believes he deserves an immediate title shot. Anthony Pettis was also vocal about his desire to have "first dibs," after he soundly defeated Joe Lauzon with a first round knockout on that very same UFC 144 card. On HDNet's "Inside MMA," Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez made the following comments in reference to his desire to take on "Bendo" in the cage: "I'd love to fight Benson Henderson. I've been around this game a lot longer. I'm not trying to be arrogant here, but I think I can handle him, and I'd like to find out. Much respect to him, much respect to Frankie and all that stuff, but I think I can beat them both. I can beat anyone right now. I'd love a piece of him." Hear what Henderson had to say after the jump: When asked by Kenny Rice who (out of Edgar, Pettis and Melendez) "Bendo" would like to fight next, this was his reponse: "All of them. Line 'em up. One after another. Every single one of them. You better believe it. One after another. I want to defeat every single 155-pound guy on the roster of the UFC. I wanna beat all of them." The hosts of "Inside MMA" took the questioning one step further and asked Henderson about the order he'd like to have this happen: "I'd take them all on one night. Let's do it. I'm ready to go. I really don't care. It doesn't matter to me. The fan in me, I definitely understand where Frankie's coming from, having to give two rematches. I don't wanna be that guy who they say, 'Oh, Henderson was afraid to give a rematch when he (Edgar) had to give two rematches.' I don't wanna be the champ who, that's talked about or that's said." Regarding Pettis' claim to an owed title shot, Henderson will fight him, but he's still not sure he's deserving number one contender: "Anthony Pettis, he has his statement. He has a win over Jeremy Stephens. A split decision. One quality win over Joe Lauzon, who's a tough opponent. But, other than that, not a whole lot of depth in his UFC career. But whoever it is, it doesn't matter. I'll take 'em all on." The question who he will fight next is one that really only UFC President Dana White and his top matchmaker Joe Silva can answer. However, there is also the question of when Henderson will be ready to go. Henderson detailed his current health situation and what his time frame for a title defense looks like: "I feel pretty good. I'm completely healthy. Whenever I talk to the Commission doctors and the UFC doctors, I tell them every little thing. I get a bruised pinky, I hurt my toe, my ear hurts, I tell the doctors all that, just in case if afterwards, a couple days later, it is injured an still does hurt, I'm covered. My knuckles were pretty sore, but after a couple days, the soreness went away. They're all good. I' like to have a little bit longer in between my fights. I just started fighting in 2006. I'm still pretty young in this game. I have a world of growing to do in my boxing, a world of growing to do in my jiu-jitsu, my wrestling an in MMA in general. I'd like to have time in between my fights so I can actually get better, so that I'm a better fighter next time I step into the cage. I wanna switch from training camp to training camp to training camp. I wanna improve as a fighter. I'd like to have a little more time in between, but when you have the belt, you gotta do what you gotta do." At this point, White doesn't seem super keen on a rematch between Henderson and Edgar. He's even gone as far as to say he'd prefer to have Edgar drop down and face Jose Aldo for the featherweight title. Melendez would certainly make for a tough opponent and a fight that would bring in decent numbers, but "El Nino" seems stuck, for the time being, over in the Strikeforce hexagon, a place that fans can expect to not see Henderson anytime soon. Lastly, there is Pettis, who Henderson doesn't necessarily think deserves the title, but he very well may get it by default in this scenario. Who do you Maniacs want to see "Bendo" take on next? Let us know in the comment section wo you believe would make for the most exciting first title defense. Weigh in!

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Ben Henderson just can't seem to get his name out of everyone's mouth. Since earning the UFC lightweight strap with a unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar at UFC 144, Henderson has somehow found himself within the crossfires of the MMA world, a casualty of the UFC's latest high-profile judging debate. Weeks after the controversial decision, Edgar, the former champion, has atypically embarked on a crusade for the rematch he feels he justly deserves. UFC President Dana White, on the other hand, steadfastly stands by his opinion that Edgar would be better served at featherweight, and even offered an immediate title shot against reigning 145-pound champion Jose Aldo to sweeten the deal. To no one's surprise, Henderson has thus far stayed out of the way, instead travelling to Korea in an experience he called "surreal." However, after nine days of mounting frustration, the 28-year-old fighter broke his silence on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "Frankie had a very tough situation," Henderson admitted. "He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (the rematch). He had to put himself on the line, I don't want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn't want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.' "I'm more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let's do it. Set it up for tomorrow." Henderson's logic is sound, and essentially follows the script laid out by Edgar. However, as White has voiced, yet another lightweight title rematch would clog up a division that just escaped a two-year traffic jam. And what of the odd man out of this equation -- Anthony Pettis? The electrifying fan-favorite who scored a highlight-reel knockout on very same card, and also happens to be the last person to defeat Henderson. Pettis, who was once guaranteed his own ill-fated UFC title shot, expressed disappointment through his manager last week, stating he feels disrespected by Henderson's seeming disinterest in fighting him. Though according to "Bendo," that's just par for the course. "Of course he's going to go out and say that stuff because he wants his guy to fight for the belt," Henderson tensely responded. "What did you have Jeremy Stephens ranked before the Anthony Pettis fight? Not in the top ten. What did you have Joe Lauzon ranked before his fight? "Does someone who has a split-decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy, is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last?" Pettis did indeed hand Henderson his last loss, stealing away the final WEC lightweight championship at WEC 53 with a last-second off-the-cage ninja maneuver he dubbed the "Showtime Kick." It was a battle that many media outlets christened the "Fight of the Year," which adds to the perceived public interest in a rematch. But Henderson wants to make it clear, he has no problems accepting that fight, eventually. Right now there's just a few people who are ahead in line. "Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely," Henderson explained. "We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I'm going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it's not my job to give him a title shot. It's not up to me be like, ‘oh hey, I want to fight this guy. Lets go see this guy.' It's his job to work his way up to me. "I can't jump the line and not fight the No. 1 contender, and then go fight the No. 4 guy or No. 3 guy or No. 10 guy." Such is the life of a champion. Everybody wants a piece and everybody is a critic. For someone as respectful as Henderson, the backlash has been an unexpected addendum to the belt. He's already received hundreds of messages from fans declaring him afraid of everybody from Jim Miller and Nick Diaz, to Jacob Volkmann. But like he always says, it is what it is. "Either way I go, I'm going to get crap," Henderson finally acknowledged. "Hopefully people will start to realize and understand, I will fight anybody. I don't care. I'm going to smash them."

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson’s popularity may still have a ways to go in the US, but man it sure like he’s bordering on superstar status in his mother’s home country of Korea. Check out these videos of their visit to Korea this week. HT: MMA Mania

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Both Anthony Pettis and Ben Henderson claimed big wins at UFC 144 this past weekend, and with their history, people have been constantly asking both parties about a potential rematch. Pettis, who produced that "Showtime Kick" on their first fight, has heard some of the more recent comments from Henderson, and apparently, he wasn't too happy about it. His manager, Mike Roberts spoke to MMA Fighting about that: "He's heard some stuff that Ben Henderson has said in the last couple days that really got under his skin. Ben has said some things basically implying that Anthony is beneath him and he has to do all this stuff to work his way back to a title shot... And Anthony's like, 'Wait a minute. I just beat you over a year ago. I put your face on ESPN for a year and you're talking like you're so much ahead of me.' It got under Anthony's skin a little bit." "Anthony was thinking, 'Ben should want this rematch more than anything,'" he said. "He said if he would've lost like that, he would've wanted it. He's perturbed because he just keeps implying that Anthony is so much beneath him. He respects the fact that he won the belt and Anthony was glad that he won the fight, but he's a little perturbed that Ben keeps talking like Anthony is so far beneath him." Check after the jump for the comments from Ben Henderson that he was referring to. Henderson talked to Ariel Helwani shortly after he defeated Frankie Edgar to win the title, and here are the words that Pettis isn't too pleased about: "He's spectacular. He does a lot of big moves, but I think there's a line. I don't think he's first in line. I'm going to handle my business. I'm going to defend my belt a couple times. He's going to handle his business. I'm sure he'll get 2-3 more wins, maybe highlight-reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers. He can show he worked on his takedown defense or whatever. He's going to do his thing, I'm going to do my thing and I'm sure we will match up one day. I'm sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don't know if it will be next but I'm sure it'll happen." Pettis' manager made it clear though that his client doesn't think that Benson was "ducking" his opponent, but he did reiterate that Pettis felt disrespected over those statements. Either way, I guess having a bit of heat between these competitors would make a potential rematch much more interesting for most fans.

Posted in: ben, henderson, anthony, he, im

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UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson went down last Saturday night in Japan and, today, the promotion released the full medical suspensions list from the event. Since the fight card was held overseas in the absence of an athletic commission, the UFC employed its own pseudo-athletic commission working within the guidelines set forth thereof by the state of Nevada. Main card battlers Benson “Smooth” Henderson and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson were given 180-day suspensions for their efforts; Henderson for possible fractures of both hands and his left foot and Jackson for a possible nasal fracture. Both men can be cleared after turning in a negative x-ray. Preliminary card fighter Eiji Mitsuoka also got hit with a 180-day suspension pending a negative x-ray for for a possible nasal fracture. All three fighters were given minimum suspensions of 45 days with 30 days of no contact. Losing fighters Tiequan Zhang, Joe Lauzon, Yushin Okami, Cheick Kongo and Frankie Edgar were all given 45-day suspensions with 30 days of no contact. Tim Boetsch took home the lightest suspension at 30 days with 21 days of no contact. UFC 144 went down on February 26 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

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Less than one week after capturing the UFC lightweight championship, Ben Henderson is taking fire from all sides. Such is life at the top. On Wednesday's edition of The MMA Hour, the man he defeated at UFC 144, Frankie Edgar, practically demanded an immediate rematch. Shortly after that, the manager of rising contender Anthony Pettis called in to make "Showtime's" case as the man who should have the first crack at Henderson's belt.Apparently, Pettis was among the show's live listeners, and though he was feeling under the weather, asked his manager Mike Roberts to call in on his behalf. Roberts said that while Pettis respects Edgar's resume and stance on a return bout, that he believes he made his own solid case with a spectacular knockout of Joe Lauzon.Beyond that, sprinkle some added rivalry into the equation, as Pettis felt slighted by Henderson's recent comments about Pettis' place in the pecking order and seeming disinterest in a rematch. "He's heard some stuff that Ben Henderson has said in the last couple days that really got under his skin," he said. "Ben has said some things basically implying that Anthony is beneath him and he has to do all this stuff to work his way back to a title shot. He keeps referring to him like, 'I see you. You're doing big things. One day…' And Anthony's like, 'Wait a minute. I just beat you over a year ago. I put your face on ESPN for a year and you're talking like you're so much ahead of me.' It got under Anthony's skin a little bit."Pettis did in fact defeat Henderson in December 2010 in the last match in WEC, aided by an innovative fifth-round "Showtime Kick" off the cage that floored Henderson and sealed the win. Given that history between them and the fact that Pettis is one up, Roberts said Pettis is actually surprised that Henderson isn't jumping at the chance to face him again and avenge that defeat."Anthony was thinking, 'Ben should want this rematch more than anything,'" he said. "He said if he would've lost like that, he would've wanted it. He's perturbed because he just keeps implying that Anthony is so much beneath him. He respects the fact that he won the belt and Anthony was glad that he won the fight, but he's a little perturbed that Ben keeps talking like Anthony is so far beneath him."Mbr /> Pettis' displeasure likely stems at least partially from some of Henderson's comments in a post-fight interview with MMA Fighting in Saitama. When asked by Ariel Helwani if he expected to next face Pettis, Henderson had some good things to say about him but indicated that matchup wasn't likely his next one."He's spectacular," he said. "He does a lot of big moves, but I think there's a line. I don't think he's first in line. I'm going to handle my business. I'm going to defend my belt a couple times. He's going to handle his business. I'm sure he'll get 2-3 more wins, maybe highlight-reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers. He can show he worked on his takedown defense or whatever. He's going to do his thing, I'm going to do my thing and I'm sure we will match up one day. I'm sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don't know if it will be next but I'm sure it'll happen."For now, Roberts said he hasn't heard anything from UFC officials about whether Pettis would draw Henderson, or whether Edgar's campaign would push him back to the front of the line. If it's the latter, so be it. Roberts acknowledged Edgar made several good points about his own rematch, but this situation has everything to do with Pettis and Henderson, and what they believe to be a champion's distorted viewpoint. "I don't think he's dodging him, but Anthony feels like he's disrespecting him by the things he's saying," Roberts said. "Anthony's like, 'I just beat him a little over a year ago, or a little over a year ago, fair and square, and he's talking like he's so far ahead of me, like, 'Hey kid, I got you in my sights,' and that's rubbing Anthony the wrong way."

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Dan Henderson and Quinton Jackson met inside the Octagon several years ago when the two unified the PRIDE and UFC championships. Jackson claimed victory in the encounter. However, “Hendo” appears to be ahead on the scorecards in a recent war of words. Henderson, who is sitting on the sidelines while waiting for a bout, sounded off on “Rampage” through Twitter regarding Jackson’s performance and overall appearance relating to the former champion missing weight and eventually being outpointed by Ryan Bader in the co-main event of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. “Might just be me but Rampage’s stomach is hanging out past his dicky do. Not really able to get aggressive,” Henderson posted. “Bader fought great. Nice job. Quinton looks like he just showed up to get paid.” Jackson said that he didn’t want to disappoint his beloved Japanese fans by pulling out of the fight despite doctor’s orders. During the weigh-in special, Rich Franklin questioned Jackson’s desire as well, though “Rampage” later revealed he suffered a knee injury in training preventing him from reaching the required weight. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: rampage, jackson, quinton, henderson, job quinton

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There was a lot of hand-wringing going into UFC 144 that it would not perform well on pay-per-view (PPV) and that the main event should have been saved for UFC on Fox 3. It appears that those concerns were unfounded. Dave Meltzer at the Wrestling Observer (subscription required) is reporting that early PPV estimates are "about 375,000 buys." Those numbers, on top of the UFC's best yet numbers for preliminaries on FX, are a very strong performance for the UFC and ex-champion Frankie Edgar. Edgar's most recent title defenses at UFC 125 and UFC 136 (both against Gray Maynard) did 270K and 225K respectively. Edgar did headline UFC 118 which did 570K PPVs, but that was against B.J. Penn and also featured a heavily promoted Randy Couture vs. boxer James Toney bout. Meltzer commented: It's a good sign because the usual rule is that an overseas show doesn't do as well as a North American show, and may be a very positive sign for the upcoming Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen fight. The surprising numbers have started ever since the move back an hour which seems to have resulted in stronger West Coast numbers. That also coincides with the FOX deal going into effect. As far as reasons, I did see a lot more advertising for this than usual with a lot of televised stuff. The pre-show being two hours and doing a good rating may have helped. The TV commercial was also good. And it could be that Edgar was finally getting over (in looking at trending patterns before the show and who had the most interest, it was Edgar slightly ahead of Jackson, with Henderson about half that of Edgar and Ryan Bader next, and well below Henderson). This also came with a Countdown show airing on Fuel (it probably aired on Fox Sports Net as well but wasn't advertised and probably didn't do much in the way of viewers). But across the board, everything was positive here. This is excellent news for the UFC and bodes very well for the rest of 2012. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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In a predictable bit of noise following Frankie Edgar's loss of his UFC lightweight championship to Ben Henderson at UFC 144, fans and even UFC president Dana White called for Edgar to drop down to featherweight. Edgar is, after all, a relatively small lightweight, not cutting much weight at all to make the 155 pound limit. Edgar told MMA Fighting that he doesn't plan on it, and he wants a shot to get his belt back: "I think the rematch makes sense on several levels," he said. "Not only can UFC be good guys, I think I earned it. Economically, they've been investing money in me. I've been at the helm of this weight class for two years now. I think it just makes sense for them and obviously for me. Let's do it." ... "I'm staying at 155," he said. "This is where I'm at right now. I still feel like I got a run left. I still want that title back." ... "That [rematch] is what I want," he said. "I think it's right. I think i earned it. I'm not trying to put down Ben or any other contender, but I think I earned my spot to deserve this rematch." Edgar now sports a career mark of 14-2-1 with his only unavenged loss being the Henderson bout. White suggested after the fight that he felt Edgar won, so it's rather difficult to believe that Edgar doesn't "deserve" a rematch. It's just a matter of how soon he will be given one. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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"I'm saying it, and I'm saying it loud: I want my rematch. I'm not going to have these antics or play these games. I'm telling you want I want. This is what I want. I think it's fair. I think the fans want to see it. It was fight of the night. Listen, even if these guys want to see me get beat up, I do get beat up in a lot of my fights, even in the fights I win, so it's win-win for everybody. I think the rematch makes sense on several levels. Not only can UFC be good guys, I think I earned it. Economically, they've been investing money in me. I've been at the helm of this weight class for two years now. I think it just makes sense for them and obviously for me. Let's do it." -- Former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar tells MMAFighting.com -- all loud and proud, even -- that he wants a rematch against Ben Henderson and he wants it now. "The Answer" lost his 155-pound title to "Bendo" at the UFC 144 event this past Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, in a closely contested five-round showdown that saw the judges unanimously award the belt to Henderson. And while the Fight Metric report showed the judges got it right, statistically speaking, Edgar at the very least, has a solid case for a rematch. It was close enough that fans were split on who the rightful winner was and it was one hell of a scrap, good enough to earn "Fight of the Night" honors on a card packed with entertainment. Most importantly, though, Edgar wants the UFC to act in good faith. After all, he obliged them with rematches against B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard after close fights. Why can't they do the same for him? Surely the powers that be have visions of Anthony Pettis and the "Showtime Off the Wall" kick dancing in their heads, especially after he plastered Joe Lauzon at the same event Henderson beat Edgar. A rematch of Pettis and Henderson's awesome throwdown at WEC 53 in Dec. 2010 is almost too good to pass up, plus it's easy to promote. But -- and here's the kicker -- it would definitely mean turning a blind eye to Edgar's pleas. This seems like a good problem to have but it is a problem, Maniacs. How do they solve it? As Edgar asked at the UFC 144 post-fight press conference ... what's right?

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Halt any talk about Frankie Edgar moving down to the featherweight division. Fresh off his unanimous decision loss to Ben Henderson at UFC 144, the former lightweight champion says that he's staying right where he is, and that he wants an immediate rematch.Known for his soft-spoken style outside of the cage, Edgar made probably the most impassioned demand of his career in a Wednesday interview on The MMA Hour. After noting that he had given rematches to both Gray Maynard and BJ Penn, he said that he expects the same treatment after a close loss."I'm saying it, and I'm saying it loud: I want my rematch," he said. "I'm not going to have these antics or play these games. I'm telling you want I want. This is what I want. I think it's fair. I think the fans want to see it. It was fight of the night. Listen, even if these guys want to see me get beat up, I do get beat up in a lot of my fights, even in the fights I win, so it’s win-win for everybody." Just days after the conclusion of the bout though, Edgar has yet to hear anything yet from UFC brass regarding a return bout with Henderson. In the immediate aftermath of the event, UFC president Dana White seemed to indicate two things. First, that Henderson would likely defend his belt against Anthony Pettis in a bout that would be a rematch of their 2010 fight of the year. And second, that he would like Edgar to move down to 145 and face champion Jose Aldo.Edgar took exception with both.Though he acknowledged that Pettis' headkick knockout win against Joe Lauzon was impressive, he believes other factors weigh in his favor when it comes to a second fight."I think the rematch makes sense on several levels," he said. "Not only can UFC be good guys, I think I earned it. Economically, they’ve been investing money in me. I've been at the helm of this weight class for two years now. I think it just makes sense for them and obviously for me. Let’s do it."But even if the UFC decides to move on from Edgar and offer a title match to Pettis or another lightweight, Edgar says he has no plans to shift downward and cut weight for the first time in his career. He noted that in his fight with the much-bigger Henderson, he had no size issues, and out-wrestled him, taking him down five times according to FightMetric statistics.Additionally, fighting Aldo doesn't seem like a much better or easier proposition than facing the lightweight division's best. In Edgar's words, Aldo is also bigger than him, cutting more weight to get to 145 than Edgar does to make 155, so he'd still be at a size disadvantage. Because of that, he'd rather stay where he's at, comfortable in the division that he ruled for nearly two years."I’m staying at 155," he said. "This is where I’m at right now. I still feel like I got a run left. I still want that title back."Edgar didn't dismiss the possibility of eventually moving to the lower weight class, but said he would do it "on my own terms."When it comes to the actual fight, Edgar feels like he won three of the five rounds, giving himself the first, third and fifth. In addition, he felt like he easily could have been awarded the second, saying he was winning the round for four minutes and 50 seconds before Henderson landed a damaging upkick that seemed to change the fight's momentum.Four days afterward, he says the swelling around his left eye has subsided quite a bit and that he otherwise feels great physically. The remaining pain comes from knowing he may not get the opportunity he wants. But he's not going to 145, and he's not going away. Your move, UFC."That [rematch] is what I want," he said. "I think it’s right. I think i earned it. I’m not trying to put down Ben or any other contender, but I think I earned my spot to deserve this rematch."

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Dan Henderson was tweeting during UFC 144 and a few days later a few of his tweets about Quinton Jackson during his fight with Ryan Bader have picked up a little steam. While Rampage was putting on one of the worst performances of his career, Henderson first poked a little fun at Rampage's stomach and then spoke to what many of us were thinking. Here's the tweets: @danhendoDan Henderson Might be just me but rampages stomach is hanging out past his dicky do. Not really ably to get aggressive. Feb 26 via TweetCaster for iOS Favorite Retweet Reply @danhendoDan Henderson Bader fought great. Nice job. Quinton looks like he just showed up to get paid. Feb 26 via TweetCaster for iOS Favorite Retweet Reply With Henderson sitting around waiting for a big name opponent, it's tempting to think about a rematch between Dan and Rampage. The problem, of course, is that Henderson is in line for a title shot and beating Rampage after a fight in which Jackson looked terrible isn't exactly going to increase his profile very much. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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Frankie Edgar walked into the Octagon this past Saturday with the UFC Lightweight title strapped around his waist. After a 25-minute battle with Benson Henderson he left the cage without that title as Henderson celebrated being crowned the new Lightweight Champion. Almost as soon as he fell to Henderson, Edgar was assailed by questions if he would drop to the Featherweight division to challenge Jose Aldo for his UFC title. Edgar deflected the questions, but today, on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, he let

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Shogun Rua has made some significant changes in his camp since narrowly losing to Dan Henderson in their epic fight of the millenium last year at UFC 139. He recently split with his longtime manager Eduardo Alonso, who seemed to be one of the nicest guys on planet Earth, and signed with management firm Seven Entretenimento because he feels more comfortable having a “whole company” taking care of his schedule, contracts, endorsements, etc. than one person. Now that Shogun has the business end of his career shored up again, it’s time to look forward to his next fight. He’s not sure who his next opponent will be, but in an interview with Tatame, Shogun said he does believe the rematch Rampage Jackson has wanted since he smashed him back in PRIDE is “inevitable.” What’s next? They’ve talked about Phil Davis and Rampage Jackson… I guess it could be one of these guys. I don’t discard Ryan Bader nor Rampage, Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin… I guess there are many guys I could fight. Actually, soon I’ll know more about it and I’ll keep you posted. I’m sure I’ll train focused on my opponent and he’s going to be a hard one. So, talking about the old days…. Would you like to rematch Rampage? Absolutely. The fight against Rampage will happen eventually. It’s inevitable and UFC knows it. He won’t retire before fighting me and neither am I (laughs). There’s plenty of guys like he mentioned that Shogun could fight next, but a rematch would sorta make sense right now since they’re both coming off losses (although Shogun looked a whole better losing to Dan Henderson than Rampage looked losing to Ryan Bader). One obstacle however could be Rampage’s knee injury, which we don’t know the extent of. It is one of those rematches that needs to happen eventually though. I would just prefer to see it when Rampage is healthy, especially since he blamed the first loss on injuries and terrible training partners. It’s also worth noting that Shogun was very nice and gave Rampage the benefit of the doubt when he was asked about Rampage’s performance against Ryan Bader. It’s hard to tell because we don’t know what happens to each and every fighter. I don’t know if he got injured, if he was not feeling ok… It’s hard to know, but Rampage is very professional and deserves to be respected. Dan Henderson, not so much. Good round for Bader. Rampage has never been the smartest fighter.February 26, 2012 12:21 am via TweetCaster for iOSReplyRetweetFavorite@danhendoDan Henderson Might be just me but rampages stomach is hanging out past his dicky do. Not really ably to get aggressive.February 26, 2012 12:28 am via TweetCaster for iOSReplyRetweetFavorite@danhendoDan Henderson Bader fought great. Nice job. Quinton looks like he just showed up to get paid.February 26, 2012 12:34 am via TweetCaster for iOSReplyRetweetFavorite@danhendoDan Henderson Don’t worry, Rampage zinged him back pretty good. @danhendo I was smart enough 2 take your beltFebruary 27, 2012 3:55 am via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite@Rampage4realQuinton Jackson Image for Sherdog

Posted in: rampage, henderson, dan henderson, shogun, ryan bader

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Leading up to his unsuccessful bid to remain UFC lightweight champ this past weekend at UFC 144, former title-holder Frankie Edgar fielded countless questions surrounding the possibility of him dropping down to 145 pounds. After losing to Benson Henderson the level of speculation was amped up even further with Edgar responding to more queries about his weight than his actual performance against Henderson. Though fans, media members, and even his employers may be pushing for Edgar to make the move to featherweight, at least one person with an intimate knowledge of the division thinks Edgar would be wise to reconsider. Andre Pederneiras, who is divisional champion Jose Aldo’s primary coach at Nova Uniao, recently went on Twitter to warn Edgar about the risk of swimming in the pool with a shark like his star pupil. “The biggest advantage that Edgar has he would lose at 66kg…his speed,” the widely respected trainer wrote before adding, “Aldo keeps the belt.” Edgar himself has also been opposed to the idea of joining the featherweight roster, stating he wants an immediate rematch with Henderson based on how close their original encounter was not to mention how competitive he’s been in general at 155 pounds. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, henderson, featherweight, edgar, aldo

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If Anthony Pettis were Benson Henderson, he wouldn't want to fight Anthony Pettis either. At least, not if he plans to hold on to the title. That's according to "Showtime," who UFC President Dana White named as the "probable" number-one contender for Henderson's newly aqccuired throne following UFC 144. Meanwhile, on the same night, Henderson went on record stating that, in his opinion, Pettis wasn't ready to challenge for the title, and should spend some time working on his takedown defense.

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, henderson, anthony, aqccuired throne

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Prior to moving to the UFC, and eventually notching the biggest win of his career against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144, Ben Henderson first made a name for himself during that impressive run in the WEC. Henderson entered that promotion in 2009 with a 7-1 record, and won five straight bouts, capturing the promotion's title in the process. What most people didn't know about him though, is that before he eventually entered the WEC, Henderson tried out for a slot at season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter. His audition tape has just been released and it shows highlights of his early MMA career, and a younger Benson Henderson predicting that he was going to win the UFC Lightweight Championship: "I fought my way through the smaller shows, now it's my time to dance underneath the big lights. I will win the UFC Season 9 Ultimate Fighter, and I will fight for the title. You are looking at the future lightweight champion of the UFC." Henderson eventually got turned down, but how different would things have been if he was accepted on Season 9 of TUF with guys like Ross Pearson and Andre Winner, instead of moving to the WEC with the likes of Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner? Check out video of his TUF 9 audition after the jump. Related:UFC 144: Why Ben Henderson And Frankie Edgar Won't Rematch Right AwayUFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson Win Proves The Value Of The WEC UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For RematchUFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson Defeats Frankie Edgar, Wins Lightweight Belt

Posted in: ufc, ben, henderson, frankie edgar, wec henderson

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UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson is only a few days removed from the biggest victory of his career, winning the title from Frankie Edgar over the weekend in a highly-entertaining headliner at UFC 144. However, a couple of years ago “Bendo” was little more than a young up-and-coming fighter out of Arizona who dreamt of stepping foot inside the Octagon. To help facilitate the process Henderson decided to throw his name in the hat during casting for the Ultimate Fighter Season 9. “I fought my way through the smaller shows. Now it’s my time to dance underneath the big lights. I will win the Season 9 Ultimate Fighter and I will fight for the title. You’re looking at the future lightweight champion of the UFC,” said Henderson in recently released audition tape. Though he was not selected, instead watching Ross Pearson eventually win the season’s lightweight trophy, Henderson’s submission was apparently impressive enough to convince Zuffa to sign him to WEC’s roster and the rest, as they say, is history. Check out Henderson’s audition below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Here's a newsflash for all the keyboard warriors who yelled "I called it!" when Ben Henderson won the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight title by defeating former champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 back on Feb. 25 in Japan. No, no you didn't. You know who did call it? Ben Henderson. In fact, he went on record in the above audition tape to tell the ZUFFA brass that he was going to win The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9, then go on to claim the promotion's 155-pound strap. They weren't convinced. He might have even won TUF 9 -- had the promotion felt he was a right fit for the former Spike TV reality show. Instead, he was passed over for the likes of Santino DeFranco, Jason Dent, Cameron Dollar and Richie Whitson. It should be noted that being rejected for TUF isn't always an indication of how the promotion perceives a fighter's talent. Edgar was also turned down in his quest to join the cast of season five. Still it's hard not to wonder how things would have unfolded with a "Smooth" run in the TUF house. Ben Henderson vs. Ross Pearson? Or Andre Winner? We'll never know. See how far "Bendo" has come by clicking here.

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There's all sorts of routes to UFC stardom. Benson Henderson is a great fighter, but his path to a fight with Frank Edgar could've been much different. He graduated from WEC to UFC to the best fighter in the world's … Continue reading →

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When the UFC brought an event to Japan for the first time in over a decade, it was supposed to make us wistful for PRIDE, the Japanese promotion that had a short but eventful 10-year life span before being snuffed out by a yakuza scandal. It may or may not have accomplished that, but what also came along with it, unexpectedly, was nostalgic feelings for the WEC.That promotion has only been defunct for a little over one year, but UFC 144's two biggest stars were distinguished alumni. On Sunday morning in Saitama, Ben Henderson captured the lightweight championship, and Anthony Pettis may have staked his claim as No. 1 contender with a crushing first-round knockout of Joe Lauzon.That two of the WEC's former 155-pound champs beat UFC stars didn't come as a huge surprise, but it might have served to once and for all, kill past beliefs that the promotion's lightweight division was a second-tier unit. Ironically, Henderson and Pettis pulled down the curtain on the WEC's history with a bout that many considered the best fight of 2010, one that may have led to an immediate rematch had the organization continued on. We didn't get it then, but 14 months later, what's old is new again, and Henderson vs. Pettis II may well be the direction of the new UFC's champs career arc.Ben HendersonHenderson stands at the top of the lightweight division after a unanimous decision win over Edgar. The tide seemed to turn in the second round with the upkick that probably broke Edgar's nose and led to swelling around his left eye. Henderson won the final four rounds on two of the judges' scorecards, and three on the other. Afterward, UFC president Dana White suggested he'd draw Pettis next, though it didn't seem to be a sure thing. After he looks over the division, he'll see that other top contenders like Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are locked into a May fight, and waiting for them would leave Henderson on the sidelines too long. That leaves Pettis as the best option.Prediction: Bendo vs. Showtime IIFrankie EdgarAnother courageous effort from Edgar, but this one fell short. If you read my column on Sunday, you'd know that Dana White's talk of a fight with featherweight champ Jose Aldo were a not-so-subtle offer. I don't think Edgar will get an immediate rematch, so instead of trying to rebuild himself as a lightweight contender, he'll realize that it's best to take the golden opportunity when it's presented.Predicton: He faces Jose AldoQuinton "Rampage" JacksonRampage campaigned to fight in Japan but his performance didn't meet expectations, as he couldn't keep Ryan Bader from out-pointing him on the feet and smothering him on the ground. He said afterward that he'd suffered a knee injury in training, but offering that up as an excuse won't placate many of his critics, who fear he's not as interested in fighting as he once was. Jackson, though, said he would fight on, hoping to snap the first two-fight losing streak of his career. If he won, I think he would have been lined up to fight Dan Henderson. Though it's still a rematch that may interest Hendo, I'm not sure it still happens.Prediction: He faces Mauricio "Shogun" RuaRyan BaderBy beating Jackson, Bader should probably get the Henderson fight, but I'm not sure if they'll offer it to him. Jackson did say he was injured, and he should probably take a bit of time to heal. If Bader came out unscathed, he's much more likely to be ready to fight first. So he's the one who should get the offer to fight Henderson. Whether or not Henderson will accept the fight or wait for the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans winner is another story.Prediction: Bader faces Lyoto MachidaMark HuntDon't look now, but Hunt is knocking on the door of the UFC's top 10 heavyweights after three straight wins, a surprising development given the fact that a couple years ago, the UFC wanted to pay him to walk away from his deal. The talent pool will lead to more challenging matchups now for Hunt, who in his career has excelled against strikers but struggled with grapplers. For his next fight, he gets the latter.Prediction: He faces Mike RussowJake ShieldsShields' win over Yoshihiro Akiyama wasn't a masterpiece but after rough 2011 in which he had a two-fight losing streak and lost his father getting back to the winners' circle had to feel great for him. When Nick Diaz lost to Carlos Condit at UFC 143, I predicted he'd fight Jon Fitch, but with Diaz preparing to appeal his suspension, he won't be fighting anytime soon, so his Team Cesar Gracie would be a nice replacement in a fight that may turn into a grappler's delight.Prediction: He faces Jon FitchTim BoetschAs unlikely as Hunt's rise through the ranks is that of Tim Boetsch, who was dominated in the first two rounds of his fight with Yushin Okami before mounting a ferocious comeback. That makes Boetsch 3-0 as a middleweight and sets him up for another quality opponent. Someone like Mark Munoz would make sense but with Munoz still recovering from elbow surgery, we'll have to look elsewhere. Prediction: He faces Michael BispingHatsu HiokiPrior to the event, I wrote a column about Hioki's title hopes, and how a win over Bart Palaszewski could help him reach Jose Aldo. Well, Hioki won impressively, but afterward said he would like to fight once more before facing Aldo. Anyway, UFC president Dana White didn't seem sold on Hioki as a No. 1 contender, declining to even pronounce him to be "in the mix," a usual catch-all for anyone within yelling distance of a title shot.Prediction: He faces the winner of April's Diego Nunes vs. Dennis Siver boutAnthony PettisIt looks like Pettis and Henderson are meant to be linked together, two of the most energetic and likable young 155-pounders moving up to the UFC and proving they were always among the best.Prediction: As stated above, he faces Henderson

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Ever since it's inception in 2005, The Ultimate Fighter has proven to be the UFC's cornerstone for farming young talent, providing an ample slew of champions and contenders over the show's fourteen seasons. So with every release of a new season's cast, like we saw yesterday, there exists the faintest glimmer that we may be witnessing the rise of the next great champion. It's what draws us back year after year. But you already know all that. And plus, the show is still as hit-or-miss as they come. Since 2009, just 21 of the 75 contestants presently hold a UFC contract, good for a lowly 28-percent success rate (not counting TUF 14). So you're telling me, in a season that produced just three of those 21 names, former WEC champ and new UFC lightweight champ Ben Henderson couldn't make the cut? That seems baffling. But what do I know. You be the judge. Check out Bendo's rejected TUF 9 audition tape, and catch up with all of yesterday's big news with the Morning Report. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Carlos Condit willing to wait for 'Michael Jordan of MMA.' In speaking with our own Ariel Helwani, Condit revealed why he would be ready to wait for Georges St. Pierre if need be. Ultimate Fighter cast announced. The UFC and FX revealed the 32-fighter cast that will participate in the The Ultimate Fighter 15. Jeremy Stephens vs. Donald Cerrone booked for May 15. With an injury to Yves Edwards, Cerrone received a new opponent for his UFC on FUEL 3 lightweight duel. Bellator's Blagoi Ivanov reportedly stabbed in heart. The undefeated Bulgarian heavyweight is clinging to life after a Sunday morning barroom brawl, according to reports. Bas Rutten talks PRIDE, UFC 144, and K-1. Matt Roth caught up with El Guapo at Legacy Fighting Championship 10 as he prepared to celebrate his 47th birthday over the weekend. MEDIA STEW It's pretty ridiculous that just three years ago Ben Henderson was getting rejected by The Ultimate Fighter 9, and now he's the No. 1 lightweight in the world. Fedor indulged himself in a little sambo while he waits on the shelf. (HT: Middle Easy) This right here might be the greatest hype video we've seen all year. (HT: Bloody Elbow) Wanderlei Silva walks the streets of Brazil and gets his motivational speaking on as he prepares for The Ultimate Fighter Brasil. Remember that time when Frank Mir absolutely shattered Big Nog's arm? You know, there was that grizzly x-ray of the damage. Wait, that was just a few months ago? Well call him Wolverine, because apparently he's back in the gym already. (HT: MMA Mania) I'm not really sure what this is about, but I'm sure it has something to do with Anderson Silva. I will be sending you a knife, fork, dinner-plate, and napkin.Please eat those words, and let me know how they taste, Stupid. — chael sonnen (@sonnench) February 27, 2012 That cake looks terrified. Today was a very special day! After a great workout, I got a birthday cake from my Brazilian Top Team Family! twitter.com/ToquinhoMMA/st… — Rousimar Palhares (@ToquinhoMMA) February 28, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Monday, Feb. 27, 2012): - UFC on FUEL 3: Yves Edwards (41-18-1) out, Jeremy Stephens (20-7) in against Donald Cerrone (17-4, 1 NC) - Bellator 60: Shamar Bailey (13-5) vs. Josh Shockley (8-1) - Bellator 60: Mike Corey (11-2-1) vs. Bobby Reardanz (8-10) - Bellator 60: Lance Surma (1-0) vs. Eric Oria (0-0) - Bellator 60: Cory Galloway (4-0) vs. Jake Nauracy (8-0) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day goes to BE reader hobbie: The Right "Answer": The Case for an Immediate Frankie Edgar Rematch. I never fail to marvel at the odd, utterly unpredictable process by which MMA fans choose what "controversial" decisions to care about. Nick Diaz doesn't get the nod over Carlos Condit? Robbery, I say! Mike Bisping squeaks past Matt Hamill? Home cooking at it's worst! BJ Penn doesn't get the decision over GSP? I hate wrestling! GSP's a cheater! RAHHHHHH! And yet other times, the chorus of fans is remarkably silent. Ellenberger vs. Sanchez was a razor close decision featuring a possible 10-8 round - yet not a peep was made about that decision. Anthony Pettis, he of showtime kick legend, had an extremely close fight with Jeremy Stephens that no one got too worked up about. I recall lots of talk about "everybody being a winner" when the ref's raised Dan Henderson's hand instead of "Shogun" Rua's - but switch Dan's hand for Lyoto Machida's that gets raised instead of Rua's, it was an affront to the fight gods. It's fascinating stuff. You could write a master's thesis on the psyche of the MMA fan when it comes to close decisions. Case in point: last weekend's Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson title fight. Found something entertaining, brutal, or bizarre you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just send it to @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

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Following his first loss in nearly four years and his first loss since winning the UFC lightweight title, much discussion has been made concerning Frankie Edgar’s future following UFC 144. But according to Edgar, it is much ado about nothing, as he maintains that he wants to remain at lightweight and that he feels he deserves a rematch with Benson Henderson. After defeating Gray Maynard at UFC 136 last October, UFC President Dana White touted Edgar as a top 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. But after the loss to Henderson at UFC 144, White was singing a very different tune. White stated that he feels Edgar would be best served by dropping to the featherweight division. However, Edgar’s manager Ali Abdel-Aziz spoke with mmaweekly.com, and said Edgar does not planning on dropping to 145 pounds..yet. “Frankie in the future will go down to 145, but he’s not going to go down now, he’s not. He’s not getting manhandled, he’s not getting destroyed, he won the fight,” Abdel-Aziz said to mmaweekly.com Abdel-Aziz went on to speak on the match, stating he felt that Edgar won the match and that he deserves a rematch with Henderson. He points to something else that Dana White said, with White admitting that he personally felt that Edgar won the match. Because of that, Abdel-Aziz mentioned that he will speak with White and Joe Silva, and that he will ask that Edgar gets an immediate rematch with Henderson. Following the event’s conclusion, UFC commentator Joe Rogan was quoted as saying that it is likely that Anthony Pettis will earn the next title shot. In the event’s post-fight press conference, Dana White did not comment on the immediate future, which leaves open the possibility of a second match between Edgar and Henderson. For complete coverage of the continuing developments between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, henderson, edgar, frankie edgar, abdelaziz

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson may be willing to take on whoever the UFC puts in front of him, but that doesn’t mean he thinks the apparent frontrunner Anthony Pettis should be first in line. In his post-fight interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, Henderson said that Pettis should get a few more wins before challenging him for the title. Transcription via MMA Mania: “The way he does things, man, he’s spectacular. He does a lot of big moves. But I think there’s a line. I don’t think he’s first in line. I’m going to handle my business, defend the belt a couple times. He’s going to handle his business, I’m sure he’ll get two or three more wins, maybe highlight reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers who he can show that he’s been working on his takedown defense or whatever. But he’s going to do his thing, I’m going to do my thing. I’m sure we will match up one day and I’m sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don’t know if it will be next but I’m sure it will happen.” Looking at records alone, I guess you could argue that Pettis needs another win or two before he “deserves” a shot at the title, but let’s be honest, that’s usually not how it works. Following his loss to Clay Guida, Pettis scored a win over Jeremy Stephens and follow it up with a sensational knockout over Joe Lauzon on the same card Henderson won the title. If he had just eeked out a decision over Lauzon, things may be different, but given his history with Henderson which produced the craziest kick the sport has ever seen, I think the UFC has all the justification it needs to give Pettis the shot now. The fight makes sense and timing is perfect. Let’s see it. On another note, check out Henderson’s TUF 9 audition tape that MiddleEasy somehow dug up. My favorite part is how Bendo proclaims at the end that he’s going to win the TUF 9 crown and move on to become the UFC lightweight champ. He never made it on the show, but be damn sure got the more important of the two right. Pretty cool.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, henderson, line

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Frankie Edgar is incapable of competing in the UFC without fights ending in controversial decisions. Well, that was until he triumphantly knocked out Gray Maynard at UFC 136. But now we’re back to controversial decisions and fans calling for a rematch. Personally, I saw Benson Henderson as the decisive winner with more effective strikes landed and clear ring generalship throughout the fight. If styles make fights, then Benson Henderson is every UFC lightweight’s worst nightmare. Not only does he never get tired, he’s one of the biggest/strongest 155 lbers in the division who knows how to use every last inch of his reach to make you reconsider why you ever became an MMA fighter. Long before Benson Henderson became the best lightweight in the world, he auditioned for The Ultimate Fighter season 9 and since you’ve probably never seen it before, here’s what his highlight reel looked like before snatching UFC gold.

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After an eleven year hiatus, the UFC finally returned to Japan, and the event could not have gone any better. Since I was unable to personally make the trip to Saitama, I cannot speak on what the population that was not a member of the 22,000+ that was in attendance thought of it. However, those that were in the arena could not have made the event a better atmosphere. It was a fantastic hybrid of both American and Japanese atmospheres. Regarding the fights, a seven fight main card will never be turned away. But even the preliminary card had terrific fights on display, involving a few local superstars like Takanori Gomi and Kid Yamamoto. Then the main card hit pay-per-view, and from the beginning, every fighter made sure you were making a mistake if you were not watching this historical event. From Anthony Pettis’ spectacular head kick knockout to Tim Boetsch’s tremendous comeback against Yushin Okami to Mark Hunt’s pinpoint striking against Cheick Kongo, Dana White could not have been happier how the return to Japan turned out. Then we arrived to the main event, a highly anticipated matchup between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and former WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson. Edgar must have been in shock that he was not repeatedly knocked down in the first round; a change from his last two fights against Maynard. Unfortunately for him, that did not last long, as he was knocked down in the second round from an upkick by Henderson. That became the theme of the fight, as Edgar was able to survive Henderson’s strong array of attacks. While he was continuing to implement his style against Henderson, it seemed the damage done to Edgar was the catalyst for the loss. Personally, I scored the fight in favor of Henderson. But awarding Edgar the belt certainly would not have been a travesty. Regarding the future, Joe Rogan and Dana White both stated that it is likely that the pay-per-view’s opening winner, Anthony Pettis, will be taking on the closer in Henderson in the next matchup for the title. But this seems to be the wrong decision with the former champion in Edgar. Edgar defeated B.J. Penn at UFC 112 in April 2010 via a closely contested decision. He then had to face Penn again just four months later at UFC 118. He then faced Gray Maynard in January of last year at UFC 125, which ended in a draw. Because of the decision, he had to face Maynard again later that year at UFC 136, where he defeated Maynard via TKO. Now, Edgar loses a close decision, and he is being glossed over in favor of a different rematch in Henderson vs. Pettis II. Much like the judging in MMA, where is the consistency? For Edgar to have to rematch an opponent twice in consecutive years, and now seemingly unable to be given the same treatment, it makes little sense. Anthony Pettis, while immensely talented, does he deserve a title shot? After losing to Clay Guida in June, he went on to defeat Jeremy Stephens in October and then defeated Joe Lauzon on Saturday. With no disrespect meant towards Stephens and Lauzon, that does not seem to merit an immediate title shot. Yes, he did enter the UFC as the final WEC champion, but he then lost to Guida in his debut. Looking over the last few years and title contenders that were given title shots with brief winning streaks, it has not gone over well. (I am excluding fighters that received title shots after being signed to the UFC then being given title shots after just one fight) Demian Maia-UFC 112: After being knocked out by Nate Marquardt and defeating Dan Miller, Maia filled in for an injured Vitor Belfort against champion Anderson Silva Conclusion: Loss via decision “Rampage” Jackson-UFC 135: After narrowly defeating Lyoto Machida, Jackson then defeated Matt Hammil to earn a shot against Jon Jones. Conclusion: Loss via 4th round submission Kenny Florian-UFC 136: Florian moved to featherweight for one last title run. He defeated Diego Nunes in his divisional debut and went on to face Jose Aldo for the title. Conclusion: Loss via decision Lyoto Machida-UFC 140: After defeating Randy Couture following two straight losses, Machida went on to face champion Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. Conclusion: Loss via 2nd round submission Now there could be three cases this year, with Pettis taking on Henderson, Hatsu Hioki taking on featherweight champion Jose Aldo, and Urijah Faber taking on Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight championship. (For the record, Faber has been given three previous title shots after two or fewer consecutive wins, and is 0-3 in those fights). Yes, no two fighters and their scenarios are alike. But the phrase “striking while the iron is hot” should not always be the remedy to the problem. Edgar should be given the same treatment he had to deal with over the past two years, with the opportunity to rematch Henderson for the title. Biggest winner: Japan Quite a few fighters earned huge victories, including the aforementioned Pettis and of course Henderson. Also included are Tim Boetsch, Mark Hunt, Hatsu Hioki, and Ryan Bader, who all scored significant wins as well. But with the return to Japan, nothing could be more significant than an opportunity for mixed martial arts to flourish in the country once again. Many fans stateside became fans thanks to Pride, and with 50,000+ frequently in attendance in Japan, it is obvious that Japanese fans did as well. Because of the inconsistency of Dream and the downfall of K-1, Japan just has not had an opportunity to enjoy MMA and kickboxing. If the UFC is able to frequently return, nothing could be better for MMA as a whole. Bonus: It is obvious after Saturday, that another big winner was Mizutuma. The translator for the event clearly jumped to the top of the translator power rankings. She probably knows the English language better than you and I do. Biggest loser: Yushin Okami While “Rampage” Jackson can be argued, he was likely not going to earn another title shot with his career being closer to the end than being in his prime. But Okami was coming off of his title loss to Anderson Silva last August, and was fighting in his home country against an opponent he was expected to beat. He was doing that for two rounds and things were going according to the script. But then Tim Boetsch ripped the script apart and Okami’s face at the same time. His vicious uppercuts on Okami would have knocked any other fighter out..well, except Mark Hunt. This now leaves Okami with two losses in a row, and a loooooong way away from ever earning another title shot. Biggest question: Why is Dana White Openly Suggesting Frankie Edgar drop to featherweight? Dana White is a big fan of Edgar. That was evident after UFC 136, where White stated that Edgar is top 3 pound-for-pound. Now, just minutes after losing the lightweight title, White is quick to suggest that Edgar drop to 145 pounds. It is an insult to Edgar to treat him that way, especially after just losing a title he held for nearly two years. Yes, Edgar is a small lightweight. But he is not being overpowered by the bigger lightweights, holding his own against two of the bigger lightweights in Gray Maynard and Benson Henderson. He arguably won the fight. In fact, White stated that he felt Edgar won the fight. So why should he now drop a weight class? If he feels most comfortable there and is competitive (the answer is yes to both questions), then Edgar should stay at lightweight. Perhaps White is in need of a true challenger to Jose Aldo at 145 pounds, that he is desperate enough to market that weight class in any way possible. Since there were seven fights on the main card of the event, Future Matchups to Make will be a separate article to be posted tomorrow. Make sure to check that out, concluding the wrap-up of UFC 144.

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Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This time we take a look at UFC 144 from Tokyo, Japan with Zuffa’s first show in the country. The fans saw a great main event with Frankie Edgar defending his title versus former WEC titleholder Benson Henderson. Henderson takes title from Edgar It was worth the price of the PPV. A back and forth fight that saw the fight turn on a vicious upkick which rocked Edgar. Henderson was the aggressor despite Edgar landing more strikes. Edgar showed the heart of a champion but the size disparity was clear. For Henderson, the win was redemption from the “Showtime Kick” almost 14 months earlier. How ironic that Anthony Pettis headkick of Joe Lauzon propelled him into a title shot against Henderson…the man he took the WEC belt from with that highlight reel kick. For Edgar, it seemed too soon to ask about dropping a weight class. If anyone deserves a rematch, its Edgar, the guy that upset the legendary BJ Penn…and then dominated him to prove it wasn’t a fluke in the rematch. We’ll see what’s ahead but the initial outlook sounds like a move down to face Jose Aldo. Bader gets win against overweight Rampage A couple fights removed from reviving Tito Ortiz’s career, Bader took control of his own by defeating an unimpressive Rampage Jackson. This was not the best Jackson as he missed weight and claimed a knee injury as the reason. Still, a win is a win and gets Bader back on track. For a guy that begged to be on this card, Jackson didn’t look like it. He was probably the most popular of the non-Japanese fighters on the card, yet it was clear he wasn’t at his best. Does this mean the end for him or does he get motivated once again for another run in the division. Okami upset Tim Boetsch came back from a 2-0 round deficit by knocking out crowd favorite Yushin Okami in Round 3. Okami was dominant in the first two rounds and looked like the guy that was supposed to fight Anderson Silva in Brazil. Unfortunately, he didn’t finish the fight and was upset. It stunned the crowd and Joe Rogan went nuts. Attendance and Gate A very good crowd for a Sunday morning in Tokyo. Although no numbers were made official, the UFC indicated that ticket sales were going well. There was a late surge in ticket sales and WOWOW confirmed at least 15K seats were sold (H/t: Tony Loiseleur of Sherdog). The Saitama Super Arena could house 22,000 for an event. Bonuses According to MMA Junkie, bonuses were $65,000 each and went as follows: - Anthony Pettis – KO of the Night - Vaughn Lee – Submission of the Night - Edgar/Henderson – Fight of the Night Sponsorships The Octagon included some Japanese signage (WOWOW, Shindai and Unity) along with the core of Tapout, Xyience, Toyo, Corn Nuts and Bud Light. UFC Undisputed 3 and Jason Staham’s upcoming movie “Safe” also were in the Octagon. Zach Arnold of Fight Opinion noted the lack of Japanese sponsors. Its interesting considering that in Brazil, there was more of a presence of Brazilian sponsors as they sponsored fighters. Full Metal Jousting took a more active role as it sponsored the tale of the tape. As an aside, I’ve actually started watching the show after hearing about it. This article thinks it could be the next UFC. No MetroPCS this time in the Octagon although it was still a named sponsor. Anthony Pettis had Corn Nuts, Toyo Tires and Xyience as his prime in ring sponsors. Certainly, sponsors think highly of Showtime. I think if more agents wanting to get more visibility for his fighter and their sponsors should tweet their sponsors: #ufc shorts of @JoeLauzon – @MicroTechBUZZ @Venumfight @TrainingMask @PunchDrunkGamer@kaiwaaoficial @alienware lockerz.com/s/185952470 — KOreps.com (@ko_reps) February 21, 2012 Although not shown, the tweet includes a picture of Lauzon’s fight shorts. Its a good use of twitter and cuts out having to squint to see the logos. Frankie Edgar had something similar. Thanks to all of my sponsors for @ufc 144: @TeamGaspari, @Affliction, @TRXtraining, @Venumfight, @MicroTechBUZZ, @MetroPCS. — Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) February 19, 2012 Pre-Fight Hype The Philadelphia Inquirer had a piece on Frankie Edgar prior to Saturday night’s title defense. The UFC Countdown show was very good and gave a great profile on Benson Henderson’s background including his relationship with his mother. Henderson can definitely be a face for the UFC and his story could be much broader than just North American audiences.  Although it dedicated less time to this, the Jake Shields portion was very good as it talked about the death of his father. As we covered here, the UFC did “person on the street” interviews about the state of Japanese MMA. It also brought back some of the memories of Pride for the hardcore enthusiasts. GSP paid a visit to a Japanese martial arts school. Also in the video, Dana White visits the mayor. Roy Nelson also took a tour of Japan which included eating some exotic foods. As we indicated previously, Rampage Jackson was promoted heavily for his return to where he made a name for himself. NY Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck made a call to Frankie Edgar to wish him luck prior to his fight with Benson Henderson. As I stated in the earlier post, I thought Edgar was a Jets fan. Post-UFC 144 Headlines - The obvious headline is who’s next for the Smooth one? It looks like its Showtime although I wouldn’t be mad with a rematch with Edgar. I think Pettis gets the shot because its an easy sell for the eventual PPV. How many times will we see the Showtime Kick as a lead-in to the fight? - What’s next for Edgar? It seemed like immediately after Edgar lost, he was being ushered into the Featherweight division. It was a close fight and he deserves a rematch for the belt. Yet, it almost was a foregone conclusion that he’ll drop down and get a shot at Jose Aldo. I’m not opposed to this, in fact I think they should actually make this fight at 155. But, I disagree with the circumstances in which Edgar is seemingly made to move on. - What should Rampage do? When you look at the past couple years, God’s Street Soldier (a reference to his tat) is steadily declining. His return to Japan was promoted but his performance was hindered by a knee injury. Is it a matter of injuries or a matter of discipline? The UFC may have to consider what to do with Jackson next - The UFC’s visit to Japan brought back memories of Japan’s MMA scene  and the problems surrounding it. Zach Arnold of Fight Opinion has much on this subject. It was also featured on both Spike TV MMA Uncensored and HD Net’s Inside MMA. Overall, most believe the UFC’s visit was a success. We’ll have to see whether or not it will make Japan an annual visit. And, what does this visit do, if anything, for the local state of MMA. Odds and Ends Disappointing night for Japanese fighters with Kid Yamamoto, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Yushin Okami. Okami especially disappoining considering he looked excellent through two rounds and then fell victim to the punches of Tim Boetsch. Hatsu Hioki was one of the bright spots for Japanese MMA and is being considered as a potential challenger to Jose Aldo. The interpreter did a great job at the weigh-ins and at the event. Either she had a great memory at the weigh-ins or she was making it up. At the event, she had a pad of paper to write things down as well as a spiffy pen topper. Bart Parlaszewski shaved his sponsors and agency into his crooked mohawk. Do you get an extra bonus for this? Very nice moment post-fight with Henderson finding his mom in the front row and her mom wanting an immediate picture of her son with the belt. I may travel down to Tacoma and see if the UFC champ is minding the store at Peter’s Grocery this week. While I was skeptical, the four hour PPV went well with only one match tacked on at the end (the Facebook match) as filler. Conclusion We may see a positive buy rate for UFC 144 considering the return to Japan, Rampage Jackson and the Edgar/Henderson title fight. Yet, with Edgar headlining in his past two fights, he’s averaged just 237,500 buys. Perhaps he wasn’t the problem as he faced Gray Maynard in both. But, UFC 136 was a rematch of a great fight and Chael Sonnen returned on the same card. And, it just received 225,000 buys. The fact is, the lower weight divisions have yet to draw big numbers. Even with Rampage’s return to Japan, this card seemed like one for the dedicated fans and my guestimation would be around 275-300K buys.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, sponsor, edgar

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Well UFC 144 is in the books and what an event it was! The UFC returned to Japan for the first time under Zuffa's ownership and Dana White's management and put on a hell of a show for a sold-out Saitama Super Arena full of 20,000 Japanese fans. The Japanese audience was all class as usual -- quiet as a mouse most of the time, then erupting in roars to show their appreciation for skill, heart and technique. Newly crowned lightweight champ Ben Henderson took a unanimous decision, but not without some controversy as Dana and Silva thought Frankie should've won. The judges disagreed and Henderson takes the belt home from Japan. He's likely to have to face his old WEC rival Anthony Pettis in his first defense after Pettis made short work of Joe Lauzon. Heavyweight Mark Hunt continued his improbable rise with a KO of Cheick Kongo. Hatsu Hioki notched a big win that has him in the featherweight title hunt and Takanori Gomi came back to get a KO. Kid Yamamoto and Yushin Okami both were finished in their fights and Yoshihiro Akiyama dropped a decision to Jake Shields. Without futher ado, here's Bloody Elbow's coverage of the event: The Event Live Results And Play-By-Play For PPV Card - Brent Brookhouse Live Results And Play-By-Play For Undercard - Brent Brookhouse Ben Henderson Defeats Frankie Edgar, Wins Lightweight Belt - Matthew Roth Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth Analysis Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse Mark Hunt's Improbable Rise To Contention In The UFC - Kid Nate Gomi Wins, Akiyama, Yamamoto And Okami Come Up Just Short - Kid Nate Ben Henderson Win Proves The Value Of The WEC - Fraser Coffeen Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant Multi-Media Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords Aftermath Frankie Edgar Doesn't 'Need' To Drop To Featherweight - Brent Brookhouse Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow Fights To Make Following Edgar Vs. Henderson - Matthew Roth Hatsu Hioki Is Japan's Last Best Hope For A UFC Title - Kid Nate SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

Posted in: ufc, decision, henderson, matthew, roth

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After the dust settled on UFC 144 in Japan, Ben Henderson had taken the Lightweight title from Frankie Edgar in a five-round war. Henderson showed a well-rounded game and has reached the top of the division, but his work is far from over. This year promises to be a time of great action for the ultra-stacked UFC Lightweight division. Several fighters could make their own case for a title fight against Henderson. Let's take a look at the most deserving:   Frankie Edgar: Some, including UFC President

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, ultrastacked ufc,   frankie edgar

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to pay-per-view this past Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) with UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson," featuring the star making turn of Ben Henderson, who outlasted the tough as nails Frankie Edgar to win the lightweight championship after five rounds of action. No controversy here, folks. Quinton Jackson failed to give his Japanese fans much of a show (save for a sweet slam), as a bum knee and even worse attitude hampered his performance against Ryan Bader, leading to a unanimous decision loss. And what's there to say about Anthony Pettis and his knockout of Joe Lauzon? Or Mark Hunt and his destruction of Cheick Kongo? In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in Japan. In we go. UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" Results and live fight coverage Recap and morning after discussion Post-fight press conference video Bonuses and awards Event photos gallery Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson fight metric report "Prelims" results and recap Fight recap: Anthony Pettis head kick knocks out Joe Lauzon Fight recap: Hatsu Hioki dominates Bart Palaszewski Fight recap: Tim Boetsch scores awesome comeback knockout win over Yushin Okami Fight recap: Jake Shields takes decision win over Yoshihiro Akiyama Fight recap: Mark Hunt knocks out Cheick Kongo Fight recap: Ryan Bader upsets Rampage Jackson Fight recap: Ben Henderson wins lightweight championship in close decision over Frankie Edgar Fight review and analysis: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Fight review and analysis: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Fight review and analysis: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Fight review and analysis: Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Fight review and analysis: Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt Fight review and analysis: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Fight review and analysis: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson UFC 144 post-fight fallout Big winners and lowly losers Event report card What's next for Ben Henderson and Ryan Bader? WEC steals the show that hoped to invoke memories of PRIDE Zuffa makes successful return to Japan but its native stars fell at UFC 144 Frankie Edgar's title reign set the bar high in the post-B.J. Penn era Dana White thinks Frankie Edgar beat Ben Henderson Ben Henderson wins the lightweight title and celebrates with his mom Ben Henderson doesn't think Anthony Pettis is next in line for a title shot Anthony Pettis deserves a title shot rematch against Ben Henderson Anthony Pettis makes his case for a title shot Is this the end of the line for Rampage Jackson? Rampage Jackson wasn't surprised he lost to Ryan Bader, claims he has plenty of gas left in the tank An uncertain future lies ahead for Rampage Jackson Don't ask Ryan Bader about the Rampage Jackson slam, he was completely out of it thanks to it Mark Hunt thinks he can knock out Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos Tim Boetsch wants to fight Dan Henderson next Tim Boetsch is now a middleweight contender after knocking out Yushin Okami Takeya Mizugaki was paid his win bonus because Dana White felt he was robbed That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 144? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: fight, vs, ben, henderson, recap

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What a weekend. Rampage Jackson hurled PRIDE fans one final shot of nostalgia with a vintage powerbomb. Mark Hunt penned another chapter of his storybook run in his old stomping grounds. Joe Rogan spontaneously combusted as Tim Boetsch blasted his way to eleventh-hour glory. Anthony Pettis lived up to his nickname, rocketing into title contention in utterly spectacular fashion. And of course, Ben Henderson gutted his way to the sport's highest level, capping the night in tearful celebration with his mother as gold draped around his waist. Even now, it's hard to put into words what took place on Saturday night. Between the nostalgic return to Japan and the greatest collective spectacle of any card in recent memory, UFC 144 produced an unexplainably unique experience that will not soon be forgotten. Relive the action and catch up with the aftermath on today's Morning Report. 5 MUST-READ STORIES TO START YOUR DAY UFC 144 post-fight interviews. Ariel Helwani caught up with all the stars of UFC 144, including UFC president Dana White, new lightweight champion Ben Henderson, Rampage Jackson, Anthony Pettis, and Mark Hunt. Frankie Edgar doesn't 'need' to drop to featherweight. With wins over Jim Miller, B.J. Penn (x2) and Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar has one of the sharpest résumés in the entire 155-pound division. So why does one loss relegate him to the featherweight division? Time for Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis II. Michael David Smith examined Saturday night's biggest storylines, highlighting the winners, the losers, notable quotes, and the UFC's next blockbuster rematch on the Morning After. Hatsu Hioki is Japan's last best hope for a UFC title. After cementing his status as the No. 2 featherweight in the world, Hioki may soon find himself carrying the hopes of a nation as Japan's only viable contender. Rampage Jackson says he won't retire. Rampage surprised those expecting a post-UFC 144 retirement, and instead blamed his loss on an unspecified injury that nearly prevented him from competing. MEDIA STEW Courtesy of Fox Sports, relive UFC 144's electrifying night of fights with this comprehensive highlight package. Video: Highlights: UFC 144 While in Japan, Georges St. Pierre had an opportunity to visit a kyokushin karate gym and be on the receiving end of a kindergarten beat down. With Vegas traffic stuck at a standstill, Phil Baroni decided to take matters into his own hands. NSFW: Language. (via Middle Easy) Check out Pavel Kusch's absurd 30-second finish of Alexander Starikov at last week's Cage Warriors 46 event. A sharply-dressed Ben Henderson beams alongside his mom after his title-winning performance. (via @UFC) The pain of victory. Takanori Gomi photographs his battered knuckles after a comeback win over Eiji Mitsuoka. (HT: The Underground) Meet Fluffy, the rainbow translating pen that took the world by storm on Saturday night (via @the_mizutama). MOST VALUABLE PEN All this time and I have been using crap for pens @ufc I want the translators pen to take notes — Phil Davis (@PhilMrWonderful) February 26, 2012 Rainbow Afro Fluffy Pen 4 Life!!! — John Cholish (@JohnCholish) February 26, 2012 THE BARBARIAN ALMOST GIVES JOE ROGAN A HEART ATTACK OH MY LORD!!!!!! DID U SEE THAT????? — Jake Ellenberger (@EllenbergerMMA) February 26, 2012 Boetsch is getting laid tonight!! #UFC144 #luckylady — Joseph Benavidez (@JoeJitsu) February 26, 2012 @timboetsch...greatest comeback in UFC history. Congrats buddy!!! — Rich Franklin (@RichFranklin) February 26, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced over the weekend (Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 - Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012): - Bellator 60: Anthony Gomez (5-1) vs. Travis Wiuff (65-14) - Bellator 60: Sean McCorkle (15-2) vs. Richard White (15-12) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day goes to BE reader sun yue: The Art in Mixed Martial Arts: Kid Yamamoto's Most Beautiful Performance. As glorious as Gomi's and Boetsch's come from behind wins and Henderson's five round championship victories were, Yamamoto's defeat was as tragic as those moments were wonderful. The scene captured a range of feelings and the real and stirring art in mixed martial arts: Lee at his highest high with Yamamoto at his lowest low behind him. The fallen great releasing his frustration on the mat. The passion and desire to get the elusive win he needed to save his career and the poignant reality of coming so close only to have it ripped away. The raw emotion. While the young, dynamic Kid would have dominated a fighter like Vaughan Lee, in defeat, Kid Yamamoto moved me with his candid heartbreak in a way that a flashy knockout never could and truly delivered his most beautiful performance. Found something entertaining, brutal, or bizarre you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just send it to @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, night, henderson, february, pen

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"The Ultimate Fighter" season 9 aired on Spike TV in the spring of 2009. Appearing on the show were fighters such as Che Mills, DeMarques Johnson, James Wilks, Waylon Lowe, Andre Winner and Ross Pearson. Today it seems that the UFC may have missed the boat on one fighter that submitted a video to be included on the show.  That fighter, the new UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson. The show began filming in early 2009, about the same time that Henderson made his WEC debut at WE 38. During his run

Posted in: show, fighter, henderson, spike tv, wec debut

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UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" took place this past Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, featuring Ben Henderson winning a hard fought unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar after five rounds and 25 grueling minutes of action. His reward was the UFC lightweight championship title. Ryan Bader earned what easily qualifies as the biggest victory of his career by besting Quinton Jackson on the judges scorecards after three rounds of light heavyweight battle. "Rampage" was injured coming in and claimed he re-injured himself during the bout but let's let "Darth" have his moment in the sun. Other action on the card saw Jake Shields outstrike Yoshihiro Akiyama, Tim Boetsch score a crazy comeback knockout win over Yushin Okami, Mark Hunt do Cheick Kongo dirty, and Anthony Pettis send Joe Lauzon off to La La Land for a short nap. A photo gallery (via MMAFighting.com) is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump. For complete results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here. Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Issei Tamura vs. Zhang Tiequan

Posted in: vs, ben, henderson, decision victory, edgar

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In the main event of UFC 144, Ben Henderson claimed the UFC lightweight title with a thrilling unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar. Two judges had it 49-46, the other 48-47 for Henderson. Every round was close, and fans remain divided over who truly deserved the nod. Henderson managed to close Edgar's eye and damage his nose, but Edgar never stopping coming until the final bell. Edgar won the first round by landing more shots and tossing Henderson to the mat on three different occasions, but it wasn't a blowout by any means. Henderson turned it out and outstruck Edgar over the next three rounds, despite having a lot of his kicks caught by Edgar. He landed a major upkick at the end of the second that had blood pouring out of a cut and out of Frankie's nose, and was able to get up immediately after being taken down. Henderson had Edgar in a tight guillotine in the fourth, but couldn't get the finish. The fight ended with the same pace it started with, and the fifth round might have been the closest of the fight. Nonetheless, Henderson prevailed. What was the high spot of this fight? The end of the second round. Henderson was doing well until he was taken down by Edgar, but Ben landed a huge upkick late and ended the round on top, firing away. Where do these guys go from here? Henderson is now the improbable champ, just 14 months after eating a Showtime kick and losing his WEC lightweight title in the last fight the organization ever promoted. While not confirmed at this point, it seems that Henderson will be facing a familiar foe in his first title defense - Anthony Pettis, the man that took his WEC belt. Unless Edgar is granted a rematch, this is almost surely what we'll see some time in the summer. Edgar is being hounded by everyone and their dog to drop down to featherweight and go after Jose Aldo, but his manager says that isn't in the cards right now. If there's no rematch, he could face the winner of the Jim Miller vs. Nate Diaz matchup at UFC on Versus 3, but a bout with Clay Guida could be a very good comeback fight for the former champ. Watch it now, later or never? Now. This is one the most closely-contested title fights you're ever going to come across, and was full of action and drama. Absolute must watch. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 144 in the full entry. UFC 144 Results: Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Frankie Edgar Doesn't 'Need' To Drop To Featherweight - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords - Bloody Elbow Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Results: Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Results: Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth

Posted in: ufc, result, henderson, roth, edgar

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Joe Rogan hyperbole aside, Tim Boetsch may very well have executed one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history this past Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, when he came back from a two round beatdown to knock out Yushin Okami at UFC 144 in Japan. It marked the third consecutive victory in his new weight class of 185-pounds, each more impressive than the last. So what's next for a 31-year-old "Barbarian" who is just now coming into his own? The first name that popped up in Boetsch's head was Dan Henderson: "Honestly, the name that really pops in my head is Dan Henderson just because they're wondering what to do with him. Dan Henderson has been a hero of mine since I started in this sport. I really admire the guy. He's a great fighter, been at the top for a long time. I think part of taking that step to the next level is beating one of your hero's and for me, that would be Dan Henderson. I think that would be interesting and very exciting." Henderson, of course, is lying in wait for the winner of the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans light heavyweight championship fight at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta. Passing that up to take a risky fight against Boetsch one weight class lower seems unlikely. Still, it would probably be fun. Hear more from Boetsch on his big win over Okami after the jump.

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, dan, boetsch, weight class

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just had its hand raised, yet again, as UFC 144 emerged victorious in front of a host of pleased fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012. The main event between UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and number one contender Ben Henderson treated mixed martial arts (MMA) fans to five rounds of thrilling action. After 25 minutes of war, neither fighter could finish the other, leaving it in the hands of the judges. Like many decisions from the past, this one was met with some controversy and even had UFC President Dana White questioning if the right man had been given the nod. The co-main event featured a rebounding Ryan Bader taking on former Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson in front of the Japanese fans who originally helped "Rampage" make his name. After the jump, we'll talk more about that fight and all the other noteworthy moments from UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson." When the fight between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson was signed on the dotted line, everyone knew "The Answer" was going to have his hands full with what would likely be the toughest fight of his life. That's saying something considering that Edgar has been in two ridiculous battles with MMA legend B.J. Penn and also three thrilling epic wars with "The Bully" Gray Maynard. Still, fans who have been watching "Smooth's" mercurial rise over the past year knew what he was capable of. They knew he was on a three-fight win streak against a list of very tough lightweights. They knew he was a cardio freak, just like Edgar, and probably was not going to be out-worked or out-hustled. They knew he was (and continues to be) one of the biggest lightweights in the game and that his size may have presented a problem for Edgar. The fight was neck and neck for most of the first two rounds, but things changed near the end of the second frame when "Bendo" caught Edgar with a violent upkick that broke his nose instantly and opened the floodgates of blood. Edgar toughed it out like the warrior that he is. He kept coming forward and threw every shot he had in his arsenal. But he was not landing power strikes and was entirely unable to take Henderson to the ground. Ultimately, the judges in Japan felt that Henderson had done enough to edge out the champion and to take his belt. You can read about what a couple of our "experts" think may be next for Henderson here and here. As usual, who Henderson fights next will be up to the Zuffa bigwigs and matchmakers. There are some options floating around and all of them are potentially exciting. Read a full recap with in-depth analysis of the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson fight at UFC 144 here. The co-main event was somewhat blemished from the start when Quinton Jackson failed to make weight by a whopping six pounds. As soon as it happened, pundits and fellow fighters alike were quick to questions "Rampage's" motivation and whether or not he was taking his fight with Bader seriously. Though there were moments during the fight where Jackson looked like his old self, on the whole, he looked overmatched and overwhelmed; a sight that MMA fans are getting a little too used to nowadays. Bader won the decision victory, as well he should have, and is now back on the right track with his career after two nice consecutive wins. The loss left "Rampage" with some soul-searching to do. But he was quick to say afterwards that he feels he still has many years left in the Octagon. Only time will tell if he's right. Check out an informative synopsis of the "Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader" fight at UFC 144 here. Mark Hunt was one of the names on this card who was more than glad to return to Japan for an event after doing much to develop his reputation as a fighter there. The task in front of him was no cakewalk as he was faced with the always tough Cheick Kongo, who was looking to cement his third consecutive victory. Apparently, "Super Samoan" had different plans, as he essentially walked through everything Kongo had to throw at him, picked his shots wisely and then, eventually, put Kongo on his back with the referee having to step in and save him in the first round. The TKO victory showed that Hunt's not quite done yet. It also showed that if you're foolish enough to let him get on the inside and strike with you, it's going to be a short night. Hunt, never one to shy away from the microphone, said after his win that he not only felt good about his TKO win, but that he also feels he can do similar things to Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos. Nothing wrong with a little good old fashioned self-promotion. Read a detailed recap and fight analysis of the Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo fight at UFC 144 here. The entire main card was full of top level action and fireworks. But the prelims weren't too shabby either. Five of the eight preliminary competitors hailed from "The Land of the Rising Sun." Unfortunately, only two of them were able to secure victories in front of their compatriots, but the fans didn't seem to mind as they were treated to some very exciting fights. For a top-to-bottom review of the prelim portion of the UFC 144 fight card, click here. Five of the twelve fights ended by way of submission or (technical) knockout, and the finishes we did see were certainly worth watching and then re-watching again on the DVR. Perhaps most exciting of them all was a brilliant head kick knockout by Anthony Pettis over Joe Lauzon in the first round of their match up. Read the list of fight bonus award winners, including "Knockout of the Night," "Submission of the Night," and "Fight of the Night" here. That's the list we were able to come up with, but we get tired of listening to ourselves. We want to hear what you Maniacs have to say. What does your list of highs and lows from UFC 144 look like? Be sure to weigh in in the comments section below. For complete UFC 144 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 144 prelim fights that were seen on Facebook and FX, click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire 144 fight card from top to bottom click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, fan, edgar

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At UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, Ben Henderson pulled off a tremendous win, defeating Frankie Edgar in a close decision to become the new UFC Lightweight champion. Post-fight, rumors swirled that his next defense would be a rematch against Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, at UFC 143, Carlos Condit had a similar close win over Nick Diaz to claim the Interim UFC Welterweight title. When you look at this collection of names, 3 letters stand out: WEC. With Henderson's win, of the 7 active UFC champions, 4 are former WEC champs. And later this year, Chael Sonnen (who should be considered the final WEC Middleweight champion) will look to make it 5 of 7 when he rematches Anderson Silva. This abundance of WEC champions wearing UFC gold is no surprise in the lighter Bantamweight and Featherweight divisions, but the wins from Henderson and Condit come as something of a shock. During its tenure, the common perception of the WEC was always that the divisions above Featherweight were entertaining, but ultimately irrelevant - a place where fun fighters who were not good enough to hang in the UFC would go. Condit and Henderson have effectively flipped that perception, validating the higher WEC weight classes. What's more, I would argue that their UFC success comes exactly because of their WEC runs. In the WEC, these champions had a chance to develop in a system outside of the UFC. They gained TV experience, felt the pressure of title fights, and trained for 5 round battles. But they did so not against the absolute elite that exist in the UFC championship scene, but against other fighters at their same level. Henderson, Cerrone and Pettis sharpened and pushed each other, and the end result is that all emerged from their WEC runs as significantly better fighters. When they stepped up to the UFC, they were better prepared, and last night we saw how that preparation helped Henderson reach the pinnacle of the sport's deepest division. But in looking at Henderson and the WEC's success, I have to ask - did Zuffa make the right move in shutting the organization down? If WEC was producing future champions, with it closed, is there a missing opportunity for future growth? Maybe, but Zuffa already has the answer in front of them for how to deal with that problem, and its name is Strikeforce. Check back tomorrow for more on how Zuffa can learn from the WEC in order to best utilize Strikeforce. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Results: Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords - Bloody Elbow Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Results: Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Results: Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth

Posted in: ufc, result, henderson, wec, roth

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Even before stepping inside the Octagon to face Frankie Edgar, streaking contender (now champion) Benson Henderson talked about his dream of wanting to go down as one of the greatest of all-time. Now, after claiming the lightweight title from Edgar in a thrilling five-round affair at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, “Smooth” is on his way to making that claim come true. Henderson won the fight on all three scorecards with effective striking and a stiff upkick from the ground that bloodied and likely broke the nose of Edgar. A likely bout with Anthony Pettis is on the horizon now, as “Showtime” is the last fighter to score a victory over “Bendo”. “I want to defend it however many times Anderson Silva defends his (title)…plus one,” laughed Henderson during the post-event press conference. “Whoever it happens to be, whether it’s Frankie again, I’m down for that. Anthony Pettis, I see you doing big things, making waves, great fighter, very spectacular. It if happens to be Anthony, then so be it.” The UFC’s lightweight division is one of the deepest in the company with Henderson, Edgar, Pettis, Gray Maynard, Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Nate Diaz, and more all call it home. Diaz and Miller are on track to compete against each other later this year, while Maynard is a former contender to the crown still waiting for his next match-up. Guida defeated Pettis in the former WEC champ’s UFC debut but was stopped by Henderson in a title eliminator last year. Edgar has expressed his desire to be put in an immediate rematch with Henderson based on how close their contest last night was. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, petti, henderson, edgar, title eliminator

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A few observations from UFC 144: “Edgar vs. Henderson”: -The sad thing about Zhang Tiequan losing is that his defeat pushes the date of the UFC event in mainland China back by about three years. -Really, it’s hard to believe Steve Cantwell was ever the champ of any organization. -The competition in high-level MMA has passed “Kid” Yamamoto by.  All that’s left of the man that once was is a bunch of violent clips on a highlight reel and a bunch of depressing losses. -If not for an aged opponent many years past his prime, we’d almost be saying the same thing about Takanori Gomi right now. -Congrats to Anthony Pettis, who, with one smooth knockout, has now place himself back in the mix of lightweight contenders. -Yes, Hatsu Hioki looked great and showed a lot of promise in terms of his standing in the division, but let’s be clear about something: it was only Bart Palaszewski he defeated.  Beating Palaszewski does not mean you’re ready for Jose Aldo. -Tim Boetsch getting dominated and coming back to utterly crush his foe is the reason I watch mixed martial arts.  Also, it’s the reason why I let myself get bitten by radioactive spiders, spend hours in the lab trying to create a Super-Soldier Serum, and blast myself with gamma rays. -Upon re-watching it, I can certainly see how the judges gave the bout to Jake Shields over Yoshihiro Akiyama.  But that doesn’t take away from the fact that Shields isn’t capable of being exciting while Akiyama most definitely is. -I can’t believe that in the year 2012, Mark Hunt can now be considered a viable force in the heavyweight division. -Ryan Bader didn’t so much look good as Quinton Jackson looked awful.  Great slam, though. -In my heart I wanted Frankie Edgar to win, but I can understand why the judges gave Ben Henderson the nod.  Edgar played his Speedy Gonzalez game and scored liberally, yet in no way, shape or form did he visit upon his opponent the same destruction Henderson visited upon him.  However, give the man his damn rematch if he wants it!  Lord knows he’s earned it.

Posted in: ufc, ’t, henderson, year, edgar

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While people undoubtedly have their own opinions on lightweight Benson Henderson’s championship win last night at UFC 144 against Frankie Edgar there are few who know how things went down better than the newly crowned divisional king himself. Henderson opened up about the fight shortly after making his way backstage where he pointed out both a positive and negative he encountered inside the Octagon while going at it with the tough-as-nails Edgar for twenty-five minutes. “From the second round on I stayed inside the blue circle because I kept slipping,” explained Henderson in an interview with the UFC. “Eventually I had to limit my gameplan, I had to stop doing what I wanted to do. I just stayed in the blue center and just let him go him around a little bit. My gameplan was more to cut him off. He’s very fast, he has quick lateral movement. I wanted to cut him off and do very well there but I kept freakin’ slipping. I fell like 4-5 times and they problem counted them as takedowns but it’s just because I freakin’ slipped.” As the fight progressed Henderson not only overcame with the adversity of a slippery surface but quickly recognized an advantage over Edgar he wasted little time in exploiting. “Around the third round my jab started landing and I saw him flinch from my jab,” said Henderson of his performance against Edgar. “I knew I kind of had him on my jab to where they’re gun-shy of the jab you own them. So at that moment when I saw him kind of flinch or pause or hesitate off my jab I realized, ‘I can land my jab all night long…I’m gonna use that, I’m gonna milk that bad boy…’” “Bendo” Believes His Ground Game is Second to None The 28-year old’s next opponent has yet to be determined though he will likely face Edgar a second straight time or be paired with surging 155er Anthony Pettis. Check out the entire interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, time, henderson, edgar, jab

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) entered the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012 and left with a new list of winners and losers, as UFC 144 separated the cream from the crop. The main event featured a monumental 155-pound championship showdown between Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and number one contender Ben Henderson, and the crowning of a new king. The co-main event saw two tough light heavyweights square off as Quinton Jackson (who missed weight by a significant margin) returned to Japan for the first time since he left PRIDE to square off against highly skilled wrestler Ryan Bader. The fight saw one top contender rise up the ladder, while another proved that he may have left his glory days behind him. After the jump we'll sort out the biggest of winners and lowliest of losers from UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson." WINNERS Ben Henderson -- The big winner of the event was obvious. "Smooth" put on an exhibition of athleticism, crisp striking and very solid takedown defense. The fight was close, but Henderson was just a little better than Edgar in every single regard. He deserved to win the fight. He deserves to be the champion. We may see this guy wearing the belt for a long time to come (if he stays at 155 pounds, that is). Beating up Edgar is something to brag about, but you won't hear the humble Henderson doing anything of the sort. Anthony Pettis -- Wow. "Showtime" started off the pay-per-view event off with a bang when he floored Joe Lauzon with a head kick KO that had the fans in Saitama cheering in approval. This kid is for real. Apparently, he doesn't need to run off cage walls to score big kicks to the head. That being said, I wouldn't mind seeing him do it again. Huge win for Pettis, who instantly put himself "in the mix." Hatsu Hioki -- When the UFC signed Hioki last year, a lot of fans (including myself) were very excited, based on the merits of his highlight reel, reign of terror that he conducted in Japan. Many predicted he'd be the man to either unseat Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo or at least give him the closest fight he'd ever seen. After a lackluster performance versus George Roop at UFC 137 on Oct. 29, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, many questioned his status as the number two 145-pounder in the world. Tonight, he showed flashes of his past dominance by completing crushing Bart Palaszewski for three brutal rounds. He couldn't finish him, but I believe that is more of a testament to Palaszewski's toughness than it is of Hioki's inability to stop an opponent. Ryan Bader -- After losing two very embarrasing fights in a row, Bader has come back strong and won two big fights in a row. "Rampage" is easily the biggest name who has become a notch on his belt. Beating him in Japan is an even bigger feather in his cap. The victory puts him back where he was before he was annihilated by Jon Jones at UFC 126 on Feb. 5, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hopefully, he can maintain the momentum this time. Mark Hunt -- The former PRIDE legend proved at UFC 144 that you just cannot take him for granted. Many have tried to bury him, but he continues to knock the dirt off his coffin and he keeps putting on big fights. He has massive punching power, and if you make a mistake, he's going to end your night. Kongo made some big mistakes in how he approached Hunt and this fight, in general. But you have to credit the "Super Samoan" for handling his business. Tim Boetsch -- After basically taking a beating for two rounds, Boetsch had no choice but to come out and go for the finish in the final frame. That's exactly what he did, as he came flying forward and buried Yushin Okami under a barrage of big punches. The only real question is: What took him so long? It ended up being one of the better comebacks we've ever seen in the Octagon. Nicely done. Jake Shields -- It wasn't pretty, but he got it done. For almost three full rounds, Akiyama stuffed every takedown attempt with ease, but Shields never quit. He kept coming forward, throwing strikes (albeit, none of them damaging) and finally got the fight to his world in the third round. I'm not real interested in seeing him fight for a title anytime soon, but I have to tip my cap to him for his toughness. LOSERS Quinton Jackson -- I've always loved "Rampage." I love the howling. I love the powerbombs. I even love the inappropriateness. He's like a cartoon in real life and he was always fun. He was also one of the best and most dynamic fighters of his time. Sadly, that time is over. against Ryan Bader, Jackson couldn't defend the take down, couldn't keep up with him, in general, and just flat-out looked like a fighter from yesterday fighting a more current version of a mixed martial artist. It saddens me greatly to say it, but I think "Rampage" needs to call it a day. Joe Lauzon -- He got caught. It happens to the best of them. In his last fight, Lauzon looked great against Melvin Guillard, a superior striker, who got caught in Lauzon's web of a ground game. The problem at UFC 144 is that Lauzon's opponent, Pettis, has a very good ground game himself. Lauzon looked tentative from the get-go and the finish showed why that may have been the case. Lauzon is still relatively young and will have a chance to improve on this loss. It just hurts because it takes him down a couple of pegs. The lightweight division is too tough these days to lose a fight that way and still be knocking on the door of title contention. Frankie Edgar -- I don't like putting him on this list. Simply put, he fought like a warrior and has nothing to be ashamed of. But you can't look the past the fact that he was handily unseated. This was one of those "back to the drawing board" losses. If he wants to get his belt back from Henderson, he's going to have to work on a lot of things. Either that, or finally listen to the critics who have been saying he should be a featherweight for years now. Yushin Okami -- After the first two rounds, "Thunder" essentially had his fight with Tim Boetsch won. All he had to do was fight smart, stay on the outside and avoid damage. Okami seemed to underestimate Boetsch and perhaps got a little cocky. He paid a dear price for it and ended up in a puddle of embarrassment in front of his friends and family. Cheick Kongo -- I'm not a professional fighter. I'm also not a trainer or coach. I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I know this: If you have an eight-inch reach advantage against a heavy-handed opponent who makes a living off getting inside and throwing punches, you should use said advantage. Instead of throwing kicks and keeping him at bay, Kongo played Mark Hunt's game and allowed him to get inside, land big strikes and put him down in record time. Poor showing for Kongo. Yoshihiro Akiyama -- His move from middleweight to welterweight was supposed to rejuvenate his career. It still might, but I personally didn't see anything that made me think the move was a big success. The problem is that he has to find somewhere that he fits in. Middleweight wasn't a great look for him. If he's gonna stay at 170-pounds, he'll need to step his game up big time. That's my list, but I'm curious to hear what yours looks like. Leave us a comment (or 144) detailing your big winners and lowly losers. Do it now! For complete UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action, click here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, time, henderson, lauzon

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UFC 144’s championship fight between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar was close and controversial enough that the automated robots behind Compustrike and Fightmetric can’t even agree on who did more. Depending on how much oil was in your automaton’s gears last night, Henderson landed either 10 fewer strikes than Edgar or 19 more. Edgar landed four (or five) more takedowns than Henderson, but didn’t attempt any submissions, whereas Henderson had three guillotine attempts. But determining the outcomes of fights based on raw numbers has as many gaping pitfalls as a pornstar after a gangbang. Even if machines attempt to differentiate between pitter-patting, pussyfooting, and “significant strikes,” relying on raw numbers and crystallized ideas of what different techniques are worth is a lot like paying set fees for oral, anal, and DP. Even if you try to sell every scene for the same amount of money, not as many people will buy it if the execution is poor or if the performer is ugly. But that hasn’t stopped UFC judges from basing countless decisions on simple numbers in the past. Luckily, the judges last night remembered that there is a better way to do things. If we blow the dust off the PRIDE rulebook, we can see that fights were judged as a whole rather than by rounds, and their top two criteria for judging, in order, were effort to finish the fight by KO or submission (“ippon”) and damage done to the opponent. This system has almost everything in common with Stockton Rules, which, contrary to popular belief, have nothing to do with wetlands jurisdiction unless the wetness comes from the blood, sweat, and diarrhea of fighter exertion. Under Stockton Rules, proposed by the Diaz brothers, the loser is the guy who looks more jacked up afterwards, and the winner is the guy who would have won if the fight would have continued forever. There may be slight differences between the two systems, but the agreement about winners under the two systems must be over 98% (source: my ass). If sexually repressed, boring Japanese people can come up with essentially the same idea as the Diaz brothers, there must be something to this. (more after the jump) read more

Posted in: fight, henderson, diaz brothers, edgar, rule

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Last night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012), at UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" in Saitama, Japan, Ben Henderson captured the lightweight championship with a thrilling five-round unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar in the main event of the evening. And like the well-behaved young man he is, he celebrated with his mom directly after. Mama Henderson was in attendance at the Saitama Super Arena and UFC cameras captured a special moment when Benson first embraced her with the title around his waist. She seemed to be rather infatuated with the belt as she cried tears of joy. Even UFC color commentator Joe Rogan admitted to getting choked up live on the air. It was a feel good moment after a fight that has split fans down the middle once again in regards to the rightful winner of the decision. Whether anybody likes it or not, "Bendo" is the new lightweight champion. Mama Henderson wouldn't have it any other way. Check out another pic of the two celebrating after the jump. For a more detailed look at Henderson's win over Edgar click here. For the Fight Metric report click here and for complete UFC 144 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here. Photo by Tracy Lee via Cagewriter

Posted in: ufc, henderson, click, edgar, frankie edgar

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Like countless fans around the world, UFC President Dana White had his share of opinions on what was witnessed UFC 144 including thoughts on the main event between Benson Henderson-Frankie Edgar as well as the future of both men. White offered up his take on those matters, in addition to what he saw from Quinton Jackson, in a post-show interview on Fuel TV where he remained noncommittal regarding Henderson’s first title-defense. “I’m not a judge but I had the fight even going into the last round and I gave the last round to Frankie,” explained White while later adding UFC matchmaker Joe Silva had Henderson winning “by a landslide”. Given the debate surrounding the outcome, as well as Edgar having previously been forced into a pair of immediate rematches based on similar circumstances, White appeared to be weighing the idea of giving “The Answer” another shot of his own. “I don’t know. It’s not one of those things I’m gonna make a decision about right now,” said the unsure White. “There (are) so many fights out there in the 155-pound division,” he continued before reiterating a long-standing opinion. “I would really love for Frankie Edgar to move down to 145 pounds.” Also in the discussion is Anthony Pettis, freshly off a Knockout of the Night finish of Joe Lauzon. White addressed the subject when asked if he felt “Showtime” was in position to contender for Henderson’s belt. “How would Pettis not be ready for a title-shot? He’s absolutely ready. But there are a few guys in that division,” White responded before mentioning the winner of an upcoming bout between Nate Diaz-Jim Miller could come into play as well. As equally hazy as Henderson’s next move is that of “Rampage” Jackson’s outlook after a sloppy decision loss to Ryan Bader. While White was confident Jackson would be back, he questioned whether or not the fan-favorite’s heart was in MMA anymore, stating he hoped to see, “the old ‘Rampage’…the motivated, the hungry guy who comes in and goes toe-to-toe, isn’t as one dimensional with his punching” version. Check out the complete interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – TRIUMPH/UFC

Posted in: henderson, “ i, edgar, frankie edgar, henderson ’s

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After Anthony Pettis lost his UFC debut to Clay Guida and only eked out a Split Decision over Jeremy Stephens in his follow-up appearance, fans began questioning whether “Showtime” would ever live up to the hype he entered the promotion with thanks in large part to a spectacular WEC win against Benson Henderson featuring a memorable off-the-cage- kick. Pettis answered any critics last night at UFC 144 by flattening opponent Joe Lauzon with a head-kick less than 90 seconds into their main card clash. Pettis’ performance was rewarded with Knockout of the Night honors in addition to a $65,000 check for the award. A Full Rundown of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Results If Pettis started the PPV out on a pitch-perfect note, headlining lightweights Henderson and Frankie Edgar closed it out with equal excellence after the two talented 155ers went at it for 25 minutes in a highly entertaining affair. Though Henderson will head back to the United States with the divisional belt, each man will also have an extra $65,000 to contend with after their collective work was named Fight of the Night. Last but not least, British finisher Vaughan Lee fended off an early surge from opponent Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto to procure a fight-ending Armbar. Not only was it the biggest win of the relative newcomer’s career but also earned him the largest payday he’s seen in MMA assisted in large part by the $65,000 his Submission of the Night showing brought in. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, night, anthony pettis, petti, henderson

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If simply comparing faces at the post-event press conference for UFC 144 there’s little question on who won the evening’s headlining championship clash between lightweights Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. However, deciding who deserved to exit the arena with a title in tow is a far more difficult prospect when evaluating the actual in-ring action rather than purely physical damage. Though bloodied and bruised, Edgar took to the stage after last night’s event concluded and spoke some about having lost a hard-fought decision to newly crowned king Henderson. He also made it clear he felt the judges dropped the ball when it came to scoring things. “I don’t want to take anything away from Ben. He did a great job. But I did feel I won that fight,” said a visibly disappointed Edgar. “I’m not trying to cheat anybody out of anything they deserve but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what’s right?” UFC President Dana White also came forward to admit he had the fight even entering the fifth frame and felt Edgar did enough in the round to earn the eventual nod. However, Anthony Pettis’ name was also mentioned in relation to a potential title-shot after opening the PPV up with a highlight-reel knockout of Joe Lauzon in addition to being the last person to defeat Henderson. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: henderson, edgar, benson henderson, hardfought decision, king henderson

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Ah, controversy. It wouldn't be a memorable night of mixed martial arts (MMA) without it. Last night (Feb. 25, 2012) at UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, was no exception. In the main event of the evening, Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson put on a thrilling back-and-forth, five-round fight that was exciting to watch, but difficult to score. Edgar -- the Lightweight champion coming into the night -- used movement and quick strikes to score points, while Henderson leveraged power and creativity to do the same. If there was a post-fight beauty contest, Henderson would have won hands down -- it didn't look like he had a scratch on him. Edgar, meanwhile, appeared as though he was stuffed through a meat grinder, with his eye swollen shut and nose likely busted thanks to a "Smooth" heal to the schnoz. The ringside judges, fortunately, score fights based on what happens inside the cage, not what the fighters look like when all is said and done. Regardless, in this case, the trio sided with Henderson, awarding him a unanimous decision. One that was apparently controversial, with fans, fighters and even Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White thinking the judges got it wrong. White explains his difference of opinion after the jump (via MMAFighting.com): "Again, I'm not a judge and my opinion doesn't matter but I had it even going into that last round and I gave the last round to Frankie. (Four rounds to one for Ben Henderson) is crazy. Most of the judges had (Edgar) losing the last round, I don't know how you have him losing the last round. But I was on Twitter going into the third, fourth and last round asking people how they had it and there were some people who had it just like I had it and there were other people who had it the other way for Henderson. I said, 'Get ready for some controversy, this is going to be a controversial decision.'" It's a hot topic for debate, one which will seemingly never be put to rest. Henderson clearly did more damage and created more fight-ending opportunities. On the flip side, Edgar caught kicks, flicked punches and slipped shots. He also attempted, and secured, more takedowns ... even though he didn't do much with them, just like his strikes. Damage vs. Volume, one that UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, among others, feels that "Volume" wins -- at least last night -- by a "landslide:" "I’m not a judge, but I had the fight even going into the last round and I gave the last round to Frankie. Joe Silva had this scored for Frankie by a landslide, as well. But a lot of judges score on damage and Henderson didn’t have the damage. There wasn’t any question where the damage was done. I’ve got nothing but respect for Henderson, look at what he did tonight. I’m not going to make a decision about the rematch right now." That's an extreme view, considering that the FightMetric stats actually affirmed the judges collective decision -- Henderson scored more in the striking across the board, save for leg strikes. Then again, perhaps perception really is reality, especially when many feel it's required for a challenger to beat the champion definitively to get the nod. Where do you stand? For more on the controversial UFC 144 main event between Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson click here.

Posted in: round, judge, henderson, edgar, frankie

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The miracles ran out for Frankie Edgar. What's likely to continue though, are the questions. Questions about where he truly belongs. Long considered an undersized lightweight despite his title reign, Edgar didn't have to wait long after his UFC 144 loss to be asked about where his future lies. Is it at 155, where he'll continue to be outsized, or at 145, where he'll be an instant contender and might get an immediate title match against Jose Aldo?Edgar had no answer on Sunday afternoon in Saitama, Japan, moments after losing his belt to Ben Henderson. "It's not something I'm thinking about now, to be honest with you," he said in his typically understated style. He'll have to consider it soon though, especially with UFC president Dana White repeatedly implying that Edgar could be offered a fight with Aldo. But for right now, how can you blame him? It's not as if he was blown out of the water by Henderson. It was a fight that was fairly competitive, aside a powerful Henderson upkick that may have broken Edgar's nose. That strike led to visible damage that made the bout look more lopsided than it actually was.Edgar thought he won the fight, but he wasn't the only one. White said he scored the fight for Edgar. So did Dan Henderson. So did Kenny Florian. So did many others. How confusing was it? FightMetric reported that Henderson out-struck Edgar 100-81, while Compsutrike disagreed, with Edgar landing 124 strikes to Henderson's 114.And because of that -- because it was close enough that there was doubt around the MMA world -- Edgar feels that he deserves the same benefit of the doubt as each of his last two challengers: an instant rematch."I’m not trying to shoot anybody out of anything they deserve, but I had to do two rematches, so what’s right?" he asked rhetorically.In the immediate aftermath of the fight, White seemed to indicate that would not be in the offing for Edgar, and that Pettis would get the first crack at Henderson. If Edgar doesn't get his do-over, then what? Despite his size disadvantage, he's never been truly physically dominated, and in fact, threw Henderson around a few times during the bout. Both FightMetric (5) and Compustrike (7) agreed that Edgar had more takedowns in the fight than Henderson, so there was no real strength disparity.But would Edgar want to work his way back up to No. 1 contender when he might be able to move to 145 and challenge immediately? That division seems to be wide open. Aldo stands alone at the top, virtually unchallenged. But who's out there waiting for him? He's beaten Chad Mendes and Kenny Florian. Other top featherweights like Dustin Poirier and Chan Sung Jung are locked into fights later this spring. And top-five ranked Hatsu Hioki, who won impressively at UFC 144, says he's not quite yet ready to fight for the belt (and on top of that, White didn't exactly give him a ringing endorsement, declining to even officially proclaim him to be "in the mix"). Speaking of White, he also didn't sound too enthused about the possibility of Edgar continuing on as lightweight, reminding the media that he's been "asking the kid to go to 145 for a long time." Despite that, White insists it's ultimately Edgar's decision."If you look at what he’s accomplished, for me to come in and… the kid's a world champion," he said. "He beat BJ Penn two times and everybody else in that division. His only loss is to Gray Maynard, which he avenged big time. It’s going to be up to him, but I'd love to see him do it. I think a fight between him and Jose Aldo would be fun."That last part of his answer might be the most important, White perhaps tipping his hand at an offer to come. If White offers Edgar a chance at Aldo -- and I think he will -- what then? His goal is to be champion again, but is that belt good enough? For Edgar, this is his reality. These are the circumstances surrounding his decision. In the past, when Edgar was the champ, he referred to the possibility of moving down a division as "an ace in my pocket." But then it was just a hypothetical. Then it was just an exercise in debate. There was no miracle for Edgar at UFC 144, but perhaps it is to come, a disappearing act to a new division, and a new shiny gold belt around his waist.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, edgar, aldo

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The stakes couldn't have gotten any higher in the main event last night (Feb. 25, 2011) between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the headlining bout of UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan. Edgar, competing in his fifth title bout, had finally begun to grow on the UFC fanbase with his underdog spirit and for the first time in the past two years, he was actually favored to win a championship fight. Perhaps that was his undoing. While Edgar had built a reputation as the undersized hero, it may have finally caught up to "The Answer" last night against the bigger, stronger and more powerful Henderson. So what was the turning point for the "Smooth" one? And where do both elite lightweights go from here? Follow me after the jump for our Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar UFC 144 post-fight review and analysis: Edgar got off to a strong enough start, dancing around Henderson's short punches and "catching" most of Henderson's kicks. I'm using "catching" in quotes because even though Edgar got a hold of Henderson's leg, it was usually on the rebound after "Bendo" had landed a strong kick because the challenger wasn't recoiling his leg fast enough. Another key sequence were Edgar's brief takedowns, similar to the first B.J. Penn fight where he would score a takedown and immediately pop back to his feet. Henderson had a nifty trick where he would allow Edgar to get a back body lock standing while rising back to his feet and he would force the champ to back off. Edgar again seemed in control during the second round, but then something happened which completely shifted the momentum of the entire fight. After landing a nice takedown and actually staying down to throw strikes, Edgar decided to back off and stand over his opponent. Just as the champ was about to drop down for a big strike, Henderson timed it perfectly with a beautiful upkick in which the heel of his foot landed flush on Edgar's face, breaking his nose and stunning him badly. He swarmed Edgar and pounded on him in the final 10-15 seconds of the round. This was a huge moment because while Edgar was able to recover, Henderson now had the momentum and unlike Gray Maynard, he wasn't going to get tired and slow down. Henderson actually continued to press the action for the remainder of the bout and this time, being bigger, stronger and more powerful was an important factor in the fight. While none of the final three rounds were blowouts for either man, Henderson's constant pressure and ability to land heavy significant strikes were vital. Edgar's left eye was swelling nearly shut, his nose was leaking like a faucet and he was bleeding out of his mouth as well. That's not to mention the heavy kicks and knees to the body that Henderson had also been landing all night. Edgar had his moments, landing some nice takedowns throughout the fight, and he did get inside and score points with some nice left and right hands which landed flush on Henderson, but none of that ever seemed to faze the challenger. Even when Edgar landed a big power strike, not only did Henderson's face show no marks, he didn't even seem like he was stunned temporarily. On top of that, his takedowns were seemingly ineffective because he was not able to do much damage with them, usually being forced to back off. Lastly, Edgar, despite catching at least 10-15 kicks throughout the fight, seemed to do next to nothing with them each and every time. He tried to sweep out Henderson's legs a couple times but got denied. He tried to land big kicks of his own but they seemed ineffective and he was simply too small to explode forward and land a big punch as well. Thus, I wasn't very surprised when the judges' scorecards were announced which unanimously sided with Benson Henderson, crowning the "Smooth" one as the new UFC lightweight champion. For Frankie Edgar, this was simply a case of fighting someone bigger, stronger and actually able to keep up with him for five rounds. Unlike B.J. Penn or Gray Maynard, Ben Henderson didn't slow down as the fight wore on. He also wasn't plodding forward the entire time, instead stalking Edgar and attacking constantly. The now former champion was never able to get into a good rhythm because Henderson would sneak in a big strike and keep the blood flowing. There are several fights to make for Edgar, all of which would be incredibly entertaining. Dana White has been hinting that "The Answer" could be dropping down to featherweight soon, which would be his more natural weight class. If he does that, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he immediately challenges Jose Aldo for the 145 pound title. If he's too stubborn and remains at lightweight, a rematch with Henderson isn't entirely out his of the picture, although it's not likely. The final option would be a fight with Clay Guida, who hasn't fought since losing a potential number one contender fight to Henderson last fall. Any of those match-ups would be thrilling. For Ben Henderson, this was a tremendous performance. I didn't give his striking nearly enough credit heading in and he proved me wrong. He never backed down from Edgar and his constant pressure and ability to land powerful strikes for five straight rounds was a key factor in him winning the belt. His conditioning was on point like usual and that also contributed to his victory. Next up for "Bendo" would most likely seem to be a rematch with Anthony Pettis, the last man to beat him. I'm sure he'd love to have an opportunity for revenge for being on the receiving end of "The Showtime Kick" highlight for the past year. Other possibilities include the upcoming winner of the Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller fight, although that's pretty far away or potentially even a rematch with Edgar, although that's probably least likely of the three. Can I get an "Amen?" So what did you think, Maniacs? How did you score the thrilling title fight last night? Who would you like to see Henderson defend his new lightweight title against next? Sound off! For complete UFC 144 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

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Okaerinasai! It took more than a decade, but last night (Feb. 25, 2012) Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) finally returned to Japan to stage a major mixed martial arts (MMA) event. And it was well worth the wait. With a record-breaking seven bouts featured on the UFC 144 pay-per-view (PPV) main card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, including the main event between UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, it was designed to be an exciting night. Was it ever. The 14 fighters went ahead and delivered the goods, which is never a guarantee in a sport where anything can and often does happen. It was only fitting that "The Answer" and "Smooth" finished what Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis started to kickoff the PPV broadcast. As expected, when Edgar and Henderson collided their combined result created a dizzying concoction. Whether it was heads bobbing, hair flying, legs whipping, punches whizzing or bodies tumbling, the dynamic pair went bananas for 25 full minutes. Edgar was shifty and precise with his strikes, while Henderson was calm and punishing with his. Henderson, the much larger fighter, clearly did more damage when he connected, particularly with a heel to the face in the second round that would have likely knocked out everyone else on the lightweight roster not named Frankie Edgar. True to form, however, Edgar absorbed the hellacious heel, barely, and clung on to continue fighting for three more rounds. It's safe to say that Henderson delivered more damage, but it appeared that Edgar was, unsurprisingly, the much busier fighter. However, he never hurt Henderson, who didn't even look like he was in a fight when all was said and done, while Edgar's face appeared to be on the wrong end of a meat tenderizer. In the end, the judges awarded the decision to Henderson unanimously in a very close fight, ending Edgar's epic 155-pound title run at least for the near future. He was prematurely asked if he would consider dipping down to Featherweight for a fight against division champion Jose Aldo, to which "The Answer" replied, rightfully, reluctantly. Make no mistake, that would be an incredible fight; however, his performance against Henderson was admirable and, in the opinion of some, winning. He's proven time and again that he can not only compete with bigger men, but beat them more often than not. This time Henderson just had his number. And there is nothing wrong with that because he, too, is one very impressive fighter. Hell, the entire division is loaded with them, which means that Henderson is going to have his work cut out for him to retain that shiny new belt. And I can't wait to watch him ferociously defend it. Whether he was knocking out dudes, or getting knockout himself, Quinton Jackson made a name for himself in Japan under the Pride FC banner for putting on exciting fights win, lose or draw. Sure, his appearance -- heavy chain, howl and everything else black gaijin -- helped sell his shtick, but the whole package was the appeal. Power-bomb slams included. "Rampage" lobbied hard to be on this card, he didn't care who it was against or what was at stake, he just wanted to return to the "Land of the Rising Sun" and bask in its curious glow perhaps one final time in his professional fight career. He got his wish, but unlike the glory days, he wasn't going to get served a can to voraciously devour. On the contrary, one-time 205-pound super prospect -- Ryan Bader, hungrier than ever after suffering back-to-back losses -- was on the menu. And he wasn't about to go down without putting up a fight. Bader came out with his pistons pumping, hoping to smash the sluggish-looking Jackson (by comparison) and punish him for coming into their fight six pounds too heavy. Bader was clearly faster and busier, while Jackson -- in typical fashion -- stalked his opponent and looked to land a one-hit quitter that would enthrall the adoring crowd. It never came, but what -- after what appeared to be a decade-long absence -- was a ridiculous power bomb the likes of which we have not seen since he nearly killed Ricardo Arona way back in 2004. Jackson scooped up Bader alongside the cage midway through the bout, torqued him above above his head and then deposited him face first onto the canvas. It looked terrible -- Bader's neck, shoulder and arm all bent in ways that were grotesquely unnatural. In fact, he admitted that the toss had him momentarily "out," but he managed to recover and continue his assault. In hindsight, the slam was likely Jackson's only chance of winning the fight -- Bader was just hungrier, and perhaps healthier, routing "Rampage" en route to a clear-cut unanimous decision victory. One that will likely serve as the most important of his MMA career to date because not only did he defeat a legend, but he did it in the place in which that legend was born. And perhaps was put to rest. There was always a sneaking suspicion that Cheick Kongo wasn't really a true kickboxer. That's not taking anything away from the Parisian, he's a solid MMA fighter who has defeated several notable opponents. He appeared to sooth those doubts when he stopped a kinda K-1 kickboxer, Pat Barry, in his most recent outing. But, the true litmus test would be against a decorated former K-1 grand prix champion like Mark Hunt. What the under-sized New Zealander lacks in stature, he more than makes up for in power and sheer resilience. He's had a difficult transition to MMA, but most of the guys sans a lunatic named Melvin Manhoef knew that their best -- and perhaps only -- way to safely navigate around the portly power puncher was to take him to the ground. Kongo apparently didn't get the memo. Hunt did what he always does, standing in the center of the cage and daring his opponent to exchange. Kongo did just that and paid dearly for his poor decision. Hunt clipped him with a nice right hand. It was at this point that his experience showed -- he took his time, picked his punches and eventually had Kongo crashing to the canvas. Referee Herb Dean stepped in shortly thereafter, and it's hard to blame him -- Hunt has dynamite packed into his paws. Kongo momentarily disputed the stoppage, and it's hard to blame him, too, after the Barry comeback, but things certainly would have gone from bad to worse if it was able to continue much longer. Hunt received a heartfelt reaction from the Japanese fans in attendance. He was always a crowd pleaser back in the day and he didn't disappoint them last night, either. At 37 years old, Hunt has seemingly found the MMA Fountain of Youth, winning three consecutive bouts inside the Octagon. That's no small feat at any age. And it couldn't be happening to a more deserving veteran of the sport. Oh, how the mighty could have fallen. Heading into his fight against UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre less than one year ago, Jake Shields -- the high-profile, talented Strikeforce import that would finally give "Rush" a run for his money -- was riding an incredible 15-fight win streak. He desperately needed a win against Yoshihiro Akiyama, who was making his 170-pound debut. With his back against the wall, Shields pulled it off, winning a hard-fought unanimous decision over the insanely popular Japanese icon. It wasn't pretty, but then again, any fight that Shields can't get immediately to the ground, is going to look weird. Nonetheless, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist somehow got the job done on the feet when it mattered most. Akiyama, a judo player, scored a handful of very impressive trips, but aside from them, he didn't really do anything. With three straight losses, and the prospect of tacking on a fourth, he was seemingly under more pressure to win than Shields. But, he didn't. And Akiyama didn't even remotely threaten a very rudimentary stand up fighter in a bout that remained exactly where he needed it to remain to ensure his best chances of winning, which was upright. It was a puzzling performance and just an overall odd fight. Whatever. Tim Boetsch was undefeated (2-0) since dropping from Light Heavyweight to Middleweight. It appeared that perfect streak was about to come to a painful end thanks to an absolute thrashing at the hands of Yushin Okami for 10 full minutes. "Thunder" -- just one fight removed from unsuccessfully contending for Anderson Silva's 185-pound belt -- was cracking clean shots at will in the early going. It appeared that Boetsch was a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, which only got worse in round two when Okami secured full mount, attempting submissions and raining down punches in bunches. Boetsch somehow survived. So when it came time for the third and final round, he and his corner knew that it was go big or go home. "The Barbarian" went big, did he ever, and he went home a come-from-behind winner. He tagged Okami in the early going and then just swarmed him like bees on honey. At one point, he pinned Okami's face up against the cage and drilled him with uppercuts until he could no longer stand. Amazingly, Okami collapsed to the floor and Boetsch went even more berserk. Fortunately, the referee was nearby to pry him off, but you could tell that even though he had been through hell, Boetsch would have kept going until he was out cold or dead. He was neither, which is more than Okami can say right about now. Then again, it was a rally for the record books -- Okami looked great up until the final moments. What a fight! At first glance, Japanese fans may have thought that the familiar Joachim Hansen was paired opposite Hatsu Hioki, but after the whooping that he received in the first round, it's likely that they soon realized they were only watching the Norwegian's featherweight doppelganger, Bart Palaszewski. Hioki, the number two-ranked 145-pound fighter in the Consensus MMA Rankings, came out on fire, hammering "Bartimus" with clean punches and then dominating him on the ground with tight control and dangerous submission attempts. To his credit, Palaszewski survived this initial onslaught, turned in a better performance in the second, but then got tooled on the floor once again in the final frame. Palaszewski never really had a shining moment due in large part to Hioki's smothering, technical attack. He was in way over his head against a fighter, who despite a dubious split decision win over George Roop in his UFC debut, will most likely next challenge UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo for his world title. Either that, or throw him in against Dustin Poirer in a number one contender eliminator match. Now that's a fight. Shin, meet Chin. No, that's not an undisclosed, last-minute local match added spice up the main card. It was Anthony Pettis' lower leg, whapping across the jaw of his lightweight counterpart, Joe Lauzon. "Showtime" -- a former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion -- came out in a southpaw stance and actually unleashed a head kick early that "J-Lau" easily blocked. It was the second attempt shortly thereafter that made it through. And it's safe to say that Lauzon didn't know what hit him -- he collapsed into a heap of mindless flesh almost instantly. Pettis, naturally, dove in for the kill and added several needless head bouncers before the referee stepped in and saved Lauzon from long-term mental injury. That's now two straight wins for Pettis since his decision loss to Clay Guida in his Octagon debut back in June 2011. He roared in his post-fight victory speech that he is the best 155-pound fighter in the world and requested a title shot, the one that alluded him when the WEC was merged into the UFC in late 2010. It's certainly hard to argue otherwise after that sensational finish and his recent body of impressive; however, the winner of the upcoming fight between Jim Miller vs. Nate Diaz might have something to say about it. That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" in the comments section below. Do you agree with the Edgar-Henderson decision? Should "Rampage" retire? Where does Bader go from here? Does watching another Shields fight excite you? Who should Pettis fight next? How much longer can Hunt continue his career renaissance? Let's hear it, Maniacs. Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 144 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Edgar vs. Henderson" event right here. Our complete UFC 144 results recap of the Facebook/FX "Prelims" action can be found right here.

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson showed in his fourth UFC bout that he has something that long-time champ B.J. Penn and top UFC contender Gray Maynard never had: the ability to clearly dominate and defeat Frankie Edgar. Henderson dominated Edgar for five full rounds last night at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. But one other UFC lightweight also performed very impressively last night: Henderson's old rival from the WEC, Anthony Pettis. Pettis KO'd Joe Lauzon with a dramatic head kick in less than 2 minutes. Pettis beat Henderson with a dramatic fifth round running, leaping off the fence kick to the head back at WEC 53 in December 2010. The then-WEC champ Pettis was promised an immediate title shot but he lost his chance when then-champ Edgar and Gray Maynard fought to a draw on New Year's Day 2011 at UFC 125. Pettis went on to lose a tough decision to Clay Guida in his eventual UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in June of last year. He hasn't lost since, but a single loss in the UFC's lightweight division has the effect of sending a fighter to the back of the line. Henderson, by contrast, has reeled off four straight wins since moving up to the UFC. He's beaten Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, Clay Guida and now Frankie Edgar. Jim Miller will be facing Nate Diaz in the headliner of UFC on Fox 3 on May 5th. That bout had been expected to be a #1 contender's bout, but it looks like the winner of Miller-Diaz will have to get in line behind Anthony "Showtime" Pettis. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, is officially in the books after an amazing night (Feb. 25, 2012) of remarkably fun mixed martial arts (MMA) fights. As usual, the stars of the show came to dish the dirt on the event immediately afterward, including Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Ryan Bader, Jake Shields, Tim Boetsch and Mark Hunt, among others, as well as a throng of Japanese fighters. Naturally, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White emceed the post-fight event wrap up show. For complete UFC 144 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.

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Former WEC Lightweight champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson discussed his performance against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144, and the surreal moment of becoming the new UFC Lightweight champion. Henderson will now wait to learn the identity of the first challenger for his title, with Anthony Pettis and Diaz vs. Miller winner as the main contenders. Further Reading: Full UFC 144

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With a stirring performance at UFC 144 last night (Feb. 25, 2012), Ben Henderson took the UFC Lightweight title from Frankie Edgar in a fight at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, that showcased high-level skill over five intensely contested rounds. With the victory, Henderson capped off one of the best Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pay-per-views (PPV) in recent years, with a seven-fight main card that delivered the goods. From Henderson's unanimous decision win, to Ryan Bader's career-boosting win over former Light Heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson, to Tim Boetsch's miracle comeback knockout, the night's action was a fitting return to Japan, where the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion hadn't been since Dec. 2000. Here's a closer look at the action from UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" and how the participants graded out: Ben Henderson: ABigger and more physically imposing than Edgar, Henderson used a measured approach to wear down the speedy champ, and stuck to it. And while he got the decision on scores of 49-46 (twice) and 48-47, the bout was exceptionally close. Interestingly, Henderson largely dispensed with takedown attempts and stuck to a standing attack, while forcing the whirlwind Edgar to constantly adjust, which Frankie did, varying his angles and using more takedown attempts -- Edgar landed 7 of 14, according to CompuStrike -- but Edgar was unable to keep the wily Henderson on the mat to do extended damage. What ensued was a captivating fight, where neither man could definitely pull ahead, with constant struggles from both to seize the initiative. A key factor may have been that Henderson put Edgar in trouble on two occasions, including a threatening guillotine attempt, and the banged-up champ bled from the nose with a swollen left eye for much of the bout. Fans will probably argue the decision, but at the end of the day, Henderson was able to do something that B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard couldn't do over four fights: He beat Edgar. Henderson's improvement has been astounding since his World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) days, which culminated with his Dec. 2010 decision loss in a classic to Anthony Pettis. He's capable with his stand up and confident, and his blend of takedown defense and the ability to explode off the ground makes him a lightweight version of prime Chuck Liddell (albeit without the numbing, one-punch power). Edgar took him down plenty, but Henderson simply sprung back up. In the post-fight buzz, Joe Rogan cited that UFC President Dana White expressed an interest in making Henderson-Pettis II. At press time, nothing's official. But either way, Edgar definitely deserves another shot at the title soon, especially seeing as how he had to give B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard rematches after successfully defending against both. In the stacked lightweight division, the title could well change hands several times in the next few years, especially since styles make fights. But Henderson's performance guaranteed that the division has another star in its top echelon, as he was impressive tonight. Frankie Edgar: A-The ex-champion was typically gritty and unrelenting in defeat, and constantly battled over five tough rounds, landing his snappy right hand repeatedly, and never tiring, despite taking heavy damage early in a fast-paced bout. The key factor in the bout was Henderson's size and strength advantage. Edgar simply couldn't control him in tie-ups and after scoring takedowns, but Frankie's excellent technique and transitions still allowed him to wrestle effectively in the bout. Henderson also absorbed some of Edgar's best shots with little visible effect. This was a very difficult fight to score, with a constant flux in momentum. Edgar's durability is among the best in the game, but he just couldn't seem to get over the hump against Henderson as he did in the third fight against Gray Maynard, where he dialed in and delivered a game-changing right hand and finishing flurry. Henderson's chin, size and composure make him a stylistically tough match for Frankie, but it's also compelling to contemplate what Edgar could've done if he hadn't been bleeding from the nose with a banged-up eye. Edgar's style may make that a virtual default for most of his future fights, but who wouldn't pay to see a rematch? Personally, I think it's a bit dismissive for everyone to constantly ask Edgar if he's going to drop to featherweight, as that's an option that should only be pursued after he can't effectively compete at lightweight. There are a ton of good bouts for him at 155 pounds if he doesn't get an immediate rematch. If you're an ex-champ, being a lightweight contender is a long line to queue up in, but if you're a fan, it makes for great viewing Ryan Bader: ABader's gameplan against Jackson was an inspired bit of tactics and toughness, as he did everything you need to do to defeat "Rampage." Between high-percentage, low-risk leg kicks, careful standup, quickness, and strong wrestling over the second half of the bout, Bader scored the biggest win of his career in a unanimous decision. It was a huge victory, especially in light of the disastrous 2011 Bader endures, where he was steamrolled against Jon Jones, and then upset by the aging Tito Ortiz. The victory is a nice footnote to how a big win can go a long way to erase negative perceptions of the fighter and where his career is headed. Now in the rarified air of top-10 contenders, Bader's solid showing here invites some interesting matchups. It might not seem an easy sell to rematch him against Jon Jones just now, but given the champ's destructive path through the division's A-list of contenders, a couple more solid wins like this at the elite level could get Bader a rematch. Anthony Pettis: ATonight couldn't have gone better for Pettis, especially with two UFC bouts under his belt where he'd failed to showcase the magic that made him the last of the WEC lightweight champs. Wildly talented and dynamic, Pettis' booming left-kick finisher to Joe Lauzon spelled the end of a solid 155-lb. opponents, and supplied the kind of highlight-reel finish that has "title challenger" written all over it. It was also somewhat redemptive for Pettis, whose timing was perfect - former WEC rival Henderson, whom Pettis beat in their rousing 2010 bout, decisioned Frankie Edgar in the main event. With the duo putting in stellar performances on the same card, a rematch is an intuitive move on all fronts. Mark Hunt: A-There are no mysteries as to why Hunt's beloved by fans. With one of the best combinations of power and chin in the history of combat sports, the former K-1 champion is an ideal heavyweight booking - he brings an aura of menace and potential violence that few heavies can match. With his spotty ground game, he's also a total wild card. But tonight he was in vintage form, whacking out Kongo with a dynamite standup display that showcased Hunt's power. Many of the shots in the finishing assault didn't land on the critical knockout spots - chin, temple or jaw - but Hunt's ability to stun people with even glancing blows is testimony to how hard he hits. With a three-fight win streak in the UFC, the biggest no-brainer in the history of matchmaking is to pit Hunt against Pat Barry, whether Barry wins or loses against Lavar Johnson May 5. Neither guy will ever develop the kind of world-class ground game required to beat elite heavyweights more often than losing to them, but together, they'd make the kind of bloodbath that could go down as an all-time classic. Even if it's well short of that, it will be a red-meat special welcome on any fight card in the near future. When it happens, don't go to the fridge. Tim Boetsch: AThe 185-pound division is the weakest of the UFC's weight classes (we're not counting the newly-formed flyweights, who are still taking shape). As such, an impressive win does a helluva lot more to bump you up a few levels. Now 3-0 at middleweight, Boetsch's incredible KO of Okami is an early candidate for comeback win of the year. Outmatched in the standing phase of the bout, Boetsch was beaten and battered. But the tough scrapper simply wouldn't relent. When guys in his position enter the final round and are hopelessly behind, it's a daunting task to know you've got to make something happen against a guy that is dominating you, yet Boetsch's ability to persevere and do just that are why he's the middleweight division's hottest-rising contender. His heavy hands, never-say-die attitude and decent wrestling make him a natural to take on a solid contender in his next bout. Who wouldn't want to see him throw down against Mark Munoz next? Hatsu Hioki: B+Consistent and dominant from top position, Hioki decisioned a tough veteran in Bart Palaszewski. And with featherweight champ Jose Aldo returning to his dominant, seemingly-unbeatable form with his epic knockout of challenger Chad Mendes, the featherweight division is wide open. Hioki may be next in line, especially with the convenient "revenge" storyline of Aldo hoping to avenge stablemate Marlon Sandro's loss to Hioki in 2010. It's a nice sales tactic, but Hioki's standup didn't suggest he'd be any kind of threat on the feet to the dangerous champion, and Aldo's takedown defense is among the best in the game. But all things considered, Hioki did a good job tonight, showing stamina and a good head for transitioning between standing and takedowns. Bart Palaszewski: BThere are losses, but Palaszewski did so with a combination of toughness and honor tonight, grabbing at least a short-term slot as a featherweight gatekeeper. After a rough first round, where he was trounced and beaten up, he came back hard in the second before getting dominated in the third. "Bartimus" remains a tough customer with 50 fights under his belt, and you can't buy that kind of experience. Expect him to stick around the UFC for a while to come, as he'll be what Chris Lytle was to the welterweights for many years - the measuring stick and litmus test for up-and-comers, as well as an attractive comeback opponent for elite fighters, because he'll always bring it and never quit. Jake Shields: C+Coming off two consecutive losses, Shields was workmanlike and his typical, steady self in decisioning Yoshihiro Akiyama. Stifled early by Akiyama's good takedown defense, Shields, as is typical of him, found a small advantage and pressed it relentlessly, outworking Akiyama on the feet. However, Shields' standup remains largely perfunctory and somewhat limited, and his inability to threaten Akiyama in the bout further harms his marketability. A nuts-and-bolts fighter, Shields gets the win here, but the performance did little to generate buzz for his prospects as a welterweight contender. At his best, Shields is good enough to beat many top welters. But with ho-hum showings like tonight, it's unlikely the UFC will cut him any stylistic breaks with whom he faces. Yoshihiro Akiyama: DMuch was made of Akiyama's cut to 170 and the shredded, impressive physique that ensued, but that didn't change the fact that he had no game plan against Shields. At least nothing discernible. With a few flashy judo takedowns he couldn't sustain, and the occasional fancy backfist or kick, Akiyama's inability to keep pace in a standing battle with Shields wasn't encouraging; it's like getting outwrestled by Mark Hunt. Yoshihiro has always had stamina problems, and while the first cut down to a new weight class often is the hardest, I'm not sure he's physically or stylistically suited to welterweight. It's also baffling as to why he didn't clinch more with Shields, which would've given him his best chance at takedowns, where he could've worked from top position to steal rounds. These are mysteries Akiyama will be tasked with solving - but honestly I'd be fine with not seeing him take up a valuable main-card slot in the near future. There are better fighters that deserve it more than him. Yushin Okami: DThings looked great through two rounds, and Okami's standup was better than ever. In previous bouts, the tough middleweight had largely relied on a steady diet of simple jabs and rangefinder-style striking to open up wrestling. But tonight, he was lighting up Tim Boetsch, committing to punches and doing considerable damage. It was also heartwarming to see Okami performing in such a relaxed, unruffled fashion, considering the frightful pounding he took against Anderson Silva in August. Certainly, the former title challenger was not suffering a letdown here. Until Boetsch went Boetsch. "The Barbarian" unleashed a furious assault in the third, clearly aware that he had no hope of winning on the scorecards. With a rabid mix of desperation and relentless uppercuts from in close, Boetsch delivered a miracle, come-from-behind stoppage that will not soon be forgotten. Certainly not by Okami, who drops several notches in the sparse middleweight contender ranks by losing a fight he had locked up, until everything went wrong. Quinton Jackson: DIt's not quite a complete career meltdown, but Jackson's poor showing tonight was probably the product of factors that came into play before he ever got into the cage. Scaling 211 lbs. at the weigh-in, the former light-heavyweight champ explained he couldn't make weight due to a problem that prevented him from training properly, one he declined to specify. That said, Jackson's UFC career has been defined by a limited tactical approach that neglects his great takedowns, relegating him to that of a one-dimensional headhunter. Bader simply wouldn't be found, using movement and well-timed takedowns over the last half of the bout to stick Jackson to the mat, winning rounds and tiring "Rampage" out. Quinton remains one of the most resilient and powerful light heavyweights in the world, with quickness and tons of experience, but his inability to even use the threat of his wrestling to open up striking seems to cost him more often that it should, especially when you see how he easily hefted Bader and tossed him to the mat. After his loss to Jon Jones, Jackson needed a solid win, and Bader was clearly teed up for that opportunity. Instead, it backfired (training woes aside). Fortunately, Jackson's marketability and huge potential for a big KO win could have him right back among the elite 205-ers, but if he doesn't start using better game plans, it's inevitable that future opponents will follow the same template Bader did tonight. Cheick Kongo: FThe perils of facing a dangerous striker with a suspect ground game are obvious, and Kongo learned the hard way tonight. Despite his clear advantages in wrestling and general well-rounded skills, Kongo was simply caught and taken out before he would apply them. It's a testimonial to the strikers' axiom that all fights begin standing up. Kongo couldn't secure his one takedown attempt as Hunt stuffed him, and promptly found himself sucked into standing exchanges, which is only slightly less risky then letting your drunk uncle drove you home from the wedding after he's finished off a fifth of vodka. A tough loss here for Kongo, whose recent showings had carved out a kind of respectable, mid-tier heavyweight niche for the longtime UFC product. Joe Lauzon: FOn the cusp of top-10 status, Lauzon entered his showdown with Pettis on the heels of his stirring submission win over streaking Melvin Guillard. But, it was for naught, as Joe was caught with a crushing kick and blitzed out in the follow-up salvo. These kinds of caught-and-finished stoppages happen in MMA, but it doesn't change the fact that the loss scuttled considerable momentum Lauzon had built to get this high up the lengthy lightweight ladder. For complete UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here. Jason Probst can be reached at Jason@jasonprobst.com or twitter.com/jasonprobst.

Posted in: ufc, takedown, bout, henderson, edgar

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Fresh off an instant classic that saw the UFC lightweight title go from Frankie Edgar to Ben Henderson it appears a rematch is already in order. Unfortunately for Edgar, it appears that rematch will be Henderson facing off against the last man to defeat him, Anthony Pettis. UFC president Dana White endorsed Pettis during the post-fight conference by stating “I think he’s going to get it” when asked about Pettis’s chances of being Henderson’s next opponent. The two last battled at the WEC’s last card, WEC 53, in a fight that ranks among the best in MMA history. The back-and-forth battle between the two fighters was essentially clinched by the now infamous “Showtime Kick,” where Pettis sprung off the cage to throw a head kick that knocked down Henderson and sealed the fight for Pettis. Pettis then chose to forgo his title shot in favor of a fight with Clay Guida after a scheduled rematch between then-UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard had to be delayed due to injury. Pettis went on to lose the fight against Guida but has since rebounded with wins over Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens, putting him back into the title picture. While fans of the original WEC fight may be excited, there is one person who is less than thrilled about not receiving a rematch and that’s former champion Frankie Edgar.   Edgar came up short in Japan after an extremely close fight and believed he deserved a rematch. Edgar made his case at the post-fight press conference saying, “I don’t want to take anything away from Ben, he did a great job but I thought I won that fight. He came hard and I knew it was going to be a tough fight but I thought I did enough to win those rounds. I’m not trying to shoot anyone out of what they deserve but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what’s right?” While Edgar has a great point, it appears likely that Pettis will receive a rematch before him. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for more on this story and all your MMA needs. Pictured: Anthony Pettis and Ben Henderson face off at WEC 53 weigh-in

Posted in: fight, petti, henderson, rematch, edgar

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its momentous return to Japan for the first time since 2005 as UFC 144 took center stage at the Saitama Super Arena last night (Feb. 25, 2012). The gigantic card featured 12 big-time fights, including a title bout between the two best 155-pound fighters in the world, Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and number one contender Ben Henderson. The result? A brand new and very deserving champion of the 155-pound roost. The co-main event was somewhat marred by the fact that Quinton Jackson came in six pounds overweight for bout against Ryan Bader, complaining of an injury he suffered during training camp. Nonetheless, "Rampage" had moments where he looked like his former self, but overall, it appears as though his best days are now behind him. Let's take a look at what may be next for the UFC 144 big winners, Ben Henderson and Ryan Bader: Everyone knew that the fight between Edgar and Henderson would end up being an all-out war that we'd be talking about for a long time to come. The bout delivered on every bit of the promise, as the first two rounds saw both competitors come out and fight at a frantic pace that looked like it would be hard to maintain. At first, Edgar had an "Answer" for all of "Bendo's" kicks, catching them all in the air and responding with strikes each time. But, the tide took a huge a turn for Henderson when a big upkick caught Edgar square on the bridge of the nose, causing it to gush blood immediately. Even still, Edgar never quit. He fought valiantly and kept coming, but ultimately, Henderson was just too much for him in every aspect of the fight. So what's next? Let's cut to the chase. Anthony Pettis looked super impressive in his UFC 144 win over Joe Lauzon. He's also the last man to beat Henderson. If you're telling me there's a fight that makes more sense, I want to hear what it is and then I want some of what you are smoking. Coming into his fight with "Rampage," Bader was not only the odds underdog, but also played the role of the "heel" to the thousands of Japanese fans who were cheering for Jackson with all their might. Everyone knows that "Rampage" has the ability to put a man to sleep in one fell swoop. Bader is no dummy, and so he made a concerted effort to steer clear of any such a shortcoming. For three rounds, Bader used takedowns, effective striking and a sound strategy to gain a victory over an opponent with a huge name and following. He's back on the road to redemption, but still should be several fights away from real contention. You don't go from being finished brutally in two straight fights to being "in the mix" without really working your way back up the ladder. What might the future hold for a man who was undefeated before Jon Jones decimated him at UFC 126 on Feb. 5, 2011 in "Sin City?" I'd love to see him fight Phil Davis. "Mr. Wonderful" is not as bad as he looked against Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28, 2012 in "Chi-town." They're both top contenders who are still learning the game and have a lot of potential. They're also both very good wrestlers with steadily improving stand up. It makes sense to me ... how about you?

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, edgar, bader

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SAITAMA, Japan -- Watch below as Ben Henderson talks about his UFC 144 win over Frankie Edgar, whether he was confident he had won the fight before the judges' announced the scorecards, his performance in the fight, what's next for him, and more.

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Let me get this out of the way first. I thought Ben Henderson beat Frankie Edgar tonight. That said, it was a fairly close fight at points and some people did narrowly score it Edgar. It’s not the end all be all, but in close fights like this it’s always interesting to see what the stats say and according to FightMetric’s, the judges got it right. They scored it 49-46 for Henderson, giving him rounds 2-5. On the feet, Henderson outstruck Edgar in significant strikes (87-68), total strikes (100-81), head strikes (59-40) and body strikes (28-23). The only place Edgar got the best of Bendo was in leg kicks (18-13) and takedowns (5-1). Really though, the defining factor in this fight was the damage. Edgar hit Henderson plenty of times, but he hardly did any damage outside of the knockdown he scored in the fifth round. Bendo didn’t have a scratch on his face when the fight was over. Edgar, meanwhile, looked a lot like Rocky Balboa who had just been in a 15-round war except this wasn’t a movie and his opponent didn’t look worse than him. His left eye was swollen shut and his nose appeared to be broken. That upkick Bendo nailed him was pretty much the defining moment of the fight. Props to Edgar for fighting like a warrior after eating Henderson’s heel, but he never came close to hurting Henderson like Henderson hurt him at any point. Moving forward, it’s looking like Anthony Pettis’ crushing head kick KO victory earlier in the night has earned him the right to be Ben Henderson’s first challenger, which is pretty fitting if you’ve followed the pair since their epic fight at the final WEC event over a year ago. Dana White wouldn’t outright confirm that Pettis is a lock, but said he “thinks” Showtime will get the nod. Considering it was a close fight tonight though and one Edgar believes he won, many have suggested that Edgar should get an immediate rematch. After all, he did have to give BJ Penn and Gray Maynard immediate rematches. When asked if thought it was unfair that he probably wasn’t, Edgar said he didn’t want to take a shot away from anyone who deserves it, but yeah he did give those guys rematches. He’s too nice to make a big deal out of it, but it was pretty clear that it irritates him. Which fight do you think should be next? Henderson vs. Edgar 2? Or Henderson vs. Pettis 2?

Posted in: fight, henderson, ben henderson, strike, edgar

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UFC 144 took place Saturday night at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The UFC announced the bonuses for UFC 144 at the post-fight press conference with “fight of the night” going to new UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson, “knockout of the night” going to Anthony Pettis, and “submission of the night” going to Vaughn Lee. All earned $65,000 bonuses for their efforts. “Fight of the Night” earned in early “Fight of the Year” candidate Lightweight champion Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar battled in an instant classic that matched Edgar’s volume of strikes against the power of Henderson’s. Edgar out-landed Henderson and secured more takedowns, but Henderson landed the most damaging shots of the fight consistently. The fight seemed to hinge on Henderson’s ability to keep fighting in traditionally defensive positions, that ability led to Henderson being able to steal some incredibly close rounds that might have otherwise gone to the now former champion Edgar. “Showtime” kicks off the show Before this fight, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis was widely known for a kick that did not end up in a knockout, well tonight he added another highlight kick to his reel and this time it was “lights out” for Joe Lauzon. Pettis keyed on Lauzon’s over-commitment to his leg kicks by using the same footwork to instead fire a head kick. The result was a quick knockout and Pettis netting “knockout of the night” Ironically, it originally appeared like the first fight on the undercard would be a shoe-in for the bonus as Issei Tamura scored a brutal one-punch knockout of Tiequan Zhang but Pettis sealed the bonus on the first fight of the PPV. Lee wins “submission of the night” with historic submission Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto had never been submitted in a career that has seen him victorious against renowned grapplers like Rani Yahya, Bibiano Fernandes, Caol Uno, Royler Gracie, and Jeff Curran just to name a few. That all changed Saturday after Vaughn Lee rocked the Japanese wrestler with a power shot that forced “Kid” to take a shot and end up in a deep triangle. While Yamamoto was able to fight out of the triangle, Lee expertly transitioned into an armbar to force Yamamoto to tap. So while it may have been the only submission on the card, Lee certainly earned the $65,000 for “submission of the night.” Pictured: Anthony Pettis via UFC.com

Posted in: fight, night, petti, henderson, lee

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In 2010, Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis fought for the WEC gold and produced what many ranked as the best fight of the year. After 14 months, a sequel might be finally be in the works, but this one for the most prestigious belt in the sport.After Henderson captured the UFC lightweight championship and Pettis scored a highlight reel knockout of his own at UFC 144, the duo might be on a collision course. Pettis immediately campaigned for the title shot, and when asked if Pettis' victory would net him a chance to face Henderson, UFC president Dana White indicated that it would."I think he's going to get it," White said. White later backtracked a bit and acknowledged he'd have to think about it, but given their past history and the fact that they're on the same fight schedule, it seems likely that the pairing will be made.Pettis vaulted himself into the title picture after stopping Joe Lauzon in just 81 seconds, cracking Lauzon with a left high kick and then finishing him with a few ground strikes. Seconds afterward, Pettis mimicked putting a belt around his waist and said he was the No. 1 contender. A few hours later, Henderson earned a unanimous decision over Edgar to wrest the belt away from him."I’m the last guy to beat him so it makes sense for us to have a rematch," Pettis said. "I’m the last guy to beat him in the WEC, took his belt there, and it looks like I’m bound to do it again."The December 2010 bout between them is best remembered for Pettis' brilliant "Showtime Kick" in the final seconds of the fifth and final round. The move, in which he launched himself off the cage and kicked Henderson, flooring him, helped seal the win in a hard-fought decision. That made Pettis the final WEC champ and was supposed to earn him a UFC title shot, but instead, an Edgar vs. Gray Maynard fight went to a draw, necessitating a rematch. Instead of waiting, Pettis fought and lost to Clay Guida. But now he's won two straight, and the most recent one in dramatic fashion to put himself in position to fight for the belt again.As for the champ, Henderson said he had no opponent preference for his first title defense, though in the past he has said that he expected to face Pettis sometime in the near future."It really doesn't matter to me," he said. "I want to defend it however many times Anderson Silva defends his, plus 1. So whoever it happens to be, whether it's Frankie again, I'm down for that. Anthony Pettis, I see you doing big things and making waves. Great fighter, very spectacular. It happens to be Anthony, so be it. Whoever it is, I'm OK with it. I believe there’s a long list of guys. Nate [Diaz], Jim [Miller], Frankie, Anthony. Let’s do it. Let's do every single one of them." But as far as Pettis is concerned, there's only one choice. "You're looking at him. I'm the No. 1 contender," he said during a post-fight interview on FUEL TV.

Posted in: belt, anthony pettis, petti, henderson, anthony

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SAITAMA, Japan - WEC never die, indeed. With a pair of impressive wins at Sunday's UFC 144 event in Saitama, Japan, former WEC champions Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis will now apparently meet for the UFC lightweight title. Following the pay-per-view event in which Henderson earned the UFC belt with a unanimous-decision win over Frankie Edgar and Pettis scored a highlight-reel finish of Joe Lauzon, UFC president Dana White suggested that was the likely plan.

Posted in: ufc, petti, henderson, title defense, payperview event

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Frankie Edgar put his lightweight championship up for grabs in the main event of UFC 144 last night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, against Ben Henderson. And -- surprise! -- it was a close decision. Edgar and Henderson exchanged blows for five rounds and 25 grueling minutes of back-and-forth action. At the end, the challenger's face was "Smooth" as a baby's bottom, looking none worse for the wear. The champion, meanwhile, had a busted and bloodied nose and his left eye was swollen shut. The scorecards reflected a similar story as "Bendo" was awarded the unanimous decision to become the new UFC lightweight champion. But was it really that clear cut? "The Answer" says he felt as though he did enough to win and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter show that quite a few fans, pundits and fighters agree with him. But just as many seem to think the judges got it right and Henderson deserves the title that is now wrapped firmly around his waist. Thankfully, Fight Metric, the official statistics provider of the UFC, has released its report on the fight (read it in full here) and the preliminary numbers show the rightful winner was declared. Let's take a look at the breakdown: Henderson scored more in the striking across the board, save for leg strikes. It was close but it's important to note that not only did "Bendo" have the edge in volume but it's also quite clear he did more damage. Just look at his face compared to his opponents. On to the grappling report: Edgar successfully took Henderson down five times in 12 attempts but was never credited with a guard pass or a submission attempt. That's because "Smooth" was strong in getting back to his feet and minimizing damage on the floor. He also used one of those takedowns to lock on a guillotine, one of his three submission attempts throughout the fight, that nearly ended it in the third. Finally, the performance ratings: As you can see, Fight Metric awarded the bout to Henderson on a score of 49-46, giving him rounds two through five while scoring round one for Edgar. What do you think, Maniacs, do you agree with the cold hard numbers? For a more detailed breakdown of the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson fight click here and for complete UFC 144 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, report, edgar

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In a night that personified the visceral splendor that is mixed martial arts, it seemed inevitable that Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar would deliver its crowning moment. And they didn't disappoint. Henderson and Edgar traded blows for five rounds in the main event of UFC 144, capping the year's most electrifying night of fights in aptly spectacular fashion. Ultimately the judges awarded Henderson the unanimous decision victory (49-46, 48-47, 49-46) and with it the UFC lightweight strap, despite a valiant effort from the fallen champion. Though once again the result was as razor-thin as they come, and while Henderson reveled in the afterglow of his greatest professional triumph, a slew of fellow fighters flooded the digital plains with their scorecards of the controversial title tilt. Agreed. I've got Edgar either 3-2 or 4-1. Great fight though. RT @danawhite: No matter who wins this will be controversy!!! — Dan Henderson (@danhendo) February 26, 2012 Wow. Even more controversial then I thought.Great fight, fans will def be asking for a rematch. — Dan Henderson (@danhendo) February 26, 2012 Ok I don't say this ever, but that was the absolute worst decision I have EVER seen. — Amir Sadollah (@amirMMA) February 26, 2012 I think Frankie should have won... — The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) February 26, 2012 Frankie Edgar is the real life Rocky Balboa!! — Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) February 26, 2012 Ill give ben the fifth. We might have a new champion. — Nam Phan (@NamPhanMMA) February 26, 2012 Wow!! Love Benson. It was a close fight but I had Frankie winning that fight. — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 26, 2012 Henderson winning isn't necessarily the issue for me. Inconsistency of the judging is. Bendo is the champ & put on a sick performance! — Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 26, 2012 @kennyflorian I agree @FrankieEdgar was more busy striker and score more takedowns.. How the score that unanimous decision.. — Fabricio Camões (@fabriciocamoes) February 26, 2012 I thought Frankie won @UFC — Ken Stone (@K3nStone) February 26, 2012 I make a horrible judge! — Duane Ludwig (@DUANEBANGCOM) February 26, 2012 Frankie won IMO. — Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) February 26, 2012 RT @jmercadoMMA: I'm getting sad.Frankie clearly won but people don't understand that visual damage is not apart of the scoring system — Conor Heun (@ConorHeun) February 26, 2012 I'm so inspired right now!! That fight was incredible !! Ben and Frankie are warriors . Thank u guys! #UFC144 — Joseph Benavidez (@JoeJitsu) February 26, 2012 It was a damn good fight. I feel Frankie definitely won it. Don't worry brother youll be back on top. Forget cutting weight 155 is your home — Rad Martinez (@radmFTW) February 26, 2012 Ben Henderson is the most well rounded fighter in the world (wrestling, cardio, stand up,jiu jitsu, big 155) #UFC144 — Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunsonMMA) February 26, 2012 They're both winners in my book #UFC144 — Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) February 26, 2012 I believe damage done needs to play a factor in judging a round. And I believe Benson Henderson did more damage in all rounds. #Champ — Pat Schilling (@PatSchilling) February 26, 2012 BJ and Gray got immediate rematches in close fights with Frankie, so Frankie should at least get a rematch after that war I thought he won — John Cholish (@JohnCholish) February 26, 2012

Posted in: fight, henderson, february, frankie, mdash

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Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar won $65,000 for Fight of the Night at UFC 144 after Henderson took Edgar's lightweight title. Vaughan Lee and Anthony Pettis also got bonus checks in Japan.

Posted in: anthony pettis, henderson, edgar, frankie edgar, bonus checks

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Close fights carry with them the inherent problem of a significant group of viewers feeling that the loser will be robbed, and that is the case with the UFC 144 main event between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson (or Frank Edgar and Benson Henderson). The two men put on a compelling, competitive scrap for the UFC lightweight championship with both having their moments of success and, depending on what you valued in what transpired, it is possible to make a case for either fighter to have taken the decision. I saw the fight as a narrow 48-47 win for Frankie Edgar, but I can understand the official scores that placed the UFC belt around the waist of Henderson. Henderson was the "aggressor" coming forward constantly and putting pressure on Edgar while Edgar was able to capably counter off his aggression. In the end, I'd rather not focus on the "controversy." Mainly because I don't actually think there was any controversy, just a good, close fight that someone had to win. Instead, my focus is on the fight as the capper to one of the greatest nights of fighting I've ever seen. UFC 144 was a beautiful journey through all things that make MMA great. This was a special night and that is something we should all deeply appreciate as MMA fans. Let's take a run through the night's action for some thoughts and analysis. First of all, Frankie Edgar is a beat of a man. He takes punishment and keeps coming forward at all times. Henderson landed an upkick in round 2 that came close to knocking Edgar out cold and caused blood to pour from his nose for the rest of the fight. Edgar just kept doing his thing and trying to find ways to pop Henderson. Henderson just has such a relentless pace and style. He was throwing kicks and punches and trying to keep Edgar from ever really getting comfortable. Henderson is an incredibly tough fight for any lightweight on the planet and it sounds like Anthony Pettis secured a title shot with his knockout (according to Rogan's "inside information" at the end of the PPV). That rematch is going to be nuts. Quinton Jackson looked awful tonight. He missed weight for the bout but people still expected him to be too much for Ryan Bader. Instead, Bader beat him up in the stand-up, took him down and just basically roughed him up. Jackson limped around after the fight ended so I assume he's going to claim that a knee injury kept him from being in shape for the fight. (Update: Jackson did say he hurt his knee in training and again mid-fight) For Bader, this is a great win. This is a guy who lost to Jon Jones (no shame in that) and followed that up by being the only guy in years to lose to Tito Ortiz. And he lost that fight badly. For Bader to get such a big win really should keep his career going forward instead of flaming out with the Jones fight. Much more after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Mark Hunt is not only fighting in the UFC in 2012, he's got a three fight win streak. Cheick Kongo decided he wanted to have a kickboxing match with a guy that hits a lot harder and that resulted in him paying the price. Hunt hits too hard to play around with. Let's not get ahead of ourselves about Hunt though. Kongo played into his game but Hunt isn't exactly ready to take the title from Junior dos Santos. I was confused as I watched Jake Shields outwork Yoshihiro Akiyama on the feet. Not because it was happening, but because Joe Rogan seemed to be ignoring everything Shields did in favor of the fact that Akiyama's takedown defense was good. Shields has unbelievably ugly striking, but he was the one landing much more often and simply deserved the win more. Akiyama is now a guy who lost a mostly stand-up fight to Jake Shields and got submitted on the floor by Chris Leben. That's just mindblowing. Tim Boetsch is an awesome human being. Yushin Okami was simply destroying him for two rounds. Okami was landing hard strikes for the first two rounds, getting on top on the floor and putting a hurt on Boetsch and just running things. Then Boetsch came out and went for broke in round three and knocked him out with a brutal inside striking game. It was a great comeback and one of many great moments over the course of the night. Boetsch did something more fighters should do. Did he put himself at a higher risk of being finished by coming out in the third round and going for it 100%? Absolutely! But so what? The UFC has clearly shown that there is incentive to losing fights where you're going for broke. He didn't just try to survive to the cards, he went for a win like a fighter. Had he gone out on his shield, the UFC wasn't going to punish him for trying to make something happen. Hatsu Hioki looked great in running through Bart Palaszewski. Hioki crushed him in round one and then recovered from a rocky second round to dominate the third round again. His transition game on the ground is just so slick but I don't think he matches up well with Aldo. Still, that's a fight that seems like it's going to have to happen in the near future. It sounds like Anthony Pettis earned himself a shot at a rematch with Henderson after a crushing knockout of Joe Lauzon. Lauzon was not ready for the speed of Pettis at all. From the opening bell it was Pettis who was looking for the killshot and he got it when he connected with a head kick and follow up punches on the ground just 1:21 into the opening round. I can't say I'm shocked that Lauzon followed his usual career path of losing to top level guys. The Guillard fight was the exception, not the rule. Pettis simply isn't as susceptible to mistakes like Guillard makes and that meant that Lauzon would have to find a way to create his own openings, which doesn't happen with him very often against top level guys. It was harder than it probably should have been, but Takanori Gomi's great comeback win over Eiji Mitsuoka was a special moment. The Japanese crowd had just seen Kid Yamamoto lose in ugly fashion and Takeya Mizugaki lose a questionable decision. Having the hometown superstar get a beautiful and dramatic win was spectacular. Kid Yamamoto just got sloppy, he was clearly on his way to picking apart and busting up Vaughan Lee but he left himself open for a knee that allowed the fight to be flipped completely. All credit to Lee for transitioning from submission to submission to lock up the fight ending submission. Steve Cantwell should get released from the UFC after tonight's loss to Riki Fukuda. Fukuda looked great but Cantwell has just regressed so far as a fighter. From a top level prospect to a guy who is getting dominated by Fukuda...shocking. Speaking of guys who can't compete in the UFC...How about Zhang Tiequan. He got knocked out badly by a late replacement opponent. It feels like the UFC is trying to find fighters for him to beat and he just can't quite pull it off. He's clearly not at the UFC level and it's time for them to give up on him. My last note is going to be sappy and lame...but thank you to all of our readers. Tonight was such a great show and a special night that I started to feel very lucky to be able to cover this sport for a living. I get to ramble about something I truly love and I wouldn't get to do that without you guys coming here and reading it. Tonight was fantastic and reminded me of how truly lucky I am. So...thank you!

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, henderson, edgar

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UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, has officially wrapped, which means it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts. To the tune of $65,000 each. The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 20 fighters on the card, and it's probably no surprise who's leaving "The Land of the Rising Sun" with a second sack of simoleons. On a night that featured four strong candidates for "Knockout of the Night," Anthony Pettis took home the coveted honors thanks to his head kick special on Joe Lauzon in the opening fight of the main card on pay-per-view. That likely has something to do with the decision but let's face it, it was a sweet kick. Equally as sweet, if not more so, was Vaughan Lee's armbar of Norifumi Yamamoto, which earned him "Submission of the Night" honors. Sure, he was the only guy to score a victory by way of tapout, but that shouldn't overshadow how slick his finish was. Finally, Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson were awarded "Fight of the Night" honors for their thrilling, back-and-forth war of attrition that went all five rounds and 25 minutes in front of a grateful crowd at the Saitama Super Arena. Ultimately, a new lightweight champion was crowned, as "Bendo" did enough to earn the unanimous decision win, close as it may have been. It was one hell of a night, Maniacs. Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 144: Knockout of the Night -- Anthony Pettis Submission of the Night -- Vaughan Lee Fight of the Night -- Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Again, each fighter received $65,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. For complete UFC 144 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.

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Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Vaughan Lee received the UFC’s post-fight honors for their performances Saturday at UFC 144 in Japan. The four will take home an extra $65,000 for their work at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama. The main event between Edgar and Henderson lived up to the hype with the two tireless lightweights pushing the pace through five close rounds. In the end, Henderson won unanimously on scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47 to claim the 155-pound belt. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Henderson Beats Edgar for Lightweight Title On a card with a handful of devastating knockout finishes, final WEC champion Pettis took the Knockout of the Night nod with his head kick knockdown followed by punches to dispatch of Joe Lauzon in 81 seconds. More importantly, Pettis could have a bigger prize heading his way thanks to the knockout win. Pettis could be next in line for a title shot against Henderson. "I think he's going to get it," UFC president Dana White said at the post-fight presser. In the only submission on the card, Lee tapped out Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto with an armbar with 31 seconds left in the first round. Lee, a fighter based out of England, earned his first UFC win and became the first man to submit Yamamoto in his 11-year career.

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The UFC returned to the Land of the Rising Sun tonight, delivering an exciting line-up from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Ben Henderson won a decision to become the Lightweight Champion in the headlining bout, while Ryan Bader defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the co-main event. Mark Hunt picked up his third straight octagon victory, knocking out Cheick Kongo in the opening-round, and Jake Shields outworked Yoshihiro Akiyama to win on the scorecards. Also picking up important main card

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After five grueling rounds, Ben "Smooth" Henderson dethroned Frankie Edgar, and is now the new UFC Lightweight champion. Beaming with confidence, Henderson dominated Edgar during all five rounds, giving the champ the worst beating of his MMA career. Edgar responded with his second to none heart and endurance, but it was not enough to withstand Ben Henderson physical power and size advantage throughout the fight. Edgar and Henderson threw an equal amount of strikes, but once again, it's the challenger's

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Benson Henderson completed his climb to the lightweight summit halfway across the world.

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UFC 144 Edgar vs. Henderson resultsSaitama, JapanBen Henderson def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)Ryan Bader def. Quinton Jackson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Jake Shields def. Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mark Hunt def. Cheick Kongo via TKO (punches) 2:11 R1Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (punches) 0:54 R3Hatsu Hioki def. Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Anthony Pettis def. Joe Lauzon via knockout (kick and punches) 1:21 R1Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 2:21 R2Vaughan Lee def. Norifumi Yamamoto via submission armbar 4:29 R1Riki Fukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki via decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Issei Tamura def. Tiequan Zhang via knockout (punch) 0:32 R2Of the night awards 65KFight: Ben Henderson vs. Frankie EdgarKO: Anthony PettisSubmission: Vaughan Lee

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UFC 144 - Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar

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Benson Henderson won the UFC's lightweight belt by winning a decision 49-46, 48-47, 49-46 over Frankie Edgar at Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday. His cardio and strength were too much for the smaller Edgar. The two lightweights came … Continue reading →

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This night will be remembered. Without a doubt the UFC's grand return to Japan was an undeniable success. The 'Bushido Spirit' filled Saitama Super Arena to the rafters, and we were delivered a superb night of fights culminating in yet another gory Frankie Edgar 'Rocky' remake. After five rounds of high paced back and forth action that left Frankie a bloody mess and Benson Henderson unscathed (but not without a few stray hairs), Bendo took the lightweight championship out of the Jersey shore and into the Kingdom of Christ. Ben Henderson now joins Jens Pulver, Sean Sherk, BJ Penn and the man he dethroned as one of the few UFC lightweight champs ever, but it's not without controversy. Honestly I don't know who won. The Twitterverse is up in arms, some picking Frankie some Bendo. 'You have to defeat the champion' they say, but looking at their faces should tell all the tales needed. Compustrike's Tweet's tell an interesting tale as well. Frankie to put it simply, was pissed about the loss. We don't know if he saw Compustrike's Tweet's above he stepped up to talk to Joe Rogan, but for a guy who had one eye open and blood gushing out of his face for fifteen minutes, he thought won the fight. Now it's official: Bendo/Pettis II is going down in an octagon near you for the UFC lightweight championship. WEC never die!

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The UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view going down last night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Japan culminated with a thrilling main event lightweight championship showdown pitting titleholder Frankie Edgar putting his belt up for grabs against Ben Henderson. It had all the makings of a battle for the ages. Both men both well known for their propensity to battle through adversity and find a way to win close fights, both nearly impossible to finish. So who would wilt? As it turns out, neither man. Both fought valiantly until the very end, all five rounds and 25 minutes they were contracted to. When the final horn sounded, no one was sure who won. Until Bruce Buffer read the scorecards, of course, and announced to the world that Ben Henderson had dethroned the lightweight king to win the 155-pound title. It was close and scores will vary around the MMA world. Immediate rematch anyone? Henderson opened the fight throwing kicks, one of which Edgar caught. So what did "Bendo" do about it? He attempted a freaking Enzuiguri. If you don't know what that is, it was Henderson launching a head kick with his free leg while Edgar held the other one. He missed but it looked incredible. The rest of the round played out in a manner befitting how close a fight many thought it would be. They exchanged kicks and punches with neither taking the advantage. Takedowns happened, sure, but guys popped right back up. It was very close to say the least. The second round was exactly the same, though Edgar landed a late takedown. It looked like that would score the round for him, too, until Henderson landed an upkick straight to "The Answer's" nose that had him squirting blood like a leaky faucet. After two, it was still close. Henderson stayed aggressive in the third, scoring shots and even landing a takedown or two. He looked as fresh as could be, not a mark on him, while Edgar's nose continued bleeding and his eye closed up more and more. He was still bouncing around the cage, though, always moving. He was also landing a few punches of his own, keeping it close. Not only that, he made sure to get a late takedown just to score some more. That's three rounds, still extremely close. Round four saw much of the same action. In and out with punches and kicks, many times too close to call comfortably. At one point, "Smooth" locked on a tight guillotine but Edgar slipped out. More punches and kicks and more unease through the mixed martial arts world on who the hell was winning. The final round opened with both men looking to throw hard. It was Edgar who landed with a big shot first, tagging Henderson with a strong left hand that stopped "Bendo" short. They continued trading shots, neither man backing down. Henderson went to his ass at one point but that may have been a slip. As the bout came to a close, Henderson landed blows from top and the Japanese crowd exploded with glee. It was a great fight between two awesome competitors. How did you score it, Maniacs? Remember, too, to check out all our UFC 144 fight night coverage with blow-by-blow of all the night's action by clicking here.

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Benson Henderson defeats Frankie Edgar by Unanimous Decision. The score cards were 49-46, 48-47, 49-46. Inside leg kick landed for Frankie to open the round. Ben Henderson threw his own leg kick and jumped up with a flying round house which missed. Edgar took Ben down momentarily but was unable to keep him on the mat. Henderson doubled up the kicks and Frankie hit another takedown. Ben threw a superman punch/low kick that landed low. Another Ben Henderson kick was caught and Frankie punished him with kicks to the thigh. Frankie timed Ben's kicks well, catching numerous shots to the body. Frankie completed a double and on the way up Ben attempted a standing kimura. Knee to the body from Ben. Frankie tossed Ben to the ground in the final seconds of the round. Frankie Edgar caught another kick and punished Ben's thigh with kicks. Another kick caught and the two trade punches. Henderson punched on one leg. Knee from the clinch landed for Benson. Another knee from Benson landed which caused Frankie to take a deep breath. Frankie missed a spinning back fist. Edgar with another takedown and Henderson defended with a standing kimura. Leg kick by Frankie found its target. Both fighters traded in the pocket with a minute left and Frankie hit a takedown with thirty left. Edgar stayed active and was dropped by an upkick. Benson tried a guillotine to finish the fight but time ran out. Frankie was leaking blood walking back to his corner. They traded in the pocket to start the third. Big right for Edgar landed as he moved in and out. Edgar with a four punch combination to the body and head. Benson defends two takedown attempts. Henderson countered Frankie's combination with a right hand. Frankie slipped and Henderson drove him down to keep the fight grounded. Frankie wall walked back to his feet and pushed off to escape. Edgar's eye almost swollen shut with a minute thirty left in the round. Edgar threw Benson but couldn't keep the fight on the ground. Frankie closed the round with a takedown. Double jab and kick from Henderson at the start of the championship rounds. Jab from Henderson is countered with a kick to the leg. Three punch combination landed for Edgar. Henderson's kick to the body landed low directly on Frankie's cup. Henderson wiffed an uppercut and Frankie countered with a right hand. Frankie with a takedown and Henderson dropped for a guillotine. It was very tight but Edgar survived. Edgar attempted to take Ben's back but again gave up when Henderson grabbed for a kimura. Frankie had timed Henderson's leg kicks. Takedown attempt from Frankie is defended and Henderson threw a kick to the body on the break. Benson was surprisingly fresh entering the final round. Edgar stepped in for a right hand and was countered with a straight left. Frankie failed on a takedown attempt but landed an uppercut on the break. A big left hand landed for Edgar. Frankie tripped Benson to the ground and attempted to take his back but again gave up when Henderson grabbed the kimura. Edgar landed a combination and Henderson countered with a right hand. Frankie dropped Ben with right hook but Henderson didn't look stunned. Head kick from Benson was partially blocked. The fight ended with Henderson landing a jumping knee and dragging Edgar down with a guillotine. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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The UFC has a new lightweight champion. Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision in the main event at UFC 144, taking the lightweight belt. It was a tremendous performance by Henderson, who came in with a great game plan heavy on kicks to the body and executed that game plan well. Henderson showed he was bigger and stronger than Edgar and showed that he had more than enough gas to last 25 minutes with the champion. Two judges scored it 49-46 and one scored it 48-47. And now the UFC belt is around Henderson's waist. Things got interesting early as Edgar caught a Henderson kick and held him by one foot in a takedown attempt, only to have Henderson throw a head kick with his other foot. Henderson kept throwing kicks throughout the first round, and Edgar threw a few as well. Edgar also moved in and out with punches, but a Henderson punch gave Edgar a black eye. Edgar got the better of the brief grappling exchanges, but Henderson got the better of the striking. More fast-paced striking exchanges ensued in the second round, with Edgar catching more Henderson kicks and Edgar also taking Henderson down a couple of times. Edgar's takedown late in the second round appeared to have Henderson in trouble, but Henderson completely changed things with an upkick to Edgar's nose, followed by a choke attempt. Henderson probably took the round because of what he did in the final seconds. Henderson continued hurting Edgar with strikes in the third round, but Edgar wouldn't quit and kept on attacking, and he took Henderson down at the end of the round. Henderson probably won the third round, but it was close. Midway through the fourth round Henderson had Edgar in his guard and attempted a guillotine choke, and although he wasn't able to finish it, Henderson controlled the fourth and appeared to be taking control of the fight. In the fifth round Henderson hammered away at the bloodied and bruised face of Edgar, and although Edgar wouldn't quit, it was clear in the end who had won: Henderson fought like a champion.

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Sherdog.com will report from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at 7:10 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson,” which is headlined by a UFC lightweight title contest between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Ben Henderson.

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Sherdog.com will report from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at 7:30 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson,” which is headlined by a UFC lightweight title contest between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Ben Henderson.

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Sherdog.com will report from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at 7:30 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson,” which is headlined by a UFC lightweight title contest between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Ben Henderson.

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The UFC® 144 post-fight press conference was attended by UFC® President Dana White, plus 15 fighters - Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Mark Hunt, Ryan Bader, Rampage Jackson, Tim Boetsch, Takeya Mizugaki, Hatsu Hioki, Issei Tamura, Riki Fukuda, Takanori Gomi, Jake Shields, Anthony Pettis, Chris Cariaso, and Vaughan Lee.Fight of the Night went to headliners Henderson and Edgar. The two lightweights engaged in an exciting back-and-forth brawl that saw Henderson leave as the new UFC® lightweight champion.Pettis earned Knockout of the Night for his vicious first-round KO (via head kick) of Joe Lauzon. The win moved "Showtime" closer to a rematch with Henderson.Lee won Submission of the Night by handing Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto the first submission loss of his storied career.Each bonused fighter earned $65,000.Highlight videos will be posted as they come in.

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SAITAMA -- This is the UFC 144 live blog for Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, the main event of tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the Saitama Super Arena. Edgar (14-1-1) retained his title last October by knocking out Gray Maynard in their third encounter. Henderson (15-2) went undefeated in 2011, earning decisions over Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida. Follow the live blog below. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Latest UFC News Round 1: Round 2: Round 3: Round 4: Round 5:

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For the first time in his reign as the UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar enters a fight as the favorite, albeit a slight one against challenger Ben Henderson at UFC 144. That's not a fact that matters to Edgar, who wasn't even aware of it until being informed about it last week, but it at least shows he's come a long way in terms of public perception.After getting past B.J. Penn twice and making a comeback for the ages against Gray Maynard, Edgar has nothing to prove as far as his toughness or ability to overcome adversity. So this fight can settle back into a more standard match: a champion attempting to fight off a No. 1 contender.In Henderson, he faces an opponent that took his game to a new level after his loss to Anthony Pettis. That defeat predated his move to the UFC, and like many of the WEC lightweights that made the shift over, Henderson found a way to adjust to his new home and the impressive talent that came with it. The biggest change? As Henderson (15-2) told MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes recently, he decided to ramp up his aggression level, to ensure there's "no doubt in anyone's mind after they watch one of my fights as to who won the fight."That will come as a difficult challenge against Edgar (14-1-1), a blur of constant motion who never stands in one place, is willing to contest the fight anywhere, and is a master of scrambles. The last of those qualities is among his most underrated strengths. Remember, against Maynard, it was out of a scramble when Edgar landed the uppercut that rocked him and led to the finish.But in some parts of his game, Henderson is a carbon copy of Edgar. He has an endless gas tank, scrambles well and is equally balanced on his feet and the ground, with his standup showing strong refinement over the last few bouts. Henderson also brings with him a wrestling pedigree that makes him a takedown threat, and has eight of his career wins by submission. One somewhat ignored advantage Henderson has going for him? He is the first southpaw Edgar has fought since he defeated Spencer Fisher over four years ago. That different look can be difficult to face after a steady diet of orthodox fighters. Edgar could potentially combat that by going southpaw himself, as he did multiple times in his most recent fight against Maynard. But more logically, he will go with his customary stance. While Edgar is considered by most experts to be the better striker of the championship pairing, according to FightMetric, Henderson lands at a higher rate, 45 percent to 41 percent. It is likely though, that Henderson's number is a bit inflated by the inordinate amount of ground strikes he lands from the top, a high-percentage position.That offense is fueled by his takedowns. While Henderson only takes down his opponent on 48 percent of his opportunities, he's capable of dominating the position once he moves the fight to the mat. He's also quite relentless and doesn't get frustrated by failure. Because of that, he averages 4.1 takedowns per 15 minutes. (By comparison, Edgar averages 2.9.) That tenacity will be key for Henderson. As Maynard learned after going 3-for-19 in takedowns against him during their two title fights, Edgar is a complex problem to solve.Prior to this fight, Henderson noted that he would work to put on a few pounds and maximize his size advantage on Edgar, perhaps a sign that he's hoping to use his strength to weigh on the champ. Even if he doesn't take Edgar down, Henderson does good work against the fence with dirty boxing and elbows. That's an area of concern for Edgar, although his lateral movement and takedown defense (62 percent) usually keeps him out of those situations.One surprising stat when it comes to Henderson-Edgar is the fact that despite a three-inch size advantage, Henderson actually has a two-inch disadvantage in reach. Edgar's extended reach is an underrated element of his success, as he often dances in and out of range, and his opponent misses him after miscalculating the distance between them.There is no obvious style advantage for either man. Both are strong wrestlers. Both have good standup, are quick and work hard to capitalize in scramble situations. So in determining a winner, you have to figure out what the biggest difference between the two is. In most of his fights, Edgar is the one creating the angles and the one more likely to land standing strikes. His quickness allows him to score at a more consistent clip. He also might have a slight edge in power, and seems to have that unexplainable X-factor that allows him to steal wins. After beating Penn twice and finishing Maynard, how do you bet against him now? Edgar by unanimous decision.

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Sherdog.com will report from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at 7:30 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of UFC 144 “Edgar vs. Henderson,” which is headlined by a UFC lightweight title contest between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Ben Henderson.

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Follow live results for UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson in Japan.

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The UFC makes its long-awaited return to Japan as Frankie Edgar defends his lightweight belt against Benson Henderson.

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The last time the UFC set up camp in Japan, lightweight champion Frankie Edgar was still five years away from making his MMA debut. Now, thanks to the organization’s decision to return to the Land of the Rising Sun with UFC 144, Edgar will not only have an opportunity to fight in one of the sport’s birthplaces but defend his title there as well. Set to unfold from Saitama Super Arena, UFC 144 features Edgar putting his gold up for grabs against polished pugilist Benson Henderson in the main event of a card including six other main card collisions. Other match-ups slated to take place include Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch, Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. The show starts at 7:30 PM EST with prelims on Facebook/FX before things fire up on PPV at 10:00 PM EST. As always, Five Ounces of Pain will be tuned in and relaying live results back to readers as they take place in real time. Read below for a full list of UFC 144 winners/losers as revealed thus far: Tiequan Zhang vs. Issei Tamura Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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After an extended absence in Japan the UFC finally makes its return tonight with UFC 144 and a lineup truly fitting the monumental nature of the occasion. Headlined by Frankie Edgar’s title-defense against Benson Henderson, the card also features a number of other notable bouts including Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski, Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. As always, Fighters.com will be watching from start to finish while inputting live results as they unfold live from Saitama Super Arena. The preliminary portion of UFC 144 starts at 7:30 on Facebook/FX, then heads to PPV at 10:00 PM EST with a super-sized, seven-fight main card. Check Out the UFC 144 Countdown Special Read below for a full rundown of UFC 144 results as revealed thus far: Tiequan Zhang vs. Issei Tamura Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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In the main event of UFC 144, reigning UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (14-1-1; 9-1-1 UFC) puts his belt on the line as he faces former WEC champion Ben Henderson (15-2; 3-0 UFC). This will be Edgar's 4th defense of the belt. Edgar is the #1 ranked Lightweight in the world in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings, and Henderson is just a few spots below him at #4. The PPV card begins this Saturday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and will run for 4 hours on PPV. It was a complicated road that brought us to Henderson vs. Edgar, with a number of possible contenders eliminated along the way. While Edgar completed his trilogy with Gray Maynard, men like Anthony Pettis, Clay Guida and Jim Miller all rose to near contender status, then were knocked aside. And often, the one who knocked them away was Ben Henderson. Though still a relative newcomer to the UFC, Henderson has looked tremendous in his last two fights, leaving fans salivating for what promises to be a supremely technical and high paced match-up. How do these two stack up? Edgar: 30 years old | 5'6" | 68" reachHenderson: 28 years old | 5'9" | 70" reach What have these two done recently? Edgar: W - Gray Maynard (KO) | Draw - Gray Maynard | W - B.J. Penn (UD)Henderson: W - Clay Guida (UD) | W - Jim Miller (UD) | W - Mark Bocek (UD) How did these two get here? Frankie "The Answer" Edgar comes in as the defending champion, undefeated in nearly 4 years, and with only one blemish on his career. Yet many fans still view him as vulnerable. There are a lot of possible criticisms of Edgar - he's undersized for the division; he hasn't faced anyone but Penn and Maynard in ages; he should have lost the belt to Maynard (twice?). Yet for all those faults, Edgar keeps finding a way to win. With his speed, boxing, and wrestling, he has ultimately defeated every man who has crossed his path. He's coming off the two amazing 2011 fights with Gray Maynard - both among the best fights the UFC Lightweight division has ever produced. Can his big run continue here? Ben (or Benson) "Smooth" Henderson came into the UFC as a bit of an afterthought. For the last year of the WEC's existence, he ruled over their Lightweight division, winning great battles against Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone. But in the last ever WEC fight, he was on the losing end of Anthony Pettis and his Showtime kick, costing him valuable momentum. He came back with a win over Bocek, but it was his upset win over Jim Miller that really turned heads. Following that up with the win over Clay Guida, Henderson proved that, despite the Pettis loss, he is the dominant fighter to emerge from the WEC Lightweight division. Why should you care? These two are responsible for fight of the year candidates on multiple occasions, and this one should be no different. It's super evenly matched, both men are tenacious and comfortable in all areas of the game... seriously, this fight is going to be incredible. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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At UFC 144 the man known simply as Rampage, Quinton Jackson (32-9; 7-3 UFC) meets Ryan Bader (13-2; 6-2 UFC). This Light Heavyweight bout is the semi-main event on the evening. Rampage is currently ranked as the #5 Light Heavyweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings; Bader is #16. The UFC 144 PPV card begins this Saturday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and will run for 4 hours on PPV. On paper this looks like a pretty one-sided affair. Rampage may have slowed a bit in recent years, but he's still one of the most dangerous men in the division, while Bader is just 1 fight removed from a loss to Tito Ortiz. Much of the interest in this fight stems from Rampage returning to Japan where he first made his name as part of Pride. Jackson seems excited about fighting in front of Japanese fans once again. Will this mean the return of "Slampage" and his devastating powerbombs and throws? Any old school Pride fan must certainly be hoping so. How do these two stack up? Rampage: 33 years old | 6'1" | 73" reachBader: 28 years old | 6'2" | 74" reach What have these two done recently? Rampage: L - Jon Jones (Sub) | W - Matt Hamill (UD) | W - Lyoto Machida (SD)Bader: W - Jason Brilz (KO) | L - Tito Ortiz (Sub) | L - Jon Jones (Sub) How did these two get here? Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion who has seen a lot of ups and downs in his career recently. After making a big UFC debut back in 2007, he won 3 straight, then lost the belt to Forrest Griffin and subsequently went on a bizarre and dangerous driving, uh, rampage. He came back, had a pair of fights, then announced his retirement from MMA to pursue acting. That didn't pan out, and he's 2-2 since his return. As I said above, he remains a threat to everyone in the division, but there often just feels like a spark missing from Rampage these days. I'm interested to see if the Japanese fan reignite it. Ryan Bader started his UFC career with a 5 fight win streak that brought his overall record to 12-0. From winning The Ultimate Fighter to defeating Rogerio Nogueira, Bader was clearly a force. A loss to Jon Jones was a minor setback, though clearly there's no shame in losing to Jones. But his UFC 132 submission loss to Tito Ortiz was a real eye-opener. He's defeated Jason Brilz since, but it is going to take a lot for fans to forget the image of Bader being choked out. A win over Rampage would be a huge step in that process. Why should you care? There are three ways I see this fight going: 1) Rampage taps into his old violence and steamrolls Bader, 2) Bader pulls off a huge upset and knocks one of the old guard off his perch, 3) Rampage has a tentative victory a la Matt Hamill. Two of those three options would be exciting, so odds are in your favor for a good fight. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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In a Heavyweight fight at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, former K-1 champion Mark Hunt (7-7; 2-1 UFC) meets Cheick Kongo (17-6-2; 10-4-1 UFC). This is the fifth of seven fights on the PPV main card. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Kongo ranked at #12 and Hunt at #23. The UFC 144 PPV card begins this Saturday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and will run for 4 hours on PPV. Both Hunt and Kongo came into MMA from a kickboxing background. Hunt made a name for himself in K-1 while Kongo fought primarily in the European scene. Yet despite these striking backgrounds, this fight is likely to be settled on the ground. Kongo has fought a number of former kickboxers before, and his usual strategy is to ground them and use his improved ground control to grind them out. Meanwhile, when Hunt loses it is almost always due to submission - six of his seven MMA loses come from some form of arm-related submission on the mat. How do these two stack up? Hunt: 37 years old | 5'10" | 74" reachKongo: 36 years old | 6'4" | 82" reach What have these two done recently? Hunt: W - Ben Rothwell (UD) | W - Chris Tuchscherer (KO) | L - Sean McCorkle (Sub)Kongo: W - Matt Mitrione (UD) | W - Pat Barry (KO) | D - Travis Browne (Unanimous Draw) How did these two get here? Samoan Mark Hunt is perhaps the most unlikely member of the top 25 rankings today. The former K-1 World Grand Prix champion and Pride veteran was once a formidable force in MMA. But when Pride closed in 2007, his career seemed to end with it. From 2006-2010 his record dropped from 5-1 to 5-7 with 6 straight loses, all but 1 of them coming within the first 2 minutes. He was picked up by the UFC to satisfy an old Pride contract, lost again, and seemed done. Then, miraculously, he won two straight last year. And suddenly, Mark Hunt is in the mix for the UFC Heavyweight title. I don't know how far he can ride this resurgence, but I love finding out. Cheick Kongo has been the UFC Heavyweight gatekeeper for some time. Fighters like Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez have defeated him and moved on to title shots, while possible contenders like Matt Mitrione and Mirko Cro Cop have found their dreams smashed by Kongo. He's currently on a 4 fight undefeated streak that includes his wild KO win over Pat Barry last year. It seems unlikely that Kongo will move from gatekeeper to contender, but if he keeps winning, he could make it. Why should you care? If you don't love Mark Hunt, you are no friend of mine. And I actually think this is a winnable fight for him. Mark Hunt: UFC Heavyweight title contender? Could be... For a more detailed look at Hunt vs. Kongo, check out the fight Dissection by Dallas Winston. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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In a Welterweight fight at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, former #1 contender Jake Shields (26-6-1; 1-2 UFC) faces Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-4, 2 NC; 1-3 UFC). This is the fourth of seven fights on the PPV main card at UFC 144. Shields is currently ranked as the #8 Welterweight in the world according to the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings - Akiyama is making his 170 pound debut and is unranked. The UFC 144 PPV card begins this Saturday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and will run for 4 hours on PPV. This is a very interesting clash between two men with quite similar UFC careers. Both came into the company with a lot of hype. Both barely won their debut fights, with many fans arguing that both should have in fact lost those fights. And since those controversial debuts, neither man has won in the Octagon. They've both main evented and been close to title contention, but each finds himself at a crossroads here. The winner will move up; the loser could potentially see his UFC career end. How do these two stack up? Shields: 33 years old | 6'0" | 72" reachAkiyama: 36 years old | 5'10" | 75" reach What have these two done recently? Shields: L - Jake Ellenberger (KO) | L - Georges St. Pierre (UD) | W - Martin Kampmann (SD)Akiyama: L - Vitor Belfort (KO) | L - Michael Bisping (UD) | L - Chris Leben (Sub) How did these two get here? Jake Shields is a member of the acclaimed Cesar Gracie team and a training partner to heavy hitters like Gilbert Melendez and Nate and Nick Diaz. He came into the UFC as the former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion - undefeated in 6 years and considered the best Welterweight not in the UFC. A close win over Kampmann earned him the shot at GSP, and while Shields did damage and claimed some rounds in that fight, he also looked very out of his element at times. Before his next fight, his father and manager passed away. Less than 3 weeks later, Shields faced Jake Ellenberger and was knocked out in under a minute - just the 2nd stoppage loss of his career, and his first since 2000. Shields needs a win here. Yoshihiro Akiyama was a mega-star in Japan and Korea when he made the transition to the UFC, but so far, he has not shown his best in the Octagon. His UFC career highlight is his great battle with Chris Leben that ended in an improbable Leben submission victory. Akiyama delivers fun fights, but he has dropped his last 3 in the UFC. He's made the move from Middleweight down to Welterweight for this fight, which is a switch I felt he should have made after his UFC debut. The change in divisions could help revitalize his career, but if it doesn't, it's hard to see him sticking around the UFC much longer. Why should you care? As I said yesterday, Akiyama brings the drama. With his back against the wall and his career on the line? Expect quite a show from the always entertaining fighter. For a more detailed look at Akiyama vs. Shields, check out the fight Dissection by Dallas Winston. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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If you were given the biggest opportunity of your life and came up short, how much motivation would you have the next time you had to go to work? Welcome to Yushin Okami's world. On one side you have an incredibly talented fighter who just can't climb that final hurdle, and on the other side you have...Redneck Judo! Yushin Okami (26-6, 10-3 UFC) meets Tim Boetsch (14-4, 5-3 UFC). Okami is currently ranked at number three at middleweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Boetsch is currently holding down the number twenty three position. Okami isn't going anywhere with a win, but the Barbarian's stock could skyrocket if he's able to defeat Okami. This middleweight UFC 144 bout is the third fight of the main card, and will air live on pay per view. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Okami: 30 years old | 6'2" | 72" reachBoetsch: 31 years old | 5'11" | 74" reach What have these two done recently? Okami: L - Anderson Silva (TKO) | W - Nate Marquardt (UD) | W - Mark Munoz (SD) Boetsch: W - Nick Ring (UD) | W - Kendall Grove (UD) | L - Phil Davis (SUB) How did these two get here? Yushin "Thunder" Okami is one of the few Japanese fighters that made the transition to North American MMA relatively early in his career. He entered the UFC in late 2006 and rattled off four straight wins before losing a number one contender's bout to former champion Rich Franklin. He then racked up three more wins, but lost to Chael Sonnen. Two more wins got him another number one contenders bout, this time against Nate Marquardt at UFC 122. He won this one though, which earned him a rematch with Anderson Silva at UFC 134 (he held a win over Silva via DQ long ago). Unfortunately he looked very tentative and Silva knocked him out in the second round. This is his first bout since that loss. Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch won over the hearts of fans everywhere when he dumped David Heath on his head in his UFC debut at UFC 81. Unfortunately, losses to Matt Hamill and Jason Brilz ushered him out of the organization the next year. Three wins on the regional circuit earned him a second chance, and a win over Todd Brown had people interested, but uber-prospect Phil Davis shut him down in his next fight and submitted him. This led to the Barbarian dropping some pounds and going down to 185. Two solid wins quickly established him as a contender at 185, and he now gets the chance of a lifetime against a top five fighter. Why should you care? It'll be interesting to see how Okami rebounds from the Silva loss. Plus, Redneck Judo! You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, tim, okami

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The great Japanese hope versus the overachieving veteran. While many people would have predicted that the best Japanese featherweight in the world would eventually be one fight away from challenging UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo for his title, how many people figured it'd be an average IFL lightweight across the cage from him in that pivotal battle? Times, they change quickly. Hatsu Hioki (25-4-2, 1-0 UFC) meets Bart Palaszewski (36-14, 1-0 UFC). Hioki is ranked at number two at featherweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Palaszewski is currently holding down the number ten position. Hioki isn't really being discussed as a possible option for Jose Aldo due to his average UFC debut, but win a solid win here will mean the powers that be won't have much of a choice. And Bartimus can move into the top five and maybe get his own title shot by knocking off Hioki. This featherweight UFC 144 bout is the second fight of the main card, and will air live on pay per view. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Hioki: 28 years old | 5'11" | 73" reachPalaszewski: 28 years old | 5'9" | 70" reach What have these two done recently? Hioki: W - George Roop (SD) | W - Donald Sanchez (SUB) | W - Marlon Sandro (UD) Palaszewski: W - Tyson Griffin (KO) | L - Kamal Shalorus (SD) | W - Zach Micklewright (KO) How did these two get here? Hatsu Hioki is the best Japanese fighter you've barely heard of. The Shooto mainstay made his way over to Canada way back in 2006 and took out Mark Hominick to win the TKO featherweight belt, and defended it in a rematch. After that he went back to Japan and ran through the Sengoku featherweight tourney, before getting injured in the semis and forced out. He took on the eventual winner (and current UFC featherweight) Michihiro Omigawa shortly afterwards, and got totally robbed by the judges. Ain't no thing for Hatsu though. He just went back and took the Shooto belt again, then eventually stepped back up and took the Sengoku belt too by methodically taking apart Marlon Sandro. His UFC debut against George Roop wasn't awesome, but don't be fooled - Hioki is one of the best fighters you'll ever see. And he's one win away for a date with Scarface. Bart "Bartimus" Palaszewski is an enigma. He lost the first four fights of his career, then went 26-3 over the next three years. His IFL run started with a lot of promise, but three straight losses derailed his hype and left him out in the cold. He was brought into the WEC, but his run there started off unevenly as well when he dropped two out of his first three fights. A second chance and a controversial win over fellow UFC 144 competitor Anthony Pettis re-ignited his career though, and two more wins didn't hurt either. Once again though he didn't fight up to his potential and dropped a split-decision to Kamal Shalorus in the last WEC event. He was brought over to the UFC, but decided to cut to a thinner (no pun intended) featherweight division and made the most of his debut, knocking out Tyson Griffin at UFC 137. He now finds himself one fight away from the title shot he has always desired, but he faces a stiff test in the crafty Hioki. Why should you care? The winner of this bout is likely going to dance with Jose Aldo later on in the year. This bout is insanely hard to predict, with two fighters that aren't always 100% mentally there competing in the biggest matchup of their lives. No one has no idea what will happen, and that's why it's worth watching. You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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UFC 144 takes place later tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event airs live on pay-per-view at 10pm ET/7pm PT. The pay-per-view broadcast will be preceded by prelim specials on Facebook at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT and FX at 8pm ET/5pm PT. In the main event, Frankie Edgar puts his UFC lightweight title on the line against Ben Henderson. In the co-main event, Rampage Jackson returns to Japan to take on Ryan Bader. Mark Hunt meets Cheick Kongo in a heavyweight bout. Jake Shields looks to end a two-fight losing streak against Yoshihiro Akiyama. Yushin Okami faces Tim Boetsch in a middleweight match-up. Hatsu Hioki takes on Bart Palaszewski in a featherweight bout. Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis meet in a lightweight match-up. Results, recap and bonuses after the jump. Results Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang Recap & Thoughts Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang: Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki: Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda: Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto: Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski: Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami: Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson: Bonuses $??? Submission of the Night: Knockout of the Night: Fight of the Night:

Posted in: jake, vs, henderson, recap, edgar

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One of the most underappreciated bouts on the card could decide who faces the winner of the UFC 144 main event. On one side you have the last WEC lightweight champion and the guy with a move so awesome it has it's own name - "The Showtime Kick". On the other side you have a guy who seen as the lamb being led to slaughter in his last bout, but he persevered and picked up the signature win of his career so far. Anthony Pettis (14-2, 1-1 UFC) meets Joe Lauzon (21-6, 8-3 UFC). Pettis currently sits in the 10 slot at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Lauzon is right behind him at 11. With a possible title shot on the line in this bout, the winner is likely going to move up a few spots over the next couple of months depending on how it plays out. This lightweight UFC 144 bout is the first fight of the main card, and will air live on pay per view. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Pettis: 25 years old | 5'10" | 72" reachLauzon: 27 years old | 5'10" | 70" reach What have these two done recently? Pettis: W - Jeremy Stephens (SD) | L - Clay Guida (UD) | W - Ben Henderson (UD) Lauzon: W - Melvin Guillard (SUB) | W - Curt Warburton (SUB) | L - George Sotiropoulos (SUB) How did these two get here? Anthony "Showtime" Pettis is one of the brightest lightweight prospects in MMA, despite his uneven performances in the UFC so far. He debuted in the WEC in mid-2009 and picked up a quick win, but suffered a controversial setback in his second bout at WEC 45. Most cageside observers had Pettis winning two of three rounds over opponent (and fellow UFC 144 competitor) Bart Palaszewski, but some wild scorecards led to Bartimus picking up a split-decision victory. The setback didn't stop Anthony's momentum though, and three straight wins earned him a title shot against then-champion (and now UFC 144 main eventer) Ben Henderson. The bout was even going into the fifth round, but the Showtime Kick earned him the belt and a UFC lightweight title shot. Briefly. An Edgar/Maynard draw at UFC 125 killed that idea, and Pettis faced Clay Guida in his first UFC bout instead. And lost emphatically. He rebounded against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 though, and could possibly earn his stolen title shot with a win over Lauzon. Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon still holds the distinction of having one of the best UFC debuts ever. He knocked out legend Jens Pulver in just 48 seconds at UFC 63 as a 7-1 underdog. He then signed up for The Ultimate Fighter 5, where Pulver was actually one of the coaches (Lauzon was on B.J. Penn's team though). Manny Gamburyan bounced him in the semis, but Lauzon had already proven he was UFC-caliber. His problem going forward was that he would do very well against marginal competition, but come up short against top guys. He entered his UFC 136 bout against Melvin Guillard as a decided underdog despite his 7-3 UFC record, but proved the public wrong by dropping Guillard and choking him out in just 47 seconds. He's finally in the top-tier of the division, and defeating Showtime could lead to a tile shot. Why should you care? Showtime is flashy and effective. Lauzon is so much more than the sum of his parts. This bout has fireworks written all over it, and is an excellent choice to open the PPV. You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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Forever underrated despite being an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world champion, Frankie Edgar brings the ruckus with a chip on his shoulder and the tireless desire to prove that the guy in front of him simply doesn’t want it as badly. And who can argue? Since taking the title from B.J. Penn, he’s proven to be one of the most improved products in mixed martial arts (MMA), showcasing a nifty, ultra-busy stand up style that mixes in great movement, footwork and a work rate that few can match. Small for 155 pounds, he finds a way to win, with an outstanding sixth sense of what to do in a crisis, be it a mat scramble, dangerous exchange, or simply having his bell rung by Gray Maynard so badly that the most rational cageside bettors would lay 3-1 he wouldn’t finish the round. But thus far, he always has, and he still holds the belt because of it. His opponent in the UFC 144 main event tonight (Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, Ben Henderson poses a compelling challenge. With his southpaw stance, improved striking and power, he’s steamrolled three UFC opponents, showing the kind of complete game that’s much better than the relatively one-dimensional one that won him the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) belt. Punishing wins over Jim Miller and Clay Guida showed Henderson to be, perhaps, the most overpowering grappler presently in the UFCs Lightweight division. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Frankie Edgar vs Ben Henderson: The Breakdown Henderson’s improved stand up has come a long way in recent fights, proving serviceable enough for him to present a credible threat on the feet, which has opened up his great takedowns and suffocating top game. "Smooth" makes excellent decisions from that position -- witness how brutally he worked over the incredibly tough Jim Miller, delivering vicious elbows in spots, improving position in others, and giving a real clinic on how to control, punish and demoralize a world-class opponent. He also looked outstanding in his decision win over Clay Guida, one of the toughest outs in the division. Henderson’s phenomenal upper-body strength is one asset, backed by tree-trunk legs that make him incredibly hard to take down. He’s also submission-proof, with freakish flexibility. Henderson is a fighter who has really come into his own since going on a 3-0 run in the UFC, hence him landing a title shot here. The Pick Henderson has stated that catching Edgar is the hard part, while taking him down -- once locked up -- is not. But therein lies the fallacy – Edgar’s blend of movement, angles and timing on his strikes is a kind of impenetrable rhythm, somewhat like bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz, albeit without as many crazy feints and bodily histrionics. Edgar avoided most of Maynard’s takedown attempts because he never stays in front of his opponents, unless he's whapping a quick strike or combination, and then he vanishes. Edgar’s ability to explode out of tie-ups and to scramble will be key because it’s Henderson’s crushing upper-body strength that will be integral to him slowing down the bout, pressing Edgar against the cage, and draining him of energy. To say nothing of taking him down and holding him there, which is where Edgar could absorb significant damage. Gameplans are everything when you’re the smaller fighter, and Edgar’s key priority is to win the battle on the feet. Henderson’s left kick is a thudding one, and his weapon -- he doesn’t try to do more than he should standing, which is throw quality strikes and then close the gap to force a wrenching, clinching, eventual ground fight. Over five rounds, it’s not hard to see Henderson winning a couple rounds, and certainly not ringing Edgar’s bell. The former WEC champ is incredibly gifted and strong, and he’ll land more on the feet than most people would think, especially give his southpaw stance, which he uses smartly to attack on straight lines, which is the lefty’s natural advantage. But, Edgar’s deeper realm of the stand up game – kicks, combos, angles and tireless rhythm – will eventually force Henderson to take medium and low-percentage shots as the bout wears on. Expect Henderson to get a takedown or two early, but few fighters scramble up and away from their back as quickly and effectively as Edgar. "The Answer" will rally hard down the stretch in a close fight, landing more on the feet as the fourth and fifth round drag on, with Henderson tiring from chasing him and trying to corral the elusive champ. They will let it all hang out in an epic fifth round, with Edgar mixing in takedowns and some gut-check style flurries to take a memorable decision win to retain his title. Edgar via decision Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. See you later! Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

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Why can't the former Pride lightweight champion catch a break? It seems like the most exciting Japanese fighter you'll ever come across has constantly been matched against grappling guys since he came to the UFC. Tomorrow will be no different, but us Pride Never Die types can dream about fireworks anyway. Takanori Gomi (32-8, 1 NC, 1-3 UFC) meets UFC newcomer Eiji Mitsuoka (18-7-2, 0-0 UFC). Neither fighter is currently ranked in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, and not much is going to change no matter the outcome. Gomi used to be at the very top of the heap in this division, but not any more. Mitsuoka could earn some old-school votes with a dominant victory, but I wouldn't count on it. This lightweight UFC 144 fight is part of the preliminary card, and will are live on FX. The FX broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Gomi: 33 years old | 5'8" | 70" reachMitsuoka: 36 years old | 5'7" | Unknown reach What have these two done recently? Gomi: L - Nate Diaz (SUB) | L - Clay Guida (SUB) | W - Tyson Griffin (EPIC KO) Mitsuoka: W - Bruno Carvalho (UD) | W - Jung Gyeong Lee (SUB) | L - Kazunori Yokota (UD) How did these two get here? Takanori "The Fireball Kid" Gomi is a legend. But the former Shooto and Pride lightweight champion has fallen on hard times over the last four years, going just 4-5 since Pride folded and only winning one of his four UFC bouts to date. His four All Japan Combat Wrestling championships haven't been enough to deal with the likes of Clay Guida and Kenny Florian so far, and he's not getting any younger. Every Pride fan lost their minds when the old Gomi emerged briefly against Tyson Griffin, but Nate Diaz put the resurgence idea to bed with a dominant victory at UFC 135. Can Gomi give Japanese fans one more moment of glory? I certainly hope so, but I've starting get used to being disappointed. Eiji Mitsuoka has been a staple of the Japanese MMA scene for over 10 years now, and got the late call when scheduled Gomi opponent George Sotiropoulos went down with an injury. Only two people have stopped Gleison Tibau by TKO - one is Nick Diaz, the other is Eiji Mitsuoka. He has also defeated the likes of Joachim Hansen, Brian Cobb, and Rodrigo Damm. He spent a long time in Sengoku, but switched over to Dream last year and defeated Bruno Carvalho by decision. He's a crafty submission fighter with a very good chin, and while you might not know his name, he's a solid opponent for Gomi. Why should you care? If you don't care about Takanori Gomi (even 2012 Gomi), I don't care about you. For the realists out there, this is classic striker vs. grappler. I highly doubt this is going to a decision, so you'll probably enjoy what you're watching either way. You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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At UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, Norifumi Yamamoto (18-5, 1 NC; 0-2 UFC), better known to fans as Kid Yamamoto, faces Vaughan Lee (11-7-1; 0-1 UFC). This Bantamweight contest is the third of four fights on the prelims live on FX. Prelims begin this Saturday, February 25 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the PPV card beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Neither Kid nor Lee are currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. This fight is on the card for one reason - to showcase the Japanese legend in front of his home country. With neither man even holding a win in the UFC, this is clearly not a battle with a tremendous amount of relevance to the Bantamweight division. But for fans who have watched Kid over the years, and have watched him struggle in the UFC, it's definitely a big deal - a chance to see this legend get one last shot at glory. If he does, expect a hero's welcome from the Japanese crowd. If Lee pulls off the upset, it will be a sad scene. How do these two stack up? Yamamoto: 34 years old | 5'4" | 66" reachLee: 29 years old | 5'5" What have these two done recently? Yamamoto: L - Darren Uyenoyama (UD) | L - Demetrious Johnson (UD) | W - Kiko Lopez (TKO)Lee: L - Chris Cariaso (SD) | W - Mark Jones (TKO) | W - Ian Cox (Sub) How did these two get here? Kid Yamamoto was, at one time, considered among the pound for pound elite in all of MMA. Using his combination of wrestling and steadily improving boxing, he dominated the lower weight class Japanese scene throughout the mid-2000's, putting together a powerful 17-1 record. In 2007, Kid announced his plans to step away from MMA to train for the Olympics. An injury in training ended those plans, and Kid came back to MMA, but some of his momentum was lost. Then, in 2008, he suffered a series of injuries that kept him out of action for over a year, and he's never been the same since. He returned in 2009, and is just 1-5 since that year layoff. It's been clear for awhile now that the career of Kid Yamamoto is at its end; the only question now is when will we see his final fight? Vaughan Lee came up through the English MMA scene, training at the Ultimate Training Centre and fighting primarily in organizations like Cage Rage and Cage Gladiators. He put together an 11-6-1 record that includes a loss to Brad Pickett before getting the call up to the UFC. He made his Octagon debut at UFC 138, losing a split decision to Chris Cariaso. This will be his first fight outside of England. It's definitely a major step up for Lee, but a win will put him on the map. Why should you care? He may not have too much to offer these days, but come on, it's Kid Yamamoto fighting in Japan. And there aren't many more times you're going to see that. For a more in-depth look at Yamamoto vs. Lee, be sure to read Dallas Winston's always excellent Dissection. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, kid, yamamoto

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In a prelim fight as part of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, Japan's Riki Fukuda (17-5; 0-1 UFC) faces Steve Cantwell (7-5; 1-4 UFC). This fight is in the Middleweight division and is the second of four fights on the prelims live on FX. Prelims begin this Saturday, February 25 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the PPV card beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Neither Fukuda nor Cantwell are currently ranked in the USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings. As is the theme with much of this card, this fight fits into the mold of Japanese fighter vs. foreigner. That's a set-up that has long been of interest to Japanese fans, and UFC 144 will look to capitalize on it. One thing that makes this fight a bit different is that Fukuda is not a big name in Japan, as he never reached the level of most of his Japanese counterparts on the rest of the show. It will be interesting to see what kind of response he gets from the crowd. How do these two stack up? Fukuda: 31 years old | 6'0" | 73" reachCantwell: 25 years old | 6'2" | 75" reach What have these two done recently? Fukuda: L - Nick Ring (UD) | W - Ryuta Sakurai (TKO) | W - Hiromitsu Kanehara (Dec)Cantwell: L - Mike Massenzio (UD) | L - Cyrille Diabate (UD) | L - Brian Stann (UD) How did these two get here? Riki Fukuda is a veteran of the Japanese independent scene, where he competed for organizations such as DEEP, Shooto, and Pancrase. His biggest win came at Dream.8 when he stepped in as a late replacement and defeated Ninja Rua. He signed with the UFC and met Nick Ring at UFC 127. Fukuda controlled the fight, but lost a very controversial decision. Most people, including Dana White, still consider that bout a win for Fukuda. He's been on the shelf since that fight, partly due to injury. Fukuda looked good against Ring and, despite the loss, seemed ready for a promising UFC career - can he get back on track after a year away? Cantwell is a WEC veteran and was the last ever WEC Light Heavyweight champion, having won the belt from Brian Stann in 2008. When Zuffa closed that division, Cantwell was brought into the UFC. With his 6-1 record and his belt, he was an exciting prospect. He won his UFC debut, but has really struggled ever since. Cantwell has lost his last 4 fights, all via decision. Last time out, he dropped down to Middleweight, and this will be his second fight at 185. I'm tempted to say he's fighting for his job here - surely he can't drop 5 straight and stay in the UFC, right? But I said that last time too. Still, he clearly needs a win, and badly. Why should you care? Despite his losing streak, Cantwell is an entertaining fighter as he uses nice striking to engage his opponents. There also remain high hopes for Fukuda's future in the division. I expect this one won't be the best fight of the night, but it will be a solid affair. For a more in-depth look at Fukuda vs. Cantwell, be sure to read Dallas Winston's always excellent Dissection. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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Takeya Mizugaki is considered one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC's bantamweight division. Rarely caught up in a boring fight, Mizugaki has won fans over with a style of combat that creates great moments whenever he enters the cage. Takeya Mizugaki (15-6-2, 2-1 UFC) meets Chris Cariasco (12-3, 2-1 UFC). On paper this is a mismatch as Takeya Mizugaki is currently ranked 12th on the USA Today / BE Consensus Rankings, so a win for Cariasco would definitely elevate him into the top 25 of the division. Mizugaki's status in the division wouldn't change much with a win but with the state of the Bantamweight division, it's possible he could find his name in title talks if he wins impressively. This fight kicks off the FX portion of the card which is set to air at 8:00 PM ET. How do these two stack up? Mizugaki: 28 years old | 5'7" | 69.5" reach Cariasco: 30 years old | 5'3" | 64.5 reach What have these two done recently? Mizugaki: W - Cole Escovedo (TKO) | L - Brian Bowles (DEC) | W - Reuben Duran (DEC) Cariasco: W - Vaughan Lee (DEC) | Michael McDonald (DEC) | W - Will Campuzano (DEC) How did these two get here? Takeya Mizugaki was brought into the WEC to challenge Miguel Torres for the bantamweight title. Though he was not victorious, he impressed fans and walked away with a fight of the night bonus. Since then he's been incredibly consistent in his inconsistency. He has picked up wins over lower ranked competition and has dropped fights against ranked opponents in Torres, Scott Jorgensen, Urijah Faber, and Brian Bowles. Like Mizugaki, Chris Cariasco is consistent in his inconsistency. The big difference between the two fighters is that Cariasco has snuck by with very little media attention in his losses against Renan Barao and Michael McDonald. Incredibly undersized for bantamweight, it is possible that with a loss tonight Cariasco will join the newly created flyweight division. Why should you care? Takeya Mizugaki has never been in a boring fight and against Chris Cariasco I doubt that changes. It's also a free fight on FX so there's no excuse to not watch anyway. You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, mizugaki

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In the salivating headliner of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, undersized anomaly Frankie Edgar collides with the rapidly accelerating Ben Henderson with the UFC lightweight championship hanging in the balance. How odd is it that, a little over a year ago, the question revolving around the world lightweight class was: "Who in the hell is left to challenge B.J. Penn?" Excluding his rivalry with Georges St. Pierre a weight class north, "The Prodigy" had buzz-sawed through the relevant contenders, finally dedicating himself to 155-pounds and dominating as the prophecy foretold, which left a gaping hole for the future. When Frankie Edgar (14-1-1) was announced as Penn's next challenger, the news was greeted with shrugs of indifference and cynical quips like, "The guy Gray Maynard tossed around?" The setting for their showdown, which may have been a case of subliminally inclined marketing that portended another Penn trampling, was titled "UFC 112: Invincible." Even when Edgar skippity-hopped and boomeranged around the cage in perplexing circles while detonating light-speed combinations to acquire the strap in a close decision, we were still staunchly rooted in denial. "Stupid judges," we grunted irritably. "Making that damn 'psshhht' sound when you punch doesn't make you a better striker!" we bellyached dramatically. The pattern that emerged subtly in their first meeting then became crystal clear in the rematch. "The Answer" once again shucked and jived his way to victory, incomprehensibly moving at a faster clip as the fight progressed, this time leaving no leeway for excuses by triumphing definitively. Half the MMA world changed their tune and finally started to give Frankie Edgar the respect he deserves after that fight. More UFC 144 Dissections Hunt-Kongo | Okami-Boetsch | Hioki-Palaszewski | Gomi-Mitsuoka | Yamamoto-Lee | Fukuda-Cantwell | Mizugaki-Cariaso | Zhang-Tamura Though his pathway was different, the journey to the top for Ben Henderson (15-2) was quite similar. The WEC had always played second fiddle to the UFC and the impending merger was overshadowed by our googly-eyed infatuation with "The Showtime Kick" and its admittedly promising creator, Anthony Pettis. Bendo initiated his stellar sequence toward the title with a rugged dismantling of BJJ black belt Mark Bocek in his Octagon debut at UFC 129. It was the same frenetically paced format of tenacious striking and clinch-work with freakish scrambling and submission defense we'd witnessed from him in the WEC, but something about it was just eerily ... better. Henderson was then expedited to clashes with two of the toughest, hard-nosed scrappers in the game in Jim Miller and Clay Guida. Miller was mercilessly peppered with unending elbows while trying to chain together submissions, sweeps or escapes -- all to no avail. Guida, who's built a hard-earned reputation as the most tenacious and spirited contender in the division, was beaten at his own game. In just over a half-year, Bendo skyrocketed to the number-one contender slot and cemented himself as a top-five lightweight in the world. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson This is the kind of electric match up that can unfold a million different ways in a million different places. Both fighters are among the quickest and highest-paced lightweights in the biz who can transition back and forth from striking, clinching or grappling with supreme confidence. From a big-picture standpoint, I feel Edgar comes in with a strong edge just because his elaborate footwork, head movement and boxing has become a Machida-esque enigma with no clear weaknesses to exploit. While the same could be said for Bendo, I feel he'll have to make more adjustments. Edgar's overall boxing tendencies are at a level where some of the boxing purists that used to scowl at MMA's primitive brawling might appreciate his artful fluidity. Individually, his shelling, stance, punching technique, timing, control of range and footwork are absolutely phenomenal; the beauty being in how perfectly he ties them all together while also catering to the grappling aspects of MMA. To seal his trilogy with Maynard, there is a barely a discernible separation between striking and grappling -- still on his knees, he releases the single and pops him with a short right in one seamless motion. Against both Maynard and Penn, he drove them beyond frustration with his tediously elaborate in-and-out movement and they became careless in pursuit. That's when Edgar shifts from perpetual evasion to aggressive explosion by dropping levels and using their excessive pressure against them by snaring deep double legs. While he may not maintain position nor mount offense from the takedown, the damage is done by completely shutting down every option but to endure his elusive striking onslaught. Henderson's best asset should be his athleticism. Technique will always play a role but, against Edgar, just finding an available target for any semblance of offense is priority one. This means Bendo's method of pursuit will be pivotal. Rather than spring for takedowns from a distance, he's the type to apply a steady stream of pressure and methodically swarm opponents into the clinch, as he does with Miller to the left. Though he'll be inclined to engage at phone-booth range instead of on the fringe, Henderson is still highly unpredictable alternates from dirty boxing, Thai techniques in the clinch or takedown attempts. Just as Edgar's sweet spot is with erratic movement in open space, Bendo's lies in close quarters where he becomes a high-speed blender. "Overwhelming" is the best description for the way he suffocates opponents with vacillating attacks and, like Edgar, does so by transitioning from one to the other with the utmost grace. I can see his preference of locking horns in tie-ups versus shooting from outside unfolding very well when we can contain Edgar. However, the champ is so nimble that it seems he'll be harder to get ahold of with that more gradual approach. Henderson has excellent takedown defense as well, so the gist of this seems to boil down to his effectiveness in staying glued to Edgar. His choices are either to float in the center of the cage and joust, where Edgar is at his absolute best, or shrink the distance. In each of his monumental UFC wins, neither Bocek, Miller nor Guida shied away from tangling with him -- actually, they all embraced it. Henderson has never faced an elusive fighter like Edgar so, honestly, I have no idea how he'll attack or how effective it will be. That goes back to my original point that Henderson will be the one burdened with venturing into new territory and tailoring his customary style to fit the conundrum of Frankie Edgar, which is why my vote goes with the champion. Expect anything in this fight. I can't really think of an outcome that will shock me because I'm fully preparing myself to be shocked. Edgar slides in as the narrow favorite on the betting lines at an average of -140, which I'm in agreement with. My Prediction: Frankie Edgar by decision. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson Edgar Henderson   14 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, henderson, edgar, frankie, bendo

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HeavyMMA writers Duane Finley and Nate Lawson go head-to-head debating the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson main event of Saturday's UFC 144 card in Japan.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, edgar, nate lawson

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar will look to make his fourth consecutive title defense at UFC 144 later this evening (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) when he takes on top contender Ben Henderson at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main event will headline a card of "Godzilla-like" proportions, as the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion makes its return to Japan for the first time since the year 2000. Henderson currently holds a spotless (3-0) record fighting inside thein the Octagon, but Edgar is no stranger to giving fighters their first UFC loss. In fact, Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek, Matt Veach and Gray Maynard all have something in common: They were all perfect inside the Octagon before they collided with "The Answer." After the jump, we'll elaborate on the statistical variables that separate the two men fighting in the main event at UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson." The razor-sharp researchers at CompuStrike went to the trouble of analyzing 16 of Frankie Edgar's fights, as well as six of Ben Henderson's and made some key observations about their respective fight habits and patterns. We're passing that knowledge on to you. We know both of these fighters have a bent towards wrestling, but they've also shown that they have no problem getting into striking battles. This war will start on the feet just like they all do. Let's dig in and see whose striking is favored by the numbers: Total Strikes: Edgar -- 95 of 189Henderson -- 71 of 123Percentage: Edgar -- 50 percentHenderson -- 58 percent Total Power Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 68 Henderson -- 37 Total Non-Power Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 27Henderson -- 34 "Bendo" is a little bit more precise with his strikes, according to the data. Yet, Edgar has been shown to "answer" with a much larger number of power shots. To go one step further, it's important to try and discern whose arm strikes (punches and elbows) are more accurate, as well as more powerful. This is what we came up with: Total Arm Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 49 of 120Henderson -- 12 of 40 Percentage of Arm Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 41 percentHenderson -- 30 percent Power Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 34Henderson -- 5 Non-Power Strikes Landed Edgar -- 15Henderson -- 7 Yikes. It may be understating matters to declare that Henderson should avoid an outright boxing match. But you probably already knew that. When you say the word "kick" around "Bendo," he may possibly duck for cover and make sure Anthony Pettis is not running off a cage wall at him. It's ironic, because he actually has a very good pedigree in Taekwondo. Throwing kicks is a big part of his arsenal. Edgar is also not afraid of burying a shin bone into the side of an opponents thigh or the tiny cartilage on the side of his knee. When push comes to shove, who has the better leg strikes? Glad you asked: Total Leg Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 11 of 17Henderson -- 21 of 29Percentage of Leg Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 65 percentHenderson -- 72 percentPower Leg Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 6Henderson -- 9Non-Power Leg Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 5Henderson -- 12 Pretty close, but Henderson definitely takes the lead in this neck of the race. Last, but not least, there is the ground game. As previously mentioned, both fighters have a strong wrestling background. They're also both brown belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). You'd think it'd be pretty even on the mat. Let's see if you'd be right: Ground Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 35 of 52Henderson -- 38 of 54Percentage: Edgar -- 67 percentHenderson -- 70 percentPower Ground Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 28Henderson -- 23 Non-Power Ground Strikes Landed: Edgar -- 7Henderson -- 15 Takedowns: Edgar -- 38 of 82 (46 percent)Henderson -- 18 of 40 (45 percent)Submission Attempts: Edgar -- 5Henderson -- 5Dominant Positions: Edgar -- 24Henderson -- 6 Very slim margin, but the disparity in "dominant positions" is definitely intriguing. Edgar appears to be a good deal more active on the ground, but this rings true for the rest of the categories as well. Top to bottom, the tale of this tape appears to back up what most fans expected: This should be one nail-biter of a title fight! What say you, Maniacs? Is this what you expected or does any of the data throw you for a loop? Who ya' got in this epic lightweight battle? For everything else you need to know about the clash between Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, be sure to check out our complete fight archive right here.

Posted in: henderson, leg, strike, edgar, leg strikes

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UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" is all set to pop off tonight (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, featuring a lightweight championship bout between Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson. A light heavyweight showdown is also on tap for the co-main event of the evening, as Quinton Jackson returns to "The Land of the Rising Sun" to battle Ryan Bader. Before we can get to the good stuff, however, every one of the competitors on tonight's fight card had to hit the scales to make sure they aren't carrying any extra baggage. Unfortunately, "Rampage" was and he forfeited 20-percent of his purse to his opponent. Thankfully, though, the fight will go on. Who knows what it will look, but it's going to happen. After the jump, you can check out photos (via MMAFighting.com) from last night's UFC 144 weigh-in event. For complete results click here, for staredowns click here and to watch the full UFC 144 weigh-in video click here. Ryan Bader Frankie Edgar Ben Henderson Yoshihiro Akiyama Jake Shields Mark Hunt Cheick Kongo Yushin Okami Tim Boetsch Hatsu Hioki Bart Palaszewski Joe Lauzon Anthony Pettis

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Benson Henderson doesn't shy away from what he wants for his fight career. He wants to be the best fighter on the planet, and nothing is going to stop him.

Posted in: fighter, henderson, planet, benson, fight career

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UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" weigh-in event went down last night (Feb. 24, 2012) in Japan, where all 22 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow night's event. In the video above, the first fighter steps on the scale around the 12-minute mark. Frankie Edgar will defend his lightweight championship in the main event of the evening against former WEC kingpin Ben Henderson. In the co-featured fight of the night, Quinton Jackson will compete in front of his adoring Japanese fans against Ryan Bader in a light heavyweight showdown. Even if he came in at 211-pounds for it. For complete UFC 144 weigh in results click here and for staredowns click here. Ready to rumble yet or what, Maniacs?

Posted in: night, henderson, edgar, cofeatured fight, japanese fans

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SAITAMA, February 26 – In one of the most exciting fights in UFC history, Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision to win the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 144 at the Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo, Japan.At two separate points, Henderson had Edgar on the brink of defeat, once sending blood flying from the champion’s nose with a brutal upkick in the second round and later locking him in a guillotine choke from the mount mere seconds before the end of the fifth round. One recurring theme was Edgar catching his opponent’s kicks but not being able to capitalize on the situation. Another was Edgar taking Henderson down over and over and the challenger getting right back up within seconds.The fighters set a frenetic pace right from the onset of the bout, exchanging hard punches, leg kicks and knees. In the second round, Edgar landed the fight’s first combination when catching Henderson’s leg after a kick, only to be hit himself with a hard counterpunch by the challenger.The pivotal moment of the second frame came after Edgar had taken down his adversary and postured up in order to deliver a hard shot. Henderson landed an upkick to Edgar’s face that sent the champion spinning mere seconds before the end of the round, and it could have ended the fight had there been a few more seconds in the round.How Edgar recovered enough to start strong in the third round will likely forever remain a mystery, but he managed to engage his challenger with good striking combinations before failing to secure a takedown. Henderson managed to take down the champion but was unable to capitalize. Edgar got back to his feet and hit his opponent with a hard right followed by a combination that found its mark.In the fourth round it seemed like Henderson had hurt the champion - first with a kick to the ribs near the beginning of the round and again later when delivering a hard kick to Edgar’s sternum. Henderson also managed to secure a guillotine choke on a takedown attempt during the round.Edgar and Henderson kept going at an extremely fast pace in the final frame. They kept trading kicks, striking combinations and takedown attempts. The difference maker in the round was Henderson landing a hard knee and then securing a guillotine choke in full mount before transitioning to elbow strikes from the mount as the time limit expired.As the fans at Saitama Super Arena gave both men a standing ovation, Bruce Buffer announced Henderson as new UFC lightweight champion by scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 49-46, making Henderson only the second person to ever defeat Edgar.With the win, Henderson’s record improves to 16-2, while Edgar’s record drops to 14-2-1.

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After twelve long years, the last hurdle to the UFC's return to Japan has been cleared. Lightweight title challengers Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson both made weight during Friday's UFC 144 weigh-ins at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, rendering their championship tilt official. Henderson, the former WEC titleholder, hit the crowded stage first, tipping the scales at 154 pounds. Edgar soon followed suit, measuring in at 154 pounds to a respectful round of applause from the Japanese audience. Despite a tense staredown, both men remained gracious throughout the proceedings. "Ben's a tough dude. It was a good camp to prepare for him," said Edgar, the UFC's reigning champion. "Obviously a new face, a new name. Let's do it" "Frankie's the man," Henderson replied. "He has a great chin, has a great heart. He has proved himself time and again. He's a great champion. It's going to be an honor for me to take a belt away from a champion like that." Not surprisingly, light heavyweight co-headliner Quinton Jackson received the loudest ovation of the afternoon. A former star of PRIDE FC who doggedly lobbied to land on the card, "Rampage" somehow came in far overweight his first Japanese contest since 2006, hitting 211 pounds on the official scale. Jackson agreed to forfeit 20-percent of his purse to Ryan Bader. Bader, meanwhile, found his mark at 205 pounds. The TUF 8 winner appeared unfazed at his opponent's warm reception as he looks to notch the biggest victory of his young career. Full weigh-in results are below. Main card (Pay-Per-View):Frankie Edgar (154) vs. Ben Henderson (154)Quinton Jackson (211)* vs. Ryan Bader (205)Mark Hunt (264) vs. Cheick Kongo (229)Yoshihiro Akiyama (169) vs. Jake Shields (170)Yushin Okami (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)Hatsu Hioki (145) vs. Bart Palaszewski (146)Anthony Pettis (155) vs. Joe Lauzon (156) Preliminary card (FX):Takanori Gomi (155) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (154)Norifumi Yamamoto (136) vs. Vaughan Lee (135)Riki Fukuda (185) vs. Steve Cantwell (185)Takeya Mizugaki (135) vs. Chris Cariaso (136) Preliminary card (Facebook):Zhang Tiequan (146) vs. Issei Tamura (145) *Has agreed to forfeit 20% of his purse.

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Two of the best 155-pounders on the planet will meet and the UFC lightweight title is on the line tomorrow night (February 25, 2012) as UFC champion Frankie Edgar takes on former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson in the main event of UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan. Frankie Edgar has finally started to come into his own as champion after putting on a serious of some of the best displays of heart in UFC history last year in both of his "Fight of the Year" candidates against Gray Maynard. You can never count him out of a fight and that's why he's champion right now. He's hoping to win decisively on Saturday night and not have to rematch his opponent. for once. Ben Henderson was an afterthought when he entered the UFC after losing his WEC title, but three straight big wins in a row, including two against top title contenders earned him his shot at the championship belt. He's been on a mission ever since he was brought over and he's staring at the end game on Saturday night. Will Edgar have "The Answer" for Henderson's grueling pressure-based attack? Can Henderson slow down Edgar's speed and footwork long enough to land his own attack? How does each elite lightweight secure a victory on Saturday night? Let's find out: Frankie Edgar Record: 14-1-1 overall, 9-1-1 in the UFC Key Wins: Gray Maynard (UFC 136), B.J. Penn 2x (UFC 113, UFC 118), Jim Miller (Reality Fighting 14) Key Losses: Gray Maynard (UFC Fight Night 13) How he got here: Frankie Edgar has been a perennial underdog. He never won a state championship, falling just short twice and did the same thing at Clarion University in Pennsylvania. He made the transition to fighting professionally in late 2005 and in just the sixth fight of his career, he was already making his debut in the UFC. He competed as a lightweight because the UFC didn't have a featherweight division yet and won his first three fights impressively against top competition like Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek and Spencer Fisher. His momentum was halted by the bigger, stronger Gray Maynard in April 2008, but that loss only fueled him to improve. Just one year later, Edgar put on the best performance of his career against former lightweight champion Sean Sherk, outstriking his bulkier foe and stuffing the elite wrestler's takedowns. After an impressive stoppage of the then-undefeated Matt Veach, Edgar was handed a title shot because Gray Maynard hadn't defeated Nate Diaz decisively enough. Edgar made the most of his opportunity, utilizing his speed and conditioning to outpoint the plodding B.J. Penn at UFC 113 in Abu Dhabi to shock the world and win the UFC lightweight title. He proved his victory wasn't a fluke by dominating Penn in the rematch at UFC 118, blasting the ex-champ with more powerful strikes, adding kicks and even takedowns to his arsenal. His next defense was against Gray Maynard at UFC 125 last year and after surviving a horrible first round in which he was dropped four times, Edgar bounced back in Rocky-esque fashion to win three of the remaining four rounds and force a draw. He squared off with Maynard once more last year and this time, he took care of business after a rough first round to score a fourth round knockout victory. In Ben Henderson, Edgar will be fighting a fresh opponent for the first time in nearly two years. How he gets it done: Edgar's key to victory is his speed. He's got terrific footwork and tight, technical boxing. He's fast enough to dive into the pocket, land punches and exit at angles to get out of the way of his opponent's attack. He can definitely outpoint Henderson in the striking department if he's on his game. What Edgar has to avoid is a defensive lapse early in the fight as he has tended to be a slow starter. They key for him is to find a rhythm in his stand-up and get comfortable out there as quick as possible. Once that happens, he's nearly impossible to stop. Footwork and movement is going to be vital for Edgar as Henderson's biggest threat is the takedown and clinch. He needs to avoid getting cornered or surrendering a takedown at all costs as "Bendo" is big and strong enough to keep him in one place for an extended period of time. If he can avoid those takedowns and accumulate some damage with his punches, he might get to the point like in the Maynard fight where he's comfortable enough to start throwing with some real power. Henderson doesn't have the best striking defense so there's a real possibility that Edgar can take over in the later rounds and put a beating on him with his superior boxing skills. Ben Henderson Record: 15-2 overall, 3-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Jim Miller (UFC on Versus 5), Donald Cerrone 2x (WEC 48, WEC 43), Mark Bocek (UFC 129) Key Losses: Anthony Pettis (WEC 53) How he got here: Ben Henderson was a two-time All-American at Division II Dana College while earning a double degree in criminal justice and sociology. Instead of pursuing a career with his degree, he tried out amateur cagefighting, compiling a 2-1 record and loving the sport enough to make it his job. It didn't take him long to be noticed. Henderson was fighting for Mark Pavelich's MFC within 18 months and earned an invite to the WEC just over two years into his professional career. He was thrown into the fire immediately, earning stoppage victories over Anthony Njokuani and Shane Roller which earned him an interim WEC lightweight title shot against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at WEC 43. Henderson was still green at the time, but he gutted through a multitude of submission attempts from the former bullrider, using his wrestling to outscore him positionally in what was voted Sherdog's 2009 "Fight of the Year." With the victory, he became the interim WEC lightweight champion. He unified the titles by defeating incumbent champion, Jamie Varner with a third round guillotine choke and would once again have to face Cerrone for the title at WEC 48, the first and only pay-per-view the promotion ever attempted. In what was expected to be a repeat of their first epic war, the "Smooth" one, choked out Cerrone in less than two minutes to defend his belt. Henderson would fight one last time for the WEC against the upstart Anthony Pettis. We all know how that played out, with the kick heard 'round the world. What some may forget, was the fight was incredibly close, entirely up for grabs until the final minute of round five. In his UFC debut, Henderson put on a strong showing against submission specialist Mark Bocek and he followed it up with the most impressive victory of his career, a three round domination of then-number one contender Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5. With the victory over Miller, he earned a match against Clay Guida and put on a show en route to another dominant and very exciting decision victory to earn his crack at the championship. How he gets it done: Henderson has the overall skills to keep this fight standing if he wants to, but when was the last time you really saw someone put Frankie Edgar on his back and keep him there? If anyone can do it in the UFC lightweight division, it might be "Bendo." I feel that the former WEC champ should have an advantage in the clinch, as this is an area where his size and strength advantage will benefit him the most. If he can cut off Edgar's escape routes along the fence, he could definitely wear on "The Answer" over the course of five rounds and really tire him out. Henderson put a real beating on Jim Miller and Clay Guida when he scored takedowns and had his opponents trapped against the fence. He's got some ferocious knees In the strand-up, Henderson would be wise to avoid regular exchanges in the pocket as his defense still needs some work. He definitely should try to keep from plodding around and letting Edgar utilize his movement and footwork to outmaneuver him. Henderson is the stronger man, so if he can close the distance and try to tire Edgar out with pressure, that could be key for him. Fight X-Factor: The biggest factor for this fight has to be speed. Can Ben Henderson keep up with Frankie Edgar for up to five rounds? He's big and strong, but how effective are those attributes going to be against someone as quick as Edgar who's going to be darting all around the cage? If Henderson can't cut Edgar's escape routes off and close the distance either with clinch or takedown attempts, it could be a very long night for him. Likewise, if Edgar can't avoid being pinned against the fence or remain off his back, out in the open, it could feel like he's drowning slowly, except he'll also be getting punched in the face. Bottom Line: This is such an intriguing stylistic match-up. It's all about speed versus strength and size. Both men are masters of their craft and watching them try to impose their will against each other for potentially up to five rounds is going to be a real treat. It's tough to remember the last time either of these men were in a boring fight as they've accumulated a large amount of post-fight bonuses recently. Even if Henderson can keep Edgar in the clinch or score takedowns, this fight should still be very exciting as I expect reverses, sweeps and some very active strikes over the course of 25 minutes. I have incredibly high expectations for this fight so stay tuned. Who will come out on top at UFC 144? Tell us you predictions in the comments below! Poll Who will walk out of the cage at UFC 144 as the UFC lightweight champion? Frankie Edgar Ben Henderson   1 votes | Results

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Frankie Edgar's ability to take punishment and stay in the fight will be tested again at UFC 144 vs. Ben Henderson.

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Bloody Elbow will be providing live video and updates when all 24 fighters on the card step on the scale at today's UFC 144 weigh-ins from Tokyo, Japan. You can catch a live Youtube stream of the weigh-ins below the jump, or if that doesn't work for some reason, you can view it over at MMA Fighting. The weigh-ins begin late, at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. The main event is a showdown for the UFC lightweight title with champion Frankie Edgar defending against for WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson. Join us and share your thoughts as the weigh-ins unfold. Main Card: Frankie Edgar ( ) vs. Ben Henderson ( )Ryan Bader ( ) vs. Quinton Jackson ( )Cheick Kongo ( ) vs. Mark Hunt ( )Yoshihiro Akiyama ( ) vs. Jake Shields ( )Tim Boetsch ( ) vs. Yushin Okami ( )Hatsu Hioki ( ) vs. Bart Palaszewski ( )Joe Lauzon ( ) vs. Anthony Pettis ( ) Preliminary Card: Takanori Gomi ( ) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka ( )Vaughan Lee ( ) vs. Norifumi Yamamoto ( )Steve Cantwell ( ) vs. Riki Fukuda ( )Chris Cariaso ( ) vs. Takeya Mizugaki ( )Issei Tamura ( ) vs. Tiequan Zhang ( ) SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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The main event of UFC 144 is a fight that has hardcore fans rabid in anticipation. Frankie Edgar and Ben Hendersonare two of the most gifted fighters in the Lightweight division, and indeed, in all of MMA. Both men are supremely technical in all areas - from striking to wrestling to submissions. Add the UFC Lightweight title belt into the mix and you have a recipe for a classic battle. Considering the talent on display, it's no surprise that both men have been featured in previous installments of our Bloody Elbow Judo Chop series. That series, designed to showcase the technique's used in fights, can tell us a lot about both Edgar and Henderson. To get ready for Saturday's UFC 144 title fight, take a look back at this collection of Edgar and Henderson Judo Chops. First up, chops by Kid Nate, KJ Gould, and myself all focusing on Edgar and highlighting his work against both B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard. UFC 136 Judo Chop: Uppercuts in Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 - Fraser Coffeen UFC 136 Judo Chop: The Grappling of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II - KJ Gould UFC 136 Judo Chop: The Striking of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard - Fraser Coffeen Bloody Elbow Judo Chop: Frankie Edgar Uses a Cut Kick to Sweep B.J. Penn at UFC 118 - Kid Nate Next, check out Ben Thapa's great 2 part series from earlier this week highlighting Ben Henderson's survival skills: UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa I hope these help build your anticipation for Saturday's clash. Will we have a new Judo Chop to add to the list after that battle? Given what these two men have shown us in the past, I expect so. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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Tomorrow night will mark the biggest of UFC lightweight Benson Henderson’s career. After impressing all with a trio of victories inside the Octagon after debuting last April including those over top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida, the 28-year old finds himself on the cusp of greatness with a chance to win 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar’s title in a headlining bout. If fighting for the title wasn’t enough, Henderson and Edgar will also be competing in the main event of the UFC’s return trip to Japan. Since Zuffa acquired PRIDE the sport hasn’t enjoyed all that much success in the Land of the Rising Sun. DREAM has failed to show any consistency and Sengoku has recently closed its doors. Japanese fans have been clamoring for a big show and both Edgar and Henderson will be counted on to come up big when they meet in February. However, it’s a challenge “Bendo” welcomes with open arms as he made clear in a conversation with Fighters.com. “I’m super excited that the UFC has given me the honor of fighting in the main event of their return to Japan,” said an eager Henderson who was not trying to hide the pride in his voice what so ever. “This is like the UFC’s first trip to Japan because they haven’t been there since Zuffa took over the organization. “It’s been a long time since the UFC has been there and we expect fans from all over the world to be attending this show,” he continued. “This truly going to be a global event and I’m excited to be part of it. I get a thrill about being in the main event over the bigger weight guys because that spot is usually reserved for them. It’s a big deal for us little guys and that’s something I take great pride in.” Japanese fans have long been known to be more reserved than their American counterparts. While the fans in North America can be rabid, loud and blood thirsty, the Japanese fans tend to be quiet and reserved. That’s not to say they are any less in love with the sport. As a matter of fact they showed the UFC fighters tremendous love when they were over their promoting this card in November. “I got a pretty good welcoming from the fans and media when we were over there,” the 14-2 Henderson said. “We have a great card scheduled and while MMA may have been on the decline over there it seems to be getting back on track. This card has sparked a rebirth over there and after this I think we’ll see a lot of young Japanese fighters begin to get involved with the sport. I would consider it an honor to be part of something that helped MMA bounce back in Japan.” While he was over in Japan, Henderson had an opportunity to travel over to Korea to meet relatives from his mother’s side of the family. He also had a chance to train at Korean Top Team with “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. These experiences are something Henderson will never forget and has opened up a whole new plethora of family members to him. “It was so cool, the first couple of days I went and visited a couple of Army Bases,” said a still-glowing Henderson. “We had Thanksgiving dinner with the troops and they were really awesome. We got to roll around with some of the soldiers and their instructors. “After that we had two or three days to ourselves and I got to meet my mom’s side of the family. There were so many cousins who I had never met before and I was super stoked about meeting them all. My mom has six aunts and uncles and they all have children. It was really cool meeting so many new family members.” He’ll even have a few of them in attendance come tomorrow night at UFC 144 when he faces Edgar. “My mom’s uncle will be traveling from Korea to Japan to watch me fight,” Henderson explained. “That has me really excited. They have become so supportive of me and are really big fans. Some of my family from the states will be traveling to watch me fight as well. The amount of support I will have will be truly amazing.” Henderson has a lot of tools that have helped him become so successful in his sort time in mixed martial arts. He has solid wrestling, very good submission defense and a diverse striking attack that has a Muay Thai base. Edgar is quick, has good boxing and is as tough as they come. It’ll be interesting to see what areas Henderson holds an edge over Edgar and vice versa. “I think I match up with him pretty well with him in every area,” said the self-assured scrapper. “As I said I’m as confident as any fighter on this planet. He is known for having great cardio, a great chin and recovers very quickly. I believe my cardio is second to none, my chin is good and has been tested quite a few times and I’ve done just fine.” “My MMA wrestling is second to nobody’s in the UFC, my ground game; my Jiu-Jitsu is also second to none,” concluded Henderson on Edgar before giving him the edge in one discipline. “An area of weakness may be my boxing, his boxing may be a little bit better than mine and he may try and exploit that. My Muay Thai has really grown and cone along very nicely. Besides the boxing, I think I match up very well with him.” Henderson Sees Fight Unfolding Like “Two Cats in a Bag” The headliner between Henderson-Edgar takes place as part of a stacked seven-fight PPV card starting at 10:00 PM EST. Other bouts include Anthony Pettis-Joe Lauzon, Yoshihiro Akiyama-Jake Shields, and Quinton Jackson-Ryan Bader. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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After a rare weekend off, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is comin' back atcha from long distance this Saturday night (Feb. 15, 2012) as it broadcasts its UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) event live from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Feb. 25), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the preliminary card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET. As the title would suggest, UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar will be putting his 155-pound strap on the line against former WEC kingpin Ben Henderson. Fights like this are why main events go five rounds. Not to be overshadowed in the "Land of the Rising Sun," former PRIDE FC superstar Quinton Jackson will return to the place that made him famous to try and deliver an old-school ass-whooping to division upstart Ryan Bader. And not to pander to the hometown crowd or anything, but Yushin Okami, Takanori Gomi and Norifumi Yamamoto will all be competing as well. The main card will feature a whopping seven fights, so East Coast fans like myself have a long night ahead of them. It also means I have more predictions to mail in after the jump. Boo this promotion! 155 lbs.: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Nostradumbass predicts: This is going to be a close, close fight. Ben Henderson has looked like a completely different fighter since losing to Anthony Pettis back in Dec. 2010, tearing through the division with bad intentions and showing a new level of tenacity and determination. The only knock on his "smooth" run is that he hasn't finished anyone since joining the ranks of the UFC, and that's the key here, because if you can't finish Frankie Edgar (and you aren't fighting in Colorado), you aren't going to beat him. He has too much heart and too much big-game experience to give one away this weekend, despite Henderson's significant size advantage. He proved that against Gray Maynard, just like he proved he has the best hands in the division by out-striking B.J. Penn. Don't tell me "The Prodigy" is one of the all-time greats then yawn when I mention Edgar. He beat the Hawaiian. Twice. In the end, Frankie will be too busy and stay off the ground long enough to outlast Bendo. Every area that Henderson is good at, "The Answer" is just a little bit better. Prediction: Edgar def. Henderson via unanimous decision 205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Nostradumbass predicts: Quinton Jackson is coming into this fight, growling and wearing his trademark chain. He'll probably bust out a few "Awhooooo" howls to gets the fans all giddy. Then he'll go into the cage and get his ass turned inside out. Seriously folks, he's going down. I know the "Rampage" nut nuzzlers are already firing off an angry Email as we speak, but you want me to pick a guy that says he doesn't care if he wins? He just wants to put on a good show. And don't tell me that's Rampage being Rampage, either, because he also said he's not a martial artist, he's a street fighter and doesn't have time to watch tape on Bader. Remember, too, that spiel about not wanting to fight anymore, how he wants to be a boxer or an actor. Wonderful. Well thanks for wasting everyone's time. I'm sure there's a boxing match against Kimbo Slice on some Indian reservation waiting for you or a co-starring role in "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's next direct-to-Netflix feature. Let's pretend it's all an act and he loves MMA. See anything in the past five years that excites you? Knocking out Wanderlei Silva, who gets KOed at the touch of gloves at this point in his career, is not doing it for me. And it's never a good sign when you stand and bang with Matt Hamill for three rounds and still need the judges to bail you out. "Darth" said he has no interest in striking. All he wants to do is hug and slug. Expect to see his superior collegiate wrestling pedigree get kicked into overdrive while Jackson flails away helplessly on the ground. Think round two of the Forrest Griffin fight and you'll know how this one plays out. Prediction: Bader def. Jackson via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields Nostradumbass predicts: I'm trying to decide who's looked worse since coming to the UFC, Jake Shields or Yoshihiro Akiyama. The former is 1-2 and you can argue he lost the Kampmann fight. The latter is 1-3 and you can argue he lost the Belcher fight. I guess I'll pick Shields, because "Sexyama" put on a hell of a scrap against Chris Leben. I still think Jake wins. He won two rounds against Georges St. Pierre and lost to a power-puncher two weeks after his dad died. I can give him a pass on that one. More importantly, he's got a proven track record. It wasn't that long ago that he was the winner of 15 straight, including wins over Yushin Okami, Robbie Lawler and Dan Henderson. His striking is nothing to write to Nostradumbass about, but I believe he's put his demons behind him and is hungrier than ever. Akiyama, while making the right move and dropping to welterweight, hasn't show anything as a 170-pounder so it's impossible to predict what we'll get. Maybe he'll be a dynamo. Or, maybe he'll suck even harder. Either way, I've got to go with Shields. I think the first-time weight cut saps Akiyama of his (already suspect) cardio and Jake chokes him out in the second round. Prediction: Shields def. Akiyama via submission 265 lbs.: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Nostradumbass predicts: Like Pat Barry, Mark Hunt is kinda small for the heavyweight division. Also like Pat Barry, Mark Hunt has a long way to go before anyone considers him a credible threat on the ground (Kimura on Fedor notwithstanding). The Samoan super striker has well-documented success as a K-1 fighter, as well as well-documented failure as a mixed martial artist. The good news is he's been able to turn it around in his last two fights, stiffening Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and outlasting Ben Rothwell at UFC 135. I think he's the more refined striker of the two, but Kongo isn't going to spend much time on the feet. If at all. He's no jiu-jitsu ace either, but has shown in previous fights the ability to drag people to the floor and beat the snot out of them. Hell, he even made Paul Buentello tap by elbowing him in the leg. I think he uses his size and strength to muscle Hunt to the ground, where he wears him down and eventually secures a technical knockout victory. If he can bully Matt Mitrione, he can bully Mark Hunt Prediction: Kongo def. Hunt via technical knockout 185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami Nostradumbass predicts: No one is paying any attention to Tim Boetsch in this division and that's unfortunate, because outside of a submission loss to light heavyweight wunderkind Phil Davis, "The Barbarian" is 6-1 over his last seven fights. He's also never looked better now that he's competing at 185-pounds. Like so many other fighters, he's had trouble getting fans' attention because he hasn't finished anyone under the UFC banner in almost four years. His wins over Kendall Grove at UFC 130 and Nick Ring at UFC 135 were impressive, but not enough to have me picking him over Yushin Okami. "Thunder" is a middleweight punchline thanks to his undoing at the hands of Anderson Silva at UFC 134 last August. But let's not forget he was good enough to defeat Mark Munoz and Nate Marquardt, so it's not like he's some chump they pulled from the stands. Neither of these guys seem adept at finishing people in recent fights and this time should be no exception. Both are big, strong 185-pounders who like to muscle guys around and beat them up on the feet. I'm picking Okami because he's been doing it longer -- and against better competition Prediction: Okami def. Boetsch via unanimous decision 145 lbs.: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Nostradumbass predicts: Hatsu Hioki, who entered the UFC ranks after winning 12 of 14 over solid competition overseas, was already being touted as the next man to challenge Jose Aldo for the 145-pound crown. Then he turned in that stinker against George Roop at UFC 137. Was it the dreaded Octagon curse? You know the one. Guy dominates in Japan, comes over to the cage, gets lit up like the Times Square Christmas tree. While Roop wasn't a "gimmie" fight, it was one he was expected to win. Since he didn't, I'm jumping off the Hioki haywagon because I'm just as much of a whiny, fair-weather fan as anyone else 'round these parts. And oh, by the way, Palaszewski has won five of six, even beating your beloved "Showtime" Pettis. In his last fight, he damn-near retired Tyson Griffin with a thunderous knockout, further proving that he's got the chops to hang with anyone at 145-pounds. You might not believe it now, but you will after he air-mails Hioki right out of the Saitama Super Arena, Rodan style. Prediction: Palaszewski def. Hioki via knockout 155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis Nostradumbass predicts: If Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson isn't "Fight of the Night," then it's because Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis is. Let's face it, two 155-pound scrappers that will never be accused of competing in a "boring" fight going at it for a spot in the slowly shrinking pool of title contenders. But can "J-Lau" handle the dynamic striking of "Showtime?" Pettis isn't invincible, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him use of angles and unorthodox offense to fluster the Bostonian. Having said that, Lauzon isn't your typical fighter either, which is why this is such an intriguing fight. I don't know if Lauzon, who proved he can never be counted out by upsetting Melvin Guillard, can replicate Clay Guida's cover-and-smother offense, nor do I think he wants to. But when picking a winner, I can't shake the memory of that loss to Sam Stout back at UFC 108. Pettis also had trouble dealing with Jeremy Stephens in his last fight, but I think he's firing on all cylinders on Saturday night and takes home the decision in a very spirited contest. Prediction: Pettis def. Lauzon via unanimous decision That's a wrap, folks. For previews and predictions on the preliminary card fights click here and here. To see all the odds and betting lines for UFC 144 click here and remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Edgar vs. Henderson." What do you think? Now it's your turn ... let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for tomorrow night's event.

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The UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson weigh-ins take place today at 11pm ET/8pm PT when the fighters hit the scales ahead of the historic event in Japan.

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MMAFrenzy concludes our main card coverage of UFC 144 with our breakdown of Saturday’s main event. The  UFC lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and champion Frankie Edgar caps off our preview of UFC 144 in a big way as writers Chris Leslie and Bryan Robison break down what each fighter needs to do to either obtain or retain the title. UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Keys for the Champion (BR) - Finally a new opponent for Edgar. After fighting the same guy twice each of the last two years, Edgar has had someone new to train for. The last guy he fought not named Penn or Maynard was Matt Veach in December 2009. Interestingly, he’s fighting a guy in Henderson, who is a solid combination of both Penn and Maynard. While Henderson’s boxing is not as good as Penn’s nor his wrestling as good as Maynard’s, he possesses a strong arsenal of tools. For Edgar, his advantage in this fight will be his advantage in nearly every fight he will have- his quickness. With his agility and speed, Edgar can wear his opponent down, and he does. With Henderson who is another big lightweight, he will likely look to use his speed to dictate the pace throughout the fight. He must be weary of Henderson’s underrated submission game, especially his strong guillotine choke. While it’s unlikely for Edgar to risk the fight early by going to for an immediate takedown, he must be on the lookout for Henderson’s attempts to neutralize Edgar’s wrestling. One other advantage will be Edgar’s striking. Because of all of the punches Edgar throws, Henderson will have to try and keep up in connecting as many punches as Edgar. Henderson is a bigger power puncher than Edgar’s finesse style. With that boxing style, if the fight does go the entire five rounds, Edgar uses that to his advantage in outpointing opponents. Keys for the Challenger (CL) - It is pretty ironic that Bendo will be fighting for the title on the same card as the last man to defeat him is opening. Henderson has approached every fight since his last loss with a ferocity that was somewhat missing in the Pettis fight. That ferocity has been absolutely devastating in Bendo’s last three fights and his workrate was enough to make Clay Guida look “slow” at times. That’s no slight against Guida but more a compliment to insane activity level from Bendo. That level and killer instinct will serve Bendo well in his fight with Edgar. Edgar has sometimes shown the tendency to be a slow starter and if anyone can take advantage of it, it’s Bendo. Bendo’s swarming and power punching style could be enough to put Edgar on his heels early and often. While Edgar is incredibly tough to finish, a strong showing early for Bendo could weight the score cards in his favor considerably. While Edgar is a strong wrestler, Bendo has great wrestling as well but the other thing is that he is not afraid to fight a submission battle as well. So while Edgar may look for the takedown against Bendo, Bendo loves to use his guillotine choke in those situations. This fight is one of those that on paper looks like an absolute barnburner from start to finish. While there is always the chance that the fight could not be entertaining, it is unlikely here. Expect a lot of action in this one.

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UFC Lightweight champion Frankie "The Answer" Edgar and the title challenger Ben Henderson will step on the scales at 11PM EST, as part of the official weigh-in procedure ahead of tomorrow's UFC 144 fight card in Saitama, Japan. The fight between Edgar and Henderson headlines the card, which will include seven Pay-Per-View bouts, with stars such as Rampage Jackson, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jake Shields, Anthony Perris, and many others. Make sure to tune in to LowKick.com at 11PM EST for LIVE UFC 144 Weigh-In

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Benson Henderson talks about his love of comic books and how much he would love to make an appearance in one of his favorite titles.

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UFC 144 Edgar vs. Henderson weigh-in resultsSaitama, JapanFrankie Edgar () vs. Ben Henderson ()Ryan Bader () vs. Quinton Jackson ()Cheick Kongo () vs. Mark Hunt ()Yoshihiro Akiyama () vs. Jake Shields ()Tim Boetsch () vs. Yushin Okami ()Hatsu Hioki () and Bart Palaszewski ()Joe Lauzon () vs. Anthony Pettis ()Takanori Gomi () vs. Eiji Mitsuoka ()Vaughan Lee () vs. Norifumi Yamamoto ()Steve Cantwell () vs. Riki Fukuda ()Chris Cariaso () vs. Takeya Mizugaki ()Issei Tamura () vs. Tiequan Zhang ()UFC 144 weigh-ins take place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan with the first fighter on the scale at 11:00 PM EST/ 8:00 PM PST (1:00 PM local time)Frankie Edgar (14-1-1) vs. Ben Henderson (15-2)Ryan Bader (13-2) vs. Quinton Jackson (32-9)

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For the first time in his reign as the UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar enters a fight as the favorite, albeit a slight one against challenger Ben Henderson at UFC 144. That's not a fact that matters to Edgar, who wasn't even aware of it until being informed about it last week, but it at least shows he's come a long way in terms of public perception.After getting past B.J. Penn twice and making a comeback for the ages against Gray Maynard, Edgar has nothing to prove as far as his toughness or ability to overcome adversity. So this fight can settle back into a more standard match: a champion attempting to fight off a No. 1 contender.In Henderson, he faces an opponent that took his game to a new level after his loss to Anthony Pettis. That defeat predated his move to the UFC, and like many of the WEC lightweights that made the shift over, Henderson found a way to adjust to his new home and the impressive talent that came with it. The biggest change? As Henderson (15-2) told MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes recently, he decided to ramp up his aggression level, to ensure there's "no doubt in anyone's mind after they watch one of my fights as to who won the fight."That will come as a difficult challenge against Edgar (14-1-1), a blur of constant motion who never stands in one place, is willing to contest the fight anywhere, and is a master of scrambles. The last of those qualities is among his most underrated strengths. Remember, against Maynard, it was out of a scramble when Edgar landed the uppercut that rocked him and led to the finish.But in some parts of his game, Henderson is a carbon copy of Edgar. He has an endless gas tank, scrambles well and is equally balanced on his feet and the ground, with his standup showing strong refinement over the last few bouts. Henderson also brings with him a wrestling pedigree that makes him a takedown threat, and has eight of his career wins by submission. One somewhat ignored advantage Henderson has going for him? He is the first southpaw Edgar has fought since he defeated Spencer Fisher over four years ago. That different look can be difficult to face after a steady diet of orthodox fighters. Edgar could potentially combat that by going southpaw himself, as he did multiple times in his most recent fight against Maynard. But more logically, he will go with his customary stance. While Edgar is considered by most experts to be the better striker of the championship pairing, according to FightMetric, Henderson lands at a higher rate, 45 percent to 41 percent. It is likely though, that Henderson's number is a bit inflated by the inordinate amount of ground strikes he lands from the top, a high-percentage position.That offense is fueled by his takedowns. While Henderson only takes down his opponent on 48 percent of his opportunities, he's capable of dominating the position once he moves the fight to the mat. He's also quite relentless and doesn't get frustrated by failure. Because of that, he averages 4.1 takedowns per 15 minutes. (By comparison, Edgar averages 2.9.) That tenacity will be key for Henderson. As Maynard learned after going 3-for-19 in takedowns against him during their two title fights, Edgar is a complex problem to solve.Prior to this fight, Henderson noted that he would work to put on a few pounds and maximize his size advantage on Edgar, perhaps a sign that he's hoping to use his strength to weigh on the champ. Even if he doesn't take Edgar down, Henderson does good work against the fence with dirty boxing and elbows. That's an area of concern for Edgar, although his lateral movement and takedown defense (62 percent) usually keeps him out of those situations.One surprising stat when it comes to Henderson-Edgar is the fact that despite a three-inch size advantage, Henderson actually has a two-inch disadvantage in reach. Edgar's extended reach is an underrated element of his success, as he often dances in and out of range, and his opponent misses him after miscalculating the distance between them.There is no obvious style advantage for either man. Both are strong wrestlers. Both have good standup, are quick and work hard to capitalize in scramble situations. So in determining a winner, you have to figure out what the biggest difference between the two is. In most of his fights, Edgar is the one creating the angles and the one more likely to land standing strikes. His quickness allows him to score at a more consistent clip. He also might have a slight edge in power, and seems to have that unexplainable X-factor that allows him to steal wins. After beating Penn twice and finishing Maynard, how do you bet against him now? Edgar by unanimous decision.

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The official weigh in event for UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" is set to take place later tonight (Fri., Feb. 24, 2012) LIVE from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 11 p.m. ET. As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 144 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring number one division contender Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, a welterweight clash between Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is on tap, as well as a light heavyweight tilt between Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. Complete UFC 144 weigh in results and live video stream after the jump: Main Event: 155 lbs.: Frankie Edgar ( ) vs. Ben Henderson ( ) Main Card: (Pay-per-view): 205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson ( ) vs. Ryan Bader ( ) 170 lbs.: Jake Shields ( ) vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama ( ) 265 lbs.: Mark Hunt ( ) vs. Cheick Kongo ( ) 185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch ( ) vs. Yushin Okami ( ) 145 lbs.: Hatsu Hioki ( ) vs. Bart Palaszewski ( ) 155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon ( ) vs. Anthony Pettis ( ) Preliminary card: 155 lbs.: Takanori Gomi ( ) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka ( ) 135 lbs.: Norifumi Yamamoto ( ) vs. Vaughan Lee ( ) 185 lbs.: Riki Fukuda ( ) vs. Steve Cantwell ( ) 135 lbs.: Takeya Mizugaki ( ) vs. Chris Cariaso ( ) Facebook: 145 lbs.: Zhang Tiequan ( ) vs. Issei Tamura ( ) Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Feb. 25), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the preliminary card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET. It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 144 coverage you can handle. For all the latest news and notes on "Edgar vs. Henderson" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

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The world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion finally touches down in "The Land of the Rising Sun" for its upcoming UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Saitiama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012. And Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White is taking you behind-the-scenes in the run up to the historic fight night, including a front row seat at the recent UFC 144 pre-fight press conference. UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring number one division contender Ben Henderson, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, a light heavyweight tilt between Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader will serve as the co main event, while a welterweight clash between Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is also on tap. For more UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson," which White calls "the most stacked fight card of the year," click here.

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Contrary to popular belief, there is no secret formula to Benson Henderson’s otherworldly ability to take punches that would drop lesser men or survive submission attempts that would force 99% of his peers to tap out. Simply put, what it comes down to is getting beat up nearly every day for years.And just to confirm, how long has the number one lightweight contender been getting beat up?“Every day,” he said. “That’s part of training. Every single day. I got some tough as crap training partners who are some of the best in the world; people just don’t realize it yet because they haven’t got their shot in the UFC. I’ve got guys at my gym right now that will give Jose Aldo a run for his money first fight in the UFC. I’ve got some guys at 155 that I’d put up against just about anybody in the UFC right now and they’d hold their own.”Don’t be surprised. And not just by his willingness to admit that he’s not “the guy” handing out the punishment at The Lab in Glendale, Arizona. Being humble and more apt to praise teammates like Chris Gruetzemacher and Yaotzin Meza than himself is just his personality, and that egoless approach to life is what has earned him a WEC championship at 155 pounds and now a shot at the biggest prize in his division: the UFC belt currently held by Frankie Edgar.“You just can’t be that way in wrestling, or in combative sports, period, and have long-term success,” said Henderson of the notion that you have to be the toughest guy in the practice room all day every day to succeed. “You gotta get beat up. That’s how you get tougher. When I was in (Dana) College, I got the crap kicked out of me literally every single day in practice my freshman year. I left the practice room in tears every day. I am the man I am today and I’m fighting for the UFC belt today because of that. You just can’t be the best guy in the room all the time, kicking everybody’s butt. You can’t do that and be successful, and you can’t continue to grow. You have to continually get pushed.”You do that, and then when fight night comes, you’re prepared to push back, and few have done it better over the last few years than the 28-year old Arizonan. From the time he made his debut in the WEC in 2009 with a submission win over Anthony Njokuani, Henderson has produced that rare mix of winning fights and exciting fights, as he’s been a part of instant classics with Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, and Clay Guida, en route to a WEC title and 3-0 UFC record. But the finish line is not in view yet for “Smooth,” whose only goal is greatness, a task he believes will begin Saturday night in Saitama Super Arena in the main event of UFC 144.“Frankie’s tough, he’s a great fighter, he’s beaten the greatest lightweight fighter of all-time (BJ Penn), and he beat him twice,” said Henderson of the champion from Toms River, New Jersey. “He has a great chin, he has a great heart, he’s proven himself to be a great champion, and he’s a great all-around guy. What can you not say about the guy? It’s gonna be fun to dance against him. For me to be where I want to be, which is to be the greatest lightweight fighter of all-time, I can’t get there unless I beat the great lightweight fighters out there.”On paper, this five rounder has the potential to meet, or even surpass, the memorable scraps both Henderson and Edgar have already donated to mixed martial arts’ 155-pound archives, and even though there is the added variable of this fight being halfway around the world in Japan, Edgar’s experience in long-distance fights (he won the title in Abu Dhabi) could be negated by the fact that Henderson is no stranger to the five round championship distance, which he has gone twice before. In a fight as evenly matched as this one, every little advantage could be a major one.“Speaking objectively, I wouldn’t say it evens things out, but I have been there before,” said Henderson. “It’s not a new experience for me. It’s not like ‘oh my goodness, what do we do here?’ I have plenty of five round fights under my belt, I’ve been the distance, been rocked, survived, been caught in some bad places, survived, so I think it just adds to the experience level. A lot of guys didn’t realize I had as much experience under Zuffa that I did, and more experience than the guys I was fighting when I came over to the UFC. So it’s definitely a factor and I want to use that to my advantage against Frankie as much as possible.”When it comes down to it, Henderson isn’t asking for any favors though. He’s not expecting an easy fight, an easy weight cut, or a (pardon the pun) smooth ride to a world championship. He’s been around this game long enough to know that nothing comes easy. So his focus shifts from expectation to hope, hope that all the work he’s done, that all the blood, sweat, and tears he’s shed, and all the beatings he’s taken in the gym will have gotten him ready for the biggest fight of his life. He knows he’s ready; now it’s just a waiting game until Saturday night.“We don’t live in a perfect world,” said Henderson. “Not everything’s gonna be the exact way you want it to be. So you just do the best you can, deal with everything as it comes, and hopefully you have one great performance on one given night. That’s all you really want. You want all your weeks, and months, and years of preparation to lead up to having one great performance on one night. I need that night to be this one against Frankie Edgar.”

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UFC 144 is drawing near and that means everyone is eager to give their picks for the evening's action, especially the light heavyweight title main event between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson. While we'll have our official Bloody Elbow staff picks going up tomorrow, Sherdog has their standard round-up of picks by MMA pros. With eighteen different pros offering a pick (and a nineteenth giving no prediction) Edgar has the 61% edge. Perhaps the most relevant prediction comes from a man who may well be in line to face the winner of the bout, Jim Miller: Jim Miller: I think Frankie's got better wrestling and better hands. If Ben is able to take him down, I think Frankie's going to pop right back up and get back to doing what he does and just outwork him. It's going to be a tough fight; can't count Ben out. He's a tough guy, very athletic, comes in good shape, he's got good striking and he's got good subs, but I don't think they're good enough to beat Frankie. I've only got a few hours left before I have to turn in my personal pick for our predictions post and I've been flip flopping back and forth on this fight for days. I like the boxing and wrestling of Edgar but don't feel that his edge is so big that it can't be offset by the pacing and tenacity of Henderson. It's truly set up to be a fantastic end to what has every chance to be one of the UFC's best ever cards. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

Posted in: ufc, henderson, prediction, edgar, frankie

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Posted in: henderson, interview, contender, friends interview, thewhizkid

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Ben Henderson is the mixed martial arts version of Dennis the Menace. He gets in an awful lot of trouble, but due to a congeries of technical flaws from his opponents, his amazing flexibility and incredible calm under pressure, Bendo always gets away. Even while knowing this, his opponents have continually found themselves unable to resist the opportunities to go for the kill and continually frustrated in actually finishing Henderson. Frankie Edgar, the man Henderson is challenging for the UFC lightweight strap, is similarly composed of iron will amalgamated with fine technical skill and powered by the heart of a fiercely courageous animal that we usually call a lion for whatever nonsensical reasons. The two highly entertaining lightweights will face each other this weekend in a battle that is certain to test who has the most successful gameplan, the best skills and the most resilience. UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson and the Miracle of Survival Part 1 of 2 This Part Two continues the Judo Chop examination of Henderson's miraculous ability to escape sudden danger and to patiently work free of troublesome submissions in the now-legendary scrap with Anthony Pettis and the fierce domination of Mark Bocek. In this installment, an in-depth breakdown of three more Benson Henderson fights will be combined with Grappo's amazing GIFS. The theme that presents itself most in this two part Chop is that despite possessing a smart and skilled ground game - as the bronze medal at the 2011 IBJJF Worlds as a brown belt testifies - Henderson is quite reckless in presenting a limb or his neck for opponents to latch onto. His skills are often employed in getting out of submissions, rather than avoiding them altogether. The virtues of his frenetic work rate outside the submissions and the ability to keep base and strike from guard have thus far more than made up for the time spent working free of danger. Hit the jump to see the examination of the ferocious battle with Jim Miller and the hairy fight with Clay Guida, while we end by looping back to the stars-in-the-making bouts between Henderson and Donald Cerrone at WEC 48 and WEC 43 to find some of the better gumbyesque escapes in Henderson's career. After the proclamation that the WEC held no chumps that was the drubbing of Mark Bocek at UFC 129, Henderson faced the rugged Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5. Miller has made a very solid career out of being an incredibly tough grinder who swiftly snatches limbs and necks whenever his opponent makes a tiny mistake. Bendo makes lots of those mistakes, but hadn't paid for them yet, so the matchmaking was rather sublime. The bout was framed as one of the last obstacles for Miller on his march to the title, as he came in with a seven fight winning streak, and for Henderson as a measure of how good the WEC lightweights really were after seeing Kamal Shalorus and Anthony Pettis lose in recent months. Bendo wrecked Miller's title shot hopes with a barbarously physical performance that saw Miller trade positions for unsuccessful submissions time after time only to be clubbed bloody with all the anger and spirit Henderson could muster. It was perhaps one of the most impressive clashes of pure will the division had seen in a while and Miller fought tooth and nail to try and finish Bendo before time ran out. Brent Brookhouse and I scored the fight 29-28 Henderson, but the judges saw it 30-27, 29-28 and 30-26. Perhaps they missed the numerous times Miller had Henderson in trouble - or maybe they gave more credit to Henderson for working free and doing as much damage as he could deal out. Late in the first round, Miller saw an opportunity in the standing clinch to go for the kimura. The position is a bit of an odd one for those accustomed to seeing a fighter pull kimuras from guard or from top control, but the same principles still apply - the arm under attack gets bent at a 90 degree angle and torqued to put stress on the elbow and shoulder. Jim gets the proper grip and then wraps his far side leg around Ben's waist and leg to prevent a spin out and the subsequent loss of the possible submission. Ben takes this as an opportunity to trip Miller to the ground with a thump and work his way free from top half guard. Note that Ben's left hand is gripping either his own arm or one of Miller's arm to prevent the unwanted torque from being applied. Miller uses the half guard position to deepen his kimura grip even further and shift his legs to a better position to off-balance Henderson. Jim's right leg comes over Ben's face and settles upon the shoulder to set up a body position where Jim can brace with both legs and yank backwards with all his might. Smartly, Henderson resists this process and basically plays the game of inches and might to loosen the two on one grip Miller has on his right arm just enough that the elbow can be rotated downwards and then the arm pulled out. The calm Benson displays here is magnificent. As a result of the proper defenses to the submission, Ben now has Miller on the floor and can play his preferred ground and pound game from top control. At the 2:45 mark of the second round, Miller again goes for a kimura grip - this time from a more conventional guard position. He gets the two on one grip on Henderson's left arm and when Bendo reacts by leaning slightly upwards and to the right to pull the arm out, Miller switches to the leglock attack on the now exposed left leg. Bendo seems surprised by the swiftness of the attack, while wanting to punch Jim in the face. The blood on the mats and on Miller's face is a sign of how successful the "punch 'im in the face" strategy has been for Henderson thus far. The delay in starting his defense and the desire to smack his fist into Miller's head some more causes him to fail in pushing either of Miller's legs away from where Miller wants them. Jim's left leg slides across Ben's chest and creates both a barrier from potential punches and further weakens Ben's base, while the right leg comes to further secure the leg and help the rotation to the kneebar. Look at how Miller's left hand moves from the kimura to the crook of the knee to the back of the ankle. The right hand helps out too by shoving Ben backwards and pinning the ankle to the mat before Ben can pick it up and bring it into the center of Jim's chest (and away from most heel hook attacks). The most common defenses to leglocks involve spinning, as the momentum of the spin and the changing frames of reference usually prevent the offensive grappler from cinching tight the technique and getting the finish. The spins are a very common feature of the ADCC submission grappling matches that are held every two years and most grapplers can usually find a position where a leg has worked free just enough to stop spinning and truly break free. In this match, Miller's kneebar stalls out with 2:33 left in the second round. Henderson's leg is gruesomely extended, but the knee is forwards just enough that Miller cannot use his hips (or his cup) to lever the knee upwards and threaten the ligament and bone damage that causes a tap to successful kneebars. The right leg of Bendo is braced carefully on Miller's butt and is helping him push Miller further back off the knee. At 2:29, Miller knows he has lost the kneebar and kicks out to try for a clinch - or a better position if Henderson is slow to turn and counter. It is kinda cool how Miller stands up with perfect form as his right arm braces and his right leg swings back to provide a better base. At the close of the second round, Bendo yet again gives up his left leg in a position somewhat similar to the one Bocek had at UFC 129. This time, Henderson keeps better base and Miller goes more firmly for the heel hook. Miller has the heel in the crook of his elbow and manages to spin to his left to impart more torque upon Henderson's left knee. The flexibility and calm of Bendo is displayed once more, as he slaps away Miller's right leg that is trying to prevent a counter-spin that would alleviate pressure, and slides his own right leg in and over. The submission is still somewhat dangerous, but Bendo wins free yet again (beyond the range of this GIF). Miller would go on to briefly drop Henderson in the third round, only to find Ben taking him down and moving to rear mount. After fighting free of a rear naked choke, Jim would valiantly throw everything but the kitchen sink to take the round, only to be frustrated by the higher pace and intensity Henderson maintained. The "miracles" of survival now seemed to be everyday affairs for Benson and his calm under pressure allowed him to move ahead to a title eliminator fight against Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 1. The hair-off, as I call it, turned out to be the best fight on that card and both men showed off their high pace and fine mix of striking and takedowns to an appreciative audience. Early on, Ben rocked Clay with a punch and was held at bay with wild punches and a counter-takedown. Later in the round, Guida would return the favor by landing a flying knee directly on Henderson's chin and following up with a two punch combination that dropped Henderson to the canvas. After being dropped, Henderson drives into Guida for a takedown - only to be met by a firm sprawl and a guillotine set-up. Guida goes for the choke (beyond the scope of this GIF), but loses it because he is not that good of a technician in terms of submissions. The guillotine of Takanori Gomi aside, Guida does not have to be an elite submission grappler to win most of his fights in the lightweight division. The rules of MMA and his own package of skills allow him to win by ruthlessly pushing the pace, landing more strikes than his opponent and going for the knockout or the wrestling-based domination that he enjoys so much. Clay still has a pretty good command of the choke. However, he ran into someone who had no problems with the pace, comparable wrestling and extraordinary submission escapes. Guida had to employ perfect technique and unfortunately for him, that didn't happen here. The gold standard for this situation in MMA comes from Benson himself, as per his guillotine choke of Donald Cerrone at WEC 48. Cerrone dove in and Benson countered by sprawling and seizing the neck alone - eschewing the arm-in guillotine that Guida went for - and pushing in a butterfly hook and whipping the far side leg up on Cerrone's back. This is the version of no-arm guillotine that Marcelo Garcia loves to apply and it swiftly gets the tap from Cerrone. Credit to Zombie Prophet for this GIF, I think. With 50 seconds left in the third round of the Guida fight, Henderson leaves his neck out yet again and Guida seizes upon it for a guillotine. This time, Guida goes for the no-arm version, links his hands and even whirls Henderson down on his back. This looks incredibly promising for Clay, but Ben angles his head just enough to the right to relieve pressure on the carotids and his legs prevent Clay from entering full mount. The angle is not exactly right for the choke and Ben's chin is angled towards the hands, rather than the elbow. Despite Guida's best efforts to clear the legs and arch for the choke, Henderson survives once more and eventually works his way free. The last miracle Guida forced Ben to come up with occurred at the very end of the third round. With sixteen seconds left in the match, Clay pops free of a body triangle and turns into Ben. Yet another guillotine opportunity opened up and with joyful abandon, Clay went for it. Going with the no-arm variation again, he looks to whirl Henderson down to the mat again and move into mount. Ben defends by actually dropping back faster than Clay is ready for and elevating Clay's legs with his right hand. Guida ends up spinning nearly 360 degrees in an unexpected manner. The awkwardness of the spin leaves plenty of space for Ben to work free once more and rabbit punch Guida in the back of the head while defending a counter-takedown. In retrospect, the Henderson/Guida fight probably should have made it to the live audience on Fox, but it still isn't the most exciting fight Benson Henderson ever had or even the one with the best escapes. That honor would belong to the WEC 43 battle with Cerrone. Donald Cerrone has a bona fide reputation as anyone in the sport for putting on exciting exhibitions of controlled violence and the nine [Something] Of The Night bonuses in twenty two career fights confirm his pizzazz. In 2009, he and Ben Henderson fought for the WEC interim title in what would be awarded the Fight of the Year by Sherdog and written up in highly entertaining fashion by Jack Encarnacao. Henderson won a very controversial decision and escaped numerous moments of trouble in the bout with some stupefying flexibility, skill and heart. We'll start with the more mundane and then move to the really freaky stuff. With about a minute gone in the second round, Cerrone threatened a back take and slid into a body triangle from an off-set position. What Benson did here in connecting his left elbow to his knee and backing out slowly while maintaining base allowed him to pop upright and stiff-arm Cerrone back to full guard. He also prevented Cerrone from getting a no hooks or one hook rear naked choke or a possible armbar here. This bit of defense may not wow people that much, but it is impressive and allowed Ben to shift from defense to offense very quickly. In a similar position to the Miller fight above, Cerrone threatens a kimura enough to cause Henderson to hide the right arm and shrink downwards on Cerrone's legs. This lets Donald swing up and over to the back by pivoting on his forehead. Cerrone keeps the arm gripped the entire time and once he is on the back, he goes for an armbar and starts to put his hips into it. This is not a classic armbar position, but is more similar to the belly-down armbar that experienced grapplers are familiar with and employ often. In yet another display of grit, Ben gets back to both knees and then "gives" his arm to the armbar while simultaneously stepping over Cerrone. This motion lets him alleviate the pressure on his elbow and free his arm for more strikes. Cerrone reacts by spinning to guard and possibly hunting a leglock, which causes Ben to drop backwards and yank his legs out of reach. This is a beautiful sequence from both fighters. After shooting in for a takedown, Ben exposes his neck yet again at the 4:36 mark of Round 4. Cerrone immediately slaps on a no arm brabo choke that is very much akin to the chancery choke Jon Jones finished Lyoto Machida with recently or the famous Ninja Choke applied by Shuichiro Katsumura on Masakatsu Ueda at Way of Shooto 2. Somehow, Bendo survives this brabo choke for a full minute. Some of this can be explained, but lasting a minute in that choke is downright spooky. Cerrone is attacking both carotids with a biceps and forearm, while bracing that choking arm in the crook of his other arm. He has also driven Henderson fully flat to the ground. Ben managed by luck or skill to get his left hand up into the crook of the arm just above Cerrone's left hand. This left hand prevents Cerrone from driving the right arm forwards and upwards to finish the choke in full - but most people would tap from what Bendo is experiencing already. As Cerrone continues to try and drive that right arm down, he exposes the elbow of his arm and Ben takes advantage of that to slip the elbow past the hand. The choke is escaped and Benson is saved once more. If anyone can explain how he has the energy to pop up to his feet, take the punch, collect himself and then fire off a savage kick, go right ahead. It's verging upon supernatural. With 2:20 left in the fifth round, Cerrone works from an open guard into an omoplota. He prevents Ben from rolling free and transitions back and forth between the omoplota, a triangle/armbar combination and then finally this kimura attempt. All I can say in analysis of Ben's defense is "Stretch Armstrong". I have no idea how Ben Henderson knew that he could survive that kimura. That looks disgusting and I bet Cerrone had some weird feelings about seeing Henderson stay calm and tug his way free. Ben resists and steps his right foot over to reduce the dangerous angle. The thread is defused for now. With 20 seconds left in the fifth round, Cerrone connects on one of the hardest upkicks I've ever seen in MMA. Ben drops like a sack of potatoes into Cerrone's open guard and is promptly slapped into a triangle. By this time, instinct has kicked in enough for Henderson to pull out enough to force a shift to an omoplota, which morphs into a gruesome looking armbar. Ben defends by being Plastic Man and he rolls out just as the bell rings. Cerrone should have dug into the arm just above the elbow earlier in the omoplota to get a straight armbar-type situation, but honestly, this is how Benson got the nickname "Bendo". He pulls this stuff on a regular basis and all of this breakdowns and close looks reveal that these miracles are built on how astoundingly good his instincts are, freaky flexibility and the daredevilish pushing of his body to its absolute physical limits. Benson Henderson will do anything it takes to win and that is an intimidating attitude perhaps matched only by the man he will face in the main event of UFC 144 in Saitama Super Arena. Thanks for following along, folks. Catch you later. UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson and the Miracle of Survival Part 1 of 2

Posted in: ben, henderson, miller, leg, cerrone

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Benson Henderson talked to the press at the UFC 144 pre-fight press conference about adjusting to time difference in Japan and stepping up his fashion game. He wants the belt and is dressing the part. He also gets intellectual about his hero Clark Kent, the alter ego of Superman. Check out what Benson Henderson had to [...]

Posted in: henderson, time difference, benson henderson, benson, fashion game

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At this point, you have probably heard several different breakdowns and analysis of the UFC 144 headlining bout between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson. Well here's a different outlook and a fun prediction from the crew behind the new video game, UFC Undisputed 3. They simulated 25 A.I. matches and got the following stats: - Edgar landed more overall strikes in 60-percent of their matches- Henderson attempted 60 submissions in 25 matches- Edgar won by TKO six times in 25 matches- Edgar and Henderson rocked each other an equal amount of times in 25 matches- Henderson won by head kick KO once in 25 matches- Henderson won by submission seven times in 25 matches After all those matches, what's their final prediction? They said Ben Henderson will win the UFC lightweight championship by submitting Frankie Edgar, at the 3:37 mark of round 4. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

Posted in: ufc, henderson, ben henderson, edgar, frankie edgar

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 144 pre-fight press conference is in the books for the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012. And, of course, main event participants Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson met up for a staredown to try to psyche each other out. Both men are "Smooth" customers, though, and look ready to rock and roll. Also squaring off were main card fighters Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader and Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama. Their staredown pics can be found after the jump. Have a look.

Posted in: vs, henderson, staredown, edgar, saitama japan

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UFC President Dana White joined the stars of the upcoming UFC 144 event, scheduled to go down this Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, to dish the dirt on the show. Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Ryan Bader, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jake Shields were all in attendance to answer questions from the media and fans. For all the latest and greatest on the "Edgar vs. Henderson" event be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, event, henderson, edgar, saitama japan

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Want to know who wins the UFC 144 main event between Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, which is scheduled to take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Feb. 25, 2012? Look no further than the UFC Undisputed 3 video game. The boys over at THQ put together this video simulation to promote the upcoming lightweight championship fight that will determine the top dog in the 155-pound division ... until the next challenger comes along. And if life imitates art, come Sunday morning we'll have a new lightweight champion. That's because Henderson -- a talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu guard player with a killer guillotine -- will get taken down in the fourth round, get caught up against the fence and ultimately latch onto Edgar's neck and not let go until "The Answer" taps his title away. Here are a handful of notable stats from the above simulation, which is the culmination of 25 matches: Edgar landed more overall strikes in 60-percent of their matchesHenderson attempted 60 submissions in 25 matchesEdgar won by TKO six times in 25 matchesEdgar and Henderson rocked each other an equal amount of times in 25 matchesHenderson won by head kick KO once in 25 matchesHenderson won by submission seven times in 25 matches Anyone think these stats will come close to the real thing in "The Land of the Rising Sun" this weekend? For more on the "Edgar vs. Henderson" match up click here.

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Resident SB Nation/MMAFighting photographer, Esther Lin, was on the scene in Japan to shoot several of the notable fighters who will compete on the UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) main card at the event's open media workouts. Naturally, the two men who will compete for the lightweight title in the main event of the evening, Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, were on the scene to promote their not so highly-anticipated 155-pound clash, as well as work up one of the last few real sweats prior to fight night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in "The Land of the Rising Sun." Co-main event participants, Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader, were also in attendance prior to their 205-pound bout, along with welterweights Jake Shields and Yoshihiro Akiyama, who will also throw down on the main card. And don't forget about Takanori Gomi. Check out more great pics from the UFC 144 open media workout after the jump, courtesy of MMAFighting.com: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: See the entire gallery here. For more news and notes on UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" click here.

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HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi talks to former WEC lightweight champ Ben Henderson about his UFC title shot against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan.

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Top Lightweight contender Ben Henderson, who will challenge Frankie Edgar for the Lightweight title at UFC 144, discusses his opponent, as well as his training and preparation for the bout. Henderson acknowledges that Edgar is the champion for a reason, but says that if "The Answer" gives him an opening, he will leave the Saitama Super Arena with the title.

Posted in: title, henderson, ben henderson, edgar, frankie edgar

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) aired its traditional "Countdown" preview show for UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" on Tuesday night, featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar prepares to defend his strap against former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) kingpin Ben Henderson on Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. To check out immediate reactions to the 30-minute special be sure to check out our live UFC 144 "Countdown" discussion thread right here. "Countdown" to UFC 144 will also feature a closer look at the 205-pound match up between PRIDE FC legend Quinton Jackson and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 Champion Ryan Bader. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Feb. 25), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the preliminary card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET. Parts 2-4 (courtesy of MMA High Kick), after the jump. For more on UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

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The upcoming UFC 144 event will feature the two most resilient lightweights in recent memory at the very top of the card as Frankie Edgar defends his title against Ben Henderson. Neither man has cruised through their careers with ease and both have had to claw back victory from the jaws of defeat several times. Iron wills, nearly limitless energy and the calm retention of technical skills under pressure have allowed Edgar and Henderson to survive and thrive in the shark tank that is the lightweight division. This two-part Judo Chop takes a look at what exactly the little things are that Bendo does to work his near-miraculous escapes and to stave off defeat until he can find and exploit a route to victory. In his last bout, Edgar capped off the finest trilogy of fights in MMA with his dramatic comeback from near defeat and subsequent knockout of Gray Maynard at UFC 136. Edgar has retained his UFC title with quiet tenacity and is now one of the most respected people in the sport for his heart and desire to win. Benson Henderson, the man who will stand across from Edgar in Saitama Super Arena, took a hard lesson from his last defeat. The loss of his WEC title to Anthony Pettis at the end of the bittersweet, but great WEC 53 card ended with Benson reeling from the now-legendary Showtime Kick. After that defeat and the subsequent absorption of the WEC by the UFC, Benson roared like the lion his frizzy mane emulates throughout thrilling matches with Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida to claim this title shot. All four fighters have had Bendo in trouble at some point and every single time, he has escaped. This first part takes an in-depth look at the WEC 53 fight against Anthony Pettis and the UFC 129 bout with Mark Bocek. Hit the jump for the fight breakdowns combined with the GIF goodies from Grappo. The Showtime Kick was for a time the most vivid image in recent mixed martial arts history. The visual poetry of the kick was so strong that it overshadowed the actual fight itself, a back and forth battle between two closely matched competitors. Both Pettis and Henderson had the other in trouble in all phases of the game and in particular, the rear mount position figured heavily in the action. At approximately the 3:30 mark of the third round, Pettis managed to work out of an open guard position and slide around to the rear mount position with a body triangle modification. In IBJJF competitions, he would achieve no points for this particular back take, but in real grappling and in MMA, such a position is extremely powerful. Finish opportunities open up and the body triangle can slowly constrict the energy and fight out of an opponent. Pettis was on Henderson's back for over three minutes, but achieved no finish despite working constantly to generate an opportunity for the rear naked choke (RNC) or punching Henderson in the face. The lack of a finish is due to Benson's calm controlling of one hand at almost all times. In this gif, you can see Benson get a two on one grip on Anthony's right arm and stretch it out. In MMA, if one hand is controlled, the other hand can generally be allowed to wrap around the neck without fear of a choke. In submission grappling, it is possible for grappling wizards like Marcelo Garcia to do a one handed RNC on high level opponents (as demonstrated on Ryan Hall in a practice session), but that takes a certain confluence of skill, position and mastery of technique. At that point in time, Pettis does not have such a confluence, so Henderson need only disrupt the choke attempts by controlling one hand. The full fight (very much worth watching) shows that Pettis constantly attacked by alternating which arm was going for the choke and which would complete the RNC, only to be frustrated by Henderson's grips. The two on one is usually a powerful grip in grappling as very few people outside of Mark Coleman or other immensely strong individuals will be able to power a single arm through the grip of two. In an earlier interview, Dave Camarillo mentioned that he believes the kimura grip (a variant of the two on one grip) is the strongest grip possible in grappling and utilizes it heavily within his own grappling and teaching. Note that Benson also alleviates the discomfort of the body triangle and carrying Anthony's weight to some degree by struggling upright and leaning against the cage. Pettis has to fight gravity in a small way himself and cannot take the easier route of staying on top of a turtled up opponent and driving his hips forwards to create immense pressure and discomfort. Those who remember the DaMarques Johnson and Mike Guymon fight from UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 can remember the power of that particular body triangle. Benson survived three minutes of this and looked unusually placid while doing so - as if this threatening back take was merely something to tolerated and worked through until he could get free and fire off more clinch knees. Jumping forwards to the next time Henderson was in significant trouble leads us to right after the Showtime Kick. Rather than dwelling upon the already much heralded burst of violent creativity, we should focus on how a very dazed and tired Bendo weathered a full minute of Pettis trying to finish the fight. Yes, there was a minute of the fight after the kick and smart tactics combined with an unfortunately timed lack of improvisation by Pettis is what allowed Henderson to survive to the decision. Immediately after the kick, Benson knew he had to get up off his back and do something or risk taking big punches from Anthony. He glommed onto the legs of Pettis and held his head tight to the legs in an instinctual clinch that played into the rule proscribing blows to the back of the head. Pettis had to pick and choose the spots to launch his strikes and the singleminded determination of Henderson to grab a leg and stay on it makes it difficult for Pettis to do anything other than end up in a crucifix position - as the GIF shows. However, right after the kick and scramble, Pettis stalls out a bit. Here, Pettis displays positional dominance in a way that often leads to the end of fights. The legs are controlling one arm and the head looks ripe to rain down damaging blows upon. This is an MMA fight, bound by rules and regulations and thus Pettis cannot punch away at the back of the head a la Hayato Sakurai against Nick Diaz. Fortunately for Henderson, Pettis never makes the logical leap to the Gary Goodridge style crucifix hellbows that left Paul Herrera a crumpled heap on the floor of the UFC 8 cage. With this oddly hesitant pattern of strikes, Ben is never fully overwhelmed and can prevent the referee from stepping in. Eventually, time ran out on the round and on the last, most brilliant card of WEC's existence. Benson would stand ready to hear the judges' decision and watch Anthony Pettis's hand be raised in victory. After the absorption of the WEC into the UFC, Henderson was largely viewed as a mid-level entrant to the division and Pettis waited for a potential title shot. Four months after the WEC 53 battle, Henderson fought Mark Bocek as part of the general "American vs. Canadian" vibe of the UFC 129 card. Henderson won a unanimous decision, but there were moments of real trouble for him due to Bocek's grappling prowess. Three such moments will be looked at this Judo Chop: For the first, Henderson has had a takedown stuffed and is on his hands and knees below Bocek, who has established head control. After some time securing the position, Bocek shifts to an anaconda grip. The angle for the cameras unfortunately obscures the placement of Bocek's hands and the beginnings of the choke, but there have been multiple Judo Chops done on the submission before. [The first is Judo Chop: Breaking Down the Groundwork of Maia/Munoz at UFC 131 and the second is Judo Chop: Carlo Prater Uses a Novel Finish to the Anaconda Choke.] Bocek is squeezing Henderson's left carotid with the placement of his right biceps and wants to force Henderson's right arm next to his head in such a way that the right carotid will also be squeezed. By making a series of motions somewhat similar to a RNC, Bocek has his right hand in the crook of his left arm and wants to roll to his left to off-balance Henderson and create more pressure on the carotids and thereby gain the submission. However, the cage and Henderson's positioning block Bocek from really turning over to get the proper anaconda finish that the grappling gods want. For a better idea of what a real anaconda choke looks like, check out the Judo Chops mentioned above or watch the old PRIDE fights of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - better known as "Big Nog" or "The Really Old Looking Brazilian Who Made The Anaconda Choke Famous". The nicknames sounds better in Portuguese, trust me. Mark bails on the anaconda and gets back to his feet, while retaining the head control that keeps Ben from getting a counter-takedown or punching Mark in the face some more. While they are along the fence, Bocek repositions his hands and arms in such a way that makes for a great guillotine - if he can get in position. The angles are not quite right for a guillotine in the style of the one Jake Shields pulled on Robbie Lawler back at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields, so Mark moves a bit to his right to clear his legs from Ben's control and Ben sinks to his knees as he loses the grip on the legs. When the legs are clear and Ben is fully on his elbows and knees, Bocek goes for a classic variation of the guillotine. The far side leg is swiftly thrown behind the opponent's back to prevent a move into side control, which would allow the alleviation of the pressure on the carotids and thus safety from the choke. The opponent's head is tucked into the latissimus dorsi muscles, which allow for a better, tighter squeeze and the left arm comes up to link and possibly throw the elbow over the opponent's right shoulder. Some Brazilian jiu jitsu people call this the Marcelo-tine, but a large number of grapplers from any discpline can get finishes with this move if they can hit it right. This is the second submission that Ben had to defend. Ben defended by bringing his right hand up to give some modicum of space within the choke and by simultaneously rolling - which may not always work against high level grapplers. The roll and the "not-quite-finished" status of the choke allowed Bendo to knock the left hand free and escape yet again. This might be the single closest time that Ben Henderson has come to being finished in the cage in the last several years and he reacts by storming Bocek with a flurry of punches. In the third round, Bocek ends up in an open guard position as Henderson has dominated nearly the entirety of the round by dealing out vicious punches and knees. Bocek places his left foot on a hip and leaves his right leg free (in a cautiously optimistic way). Ben walks in as if completely unconcerned about anything other than controlling the feet to prevent an upkick. Bocek uses that opportunity to grip the left leg of Henderson at the ankle and swims his right leg under and around the knee. This is a move that is banned in IBJJF competitions due to the risk of the submission Bocek initially sets up - the heel hook. [Previous Judo Chops featuring the heel hook: Rousimar Palhares and Leglocks, Shogun Rua's Fightsaving Leglock on Dan Henderson, Ed Herman Uses 50/50 Guard to Heel Hook Kyle Noke.] Ben probably realizes as soon as his leg is gripped that he has left the door wide open for a heel hook. The best way to get out of a leglock is to keep base carefully, stay calm, work the escapes techniques and to avoid panicking and ripping out the wrong way. Mark decides to control the hands of his opponent instead of going straight for the heel hook, which is a sort of judgement call in the damage versus submission opportunity debate. Henderson turns his right leg outwards to try and keep balance as if he were bullriding, but Bocek is a great grappler and uses his free left leg to kick out Henderson's base. As Ben falls over, Mark follows him and locks hands around the waist. Some of you may already know what submission Bocek has the opportunity for and have seen it broken down in an earlier Judo Chop covering how Charles Oliveira defeated Eric Wisely with the calf slicer. In contrast to Wisely, Bendo is extremely flexible, quite strong for his weight class and does not make the mistake of trying to launch vertically upwards to escape. Bocek looks like he wants the submission, but realizes that the slicer is probably not going to work as desired. Mark bails on it to go for an eventually unsuccessful back take. But for Benson's calm grappling defense and diligence in stretching, we could have seen the first UFC calf slicer in April of last year... That is all for Part 1 and stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for the next installment. Part 2 will take a look at the Jim Miller and Clay Guida battles Ben Henderson went through to reach his title shot complete with analysis and more pretty visuals.

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Will Frankie Edgar successfully defend his lightweight title against the third man to challenge him? Or is Ben Henderson ready to become the new 155-pound champion of the world? Can Rampage Jackson notch his first win in Japan in six years? Or is Ryan Bader ready to pull off a career-reviving upset? Could Mark Hunt pull off a stunning third consecutive UFC victory? Or is Cheick Kongo set to end Hunt's winning streak? I'll attempt to answer those questions and more as I predict the winners at UFC 144.What: UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Where: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan When: Saturday, the Facebook preliminary starts at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, the four-fight FX card starts at 8 and the seven-fight pay-per-view card starts at 10. Predictions on the seven pay-per-view fights below. Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson After fighting just two opponents over the last two years -- B.J. Penn twice and Gray Maynard twice -- Edgar is finally ready for a fresh opponent, with former WEC champion Henderson the next man up. I find the matchup fascinating because Henderson is bigger and more powerful than Edgar, and he's plenty good as a striker, and yet... I just think Edgar's fast-paced striking is going to prove too much for Henderson. I see Henderson causing Edgar some trouble early in the fight but Edgar's relentless punches eventually proving too much as Edgar wins a unanimous decision. Pick: Edgar Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Jackson, who fought 17 times in Japan for Pride, lobbied the UFC to let him return to Japan in the Octagon, and they obliged with a matchup with Bader, who's a game opponent but not really on the same level as Rampage. True, Rampage isn't the Rampage of the Pride days -- he's just 2-2 in his last four and he hasn't finished anyone since Wanderlei Silva in 2008 -- but he's a good enough wrestler to neutralize Bader's biggest strength, and he's much better on his feet than Bader. Pick: Jackson Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt This fight is a lot of fun and just the kind of matchmaking that the Japanese fans love: Hunt is a former K-1 champion who has spent most of his career in Japan, and Kongo is a big, muscular dude who looks like he can break an opponent in half. I didn't think Hunt had any business in the UFC when he first signed and got submitted in just 63 seconds by Sean McCorkle in his Octagon debut, but I've since been proven wrong: Hunt has won two in a row. But Hunt's winning streak will come to an end here: Kongo will take him down and pummel him with ground and pound. Pick: Kongo Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields Akiyama, who was once one of Japan's most popular fighters, returns on a three-fight losing streak. Now he's moving down to welterweight in an attempt to revive his career, but I don't think Shields is a good matchup for him at all. Shields should win this by decision and probably send Akiyama out of the UFC. Pick: Shields Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Boetsch is a powerful middleweight coming off a 2011 in which he had two impressive wins, but I just don't think he's ready for an opponent quite on the level of Okami, who's 10-3 in his UFC career and has only lost to elite middleweights, Rich Franklin, Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva. Okami will grind out a unanimous decision. Pick: Okami Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Without many challengers available for champion Jose Aldo, the winner of this fight could be in line for a shot at the featherweight title. Hioki went on a great run while fighting in Japanese promotions over the last few years, but when he made his UFC debut he struggled through an uninspiring split decision win over George Roop. He'll need to be better than that to beat Palaszewski, who moved down from lightweight and knocked out Tyson Griffin at UFC 137. And I think he will be better. If Hioki fights smart he'll be able to use his length to stay out of Palaszewski's range, and if the fight goes to the ground I like Hioki's chances of submitting Palaszewski. Pick: Hioki Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon This is my pick for Fight of the Night. These guys both routinely put on good shows, and they're both capable of finishing opponents in a variety of ways. I like Pettis to take this one and make a statement that he belongs in the discussion for the next contender to the lightweight throne. Pick: Pettis

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TOKYO - Benson Henderson talks about being in the main event of UFC 144, his reception in Japan, possible holes in Frankie Edgar's game, if size will play a factor and more.

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Frankie Edgar Doesn't See Any Holes in Benson Henderson's Game Benson Henderson: Frankie Edgar Is Great Champ but Leaves 'Openings' 'Rampage' Jackson Talks UFC 144, Japan Glory Days and Joe Rogan Criticism Ryan Bader Hoping to Right 2011 Wrongs Against 'Rampage' Jackson Jake Shields Doesn't Regret Fighting Immediately Following Death of His Father Takanori Gomi Thinks UFC 144 Will Help Reignite Japanese MMA Cheick Kongo Wants Another Shot at Frank Mir submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]

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The UFC just released the full video of the Countdown Show to promote UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson which will be happening in Japan this weekend. They split it in four parts and featured the top match ups on the card, Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, and Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon. Click these to watch the videos: Here are the UFC's descriptions of each of the four bouts: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson: "The most unlikely UFC champion meets the former WEC champion in a battle between two true athletes. Watch lightweight champion Frankie Edgar fight Benson Henderson live on Saturday, February 25." Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: "Former light heavyweight champion Rampage Jackson relishes the chance to return to Japan and his PRIDE-era fans, but Ryan Bader isn't intimidated by fighting a legend... he's done it before." Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields: "Japanese superstar Sexyama drops down to welterweight as Jake Shields plans another run up the ranks of the 170-pound division." Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon: "Two lightweights with flashy finishes to their names will face one another - hear what bonus-hunter Joe Lauzon and human highlight reel Anthony Pettis are doing to prepare for what could be the most exciting fight of the year."

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UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie "The Answer" Edgar spoke about this weekend's encounter with Ben Henderson, which will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Edgar gave credit to Henderson, claiming that his opponent could be impossible to submit. The champ also related to the possibility of fighting at Featherweight, once again leaving the drop as "a nice option to have". Further Reading: Submit your picks for UFC

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TOKYO -- Watch below as UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar talks about his UFC 144 title defense against Benson Henderson, fighting overseas, a potential drop to featherweight and much more.

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Get geared up for Saturday's UFC 144 return to Japan with an inside look at main-event fighters Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson, plus Rampage Jackson and Ryan Bader.

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If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man. That is the challenge that lies ahead for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) number one 155-pound contender, Ben Henderson, when he takes on Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 at the Saitama Super Arena this weekend (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Saitama, Japan. The elusive Edgar has been a riddle who not many mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters have been able to "Answer," but "Bendo" believes he has a few tricks up his sleeve that will aid him in solving the puzzle. During a recent appearance on HDNet's "Inside MMA," Henderson elaborated on what his strategy may possibly be: "We have some new tricks that we might unveil for the fight, as far as holding him on the ground. But holding him there is not our biggest concern; it's getting him there. He's fast. He's light on his feet. He has a lot of movement. He moves around very well. So, first thing's first and that's getting our hands on him, cutting off the ring, cornering him to get our hands on him. And then after that, if he pops back up, let him pop back up. If we took him down once, we can take him down again. It's just a matter of cornering him, cutting off the ring and getting our hands on him." Easier said than done. In a fight with two athletes this fast and dangerous, there is certainly the potential for a quick finish, but there's also the possibility that the evenness with which they are matched may result in the fight being decided by the judges' scorecards. "Smooth" predicts an entertaining bout, but admits that he is a little nervous about thing if it does go to a decision: "I think it's gonna be a fun affair. I think it's gonna be action packed. You're gonna have a little bit of 'true MMA,' with work on the feet and on the ground. It'll be a little bit of everywhere. You'll see a little bit of everything. The only thing I'm really too concerned about is losing a round by a couple points here, losing a round by a couple points there and ultimately going to a decision. That's the only thing I really am concerned about. But, you know. It is what it is. We'll see how it plays out." Styles make fights. We've seen that axiom prove to be true time and time again. It's hard to know exactly what to expect when two high level wrestlers meet in the cage, but Henderson made his best guess. Anyone for some kickboxing? "I think it'll be two very good wrestlers going in there and, because we are two very good wrestlers, it will end up being a stand up fight for the majority of the fight. If that's the case, I'm ready to do that for 25 minutes and say, 'Let's have a kickboxing match for 25 minutes.' I'm okay with that." Henderson went on to describe the experience he's had so far in Japan. He told Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten (who went to the trouble of recommending where to eat in Japan before he remembered that Henderson is in the process of cutting weight) that he's enjoying the journey and getting ready for Saturday: "It's pretty cool to be here in Japan and to be fighting in Japan and all that. Logistically, getting used to the time difference and all that fun stuff -- it is what it is. You gotta deal with it and do the bets you can and you hopefully have your best performance, come fight night." Will Henderson be able to get his hands on Edgar? Or will "The Answer" prove to be too quick and elusive to be cornered or cut down? Predictions, please.

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Anthony Pettis electrified the MMA world with his "Showtime Kick" and victory over Benson Henderson, but still he's forced to take a backseat.

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Anthony Pettis electrified the MMA world with his "Showtime Kick" and victory over Benson Henderson, but still he's forced to take a backseat.

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Forget the background blather. Let’s get right to the point.Benson Henderson will be the bigger, stronger man when he steps into the cage to challenge Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight championship this Saturday night. In fact, he will likely be the bigger man by 10 pounds or more, which is a big difference when comparing lightweights.  That is an extremely relevant point when analyzing the main event of the UFC’s long-awaited return to Japan. It’s not relevant in the sense that it is a unique disadvantage for Edgar to overcome. He faces the same uphill battle in every fight.It is relevant because Henderson may very well be the first man since Gray Maynard in April 2008 who will come to the cage keenly focused on actually using those physical superiorities to his advantage during the fight. In other words, I firmly believe that Henderson is coming to take the title by putting on a wrestling clinic.Well, he had better show up with that kind of game plan. Otherwise, he won’t stand much of a chance at winning, absent the ever-present chance at landing a fight-altering strike.How can I be so certain, you wonder? Did you watch Edgar’s last four fights? Did you see him dominate BJ Penn on the feet? Henderson is a good, accurate striker. But he is not Penn’s fistic equal. Henderson has serviceable, creative kicks. Yet, he isn’t out there winning any point-style striking matches with basically anyone over the last few years – black belt in Taekwondo notwithstanding. Coming out and dominating the action in a striking match is not Henderson’s game. It is, by contrast, Edgar’s game. In fact, Edgar has made his championship living by using constant movement to create ever-changing angles and a difficult-to-hit target, while darting in and out with short, effective bursts of strikes. Most of those are thrown with his hands, though he will mix in the kicks, as needed, to keep his opponent honest. Edgar uses his success on the feet to open the door for takedowns. The champ has an uncanny ability to enhance his already solid wrestling skills by seamlessly transitioning between strikes and takedowns. That is something that very few mixed martial artists truly do well. Georges St-Pierre being the other notable exception to the rule.That style of attack is all the more effective when facing an opponent who is leading with crazy bombs or sitting back hoping to counter with big power shots. Thus, if Henderson comes out looking to overwhelm Edgar on the feet, he will likely suffer the same fate as Penn and Maynard. Don’t get me wrong. Henderson, or anyone else, for that matter, can always land a fight-altering strike at any moment. You know, an unseen punch on the jaw, temple or just behind the ear; a perfectly timed flying knee; or maybe a well disguised shin across the head. But we are talking about a guy who has a career knockout-win ratio of 13.3%. Translation: there is nothing in his past to suggest that the likely outcome of Saturday’s bout will be a knockout win by the challenger. Again, it is certainly possible, just not likely. Of course, that brings us back to the question of what can Henderson do to maximize his odds at winning. If I was running his training camp, I would have that guy watching tape on Edgar-Maynard I about 20 times a day.Maynard’s dominant, wrestling-based win over Edgar is the only film out there of Edgar losing. Nobody has ever beaten him by knockout. Nobody has ever outpointed him with strikes. Nobody has ever submitted him. But Maynard outwrestled him en route to a decisive victory.I will never understand why Maynard didn’t repeat that game plan in his second and third fights with Edgar. I don’t want to hear any of this nonsense about Edgar taking away the takedowns early. Maynard did nothing but headhunt in the next two fights of the trilogy until he was basically out of gas and out of options. He never focused on takedowns early in those later fights.Henderson needs to remember where Maynard came up short and remain singularly focused on getting the fight to the ground.  That doesn’t mean shooting haphazardly for takedowns. Edgar is too quick and mobile to end up on his back from a random, long-distance takedown attempt. The challenger should, instead, use strikes to close the distance, so that he can clinch with the smaller Edgar. That means throwing punches just for the sake of throwing punches. But he should be stepping forward while doing so, always maintaining his lead right leg on the outside of Edgar’s lead left leg. Edgar loves to circle out to his own left, so that is the best way to cut off the cage.Once the champ is within reach, Henderson needs to force him up against the cage and use his weight advantage to start to drain Edgar of his energy and quickness. He needs to lean on the New Jersey native. Push on him. Grind away on the cage. Make Edgar expend a lot of energy defending. If the opportunity presents itself, he can trip or throw Edgar to the floor. Maybe a high crotch would be effective, since he does have a big size and strength advantage. Heck, maybe an old-school, backyard pull to the ground, sort of like Nick Diaz did to Carlos Condit in the final round of their recent bout, is the best way to get the action to the ground. Basically, I don’t care what Henderson does to get the fight to the ground. He just needs to get it there early in each round, and keep the action down as long as he possibly can. Go back and watch Edgar-Maynard I. You will see what I’m talking about. Henderson certainly has the wrestling chops, athleticism, size and strength to execute the exact same game plan that Maynard used to defeat Edgar back in 2008.Then again, so did Sean Sherk, Jim Miller, Matt Veach and Tyson Griffin. They all came up short. If Henderson doesn’t fight a near perfect fight, odds are that he will come up short, too.QUICK FACTS:Frankie Edgar•    30 years old•    14-1-1 overall •    3-0-1 in UFC title fights•    9-0-1 in last 10 fights•    4-0-1 in last 5•    Reigning UFC Lightweight Champion (3 successful defenses)•    21.4% of wins by KO/TKO•    21.4% of wins by submission•    57.2% of wins by judges’ decision•    80% of UFC fights lasted the distance (6-1-1 in those fights)•    1 UFC win by submission; 2 in by KO•    Four-time Fight of the Night winner•    Knockout of the Night – KO4 over Gray Maynard at UFC 136•    Current layoff is 141 days •    Longest layoff of career is 308 days Benson Henderson•    28 years old•    15-2 overall•    First UFC title fight•    9-1 in last 10 fights•    4-1 in last 5•    4 consecutive fights have gone the distance (3-1 in those fights)•    13.3% of wins by KO/TKO•    53.3% of wins by submission•    33.3%of wins by judges’ decision•    Has never been knocked out as a professional•    Fight of the Night – UD3 over Clay Guida at UFC on FOX1•    Current layoff is 106 days •    Longest layoff of career is 236 days

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On Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will pit its top two lightweight fighters against each other in the cage as UFC 144 comes rolling through Saitama, Japan, with guns blazing. Ben Henderson will try to do what no one has been able to accomplish since 2008 by defeating Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and proving to mixed martial arts (MMA) fans that he is the number one 155-pound fighter in the world. That's the goal, but it could be easier said than done. Speaking of goals, here's what else "Bendo" has on his agenda: "I definitely have long term goals and short term goals, but that has been my goal since I first got into fighting, period: Just to be the best fighter on the planet -- no ifs, ands or buts about it," said the 28-year-old. "Not one of the best, not top three, top five, whatever -- I want to be the best fighter in the world, period. That goal is still in my sights, I still wake up thinking about that." Check out the rest of Henderson's "to do" list after the jump: One would think that just defeating the champion would be ambitious enough of a dream for Henderson. Apparently not. During a recent teleconference to promote UFC 144, Henderson announced that he has aspirations of "Silva" proportions: "I don't think me beating Frankie at all gets me anywhere near the conversation," Bendo went on. "I'd have to beat Frankie, then beat a couple other guys, defend the belt -- what is Anderson up to? He's up to like, twelve right now? Thirteen? After I beat Anderson's record, whatever he stops at -- fourteen times, fifteen times -- after I beat that, then the conversation can begin." Henderson is a perfect 3-0 during his time in the Octagon. In his last fight, he won a very impressive decision victory over Clay Guida at UFC on Fox on Nov. 12, 2011 in Anaheim, Calif. He's gone a long way to show fans that he's more than just the guy who became the recipient of a highlight reel move at the hands of Anthony Pettis on Dec. 16, 2010 at WEC 53. But is he biting off more than he can chew by comparing himself to "The Spider?" Is it too early to be making those kind of correlations? What do you Maniacs think? Does "The Smooth One" have potential to be the greatest of all time? Got any bold UFC 144 predictions? Sound off!

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In the grand scheme of things, taking the lightweight title of Frankie Edgar is a very small step for Ben Henderson. But it's a start. "I definitely have long-term goals (and) short-term goals, but that's been my goal since I first got into fighting - to be the best fighter on the planet," Henderson said during a media teleconference in support of UFC 144. "No ifs, ands or buts about it."

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Ben Henderson isn’t sure how many times he’s seen the same highlight clip replayed over and over. "Hundreds and thousands," he estimates, and that doesn’t even count all the time spent talking about it in interviews. It was just a few seconds of his life lifted from a rare losing effort inside the cage, and a part of him knows that he’ll never fully escape it."I’m still not over it. I won’t lie to you," Henderson said. "I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. It affects me deeply to this day. It will affect me for the rest of my fighting career, for a long, long time. I’m very upset about it still. I can put it behind me, but am I totally over it, never think about it? No."Even if he wanted to forget, the sport wouldn’t let him. The clip of Anthony Pettis launching himself off the cage and into a jumping kick that floored Henderson quickly found its way onto ESPN and into MMA lore. It also changed both men’s lives, though not in the ways they might have expected as they stood in the cage that night in Glendale, Ariz., waiting for the judges’ scores to be read aloud. Pettis claimed the victory, the fame, and the promise of a UFC title shot that night, though it ultimately came at a price. Henderson ended up sitting at the post-fight press conference, visibly struggling to suppress the tears that came up in waves whenever he thought about what had just happened."It was heart-wrenching," he said. "I was sad, and I’m still sad. It was heart-breaking. ...Every time I’m out there, I give you guys everything. I open up my heart and soul. I hold nothing back. To come up short, and to come up short in that manner, that hurt. But I’ll never let that happen again."That same night, Henderson said, he promised himself that he would not be defined by this one loss, this one kick. He would use it to make himself better, so that when people looked back on his career it would be little more than a footnote. After all, he told himself, didn’t Georges St. Pierre have to see clips of himself getting TKO’d by Matt Serra over and over again? Didn’t it only make him stronger in the end?"It’s the same thing for me. I’ve had to see that kick hundreds and thousands of times. I have to talk about it over and over and over. But I’m using it. I’m using it to make myself better."And he has. Even former foes like Pettis -- who will be forced to watch from the UFC 144 undercard this weekend as Henderson gets a crack at UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in Tokyo -- can admit that."After our fight, he changed as a fighter," Pettis said. "He’s hungry. You can see it on his face, he’s ready to win this fight."Henderson will tell you now that, despite the heartbreak of the moment, in the long run the loss was "absolutely beneficial to my career." He didn’t overreact the way some fighters do after a painful defeat, dumping all their coaches and making cosmetic changes in an attempt to fix a problem they haven’t even truly diagnosed yet."But I think what I did change was my approach during the fight," he said. "I think against Pettis, the biggest thing I took away was that I was not aggressive enough. I didn’t have enough ring control. I think I did fine in the fight, landed more strikes, all that. But the problem was, I think I was backing up too much."If anything, the loss made him more aggressive. While he still insists he hates decisions -- "absolutely hate them" -- he resolved to make any fight that does go to the distance into an easy call for the judges and the fans."I can’t leave any doubt. There’s going to be no doubt in anyone’s mind after they watch one of my fights as to who won the fight."That seems problematic against Edgar, a champion who’s never been finished in his MMA career, and who has yet to lose a five-round fight. His indefatigable style and his ability to bounce back from even the most punishing blows make him seem nearly impossible to put him away, at least to some. Henderson, not surprisingly, doesn’t quite see it that way."If you make a mistake, you leave your neck out there for half a second too long, you leave your arm out there, you give me your knee, I will end the fight. If you leave your chin out there? Man, let me touch your chin. I will end the fight. It’s just a matter of a guy making a small mistake and giving me the opportunity."As for Pettis, the man who gave him this renewed sense of purpose and this extra drive, it’s nice for Henderson to know that his former nemesis is picking to win this one. And sure, he knows there might be some ulterior motives involved. Pettis could well be hoping that a Henderson win would make a rematch more likely, this time with a bigger title on the line, and Henderson doesn’t necessarily disagree with the notion."Maybe my second or third title defense, I could see fighting him again. I’d have no problem with that."After all, Pettis did stick him in that interminable highlight reel hell. It sure would be nice to return the favor. Sooner or later, Henderson said, he feels certain he’ll get the chance."I will say this: before I retire, before I leave this earth, I will see Anthony Pettis again in the cage."It just won’t be this weekend, when Pettis will have to content himself with watching on a monitor backstage while Henderson steps in the Octagon for the title shot he’s had to earn the hard way.

Posted in: fight, time, anthony pettis, petti, henderson

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To put it bluntly, this weekend was a mixed bag for combat sports. While the boxing world reignited due to Dereck Chisora's bizarre post-fight brawl with David Haye, mixed martial arts found itself alone in the corner, whispering sweet nothings to its crinkled UFC 144 flyer. But like most non-fight weekends, we still somehow wound up with plenty of noteworthy morsels to pour over, from Georges St-Pierre's latest injury update and Brian Stann's Fox gig, to murmurs of Hendo vs. Machida and Jon Jones invoking Muhammad Ali comparisons. So catch up on all the MMA you may have missed with Monday's edition of the Morning Report. 5 MUST-READ STORIES TO START YOUR DAY Georges St-Pierre injury update. GSP announced he is "ahead of schedule" in his efforts to return to the Octagon. Jason Miller vs. C.B. Dollaway set for UFC 146. Mayhem finally has his next UFC fight booked for May 26 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Dereck Chisora brawls with David Haye after Chisora vs. Klitschko. Following Dereck Chisora's decision loss to Vitali Klitschko on Saturday, Chisora and David Haye erupted into a violent brawl that was captured on video and eventually led to both men's arrest. Greg Jackson will corner Jon Jones against Rashad Evans. After much debate, Evans' former trainer, Greg Jackson, has decided to corner Jon Jones at UFC 145. For Anthony Pettis, one spectacular kick changed everything. Pettis reflected back to the moment that changed his life, for better or worse. MEDIA STEW Get your Monday morning violence fix with Bellator's Top 10 Knockouts. Bas Rutten brutalizes a Larper as only Bas Rutten can. Relive the dominant finish that earned Frankie Edgar a shot at B.J. Penn and the UFC lightweight title. About what you'd expect from a Japanese UFC 144 commercial. (HT: Bloody Elbow) Rashad Evans goes for the jugular after Jon Jones compares himself to Muhammad Ali. (Check out Part 2 of the joint interview here.) Another thing Pat Barry hates? Lasers shot into his eyeball. The plot thickens. Any fight fans interested in Dan Henderson vs. Lyoto Machida? Was never offered machida. And even though he has lost 3 out of his last 4, I'm sure it would be (cont) tl.gd/fvf4kn — Dan Henderson (@danhendo) February 17, 2012 Chandella Powell releases her first public statement since the discovery of her pornographic past. When you are young, you often don't realize that your actions have consequences. I made a bad decision about ten (cont) tl.gd/fvq5q0 — Chandella Powell (@chandellapowell) February 18, 2012 Looks like Brian Stann found himself a new gig. Huge thanks to all the fans who have supported me after the Fuel broadcast, looks like I will be doing the Live Fox shows now, power of fans — Brian Stann (@BrianStann) February 18, 2012 And with that, the Jackson-Evans bridge officially crumbles. Greg Jackson confirmed today he will be in my corner for UFC 145 — Jon Bones Jones (@Jonnybones) February 19, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced over the weekend (Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 - Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012): - UFC on Fox 3: Dennis Bermudez (7-3) vs. Pablo Garza (11-2) - UFC on Fox 3: Nick Denis (11-2) vs. Johnny Bedford (18-9-1) - UFC 146: Edson Barboza (10-0) vs. Evan Dunham (13-2) - UFC 146: Jason "Mayhem" Miller (24-8) vs. C.B. Dollaway (11-4) - UFC on FUEL 2: Yoislandy Izquierdo (6-0) vs. Reza Madadi (11-2) - UFC on FUEL 2: Jason Young (8-5) vs. Eric Wisely (19-7) - Bellator 64: Chris Horodecki (18-3-1) vs. Mike Richman (11-1) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day goes to BE reader sun yue: The LINSANITY: The Ignored BENSATION - Parallels Between NBA's Jeremy Lin and UFC's Ben Henderson With just days away from his contract expiring, Lin looked to be out of a job again. But fortunately for Lin, Baron Davis' recovery was going slower than planned, Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas were inept, and with an 8-15 record coach Mike D'Antoni was dangerously close to being fired. The Knicks' superstar Carmelo Anthony suggested giving Jeremy Lin a chance. Desperate for an answer, D'Antoni put him in. 25 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and a win over all-world point guard Deron Williams. Jeremy Lin had arrived. While Anthony Petits was fast-tracked to the top of the division with a main event against Clay Guida, Henderson had to work his way back up in a PPV opener against Mark Bocek, a tough fighter with slick BJJ and deceptively good stand-up. As per usual, Henderson beat Bocek in thrilling fashion, with his demi-god-like submission defense on full display. Passing his first test with flying colors, Henderson was ready for his biggest challenge yet - Jim Miller. Found something entertaining, brutal, or bizarre you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just send it to @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, jon jones, vs, henderson, david haye

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15-2 lightweight Benson Henderson has yet to step into the Octagon with champion Frankie Edgar yet he’s already seen their fight play out countless times in his mind. Not only is visualization a part of his training but he also has a great deal of respect for Edgar, understanding how much concentration is needed on the talented title-holder to find the answer to “The Answer.” Edgar is coming off of two brutal fights against Gray Maynard where, in both bouts, he was nearly finished in the first round only to show unbelievable resiliency in coming back to earn a Draw in the first go-round and a knockout victory in the second. By watching those wars Henderson has taken away a great deal of understanding about his upcoming opponent, a fact he revealed in an exclusive conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “The first thing I took away is that he does make mistakes and can be hurt,” stated Henderson matter-of-factly. “He got hurt very badly in both fights in the first round. He does leave openings and make mistakes. He has holes and there are opportunities where you can go after him and throw him off of his game. You also have to take away the fact that he has a huge heart, a very good chin, and a never say die attitude. That’s not something that should ever be discounted.” With all the publicity surrounding his success in the UFC and his upcoming bout with Edgar, Henderson also has something else to be thankful for. Along with his coach he is now the proud owner of the only gym he has ever trained at, the MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona. “It’s about 98-99% done, John Crouch and I purchased the gym from the old owners,” said an excited and proud Henderson. “We are not going anywhere; this is where I am going to be at for the duration of my career. In a few years time we plan on opening other affiliates around the country. This is home for me and we hope to offer opportunities to some young fighters in the area looking to make their way in the sport. “I’ve got the same guys training with me that I had in the beginning,” the 28-year old continued. “For this fight I am bringing in UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz to lend us a hand. He’s a bit quicker and faster than I am. He can emulate Frankie and help me deal with the speed and footwork Edgar possesses. Other than that it’s all the same guys, a bunch of hungry guys trying to make a name for themselves.” Being so confident in his abilities, Henderson uses visualization as a core component of his training. He puts himself in different scenarios, concentrating on how he can go about getting out of them. The technique also allows him to see himself with his hand raised when the fight is over and done with. “Visualization is a big part of the mental aspect of my game,” offered Henderson. “I tend to use this three or four times a week. I will get in the cage and shadowbox all the while I am thinking about what I am going to do against my opponent. As the fight gets closer I will get into more specifics and imagine the walkout to the cage, hearing the crowd and the music. “I will visualize my opponent making his way out to the cage and the Herb Dean or whoever the referee maybe giving us our instructions,” said Henderson, elaborating on what goes into the process. “I can actually hear ‘Big’ John (McCarthy) asking. ‘Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s get it on!’ I will see how my opponent will react and how I counter his counters. The one thing I visualize is at the end of the fight and that is having my arm raised as the winner.” The former WEC champion also envisions a fight similar to that in the minds of many others as far as a back-and-forth battle likely to earn Fight of the Night honors. “This fight is going to be good,” explained Henderson. “It’ll be like two cats trapped inside of a bag. He’s a pretty aggressive fighter who moves a lot, but he remains very active and goes after it. He’s not a guy who will get on the bike and not engage. He moves around a lot, but comes to fight each and every time. We both have aggressive natures so you can expect us to get after it and put on a great fight.” Henderson is a very confident fighter, but throughout the conversation let it be known he truly understands how important the people around him are to his success and how much they have helped him grow as both a human being and a fighter. He spoke very highly of his training partners and his coaches at the MMA Lab, showing that as incredibly skilled as he is he is also equally humble. Catch Henderson vs. Edgar this Saturday night as part of a seven-fight PPV card including Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fight, time, henderson, edgar, mma lab

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

For Ben Henderson, it's quite a long road from Glendale to Saitama. At the end of 2010 in Arizona, "Smooth" suffered his first and only defeat in a thrilling five-round war against Anthony Pettis, a fight punctuated by the infamous "Showtime Kick." As World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) took its final breaths and folded into bigger brother Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), it was supposed to be Pettis who stormed the UFC lightweight division, with his flashy striking and more than competent submission game. But Clay Guida gave "Showtime" a less than accommodating welcome into the Octagon and the last WEC 155-pound champion saw his hype train temporarily derailed. Two months prior, Henderson had made a successful UFC debut earning a unanimous nod against a solid Mark Bocek. Two months after Pettis fell short against "The Carpenter," Henderson once again stepped inside the Octagon and convincingly defeated Jim Miller. It was enough to push his name towards title contention and a fight with Guida who had already ruined one former WEC fighter's championship aspirations. The bout took place at UFC on Fox 1, the promotion's debut on broadcast television. Unfortunately, it didn't actually air on the network. The event was by and large a showcase for the heavyweight title bout between Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez so the two men, a hundred pounds lighter, got the proverbial shaft. It didn't stop them from tearing the roof off the Honda Center. And in the end, Henderson stood once again victorious, winning not only his third straight fight but a shot against Frankie Edgar which he'll cash in this Saturday (Feb. 25) at UFC 144 in the main event. Before he does, we'll take a closer look at the fight against Guida, a three-round instant classic which should have aired on Fox and ushered the UFC into its new era. The two fighters begin to circle each other, snapping jabs to keep the other at bay while also aiding to find their range. A leg kick from Guida slaps against the tree trunk-like leg of Henderson and it's soon after that "The Carpenter" pressures his opponent against the cage. They exchange wildly with one punch from "Smooth" grazing an off-balance Guida who slips to the mat. He pops up but now his back is against the cage with Henderson applying pressure. The former WEC champion and his opponent engage in a firefight, swinging like madmen until Henderson cracks the Greg Jackson fighter on the jaw, forcing him to drop to the mat for a takedown attempt. Arms wrapped around one of Henderson's legs, Guida is more so buying himself time to recover than anything else. No such luck as "Smooth" continues his attack, punching the head and body before dragging Guida back to his feet and nailing him with a knee to the skull. Guida desperately continues to work towards the takedown but his opponent defends beautifully. They jockey for position against the cage, grinding against each other, attempting to wear the other down. "Smooth" now pushing Guida towards the chain-link while "The Carpenter" throws some rabbit punches. Guida pushes off in an attempt for a single leg takedown but Henderson spins out and looks to attack. A stiff jab from his opponent forces him to retreat and reset. An errant high kick from "Smooth" and the two begin to slow the pace. They circle around and Henderson finds himself against the cage. He lightly bounces off and uses the momentum to throw a Superman punch which, like the head kick, misses completely. Guida then busts out his own high risk/high reward strike when he sails through the air, throwing a flying knee. It misses but the ensuing exchange sees him tag -- and drop -- Henderson with less than a minute left in the opening round. Guida immediately tries to cinch up a guillotine choke but can't find lock it in. They begin to scramble on the mat and by the time the horns sounds, Henderson has fully recovered and taking the fight to his opponent. The next stanza opens up with a knee to the body from Henderson which Guida responds to with a takedown attempt. No luck. A second attempt almost immediately after finally sticks but when "The Carpenter" attempts to transition forward on the mat, Henderson slips out from under and ends up on top. Knees and takedown attempts from "Smooth" paint the picture of the first half of the round until one of those knees is caught by Guida, leading to a takedown of his own. As usual, they spend very little time on the mat and instead -- again as usual -- wind up bullying each other against the cage. They break apart and in one the of most ... aerodynamic moments the Octagon has seen, Guida throws a spinning back fist which barely misses its mark and the momentum sending him flying through the air, barrel rolling onto the mat with Henderson quickly pouncing. "The Carpenter" finds a standing guillotine and looks to sink it in as he pulls guard. "Smooth" defends perfectly and ends up on top as the round ends. The final round to determine Edgar's next challenger opens up more measured than the previous two. Neither wants to make a fight-ending mistake but neither should be comfortable leaving the decision in the hands of three people who may or may not know what they're doing. A takedown attempt from Guida sends both fighters from one end of the Octagon to the other as "Smooth" bounces and defends but still ends with Henderson on top. It's been the same story the entire fight: Guida simply cannot take the former WEC lightweight down. With a little over a minute remaining, "Smooth" is wrapped firmly around his opponent and searching for a rear naked choke but the wild haired madman slips out and they collide on their feet with Guida ending up on top and frantically looking for a last minute choke to pull out the victory. Like fellow Greg Jackson fighter Donald Cerrone can tell you, wrapping your arms around Henderson's neck is easier said than done. Much like he did in the WEC 43 main event, "Smooth" avoided each submission and ended the fight on top of Guida, raining down ground and pound. The unanimous decision for Henderson came minutes after and three and a half months later, the reward for his victory has also arrived. With a win at UFC 144, "Smooth" will be the first man to hold both WEC and UFC 155-pound titles. Can he accomplish what B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard couldn't? Can he take the title from Frankie Edgar? We'll find out Saturday.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, wec, guida

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It’s possible that it was all too much too soon. It’s more than possible, actually. It’s pretty much a fact, and Anthony Pettis doesn’t deny it. Just think: when he showed up in Glendale, Ariz. in December of 2010, he was a 23-year-old underdog heading into the last title fight in the last event before the WEC was shut down for good. By the time he left, he was a star. His face was on SportsCenter every hour, courtesy of the kick that ESPN would later dub one of the top ten plays of the year. Who wouldn’t get caught up in that?"That whole time until the Guida fight," said Pettis, "I was on top of the world. Everything changed. I was 23 years old, just won my first world title. I did it that way and was on ESPN. It was a big, big jump from where I was before. Nothing was the same." No one wants to think that the best moment of his life might have come when he was 23 years old. Then again, not many people will ever pull off anything so spectacular as the "Showtime Kick" during something as important as that final title fight. Not only was the WEC belt -- now an ultimate collector’s item -- on the line, so too was a guaranteed UFC lightweight title shot. Or so both Pettis and Ben Henderson thought at the time.Even Henderson has to shake his head in admiration when he looks back on that night."In the 24th minute of a championship fight, dead tired, exhausted, and what did he do?" Henderson said. "He went big. For that, I have to take my hat off to Pettis."It was "one of the greatest all-time moves in the history of mixed martial arts," according to Pettis’ longtime coach, Duke Roufus. What followed was "a whirlwind" that the young fighter from Milwaukee wasn’t totally equipped to deal with."People actually wanted to watch me train," said Pettis. "There was a lot of media attention. I did all the news stations and radio shows. I was flying all over and doing appearances, doing seminars, doing a bunch of stuff. Before, I was at home doing nothing but training. I think getting adjusted to that attention was hard for me."The decision loss to Clay Guida in his UFC debut was almost inevitable, looking back. His life had changed so much so quickly, and now he was facing a savvy veteran of the Octagon who knew all the tricks of the trade and knew exactly how to put them to great use."Fighting a guy like Clay Guida, I think I had the wrong game plan," he said. "I was really focused on finishing with a submission. I was on my back the whole time."He didn’t take much damage in the fight, but he lost the decision nonetheless. He also lost his promised title shot. Now the "Showtime Kick" was just a memory, replaced in people’s minds by images of Guida taking him down and keeping him there. The loss was a learning experience outside the cage as well, according to Roufous, who noted that "the people who told [Pettis] how great he was, the girls who wanted to talk to him, the opportunities people were offering him, those all shrank up. I think then he really saw the importance of being the best and winning."The way Pettis saw it, the win over Henderson vaulted him to new heights, but the loss to Guida "knocked all that down and brought me back to reality."Now, after a split decision win over Jeremy Stephens, Pettis finds himself just trying to make it two in a row against Joe Lauzon on the UFC 144 undercard in Tokyo. Meanwhile, in the main event, the man he achieved his greatest triumph over is getting a shot at the UFC lightweight title before him. It’s a turn of events that he never could predicted back when he was watching himself in constant reruns on ESPN, but now all he can do is make the best of it."Last year this time I was guaranteed a title shot, but it all happens for a reason. Now I’ve got to work my way up again," he said.The way Roufus sees it, the highs and the lows are all just practice for riding bigger waves of fame and success in the future. Better to deal with it as WEC lightweight champ than wait until after you’ve got the UFC strap to learn about those pitfalls."It’s only going to get bigger. That’s the thing," said Roufus. "You grow up in the sport, and Anthony has."If you’re looking for someone to undersell Pettis’ abilities, don’t look to Roufus. He’ll tell you that Pettis is already championship material, already the best lightweight in the UFC when he brings his best stuff into the cage. And yes, he knows how that sounds, but he can’t help it."I know I’m saying the same thing every trainer says, but it’s true," he said. "When Anthony Pettis’ A-game is on, it’s like watching Michael Jordan score 63 points against the Boston Celtics. When he’s on and everything comes together, he’s the most dangerous fighter on the planet."As for Pettis himself, he lets his coach do the bragging. He focuses instead on how easily fortunes can be reversed in this sport. It was supposed to be him fighting for that belt. That it’s Henderson instead only shows what can happen when you grow from your losses rather than allowing yourself to be forever tortured by them."Ben was on a tear. He was killing guys in the WEC. Then I come in there, we go five rounds and I win the decision, and he was back to square one. I think a loss makes everyone a little hungrier, and that’s what it did for him."He’s picking Henderson to win that, he said. Naturally, he’s also picking himself to beat Lauzon. Then, who knows? Maybe he and Henderson will eventually get a chance to do it again, this time with the belt on the line. Maybe Pettis will get another opportunity to make some magic happen. He’s already proven that he has what it takes to achieve greatness inside the cage. Now he needs to show that he also has what it takes to live with the repercussions outside of it.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, henderson, itrsquo

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to pay-per-view next Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, with its UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" event from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. And according to Ben Henderson, it's going to be his career defining moment. "I've thought about the whole thing. Walking out to the cage, going to fight, how the fight takes place, getting my hand raised, the referees hand around my wrist, Dana White walking up behind me, strapping on the belt on my waist; I've seen all that happen hundreds of times already. Frankie's a really smart fighter. I think his camp does a really good job. I think they're very strategic. I don't care about winning rounds, I want to win the fight. I want to end the fight. That's what I do, I fight to end the fight. Every fight I have is going to be the fight of my life, the fight of my career. It's going to be the career defining moment for the rest of my life. I want to be the best fighter at 155-pounds on the planet, period. So that's what I'm going to go and do." One could argue his career defining moment at present time is still that one time he got his face kicked off by Anthony Pettis in the final WEC fight in history all the way back in Dec. 2010. A thrilling, never-before-seen moment like that will be difficult to top. But if "Bendo," who lost the chance at fighting for the UFC lightweight title that night, is to defeat Edgar to capture the gold after running through three straight extremely tough opponents, we might all start to forget that kick. Henderson's task is daunting, though, as Frankie Edgar has shown his name belongs at the top of the pound-for-pound ranks. A win could very well accomplish the "Smooth" ones goal of being the top 155-pound fighter on the planet today. But does anyone think he'll pull it off? Maniacs?

Posted in: fight, henderson, career, fight i, moment

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Ben Henderson challenges Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight title on Saturday, Feb. 25, at UFC 144.

Posted in: ufc, ben, henderson, frankie, prefight

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The UFC sat down with top lightweight contender Ben Henderson, the former WEC 155-pound king, to talk about his UFC 144 title shot against champ Frankie Edgar.

Posted in: ufc, ben, henderson, wec, king

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Former Pride and Strikeforce multi-division champ Dan Henderson has yet to be booked for a second UFC fight after beating Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. The 42-year-old Henderson is eager to get back in the cage, but only against the right opponent. Henderson initially declined a rematch against Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera, choosing instead to wait for a title shot against either light heavyweight champ Jon Jones or middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Dana White expressed his frustration recently since Henderson is in line behind Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen, respectively for each of those title shots. White claimed that Henderson also turned down a LHW bout against ex-champ Lyoto Machida. Henderson took to Twitter to contest that claim: Was never offered machida. And even though he has lost 3 out of his last 4, I'm sure it would be entertaining. RT @Shawn91111: @danhendo Dana said this "He doesn't want to fight Machida He doesn't want to wait. He's going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight What should Dana White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva do with Henderson?

Posted in: ufc, henderson, champ, machida, ufc offer

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Edited and Promoted to the Front Page by Anton Tabuena In a league haunted by corporate greed, dirty politics, entitlement attitudes and a waning, fed-up fanbase, Jeremy Lin has captured the hearts of America and has made basketball cool again – all in a span of two weeks. It isn’t hard to see why Linsanity has taken over the nation. He’s the antithesis of the nasty off-court bullshit plaguing the sport. He’s the undrafted "DIII player" from Harvard, who didn’t receive a single athletic scholarship offer. The nomadic D-Leaguer, sleeping on his brother’s couch, working his ass off for an opportunity. He’s the ultimate underdog who shattered all expectations. Ben Henderson’s career has followed a similar trajectory. From his time in the WEC to his title fight against Frankie Edgar this Saturday in Japan, I look at the similarities of the various stages of Lin and Henderson’s careers. Without further ado, LETS LINSANITY SpoiLIN’ Time The NBA Summer League is the showcase for future stars, where top draft picks start their highlight reels at the expense of development league players playing for minimum contracts. The 2010-2011 Summer League was supposed to be John Wall’s coming out party. But despite taking home MVP honors, it was Jeremy Lin, not Wall who had the basketball world buzzing. Undrafted out of Harvard, Lin was given a chance to play his way to a contract on the Dallas Mavericks and made the most of his opportunity. Sitting on the bench for the first two quarters, Lin was put into the game late into the 3rd quarter against the best point guard in his class. Undaunted, he frustrated Wall on both ends of the court, and by the end of the game the once vociferously pro-John wall crowd were chanting for Jeremy Lin. Ever since WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner and number 1 contender Donald Cerrone’s exciting, but controversial fight at WEC 38, MMA fans were clamoring for a rematch and proper closure to their bitter rivalry. However, Varner was not medically cleared to fight at WEC 43, so the WEC called on an up-and-coming Ben Henderson to take his place in a fight against Cerrone for the Interim WEC Lightweight Championship. While Henderson was coming off of a TKO and submission against respectable lightweights in Shane Roller and Anthony Njokuani, Cerrone was a well-rounded killer with the Muay Thai to brutalize Henderson on the feet and the BJJ acumen to submit the wrestler. Henderson was a placeholder in the Varner/Cerrone feud. He wasn’t supposed to be on Cerrone’s level and the betting lines reflected as much with Cerrone coming in as a -350 favorite. But like Lin, Henderson was undeterred by his opponent’s reputation. Cerrone locked in deep (and I don’t mean Rogan deep) submissions, but Henderson refused to lose and retaliated with crushing ground and pound. When the dust cleared Henderson was declared the winner in a closely contested FOTY candidate and the new WEC Interim Lightweight Champion. LINdefinite Futures Following Lin’s impressive Summer League performance, the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, and his hometown Golden State Warriors offered him contracts. Wanting to stay close to home, Lin accepted a minimum contract with the Warriors and developed a cult following. However, stuck in the rotation behind the ultra-talented Stephen Curry and Monte Ellis, Lin spent most of his time on the bench, competing for garbage minutes with Charlie Bell, Reggie Williams, and Acie Law. With significant minutes unavailable, Lin was sent to the NBDL where he showed flashes of brilliance and made the All NBDL Showcase First Team. Despite having a decent rookie campaign, the Warriors desperately tried to make a bid for Clippers restricted free agent DeAndre Jordan (Jordan ends up resigning with the Clippers) and waived Lin on the first day of training camp. Henderson built on his huge interim title win with guillotine submisions over the Champion, Jamie Varner and a wildly anticipated rematch with Cerrone, effectively ending any controversy over who the real champ was. With Varner and Cerrone out of the way, Henderson needed a new challenger. Enter, Anthony Petits, a young, dynamic, Duke Roufus trained striker. With the imminent UFC/WEC merger the stakes were higher than ever before: a place in MMA history as the main event of the final WEC card, in Henderson’s hometown, and an immediate UFC Lightweight title shot. For 24 minutes, Henderson and Petits laid it all on the line in and engaged in a thrilling back and forth with neither man gaining a clear advantage, and then it happened. The Showtime Kick. Words can’t do it justice, and I’m not going to try. The Showtime Kick was the perfect end, the perfect exclamation point for the WEC and turned Petits from the MTV fighter to a bona fide star and Henderson from the champion to a loser. LINdicated After getting waived by his hometown team, the Houston Rockets picked Lin off waivers, only to release him to make room for center Samuel Dalembert. Once again, Lin was teamless. However, when starting New York’s Knick’s point guard Iman Shumpert was out with an injury, the Knicks picked up Lin as a third-string point guard. Upon Shumpert’s return Lin was once again sent to the NBDL where he again excelled. With just days away from his contract expiring, Lin looked to be out of a job again. But fortunately for Lin, Baron Davis’ recovery was going slower than planned, Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas were inept, and with an 8-15 record coach Mike D’Antoni was dangerously close to being fired. The Knicks’ superstar Carmelo Anthony suggested giving Jeremy Lin a chance. Desperate for an answer, D’Antoni put him in. 25 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and a win over all-world point guard Deron Williams. Jeremy Lin had arrived. While Anthony Petits was fast-tracked to the top of the division with a main event against Clay Guida, Henderson had to work his way back up in a PPV opener against Mark Bocek, a tough fighter with slick BJJ and deceptively good stand-up. As per usual, Henderson beat Bocek in thrilling fashion, with his demi-god-like submission defense on full display. Passing his first test with flying colors, Henderson was ready for his biggest challenge yet – Jim Miller. May the Best Man Lin Following his stunning victory over Deron Williams and his New Jersey Nets, Lin proved he was no one game wonder with wins over the Utah Jazz where he scored 28 points and dished out 8 assists and John Wall’s Washington Wizards where Lin recorded his first double-double and his first NBA dunk. Wins over the Nets, Jazz, and Wizards were nice, but next up was Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. When reporters asked Kobe about Lin before the game, Kobe scoffed with indignation "I don't even know what the fuck is going on. What the fuck is going on? Who is this kid? I've heard about him and stuff like that, but what's he been doing? Is he getting like triple doubles or some shit? He's averaging 28 and eight? No shit. If he's playing well, I'll just have to deal with him." Firing shot after shot, lighting up Madison Square Garden with 34 points, Kobe made his message clear – he was going to deal with Lin. Unfortunately for Kobe, Lin fired back. 38 points on 56.5% shooting and the win. By night’s end everybody in the NBA knew who Lin was. Leading up to his fight with perennial top contender Jim Miller, many expected Henderson to get ripped to shreds. It wasn’t that Henderson wasn’t good; he had an impressive UFC debut against a tough mid-level lightweight and a successful WEC career. But that was the WEC, and being elite in the WEC meant jack shit to the upper echelon of the UFC lightweight division, the deepest division in MMA. Jim Miller standup was tighter, his wrestling could counteract Henderson’s, and being a Miller, everyone knew that he was a tough SOB. He was on a seven fight win streak and Henderson was just another name to add to the mantle. He was just a better fighter. Henderson proved otherwise and dominated Jim Miller in typical Ben Henderson fashion, emphatically dispelling any notions that the WEC guys couldn’t hang against their big bad UFC brothers. The LINSANITY: The Ignored BENSATION Players are often defined by how "clutch" they are, their ability to rise above the nerves and the pressure and the fatigue to lead their team the victory. Like Carlos Condit’s TKO finish against Rory MacDonald and the aforementioned Showtime Kick, moments in the clutch are what differentiate stars from superstars. Some players like Chauncey Billups and Robert Horry have made entire careers off those last seconds, when everything is on the line while others like LeBron James have crumbled and folded under the spotlight. Jeremy Lin’s moment of truth came against the Toronto Raptors. Down 9 going into the 4th quarter, the Knicks battled their way to an 87-87 gridlock after a Lin three point play. With 20 seconds left on the clock the ball came back to Lin’s hands. The logical move is simple: put up a shot with about 5 seconds left and give your team an opportunity to get the rebound if you miss. Lin didn’t do that. Instead, he waited. 5…4…3 Swish. With 3 seconds on the clock and the world watching him, Lin sank the go-ahead 3 point pointer to win the game. LINSANITY became a superstar. Riding high from his win over Jim Miller, Henderson kept the momentum going and steamrolled Clay Guida on the untelevised co-main event of the first UFC on Fox. And on the 24th, Henderson will have his own opportunity in the clutch. Like Lin, Henderson has had a remarkable journey as the underdog, shattering all the expectations. But unlike LINSANITY, the world isn’t watching Ben Henderson. Even in MMA circles, he’s been widely ignored; buried under Nick Diaz dirt and the rejuvenated welterweight division. And with UFC 144 next Saturday, and this being the fight I’ve been most excited to see this year, it’s about time we recognize the BENSATION. Yup, I went there. Fuck good conclusions they’re fucking artificial most of the time anyways.

Posted in: jeremy, henderson, wec, point, lin

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Former WEC Lightweight Champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson will look to become the new UFC Lightweight champ, facing Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC 144 on February 26th. Henderson currently enjoys a three fight win-streak, with triumphs over Mark Bocek, and the top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida. Bendo's pro record stands at 15 wins and 2 losses, with 8 Submission and 2 KO/TKO finishes. Further Reading: Submit your picks for UFC 144! So what do you think, LowKick'ers? Who will leave Japan

Posted in: ufc, henderson, mark bocek, fight winstreak, champion ben

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Dan Henderson isn’t one to usually pass on fights, so when Dana White spread news this week the former PRIDE/Strikeforce champion had decided against taking a match with Lyoto Machida it seemed odd. Now, on his Twitter account, “Hendo” has set the record straight or at least given his side of things. “Was never offered Machida. And even though he has lost 3 of his last 4, I’m sure it would be entertaining,” Henderson posted. Machida is coming off a loss to champ Jon Jones with other recent defeats to Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua. Currently, Henderson is awaiting word on who he will face next. The former 41-year old icon was hoping to become the next contender to the UFC light heavyweight title but that opportunity went to Rashad Evans leaving Henderson’s future a bit hazy. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: henderson, quinton jackson, machida, spread news, things “

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When UFC lightweight Benson Henderson steps into the Octagon at UFC 144 he has designs on making history with his performance. Not only is Henderson aiming at becoming the first WEC alumnus to win a linear UFC title but being the first man to finish 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar in the process. Henderson opened up on his intentions in a recent interview with the UFC promoting the February 25 event where he explained, “I don’t care about winning rounds. I want to win the fight. I want to end the fight. That’s what I do. I fight to end the fight.” Henderson Surprised by the Speed of His Success The 28-year old is motivated by more than the gold Edgar currently wears around his waist, recognizing the significance of every opportunity as the future is far from guaranteed. “Every fight I have is going to be the fight of my life, the fight of my career,” said the 15-2 Henderson. “This will be the career-defining moment for the rest of my life.” Edgar’s title-defense against Henderson will headline the show with some of the other seven featured PPV bouts including Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. Check out the full interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, fight i, ’t care

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Reigning Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, who will put his title on the line against Ben Henderson at UFC 144, discusses his opponent, as well as his preparation for fighting in Japan. Edgar admits that it's refreshing to be facing a new challenger, and insists that he's confident in his ability to compete with Henderson anywhere the fight should go.

Posted in: henderson, ben henderson, edgar, frankie edgar, japan edgar

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What's the deal with Dan Henderson? Good question. The former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, who was expected to breathe new life into the shrinking 205-pound division, has been floundering on the sidelines ever since he decisioned Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 back in Nov. 2011. So, what's the hold up? There appears to be some confusion between "Hendo" and UFC President Dana White. After Henderson rejected a bout against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, White told fans the former middleweight would wait for a title shot. Then a few weeks later said no, he doesn't want to wait. White even claims Henderson was offered a bout against Lyoto Machida but turned it down, a claim "Hollywood" refutes, after the jump. From Henderson's Twitter: Was never offered machida. And even though he has lost 3 out of his last 4, I'm sure it would be entertaining. Reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will defend his strap against Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, currently scheduled for Sat., April 21, 2012, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. If "Bones" retains, it's not out of the question for him to compete again in early-to-mid summer, having already mapped out an ambitious 2012 fight campaign. However, if "Suga" can pull off the upset, he may need more time to prepare, having already competed at UFC on Fox 2 earlier this year. That means Henderson, who is already 41, could be on the shelf for up to a year between fights. Unless he takes a fight sooner. Let's hear some suggestions, Maniacs, does "Hendo" wait for a title shot, or get back into the cage to throw hands against a viable contender? Anyone think the Machida match-up is the way to go?

Posted in: ufc, title shot, henderson, dan henderson, machida

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Dan Henderson appears to be a man with a world of options. Comfortable at both light heavyweight and middleweight, his winning streak and credentials in both Strikeforce and the UFC qualify him for a title shot. After his epic bout … Continue reading →

Posted in: title shot, henderson, dan, light heavyweight, machida jackson

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The official weigh in event for UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" is set to take place next Friday (Feb. 24, 2012) live from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. TIME ZONE ALERT: The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 11 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local time). As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 144 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring number one division contender Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, a welterweight clash between Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is on tap, as well as a light heavyweight tilt between Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. Here is the current "Edgar vs. Henderson" fight card and line-up: Main Event: 155 lbs.: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Main Card: (Pay-per-view): 205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader170 lbs.: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields265 lbs.: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami145 lbs.: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis Preliminary card: 155 lbs.: Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka135 lbs.: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee185 lbs.: Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell135 lbs.: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso145 lbs.: Zhang Tiequan vs. Issei Tamura For those fortunate enough to be in "The Land of the Rising Sun" next week, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with UFC Interim welterweight Champion Carlos Condit at 11:30 a.m. JST. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Feb. 25), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the preliminary card action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET. It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 144 coverage you can handle. For all the latest news and notes on "Edgar vs. Henderson" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, lb, edgar

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On the day of the first press conference for UFC 145: “Jones vs. Evans”, another light heavyweight contender continues to do what he has been doing for months- waiting. After defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139 in November, Dan Henderson (29-8) maintained that he felt he deserved a title shot after that victory, and that he was willing to wait for it. He continued to wait through January, as Rashad Evans faced Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2. Throughout the week, UFC President Dana White answered repeatedly that Evans would get the opportunity to face Jon Jones if he were to win against Davis. However, if Evans lost or suffered an injury against Davis, Henderson would step in to face Jones. Unfortunately for Henderson, Evans defeated Davis and left the cage unscathed, and the matchup with Jones was announced for UFC 145 on April 21st shortly thereafter. Throughout this time, Henderson has been offered opponents, but has declined all of them. White confirmed that Henderson most recently turned down an opportunity to face Lyoto Machida. Reportedly, he also turned down a rematch with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. The two fought in April 2005 at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005, with Nogueira winning by armbar. Henderson has stated that due to a lot of the top contenders in the division already with opponents, he would be interested in fighting at heavyweight while waiting for the scheduled fights in the light heavyweight division to play out. Henderson fought at heavyweight last June, defeating Fedor Emelianenko via TKO in the first round. This was his final fight for Strikeforce before returning to the UFC. However, the UFC rarely allows fighters to move around in weight, instead preferring fighters permanently move to a specific weight class. For now, Henderson will have to continue waiting, but will likely end up taking a fight during the summer instead of waiting for the Jones vs. Evans winner to be ready. With that championsip fight scheduled in April, the winner might not be ready until late summer or early fall. Henderson turns 42 in August.

Posted in: ufc, jone, heavyweight, henderson, evan

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Dan Henderson has been waiting for his next fight since his incredible win over Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. It seemed that the fight had put him in line for a title shot but the way the divisions have already been lined up, he has been put on the back burner without a clue what was next. And from what Dana White is saying, he doesn't know what is next for Hendo either. Via MMA Fighting: If Rashad Evans had been upset by Phil Davis, Henderson would have been thrust into a title fight with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. And even if Evans had won but Chael Sonnen had lost his fight on the same night, Henderson might have received a chance at a rematch with middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva. Neither of those scenarios transpired, however, as both Evans and Sonnen won, setting up their own respective title shots. That has left Henderson in a kind of championship purgatory, with no obvious short-term move, according to Dana White."He doesn't want to fight Machida," White said following last night's UFC on FUEL event. "He doesn't want to wait. He's going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight? I don't know what to do with Dan. Dan's either going to have to wait for Jones or wait for Silva. Or fight somebody else." It's unfortunate because Henderson is near his expiration date, turning 42 later this year. I would hope that they can get Dan a single fight and then get him into a title fight of some sort before it's just too late for him to have his one last shot while still a legitimate (read: not old and shot) fighter.

Posted in: fight, henderson, title fight, shot, doesnt

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After beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in an all-time classic last November, 41-year-old legend Dan Henderson turned down a proposed bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira to watch how events would unfold in January's UFC on FOX show.If Rashad Evans had been upset by Phil Davis, Henderson would have been thrust into a title fight with UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. And even if Evans had won but Chael Sonnen had lost his fight on the same night, Henderson might have received a chance at a rematch with middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva. Neither of those scenarios transpired, however, as both Evans and Sonnen won, setting up their own respective title shots. That has left Henderson in a kind of championship purgatory, with no obvious short-term move, according to Dana White."He doesn't want to fight Machida," White said following last night's UFC on FUEL event. "He doesn't want to wait. He's going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight? I don't know what to do with Dan. Dan's either going to have to wait for Jones or wait for Silva. Or fight somebody else."If that sounds like a lot of hand-wringing and uncertainty, you should have seen the look on White's face, his eyes scanning around the room as if searching for an answer.A look at the UFC's top 205-pounders puts the issue in focus. Jones and Evans are set for April. A Rua rematch wouldn't make sense. He's apparently not interested in fighting either Machida or Nogueira. And as for the middleweight division, he's only interested in fighting Silva.Perhaps one possibility could be the winner of UFC 144's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Ryan Bader fight. More specifically, a rematch with Jackson might make some sense, and in a recent interview with ESPN, Henderson said he would "entertain" that possibility, seeing it as a big fight.If Jackson loses though, the pickings will be slim, and Hendo's wait will most likely persist into the summertime. He's said he'd be willing to compete as a heavyweight, but the UFC is likely to resist that offer. His best bet then would be the Jones-Evans winner, who -- barring injury -- would likely be available around August, the same month that Henderson turns 42.

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Audio from today’s UFC 144 conference call with Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Rampage Jackson and Ryan Bader.

Posted in: ufc, conference, henderson, edgar, bader

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Taking the intro from my SBN cohort over at Mania, Brian Hemminger: Ultimate Fighting Championship will today (Feb. 14, 2012) hold a media conference call to promote next Saturday's (Feb. 26, 2012) UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) event.The conference call will begin at 1 p.m. ET. Scheduled to attend will be the main and co-main event fighters of the evening: Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson and Ryan Bader.Edgar is the current UFC lightweight champion, having twice defeated B.J. Penn in 2010 to win and defend the belt. He showcased his pure heart in coming back twice in consecutive fights against Gray Maynard last year earning a draw and closing out the trilogy with a fourth round knockout to make a statement.His challenger, Henderson, is the former WEC lightweight champion. He's been on a torrid run in the UFC thus far, defeating the likes of Mark Bocek and then knocking off top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida to earn his shot at UFC gold."Rampage" Jackson is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. He's been up and down since losing the title to Forrest Griffin and is most recently coming off a defeat via the hands of Jon Jones in a failed attempt to reclaim the 205 pound belt.Bader was once considered one of the best light heavyweight prospects in the UFC. After a very promising undefeated start to his career, he was derailed by Jon Jones and then completely stunned by Tito Ortiz. "Darth" Bader got back on track with a quick first round knockout in his last fight and will be right back in the thick of things if he can knock off the aging former champ.We'll have complete updates of the UFC 141 conference call after the jump once it starts:

Posted in: ufc, jon jones, conference, henderson, round knockout

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Ultimate Fighting Championship will today (Feb. 14, 2012) hold a media conference call to promote next Saturday's (Feb. 26, 2012) UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) event. The conference call will begin at 1 p.m. ET. Scheduled to attend will be the main and co-main event fighters of the evening: Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson and Ryan Bader. Edgar is the current UFC lightweight champion, having twice defeated B.J. Penn in 2010 to win and defend the belt. He showcased his pure heart in coming back twice in consecutive fights against Gray Maynard last year earning a draw and closing out the trilogy with a fourth round knockout to make a statement. His challenger, Henderson, is the former WEC lightweight champion. He's been on a torrid run in the UFC thus far, defeating the likes of Mark Bocek and then knocking off top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida to earn his shot at UFC gold. "Rampage" Jackson is the former UFC light heavyweight champion. He's been up and down since losing the title to Forrest Griffin and is most recently coming off a defeat via the hands of Jon Jones in a failed attempt to reclaim the 205 pound belt. Bader was once considered one of the best light heavyweight prospects in the UFC. After a very promising undefeated start to his career, he was derailed by Jon Jones and then completely stunned by Tito Ortiz. "Darth" Bader got back on track with a quick first round knockout in his last fight and will be right back in the thick of things if he can knock off the aging former champ. We'll have complete updates of the UFC 141 conference call after the jump: Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Posted in: ufc, jon jones, conference, henderson, round knockout

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar knows a thing or two (or three) about tough fights. His epic duo of bouts against B.J. Penn, as well as his trilogy with Gray Maynard, have cemented his status as a guy who can take a licking and keep on ticking. "The Answer" is also not so bad and dishing out punishment himself, either. And that's exactly what he plans to do when he faces Ben Henderson at UFC 144 on Feb. 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. "Bendo" has won his first three fights inside the Octagon. And he hasn't been besting slouches during that impressive stretch. With decisive wins over Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida (in that order), Henderson announced to the mixed martial arts (MMA) world that he means business. Edgar knows he's a tough guy and he's taking him seriously. During an interview with HDNet's "Inside MMA," the 155-pound champion talked about the challenge ahead of him: "He's been on a tear since he's been over here in the UFC. He's beat three top guys; all contenders. He's the man right now. So, he's got a lot of steam behind him. I know he brings a lot of heat. I think it'll be a very high output kind of fight and I can't wait." According to Edgar, everything is currently on schedule and going great. He's doing his best to use the resources he has at his disposal, both for this fight, but also for the international experience of fighting in Japan: "Training's going great. I'm about to ship out to Japan, next week. Obviously I have Renzo (Gracie) and Ricardo (Almeida) to talk to and bounce ideas off of. We're gonna get there like nine days in advance. I figure that should be enough time. You know, I fought in Abu Dhabi, which is a pretty significant time difference, so, you know, it's gonna be business as usual." Though Edgar has fought several tough guys, he's never really fought anyone exactly like Henderson. He's aware of the dangerous package that he brings to his fights and is doing the best he can to make preparations: "It's tough. You know, a guy like that is really tough to duplicate, as far as training partners go. You get a little mixture of this and that in different guys and you try to prepare the best you can for him. You know, I think it's just his scrambling ability. He scrambles really well and he's a great athlete. He throws good knees and stuff like that. I don't wanna get caught with one of them, for sure." In the meantime, Edgar is trying to take it easy, but not too easy. He believes the success he's experienced has been a direct result of his hard work: "Not too much relaxing. You know, if I relax too much, then the success won't continue. I've been with my wife and my kids, stuff like that. I've been trying to unwind and do it that way." One thing is for certain: MMA fans are in for quite a show when these two 155-pound warriors enter the cage later this month. There will be plenty of fireworks for the Japanese fans lucky enough to be in attendance. Will "The Answer" have what it takes to overcome this next obstacle in his career? Or will "Bendo" be able to do enough to steal the belt away and prove he is the best lightweight fighter in the world? Opinions, please.

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Longtime Shooto veteran Issei Tamura was honorable enough to step in on short notice and fill in for Leonard Garcia at the UFC 144 pay-per-view event (PPV) on Feb. 25, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. He'll be taking on fellow featherweight Tiequan Zhang on the "Edgar vs. Henderson" preliminary card after the "Bad Boy" got some bad news and was forced to withdraw due to injury. As with any fight on short notice, beggars can't be choosers, so Tamura (6-2) gets a shot at the big leagues despite recently falling to 1-2 over his last three fights in Shooto. The good news for the Krazy Bee combatant is that Zhang (15-2) hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire himself, also going 1-2 after a undefeated start to his career. Which one of these 145-pounders gets back into the win column in "The Land of the Rising Sun? UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring number one division contender Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, a welterweight clash between Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is on tap, as well as a light heavyweight tilt between Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. To get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 144 check out our extensive event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, leonard garcia, welterweight clash

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After years away from the Far East the UFC will return to Japan later in the month with UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. The card takes place February 25 (February 26 in Japan) from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama. In the main event, Frankie Edgar will defend his UFC lightweight title against #1 contender and former WEC champion Ben Henderson. Edgar is coming off a thrilling victory over Gray Maynard, while “Smooth” earned his title shot by defeating Jim Miller. “I will not let Ben Henderson take my belt,” said Edgar in an extended preview for the show. Meanwhile, the co-main event boasts former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson returning to Japan where he first rose to fame in MMA to rumble with Ryan Bader. “Beating ‘Rampage’ would solidify my career,”explained Bader int he same preview. “It would put me up there with the upper-echelon fighters.” Other bouts slated to take place include Jake Shields-Yoshihiro Akiyama, Mark Hunt-Cheick Kongo, and Hatsu Hioki-Bart Palaszewski. Check out the full preview below:

Posted in: ufc, henderson, preview, edgar, comain event

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It has to be hard being so smooth. There Dethrone, I just gave you a new slogan to put on all of your consistently awesome Ben Henderson shirts. You can thank me whenever you want. According to this interview by MMAWeekly, before Ben Henderson was draped in some of the best designed shirts in MMA he was scraping by and paying his dues by cleaning toilets and working non stop for years. That sounds almost exactly like Zeus' life story, just in a completely different context. Damon Martin just sat down with Ben Henderson a few weeks before his title shot against Frankie Edgar in Japan and reflected on his past and how far he's come. “It’s a pretty big difference from five years ago cleaning out the toilets, taking out the garbage, and going on Starbucks runs for the owner and his wife. Pretty big difference, and I’m happy for it,”   “I was pretty blessed with my situation when I came out here to Arizona. The old owner whose name was Jason Beck, he asked John Crouch, who he was friends with from back in the old school Gracie Academy days, he knew John had some fighters in Denver and he asked if he and some of his fighters would like to move to Arizona and just train and fight full time. So early on in my career I was able to move out here to Arizona and just train full time,” “I was sponsored from The Lab. I got like a couple hundred dollars a month, just barely enough to survive, but I cleaned toilets, mopped mats, do all the odd ends sort of jobs. So I was able to train full time, so I’d train in the mornings, train in the afternoons, but in between I’d clean up, I’d teach the kids’ classes, clean up at night also.” “Going from that to gym owner to fighting for the title, it’s something I am very excited for. I can't think of a more clear FOTY candidate than Frankie/Bendo that's coming to us in the near future. February 25th can't come soon enough. [Source]

Posted in: ben, henderson, ben henderson, i ’d, train

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For the first time in over a decade, the world's largest fight promotion is heading back to "The Land of the Rising Sun," as UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" invades the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012. The pay-per-view event features a lightweight championship bout that should prove to be a thriller, as reigning titleholder Frankie Edgar puts his strap on the line against former WEC 155-pound king Ben Henderson. Also in action on the card is Quinton Jackson, who will look to bounce back from his loss to light heavyweight deity Jon Jones against Ryan Bader. And don't forget about Yoshihiro Akiyama making his welterweight debut against Jake Shields, who is looking to avoid a three fight losing streak. It's certainly not the most loaded of fight cards, but it's a pretty damn good event, Maniacs. For all the latest news and notes on UFC 144 be sure to hit up our event archive right here. And for the current UFC 144 fight card and line-up click here.

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When Rashad Evans outpointed Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2 and exited the match-up in relatively good health the mystery surrounding who light heavyweight Jon Jones would defend his title against next was solved. However, the question about equally deserving contender Dan Henderson’s future remained unanswered. Henderson, who solidified his standing as a top challenger with an exciting win over Mauricio Rua in November, recently opened up on his plan for 2012 in a conversation with ESPN where he explained it’s never been his intention to wait for Jones-Evans to settle their score. “That was never what I said or anything,” said the former Strikeforce/DREAM champion. “I don’t know who said that, but it wasn’t me. My thoughts were I was waiting to see what happened with Rashad and Phil Davis. That was the only thing I was going to wait for.” “Obviously you can’t guarantee that nobody gets hurt,” he added, alluding to the possibility of stepping in as a replacement for Jones or Evans, continuing, “I don’t know what the plan is, but I’d fight whoever it is they think would be a good match-up. The problem is there’s really nobody right now who fits the bill for a title contention fight; that would make sense to fight me. I don’t know. Maybe I’d fight at a different weight class. I don’t know if they see anybody at heavyweight that would make sense? But I would prefer to fight someone in April or May.” The idea of a heavyweight tilt is certainly enticing given Henderson’s success against Fedor Emelianenko though, as he admitted, there aren’t a lot of names jumping out at him as being something fans might want to see. The 41-year old also mentioned a rematch with Quinton Jackson as a possibility pending the outcome of Jackson’s bout against Ryan Bader at UFC 144. With Henderson on the record the ball now appears to be in the UFC’s court. What match-up they’ll throw back remains to be seen though, clearly, “Hendo” is ready for the challenge as long as it makes sense and fans are interested in seeing it go down. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: fight, heavyweight, ’t, henderson, matchup

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"It’s not unusual for comic book fans to wonder what life would be like as a crime-fighting vigilante. Would you be strong enough, brave enough and tough enough? Even having seen the movie "Kick Ass," most fans are content to read about or watch superheroic exploits rather than living them. "However, there is a comic book fan out there who possesses the strength and ability worthy of a superhero -- one that might even give Iron Fist a run for his money. Ultimate Fighting Championship Lightweight Championship contender Benson "Smooth" Henderson is both a fighter and a comic lover. As one of UFC's fastest-rising stars, Henderson is 15-2 for his career and 3-0 since entering the UFC in 2011 -- and he's preparing for one epic fight."read full article

Posted in: henderson, fan, epic fightread, book fans, crimefighting vigilante

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While conversations are still raging in regards to last weekend’s lineup at UFC 143, the UFC’s production team has turned its attention towards the next major event. Set for February 26 in Saitama, UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson marks the organization’s return to Japan after an extended absence from the Far East and boasts a card ripe with talent from top to bottom. The show is headlined by lightweight champion Frankie Edgar putting his gold up for grabs against 15-2 former WEC title-holder Ben Henderson with scheduled scraps including Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, and Ryan Bader vs. Quinton Jackson. The UFC released a preview for UFC 144 over the weekend where Edgar’s accomplishments in the Octagon are listed while Henderson is presented as the man who “plans to change everything”. Check out the clip below:

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, edgar, “ plans

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The dust has barely settled from UFC 143 but the organization has already rolled out of Las Vegas with a brief layover in Omaha, Nebraska for UFC on Fuel 1 before heading to Saitama, Japan on February 26 for UFC 144. The show is headlined by lightweight champ Frankie Edgar defending his title against streaking former WEC title-holder Ben Henderson and also features marquee match-ups like Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon, and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. A preview for the upcoming event was recently released where Edgar’s success is recapped before Henderson is introduced as the man who plans to stop his run. “The Answers” Discusses Excitement Over Fighting in Japan Edgar last fought in October where he stopped Gray Maynard with strikes at UFC 136 while Henderson’s previous pairing involved Clay Guida who he outpointed in convincing fashion this past November. Edgar holds a 14-1-1 record while “Bendo” is 15-2 in his career. Check out the preview below: Tweet

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Whether or not you think Shogun & Hendo put on the greatest fight in MMA history at UFC 139, the UFC will spend millions of dollars convincing you that it was in every upcoming marketing campaign for these two fighters as long as they continue to compete in MMA. The more you resist believing it, the more it’s going to cost the Zuffa to persuade you that it was. It’s really no different than McDonalds trying to convince you that their “Chicken McNuggets” are actually made of chicken. At first you’ll be skeptical, but eventually you’ll just accept it (even though it isn’t real chicken). I’ve accepted it, and discovered that no matter how fake it is, processed foods are a modern day necessity to maintain the balance between supply and demand in America. Zeus and I have actually had late night existential conversations about this philosophy, and I’m convinced he’s right about any topic he wants to be right about… Including that Dan Henderson should never fight Shogun again because there was magic made that night, and it can never be duplicated. I kicked and screamed for weeks, but he’s ultimately right (again). Dan Henderson has had a pretty incredible 2011. First, he snatched the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt by knocking out Feijao, he then defeated Fedor by 1st round TKO, and just put on the fight of the year against Mauricio Shogun Rua. However you scored the fight at UFC 139, it’s hard to call anyone a loser in that fight; but according to the CSAC judges: Dan Henderson earned the win and became is the first fighter to ever become a stand-by #1 contender for either the middleweight or light heavyweight championship. Following UFC on FOX 2, both the 205lb & 185lb title shots were promised to Rashad Evans & Chael Sonnen (respectively) and the Joe Silva has offered Dan Henderson a fight with Lil’ Nog in the meantime; a fight that Dan Henderson has [b]declined[/b] in the interest of waiting for his title shot. His response to turning down the fight was simply that he didn't think a fight with Nogueira would be “interesting for the fans”. According to Dana White "Dan Henderson's in a position right now where it looks like he wants to wait for Jon Jones" and it appears the UFC will honor the next light heavyweight title shot to Hendo following April’s grudge match between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. We’re sorry there’s no corresponding video or photos in this article. We know you like colorful images and less text. We hope this consolation video compilation of Dan Henderson’s body of work stemming back from PRIDE will suffice. [Source]

Posted in: fight, jon jones, henderson, dan henderson, dan

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Light heavyweight legend Dan Henderson last fought in November where he outpointed Mauricio Rua in one of the 2011’s best bouts. The win, coupled with his success in Strikeforce and standing as the organization’s 205-pound champion, would have launched Henderson into a crack at UFC title-holder Jon Jones had a long-standing feud between Jones and equally deserving contender Rashad Evans not existed. However, now that a match-up between “Bones” and Evans has been set for May, Henderson has been left in a state of professional limbo. Despite the amount of time off involved, it appears “Hendo” is opting to sit and wait for Evans-Jones to settle their score instead of take another fight in the interim. UFC President Dana White revealed Henderson’s plan at a pre-event press conference related to UFC 143. White did not elaborate on whether or not the UFC would to comply with the Californian’s request or pressure him to remain active. The iconic PRIDE/UFC veteran was offered some action against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in April but declined, explaining he did not feel the fight made sense or was something fans wanted to see. At the time Evans had not beaten Phil Davis, as he did last weekend on FOX, to solidify his shot at Jones. Henderson Details Decision to Turn Down Nogueira Fight Even if the winner of Evans vs. Jones exits the UFC 145 pairing with a perfect bill of health it’s likely the champion would not be ready to defend his belt until August at the earliest when Henderson turns 42. Then again, given the injury history of both men, Henderson could be crossing his fingers an opening appears in the near future. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender Dan Henderson isn't interested in fighting inside the Octagon unless it's for the 205-pound title. Fortunately for "Hendo," he may not have to wait very long. That's because Jon Jones is expected to defend his strap against Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, currently scheduled for Sat., April 21, 2012, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. If "Bones" retains, it's not out of the question for him to compete again in early-to-mid summer, having already mapped out an ambitious 2012 fight campaign. Here's what White told media members (via Tom Ngo at 5th Round) about Henderson's future: "Dan Henderson’s in a position right now where it looks like he wants to wait for Jon Jones. We’ll see what happens with this Rashad [Evans] fight." Henderson was recently offered a headlining bout opposite former PRIDE FC rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who submitted the Greco-Roman wrestler via first round armbar at "Total Elimination" back in 2005. The rematch, as well as the opportunity to avenge his loss to "Little Nog," was a fight he "didn't think the fans would be interested in." In addition, he wanted "more time to prepare for a five round main event." Considering Henderson recently went to hell and back against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139, it's a valid concern. The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion told the powers that be "thanks, but no thanks," and Nogueira was quickly paired off against Alexander Gustafsson for the UFC on FUEL TV fight card on April 14 in Sweden. Now Henderson sits and waits. Smart move? Or opportunity lost?

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, henderson, dan

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Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson has put himself in limbo, according to UFC president Dana White. "Dan Henderson's in a position right now where it looks like he wants to wait for Jon Jones," White said today. Earlier this month, White said Henderson turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on FUEL 2.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, henderson, dan, dan hendersons

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UFC President Dana White says that all signs are pointing towards Dan Henderson sitting and waiting for his crack at the UFC light heavyweight title.

Posted in: ufc, title, henderson, dan henderson, dan

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Filed under: UFCThe sky is not falling. The doomsdayers always seem to panic whenever a UFC show does not produce a series of heart-racing moments, and UFC on FOX 2 certainly fell a little flat, leading to heavy criticism and downright concern about the future of the FOX deal. Relax. FOX is well aware that some fights are going to blow you away, and others will make you want to walk away. That's sports. They didn't lock in a seven-year deal with the thought of divorcing after their first official show under the terms of the deal. This is still a new sports property for them, and there is plenty of room to grow for both sides. Adjustments will be made, and fights will deliver. Remember, we have Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller on tap for UFC on FOX 3 in May. There's no way that fight doesn't deliver. More Coverage: UFC on FOX 2 Results | Latest UFC News Until then, here are my thoughts on storylines stemming from the UFC's second outing on network TV... Historic Run Jon Jones had a banner 2011, capturing the title and finishing all four of his fights. The virtuoso performance led many to wonder what he could possibly do for an encore, and now we have our answer. Jones has Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson waiting to fight him. Think about this: Jones has the possibility of going through Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Evans and Henderson consecutively. If he accomplishes it, it would no doubt be the most impressive five-fight run in MMA history. And let it be said, giving Evans the first shot at Jones before Henderson is the right call. Evans has been the No. 1 contender in waiting for about 18 months, since beating Jackson back in May 2010. He's waited long enough. Even though Henderson is 41 years old and has less time remaining in his career than Evans, he wasn't even in the UFC when Evans became the top contender. He was still in Strikeforce at the time. Henderson should certainly get the chance to fight the Evans-Jones winner, but given the UFC schedule, he'll likely be offered another fight before it. Stepping Back It's safe to say that Phil Davis wasn't quite ready for the jump up to elite opponent level, struggling in a decision loss to Evans. Davis remains a wildly gifted talent, but seems to lack conviction in some of his own abilities. He didn't fully commit to his punches, often moving backward as he threw, and that allowed Evans to fire off his own strikes with little to fear. Davis does throw strong kicks, but until he learns to let his hands go -- a skill that will complement his wrestling -- he won't reach his optimum potential. Sonnen-Silva II Chael Sonnen had some trouble with Michael Bisping on the way to a unanimous decision that will set up a rematch with Anderson Silva, likely this summer in Brazil. The less-than-stellar performance sent his stock downward in the eyes of many, who suggest that it will somehow carry over into his fight with Silva. There's no correlation between the two fights. Bisping has always boasted very good takedown defense and even when he's gotten taken down, he tends to pop back up to his feet quickly. Silva's takedown defense is average, and when he gets taken down, he looks for submissions instead of trying to get to his feet. Sonnen is much more likely to take him down and keep him down for long stretches, just like the first fight, mainly because Silva is often content to work from his back, where he's dangerous. That said, the rematch -- like the original -- is likely to come down to whether Sonnen can stay away from a fight-ending submission. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-145874% MiddleMan For a long time, I have asked, where is the next great middleweight? In a story from last year, I suggested Chris Weidman could be that man. On Saturday, Weidman defeated Maia in a workmanlike decision. While he didn't steal the headlines away from Evans or Sonnen, Weidman's win on 11 days' notice sends the message that he's a force to be reckoned with. He had to cut from 217 to 185. He was faced with fighting a southpaw. His opponent was one of MMA's submission masters. Weidman conquered all these obstacles in his path, and that says plenty about his mental and physical makeup. Weidman has shown advancing striking skills to go with his excellent wrestling and ground game. Barring an injury, there's no question that he'll be knocking on the door of top contenders in the division ASAP. Another first Charles Oliveira made his featherweight debut memorable, becoming the first UFC fighter in history to score a calf slicer submission. Oliveira is an aggressive, attacking offensive fighter, so it's no surprise that he'd pull off something so bold and rare. Now it's worth watching to see if he becomes a real factor in the division. Damned if you do... Nik Lentz used to receive a ton of criticism for fighting conservatively, but the approach led to a 15-fight unbeaten stretch from 2007-2011. The constant slams from fans and media caused Lentz to reconsider his approach, and his more wide open style has led to two losses in a row. The upside: he earned a $65,000 bonus for Fight of the Night. The downside: he's now officially on the cut watch list. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, henderson, evan

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It seems everyone has an opinion on who they feel will emerge victorious tonight when it comes to the co-headlining clashes between Chael Sonnen-Michael Bisping and Phil Davis-Rashad Evans. Among them is Dan Henderson, a top light heavyweight contender who could be in line for a shot at Jon Jones’ title if Evans stumbles against Davis in the evening’s main event. However, based on how “Hendo” sees the fight unfolding, he’s not holding out much hope for the championship opportunity to present itself. “Rashad should win,” explained Henderson to TATAME. “Rashad has better hands and they’re both good wrestlers. I think it is gonna come a lot down to conditioning, who is in better shape.” Of course, even if Evans does lose Henderson isn’t sure the crack at Jones will come his way after turning down a match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that would have kept him busy until mid-2012. It really did make no sense to me,” said Henderson after joking that he hoped he hadn’t made UFC President Dana White mad. “What was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.” As far as how he sees Sonnen faring, surprising few Henderson went with his training partner at Team Quest rather than the brash Bisping who he unforgettably knocked out at UFC 100. “I don’t see Bisping even having a chance,” he flatly stated. See how Henderson’s picks play out tonight on FOX with the broadcast starting at 8:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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One fighter sure to be watching the action closely this weekend at UFC on FOX 2 is Dan Henderson, a top light heavyweight contender with a possible title-shot coming his way depending on how Rashad Evans fares against Phil Davis who also happens to be a teammate of Chael Sonnen. Henderson recently offered up his thoughts on both match-ups where he made it clear one of the two bouts wouldn’t be nearly as close as the other. “I don’t see Bisping even having a chance,” said Henderson to TATAME, opting to favor Sonnen’s takedown attack more than the Brit’s striking. The pick was far from surprising given his love of wrestling and memorable knockout of Bisping when the two faced off at UFC 100. As far as the fight impacting his future in a direct sense, “Hendo” went with former champion Evans who he sees as being more fit than the lanky Davis. “Rashad should win,” the 41-year old legend revealed. “Rashad has better hands and they’re both good wrestlers. I think it is gonna come a lot down to conditioning, I think. Who’s in better shape…” Evans Anxious to Finally Fight Davis If Evans should fall many believe Henderson would get a crack at current 205-pound title-holder Jon Jones though it appears Henderson isn’t so sure himself. “I don’t know if I made Dana mad when I said ‘No’ to (Antonio Rogerio) Nogueira,” Henderson laughed. “But, you know, for me it didn’t make sense right now. Nogueira lost to Davis and (Ryan) Bader, then beat Tito Ortiz…It really did make sense to me. What was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.” Like the rest of us, Henderson will have to tune in tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST when UFC on FOX 2 unfolds from Chicago to see how his picks play out. Make sure to check Fighters.com for live coverage throughout including preliminary results starting at 5:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

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With Rashad Evans a win away from earning his long awaited shot at Jon Jones’ title it seems fellow top contender, Dan Henderson, could be left in limbo if things play out as expected. However, at least one 205er has stepped up to say he’s interested in fighting the legendary light heavyweight if that’s the case – Lyoto Machida. Machida expressed his desire to hook up with “Hendo” in a recent interview where he also reaffirmed the possibility of dropping to middleweight in the near future. When asked about Henderson in an interview with Sherdog, the 33-year old Brazilian said, “I would be really honored to face him. At 41 years old and competing at such a high level, he’s an example for our sport. The fight he had with ‘Shogun’ (Mauricio Rua) was unbelievable. I think we could have a great fight.” Machida, currently healing up from elbow surgery, says he plans to be ready to return to training in early February and hopes to fight in April/May. If a bout with Henderson doesn’t work out based on Evans potentially beating Phil Davis this weekend, Machida also has his eye on another top contender in action at UFC on FOX 2. “Actually, I never had an interest in facing (Chael Sonnen), but he did so much trash talking that I started to have an interest because I’m not the kind of person who likes to say a lot of bad stuff about my opponents,” revealed Machida. “I’d rather fight and see what happens. I think that fight could happen, but that will depend on whether or not he fights Anderson (Silva).” Sonnen, who has also taken shots at Machida in the media, will earn an opportunity to face rival Silva if he comes away with his hand raised tomorrow night against Michael Bisping. Comparably, “The Dragon” last fought in December where he was submitted by Jones in the second round of their headliner after putting together an excellent first frame against the champ. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort are not strangers, having met in the cage previously at PRIDE 32. Henderson won that fight by decision and afterward, Belfort popped a positive test for 4-Hydroxytestosterone. Recently, Belfort told Brazilian MMA site Tatame that he took the fight with Anthony Johnson at UFC 142 after several other fighters, including Henderson, turned it down. Henderson wasn't exactly kind when shooting down that story to Tatame: "That's not true, this fight was never offered to me," Dan said through an interpreter, his BJJ coach Ricardo Feliciano. "Steroids might be killing Vitor's neurons, he's getting crazy to say something like that". Henderson is on testosterone replacement therapy, leading some to criticize his taking a shot at Vitor's prior results. Of course, Henderson's situation is doctor prescribed and he has suggested in the past that any fighter who is on TRT be monitored throughout the year to ensure that they are not going above normal levels, so it's hard to treat that as a similar situation. SBN coverage of UFC RIO 142: Aldo vs. Mendes

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Them fightin' words! Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort have a history that dates back to their days competing "Far East" in PRIDE FC, Japan's longtime premiere mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. The two went toe-to-toe in 2006 at PRIDE 32 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and when it was all said and done, "Hendo" walked away with a unanimous decision victory. Now, it seems that the two are engaging in another battle, this time, they are throwing verbal jabs at one another. Fresh off his first round submission win over Anthony Johnson at UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" back on Jan. 14, 2012, Belfort tells Tatame.com that he took the bout against Johnson because many fighters refused to fight "Rumble," including Dan Henderson. "Hendo," meanwhile, also told the Brazilian MMA news outlet that he was never offered a fight with Johnson and and also takes a jab at Belfort's past illegal substance issues. Make the jump to see the mud start slinging: "He's a strong guy, feared in UFC. Dan Henderson refused to fight him, everybody declined it. He's a guy who's hard to match-up in this division, but I accepted it at a glance. I have never feared any man... I thought it was good challenge and I said yes. I showed how I value the fans and the UFC." Not true, according to the former PRIDE FC Middleweight and Welterweight champion Dan Henderson, who says Vitor's neurons are getting destroyed by steroids. "That's not true, this fight was never offered to me. Steroids might be killing Vitor's neurons, he's getting crazy to say something like that." In 2006, after their bout at PRIDE 32: "Real Deal," Vitor Belfort tested positive for the banned substance 4-Hydroxytestoerone. Even though "The Phenom" claimed the positive result stemmed from an over-the-counter supplement, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) suspended Belfort for nine months and fined him $10,000. That didn't stop Henderson from taking a jab at "The Phenom" in defense of his ducking accusations. A future rematch between the two longtime MMA veterans would be a very nice treat for fans around the globe. Furthermore, weight issues would be nonexistent, seeing as how both have competed at middleweight and light heavyweight. For the time being, Henderson is currently playing the waiting game and anxiously awaiting the results of the UFC on Fox 2 main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis to see just where in line he stands for a chance to contend for the UFC's light heavyweight title, which is currently held by Jon Jones. Belfort, on the other hand, will next participate as a coach for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): Brazil and will then tangle with opposing coach Wanderlei Silva later in the year. What's your take Maniacs, hitting below the belt on "Hendo's" part? Or is all fair in love and MMA? Sound off!

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Filed under: UFC, NewsUFC lightweight contender Jim Miller is picking UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar to retain his title against No. 1 contender Ben Henderson at UFC 144 in February. Miller, who previously trained with Edgar and fought to a loss against Henderson last August, said Monday on The MMA Hour that he thinks Edgar is the better striker and wrestler. The way Miller sees it, Henderson probably has the edge when it comes to submissions, but Edgar is too difficult of a grappler to submit. If Edgar doesn't get the knockout, he'll outwork Henderson for the decision. "Frankie hits pretty hard," Miller told host Ariel Helwani. "I think Frankie is probably going to connect and if he can't finish him, then he's going to keep the pressure on him and beat him up the entire fight." Miller last Friday stayed in a title contention by scoring a thrilling win over Melvin Guillard in the main event UFC on FX in Nashville. Miller wants at least one more fight before a title shot, possibly against Nate Diaz or the winner of Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis. If Edgar and Miller both prevail in their next fights, the two New Jersey natives would be a perfect addition to the UFC on FOX 3 card, rumored to take place May in New Jersey. "Maybe," Miller said with a laugh. "That sounds like fun." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Last night (Jan. 20, 2012) two Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweights battled to regain their "title contender" status when Melvin Guillard went toe-to-toe with Jim Miller at UFC on FX 1, LIVE from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Both men needed a win. Both men have proven to be capable of finishing fights in a big way. It was essentially like throwing a ham-hock in the middle of two hungry wolves and telling them it was time for dinner. The victorious one-man wolf pack ended up being Jim Miller, who proved that he still has what it takes to handle business when it really counts. By notching the win, Miller was able to get his name back "in the mix," but what exactly does his immediate future look like? Follow me after the jump and we'll discuss what may be next for the winner of last night's UFC on FX 1 main event: Jim Miller. Before Miller took on Ben Henderson at UFC on Versus 5 on Aug. 14, 2011, in Milwaukee, Wisc., it looked as though the AMA product was just one win away from getting a title shot. He had gone undefeated (7-0) and was running through fighters at warp speed. His ground game just kept getting better. His level of toughness only continued to rise. He was amassing a lot of hype and accruing a stable of hardcore fans. It all came to a halt when "Bendo" essentially beat up for three frustrating rounds. It exposed some things. It made people ask: "Is Henderson that good or is Miller that overrated?" After seeing Henderson's performance against Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 1 on Nov. 12 in Anaheim, Calif., and seeing Miller's stellar submission against Guillard, the answer to the question is much clearer than before. So, what's next? The UFC 155-pound division is essentially a "murderer's row." There are no easy fights. With that said, Miller wouldn't want it any other way. If he's really a top lightweight, he'll need to get back in there and keep proving it. No rest for the weary. But who do you throw in there with him? I'm just gonna say it: Nate Diaz. Can you imagine? Two of the scrappiest lightweights in the game. Two guys with phenomenal jiu-jitsu. Both coming off wins. Both looking to prove they belong in the upper echelon. Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis are previously engaged, as they will do battle with each other at UFC 144 on Feb. 25 in Saitama, Japan (the same night that the top two lightweights, Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson, will fight for the title). So Diaz makes sense, no? It's got "fight of the night" written all over it. I'd pay to see it. So would you. Got a better idea for a match up? We're all ears. Light up the comment section with your best sugegstions! Read a full recap, complete with blow-by-blow analysis of UFC on FX 1 right here.

Posted in: ufc, night, henderson, miller, jim miller

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After reeling off seven straight victories in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight division, Jim Miller was knocking on the door of a title shot. That was before he ran into one Ben Henderson at UFC on Versus 5: "Hardy vs. Lytle" on Aug. 14, 2011. For three rounds, "Smooth" man-handled Miller all over the Octagon en route to a unanimous decision victory. In the process, Henderson earned himself a title shot against division kingpin Frankie Edgar next month as the UFC makes its way over to "The Land of the Rising Sun" on Feb. 26, 2012, for its UFC 144 event at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. If Miller's performance didn't seem on par with what you were accustomed to seeing, there was good reasoning behind it. As Miller revealed to MMAFighting.com, while he doesn't want to take anything away from a great performance from Henderson, he discovered after the fight that he was suffering from a kidney infection and mononucleosis. "It really hit me a couple hours after the fight. I woke up in the middle of the night and had this weird pain my lower back. It just wouldn't go away. It was something I never felt before and really hope to never feel again, to be perfectly honest. I had a bad night. I knew something was wrong and I didn't adapt to the situation. He fought a great fight, and I just wasn't capable to keep up that night,I really didn't know that I was sick. I knew something was wrong. I was pretty tired in camp and stuff like that, but when I was warming up for the fight, I knew something was off. I was getting winded just doing my warm-up round, and then when we were starting to get ready to go out there, I just didn't feel like I had energy. And then stepping into the Octagon, I usually have tons of energy flowing around, bouncing around, and I just didn't feel it. I tried to fight like I normally fight, and I wasn't able to put him away with that style of fighting. I feel like I should have made the correction, fought a little more conservatively, worked for dominant position and then go for the attack and stuff like that instead of throwing everything I had at him." After ingesting several antibiotics and fluids, Miller was able to rid himself of the infections and resume training. He will now look to start his long road back to the top of the lightweight rankings as he takes on the always dangerous Melvin Guillard in the headlining bout in the promotion's debut on FX, as the UFC storms Nashville, Tennessee, tomorrow night (Jan. 20. 2012) for UFC on FX 1. Guillard, on the other hand, is looking to avoid back-to back-losses, having coming up short against Joe Lauzon in his last outing at UFC 136. Can Miller return to his old dominating form in Nashville? And would you be interested in seeing a rematch between Miller and Henderson after hearing the health issues he suffered during their first bout? Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, miller, didnt

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsJim Miller isn't the kind of fighter to make excuses after a fight. That's why it took some prodding to find out why he didn't look like himself in his loss to Ben Henderson last August. Of course, "Bendo" had a lot to do with that, as well. The former WEC lightweight champion has looked more dominant than ever since moving over to the UFC, and a 3-0 run in 2011 earned him a title shot against champion Frankie Edgar in February. As for Miller, while he didn't want to take anything away from Henderson, he did admit to MMAFighting.com that he was battling a kidney infection and mononucleosis during the Henderson fight. "It really hit me a couple hours after the fight," Miller said. "I woke up in the middle of the night and had this weird pain my lower back. It just wouldn't go away. It was something I never felt before and really hope to never feel again, to be perfectly honest. I got home, it was [expletive] traveling, bouncing on the plane and stuff like that was not comfortable. It was actually the first time that I lost weight after a fight because I didn't have an appetite or stuff like that. It was pretty miserable." Miller, who meets Melvin Guillard Friday night in the main event of UFC on FX Fight Night, said he beat the infection with antibiotics and "lots of fluids." The loss was a devastating one for the AMA Fight Club member, who appeared to be one fight away from fighting for the title. It was Miller's first loss in eight fights, a stretch that dated back to March 2009. "I had a bad night. I knew something was wrong and I didn't adapt to the situation. He fought a great fight, and I just wasn't capable to keep up that night," Miller said. "I really didn't know that I was sick. I knew something was wrong. I was pretty tired in camp and stuff like that, but when I was warming up for the fight, I knew something was off. I was getting winded just doing my warmup round, and then when we were starting to get ready to go out there, I just didn't feel like I had energy. And then stepping into the Octagon, I usually have tons of energy flowing around, bouncing around, and I just didn't feel it. I tried to fight like I normally fight, and I wasn't able to put him away with that style of fighting. I feel like I should have made the correction, fought a little more conservatively, worked for dominant position and then go for the attack and stuff like that instead of throwing everything I had at him." So it's back to the drawing board for the 28-year-old Miller, who sees similarities between himself and his opponent on Friday night. Guillard also appeared to be one step away from contending for the lightweight title before he lost via submission in just 47 seconds to Joe Lauzon in October. "There are many similarities [between us]," Miller said. "We both have the same goal and we both want to get right back to where we were and this is a great fight to take that next step and get right back up there. "I personally didn't want to fight somebody that hasn't proven themselves in the division, and he certainly has. So this is exactly what I wanted. I wanted that tough fight and that big name fight, not just a tuneup fight. I want that challenge." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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When news broke that Dan Henderson turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, many had questions why the former Olympian wouldn't want to rematch Lil Nog. Instead, Nogueira is booked to fight Alexander Gustafsson at the UFC's first card in Sweden. Henderson spoke with Stephen Quadros and Jeff Dotseth of Clinch Gear Radio (Sirius 94 XM 208) to address why he turned down the fight with Nogueira: "I was under the impression that [Dana White] was still kinda on the fence on whether he was gonna put me in front of Rashad (Evans) or not. That's assuming Rashad wins. He did offer me a fight with little Nogueira and I didn't think the fans would be interested in that fight and it's not as much time as I'd like to prepare for a five round fight so I told him I'd wait and see what happens with the Rashad fight. I'd like to fight Jones now rather than if I took that fight with Little Nog. I wouldn't be fighting Jones for another eight, ninth months. I'm okay waiting a little bit. It was more about having the time to prepare and I did inquire to say hey, I would be interested in doing it if it was a three round fight, I could have time to prepare." While I understand Henderson's perspective, knowing the UFC's history of dealing with fighters who turn down fights, it probably wasn't a great career decision. The Nogueira fight is a dangerous one for the 'Dangerous' one but following career trajectory, Henderson would come in an overwhelming favorite. Hopefully the decision won't come back to bite him if the UFC chooses to give Rashad Evans or Phil Davis the fight with Jones first. It also shouldn't be a surprise to anyone if the UFC pushes the winner of Gustafsson/Nogueira into title contention. Dan Henderson is gambling with his career, hopefully he has a sure fire winner.

Posted in: ufc, fight, nogueira, henderson, rashad

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UFC light heavyweight contender Dan Henderson wants a shot at reigning division champion Jon Jones, and from the sound of it, he wants it sooner rather than later. "Hendo" was offered a headlining bout opposite former PRIDE FC rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who submitted the Greco-Roman wrestler via first round armbar at "Total Elimination" back in 2005. The rematch, as well as the opportunity to avenge his loss to "Little Nog," was a fight he "didn't think the fans would be interested in." In addition, he wanted "more time to prepare for a five round main event." Considering Henderson recently went to hell and back against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139, it's a valid concern. The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion told the powers that be "thanks, but no thanks," and Nogueira was quickly paired off against Alexander Gustafsson for the UFC on FUEL TV fight card on April 14 in Sweden. Henderson breaks it all down for Jeff Dotseth and Stephen Quadros via Clinch Gear Radio (Sirius 94 XM 208) after the jump. "I was under the impression that [Dana White] was still kinda on the fence on whether he was gonna put me in front of Rashad (Evans) or not. That's assuming Rashad wins. He did offer me a fight with little Nogueira and I didn't think the fans would be interested in that fight and it's not as much time as I'd like to prepare for a five round fight so I told him I'd wait and see what happens with the Rashad fight. I'd like to fight Jones now rather than if I took that fight with Little Nog. I wouldn't be fighting Jones for another eight, ninth months. I'm okay waiting a little bit. It was more about having the time to prepare and I did inquire to say hey, I would be interested in doing it if it was a three round fight, I could have time to prepare." How about it Maniacs, satisfied with his explanation? And do you think he gets an immediate fight against "Bones?" Phil Davis, who battles Evans for a spot in the 205-pound contender's line at UFC on FOX 2 on Jan. 28, already said he has no problem giving "Hendo" first crack at the champ. "Suga," however, may not be as sweet on the idea. Either way, Jones is already itching to get back inside the cage, so expect to hear more on this division in the next few weeks, if not sooner. And don't forget about Alexander Gustafsson, who took Henderson's place in his native land. UFC on Fuel TV 2 goes down on April 14 in Stockholm, Sweden, and will be headlined by Gustafsson vs. Nogueira. Other interesting match-ups announced for the fight card include a middleweight tilt pitting Brian Stann vs. Alessio Sakara and a welterweight war between Paulo Thiago and Siyar Bahadurzada. To check out the latest fight card and rumors for that event click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, nogueira, henderson

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Dan Henderson has decided to wait until after the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis fight on Jan. 28 to plan his next move. On Wednesday's episode of Clinch Gear Radio on SiriusXM, Henderson explained why he turned down a fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira recently, which was reported on Tuesday's edition of UFC Tonight on FUEL TV. "I was under the impression that [UFC President Dana White] still kind of was on the fence whether he was going to put me in front of Rashad or not, that's assuming Rashad wins," Henderson said. "[White] did offer me a fight with 'Little Nogueira.' I didn't think the fans would be interested in that fight, and not as much time as I would like to prepare for a five-round fight. So I told him I would wait to see what happened with the Rashad fight. I would like to fight Jones now rather than if I took that fight with 'Little Nog,' it wouldn't be fighting Jones until another eight-nine months. "It would have kept me active right now, but I'm okay waiting a little bit. We'll see what happens with the Rashad fight and go from there." White told UFC Tonight that if Evans beat Davis on Jan. 28, he would be the No. 1 light heavyweight contender. The winner of Henderson vs. Nogueira would then fight the winner of Jones vs. Evans. However, if Davis beat Evans, the UFC would then decide between Henderson and Davis as the No. 1 contender. And while Henderson ultimately turned down the Nogueira fight, he did admit to being open to the idea of fighting the Brazilian, if the fight were only scheduled for three rounds. "It was more about having the time to prepare. I did inquire and said, 'Hey, I would be interested in doing it if it was a three-round fight.' I could have time to prepare for that." Nogueira submitted Henderson via first-round armbar at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, nogueira, henderson, rashad

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After fulfilling his four-fight contract with the organization of Strikeforce, Dan Henderson returned to the UFC in hopes of making one last run towards gold...

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, dan, middleweight title, fourfight contract

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The UFC will return to Atlanta, Georgia, for the first time in over three years with UFC 146 on Saturday, April 21. MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani broke the news on Fuel's "UFC Tonight" and via Twitter Tuesday night. The last time the UFC ran a show in the city was UFC 88 on September 6, 2008, headlined by Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans. Evans won the fight via second round KO, earning Knockout Of The Night and a shot at then-Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin. 14,736 filled the Philips Arena that night for a live gate of $2.6 million and is the only time Atlanta has hosted a UFC event. While no fights were announced, expect Georgia's most notable Zuffa fighter -- former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles -- to compete on the show, keeping with the UFC trend. **** Also on "UFC Tonight" and Twitter, Helwani gave some interesting insight into how Tuesday's main event announcement of Alexander Gustafsson vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira came together. According to Helwani, Dana White originally offered Nogueira to Dan Henderson but Hendo turned the fight down. The plan was that if Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis at UFC On Fox 2, he would get the next shot at current champion Jon Jones with the Hendo/Nogueira winner being next in line for a title shot. Helwani said Henderson's next fight is in limbo as a result.

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Picking the man at the top of the Fighter of the Year list was easy. The rest, not so much, as the past 12 months was filled with consistently stellar performances from some of MMA’s best. But enough yapping. Without further ado, here’s the unofficial list of the top UFC fighters of 2011.10 - Dominick Cruz Being the man tasked with leading the 135-pound weight class into the UFC was a pressure-filled position for former WEC boss Dominick Cruz, but “The Dominator” gladly took on the job and showed fight fans just what high-level bantamweight action was like, winning a Fight of the Year candidate against Urijah Faber in July, and then turning back the challenge of number one contender Demetrious Johnson in October.9 – Donald Cerrone The busiest man in the sport, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone would have landed even higher on this list had he beaten Nate Diaz at UFC 141 last month, but even with that exciting Fight of the Night loss, there’s no downplaying of the year this lightweight contender had, as he turned back Paul Kelly, Vagner Rocha, Charles Oliveira, and Dennis Siver before the Diaz bout, picking up either a Sub, KO, or Fight of the Night bonus in three of those four wins.8 – Mark Munoz Middleweight standout Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz lived up to his nickname in 2011, impressively stopping CB Dollaway and Chris Leben and pounding out a hard-fought decision win over Demian Maia to earn himself a title elimination bout later this month against Chael Sonnen. He’s come a long way since losing his debut at light heavyweight to Matt Hamill in 2009. 7 – Johny Hendricks Johny Hendricks continued to develop his overall MMA game in 2011, and while opponents still fear his wrestling attack, it’s his punching power they should really be looking out for, as he sent TJ Waldburger and Jon Fitch to knockout defeats. In between, the newly christened “Bigg Rigg” gutted out a three round decision win over Mike Pierce, proving that whether the fights are 12 seconds or 15 minutes, he’s got the tools to win.6 – (tie) Nick Diaz  and Dan Henderson I never like to include fighters who fought just once in a calendar year on these lists, but I couldn’t resist when it came to Nick Diaz and Dan Henderson. Both came back to the UFC after fighting in the Strikeforce organization, where Diaz defeated Evangelista Santos and Paul Daley in 2011, and Hendo knocked out Rafael Cavalcante and Fedor Emelianeko before returning to the Octagon. Those four combined victories would have been enough for Fighter of the Year consideration if we included non-UFC wins here, but then both upped the ante, Diaz defeating BJ Penn at UFC 137 in October and Henderson winning the Fight of the Year over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139 in November. What more can you say about the year both men had? Welcome back. 5 – Benson Henderson After losing his WEC lightweight title to Anthony Pettis on the organization’s final card in December of 2010, Benson Henderson was destined to make a low-key UFC debut in 2011, and he did, decisioning Mark Bocek at UFC 129. But then “Smooth” kicked into gear, ending Jim Miller’s long winning streak in August, and then winning one of the best fights of the year against Clay Guida. And while it took a year longer than originally expected, Henderson finally has his UFC title shot coming up against Frankie Edgar.4 - Frankie Edgar The biggest hit to come out of New Jersey since Springsteen, Frankie Edgar had to dig into the depths of his fighting heart to come back from a horrific first round in both of his two five rounders against the only man to beat him, Gray Maynard, but come back he did, drawing in the first bout at UFC 125 and then knocking out Maynard and handing him his first loss at UFC 136. It was stirring stuff, and when some compared him to the late Arturo Gatti in terms of being able to pick himself up off the canvas to win, that’s high praise.3 - Anderson Silva MMA’s pound for pound king kept on rolling in 2011, first making the front kick to the head the move du jour as he knocked out Vitor Belfort in February, and then going on to headline the UFC’s return to Brazil in August with a knockout of the last man to beat him, Yushin Okami. If the Silva is slowing down at all at 36, it’s certainly not showing on fight night, as his record shattering performances continue.2 – Junior dos Santos The latest star from Brazil, Junior dos Santos was in top form in both of his bouts in 2011, winning a lopsided three rounder over Shane Carwin in June and then capturing the UFC heavyweight title with a 64 second knockout of Cain Velasquez in November. But as spectacular as his performances were, his poise in going from contender to superstar was even more impressive. With his knockout power, poise, and improving overall game, his reign at the top may be the one to break all existing records.1 – Jon Jones Well, when you defeat an unbeaten prospect (Ryan Bader) and three current or former UFC champions (“Shogun” Rua, “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida), taking the 205-pound title in the process, not only did you have the best year of any fighter in 2011, but you’ve had one of the best years ever. And did I mention that Jon Jones also foiled a robbery on the day he won his UFC title in March? Oh yeah, this was the easiest call of any award this year. Jon “Bones” Jones is your 2011 Fighter of the Year.Honorable Mention – Jose Aldo, Jake Ellenberger, Chan Sung Jung, Brian Ebersole, Alex Gustafsson, Tony Ferguson, Michael McDonald, Chris Weidman, Rory MacDonald, Aaron Simpson, Frank Mir, Urijah Faber, Clay Guida, Nate Diaz, Danny Castillo, Jacob Volkmann, Michael Bisping, Gleison Tibau, Dustin Poirier 

Posted in: ufc, fight, fighter, henderson, year

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Filed under: UFC, NewsDan Henderson may have leapfrogged Rashad Evans as the No. 1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division. With champion Jon Jones now saying that he wants to fight as soon as he can -- changing his mind after previously saying he needed some time off following a very busy 2011 -- it appears likely that Henderson will get the next crack at the champion, and Evans' quest for the belt will have to wait. UFC President Dana White said on ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas that Jones had called him and said he's hoping to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible. Evans is already booked for a January 28 fight on Fox against Phil Davis, so Henderson may get the next title fight. "He had said he wanted to take some time off (but) he called about four days ago and said, 'OK, let's go. ... Let's get back to work. I'm ready to get productive again,'" White said of Jones. "He wants to fight as soon as possible." Based on the UFC's calendar, as soon as possible would likely be UFC 145, on March 24 in Montreal. That fight still needs a main event, and Jones vs. Henderson would be a big one. "We've got to see how this thing plays out but what could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first," White said. But some would say it would be unfair to Evans: A former light heavyweight champion, Evans has been waiting for a title shot and wants to fight Jones, his former friend and teammate. The UFC has promoted Evans vs. Davis as the opportunity for Evans to earn his shot at Jones, but if the UFC wants to book Jones in the first quarter of 2012, then Evans is going to have to wait. One way or another, White said, the light heavyweight division has plenty of challengers who can contend for Jones's belt. If Henderson gets the next shot, that just means the winner of the Evans vs. Davis fight would be first in line to face the winner of Jones vs. Henderson. "I think we have a ton of guys," White said. "It's not like everything depends on one guy or two guys. The great thing about us is we've got 10 of 15 guys so it's never like we have to depend on one person." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, henderson, evan

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UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones said he wanted a vacation after his busy but highly successful 2011 fight campaign. The young phenom fought four times in total last year, earning a crack at the 205-pound strap before winning it and then defending it twice against two former champions. In nearly every publication, he was awarded "Fighter of the Year" honors, including right here on MMAmania.com. Following his impressive second round guillotine submission victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jones vowed to take some time off to allow his body to rest up. After all, the dude was in training camp almost all of last year. Now, though, "Bones" has changed his tune. He's ready to get back in action and he's ready to do so ASAP. That's what UFC President Dana White said, at least, in a recent interview (via Cagewriter): "[Jones] called about four days ago and said 'okay let's go, I'm done with vacation.' He said he wanted to take all this time off and then they were calling me four days ago saying he wants to fight as soon as possible. He's ready to go. What could end up happening is Dan Henderson fights Jon Jones first, and then [Jones' subsequent fight] would be close to the time that Rashad fights. Or we see how things go with Rashad [versus Phil Davis] and Rashad fights him first." A light heavyweight champion who wants to stay active -- as evidenced by his declaration that he's been thinking of competing four times in 2012 -- and two top challengers who both present interesting match-ups. Sounds like a pretty good problem to have. Essentially we could be looking at Jones vs. Henderson with Evans waiting in the wings or Jones vs. Evans with Henderson taking one more fight on the same card and earning the title shot with in a win in that fight. Either scenario, I'm sure, is fine with you Maniacs, right?

Posted in: fight, time, jone, henderson, rashad fights

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The epic five-round war between Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139 had many calling it the best fight in history. That is up for debate, but calling it the best scrap of 2011 isn't...

Posted in: fight, henderson, dan henderson, dan, rua

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The 12-bout lineup for the UFC's long-awaited return to Japan is now official. While all 12 contests for "UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson" were announced back in November, UFC brass recently set the evening's schedule. Featuring a lightweight title fight between current champion Frankie Edgar and top contender Ben Henderson, UFC 144 takes place Sunday, Feb. 26, at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Due to the time difference, the pay-per-view main card airs live on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) in North America.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, bout order, edgar, time difference

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Earlier this month, we here at MMAmania.com embarked on a quest to determine the best of the best in the year 2011. Up first was the "Fight of the Year," a tough category considering all the outstanding brawls spread across the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator and beyond. But one stood out above the rest -- Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 on Nov. 19, 2011, in San Jose, California. There was no title on the line nor was it a number one contender bout. It was simply two old legends from Pride FC whose paths never crossed until now. And the bloody five-round war that ensued was nothing short of spectacular. Henderson came roaring out of the gate with his trademark right hand, landing big shots that bruised up Rua, who looked overmatched. But "Shogun" persevered and eventually came roaring back, finishing the fight with a dominant fifth round. When all was said and done, "Hendo" was awarded a unanimous decision win. It was deemed somewhat controversial, as fans of the Brazilian cried foul at the judges scoring but we could all agree on one thing. It was one hell of a fight. The results of our poll for the best fight of 2011 are after the jump. Poll results: Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua -- 1,657 votes Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 -- 312 votes Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 2 -- 262 votes Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler -- 208 votes Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley -- 132 votes Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez -- 76 votes Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann -- 70 votes Other -- 47 votes Daniel Straus vs. Nazareno Malegarie -- 15 votes

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The final week of 2011 has arrived, and though the year may not have delivered on the public’s long-standing dream of flying cars and laser-blasters it was certainly a period filled with memorable months from a Mixed Martial Arts viewpoint. We witnessed champions fall in dramatic fashion, prospects rise from the ranks to become divisional kings, and numerous fighters emerge victorious by the skin of their teeth. We saw shocking signings and ridiculous releases; countless classics and numerous nod-offers; moves in the ring unlike any other before and some hopefully never seen again. With the close of the year, Five Ounces of Pain is bringing you our annual awards as we wind things down and get ready for the adventures 2012 will undoubtedly bring. Over the next few days we will announce our winners in somewhat unique categories with a final batch of standard distinctions handed out on Monday, January 2, once all the year’s performances have been turned in. As always, 5 Oz. invites our readers to offer their own opinions in the “Comments” section on who should have taken home the hardware (or in this case digital love). We would not be here without you, and rest assured the Staff not only appreciates your contributions from a “page view” standpoint, but genuinely enjoys reading our community’s take on topics. Have an incredibly fun, albeit safe, NYE weekend! – Who Saw That Coming – Zuffa buys Strikeforce: It seemed like a typical non-event Saturday. There was no anticipation of a big fight later that night, no last minute bets to be placed, and no all-day discussions of who we thought would win later that evening. Then, in the early afternoon, Dana White dropped the bombshell: Zuffa has purchased their biggest competitor Strikeforce. While Dana claimed that things would be “business as usual” for Strikeforce, that quickly changed when UFC took Strikeforce champions Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson, and Alistair Overeem along with top local draw Cung Le to compete in the octagon. Strikeforce events almost immediately became even more secondary with most wondering when Zuffa would just fold the organization and bring the talent over the UFC. It was a move that changed the landscape of the MMA world as Bellator became the defacto #2 promotion while Zuffa tightened its guillotine on the entire sport. – Old Timer of the Year – Dan Henderson: A couple of years ago, many would have argued that Dan Henderson’s resume was somewhat overrated. And they would have had a point. It’s not that the man hadn’t accomplished much – he had – but between gift decisions, hold the PRIDE welterweight (183 lbs) title in a non-existent division, and then briefly holding the middleweight title (205 lbs) only to lose it in a unification bout against Quinton Jackson, Henderson’s achievements were slightly overstated. However, at 41 years of age, “Hendo” just had the best year of his career. He started things off with a knockout of Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante to add yet another title to his resume, before securing two of the biggest wins of his career back-to-back. His knockout of Fedor Emelianenko is even more impressive when factoring in the fact that for much of his career, Henderson competed two weight classes below the great Russian. He finally capped things off with one of the greatest in MMA history when he bested Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in an epic twenty-five minute war. – Most Meteoric Rise – (Tie) Ben Henderson/Ronda Rousey: Both Rousey and Henderson went unbeaten in 2011, rising up from relative obscurity to receive consideration as being among the top fighters in their respective weight-classes. Henderson rise to the next level seemed in doubt after coming up short against Anthony Pettis to close out 2010, yet “Bendo” picked up wins on all three of his UFC fights including those against top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida and now has a future date with 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar. While Rousey’s in-ring accomplishments are in no way as impressive as Henderson’s, her outspoken nature, aggressive style, and girl-next-door good looks have thrust her into the spotlight and made her one of the most popular competitors in MMA. Snapping another girl’s arm in two during a fight didn’t hurt her profile either, just Julia Budd’s limb. Make sure to check back in on Monday when we reveal our selections for “Knockout of the Year”, “Submission of the Year’, “Fighter of the Year”, and “Fight of the Year”. You can also check out our previous 2011 Year-End Awards by clicking this link.

Posted in: strikeforce, henderson, year, thing, zuffa

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Mike Winkeljohn, trainer of Jon Jones, was recently on Sherdog Radio where he talked about Jones' chances of success against any of his major challengers. Winkeljohn thinks that Jones is simply too good to be beaten by Dan Henderson, Phil Davis or Rashad Evans. Mike's take on the Henderson fight: "They all present different challenges," Winkeljohn told the Sherdog Radio Network's "Savage Dog Show." "I'm not sure which one's the biggest. Dan's big right hand is always a big challenge. [He's] somebody that could be able to close that gap and find a hole and try to get to Jon's chin. That's probably the dilemma with him, but he's small. I don't think he can outwrestle Jon. I think Jon beats him everywhere. I don't think he can hit [Jones] with that right hand." In addition to thinking that Hendo wouldn't be able to hit Jones or outwrestle him, he also thinks that Davis doesn't have the striking and that Evans would get picked apart at long range. It's hard for me to disagree with any of those opinions at this point. Evans has the speed to get inside but Jones is simply too good in the clinch. Henderson is too slow to reliably get in with heavy shots, although he has far more determination and always seems to find ways to get the right hand in on his opponents even if they know it is coming. And Davis hasn't shown the level of effective wrestling of Jones in MMA and is not even on the same planet in terms of striking. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see all three men get their chance.

Posted in: jon, jone, henderson, evan, right hand

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Filed under: UFCThe fight wasn't even a minute old and already Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was backed against the fence, covering up like an unarmed combatant in a pillow fight as Dan Henderson directed one punch after another at the delicate spaces in his defense. "Well," I remember saying to ESPN's Brett Okamoto, who was seated next to me on press row, "this one's definitely not going five rounds." This is why you shouldn't make predictions based on about 60 seconds of action. Not unless you want to feel really, really dumb a half-hour later. But who could blame me? Just 30 seconds into the first round of the UFC 139 main event, the former light heavyweight champ walked straight into one of Henderson's famous right hands. Careers had been forever altered by the arc of that very punch. Nights had been ruined and eight-week training camps rendered meaningless by that exact same blow. Rua had to know it was possible that he might find out what it felt like for himself, but he couldn't have thought it would happen so soon. When you tiptoe right to the edge of getting knocked out in the very beginning of a 25-minute fight, what's plan B? If you're "Shogun," apparently it includes blinking away the blood and coming forward, only to get dropped a second time 15 seconds later, then unceremoniously tripped to the mat 20 seconds after that. Four and a half more rounds of this? Are you kidding? As Rua lunged for a takedown like a drunk diving into a cab at 2 a.m., he seemed as if he'd be lucky to survive the round. But therein lay the difference between this fight and most. Now matter how unsteady Rua looked at times, it was as if he was never more than one deep breath from regaining his composure. One moment his legs seemed to have stopped taking orders from his brain, and the next he was firing off jumping knees and a looping right hand that caught Hendo behind the ear, giving him a taste of the canvas. That's the pattern they followed for most of the first three rounds. Henderson attacked, Rua bled. Henderson poured it on, Rua put up just enough of a defense to stay in it. And then, as if he had some alarm in his head that woke him up in the final two minutes of each round, the Brazilian snapped to attention and started giving some of that punishment back. When the horn sounded to end the third round, both men wandered aimlessly around before heading back to their corners. You could almost hear them thinking, shouldn't this be over by now? Haven't we beaten each other up enough? But no, they still had two more rounds to go. In the fourth Rua got himself in trouble on the mat after a takedown, but again rebounded and had Henderson nearly out on his feet by the end. The fifth was all Rua. He flipped an exhausted Henderson onto his back and camped out in full mount, raining down blows with heavy, exhausted arms until the final horn sounded. Several times it seemed close to being stopped, and you almost wanted to call out to the ref and ask him to disregard the rules just this once, to let these two sort it out for themselves. They'd earned that right, it seemed, and so they continued on until the very last second, when Hendo was almost too exhausted to stand and Rua's once white shorts were now stained a dirty pink from his own blood. Fans in the crowd didn't know whether to cheer or cry when it was over. You could look around the HP Pavilion and see men standing up in their seats with their mouths hanging open, both hands on top of their heads as if trying to keep their brains from leaping out of their skulls. Some nights, when you're in the moment, you can't appreciate what's happening. It's only when you look back on them that you realize how special they were. This was not one of those nights. This was one of the nights where, at several points, you turn to your buddy or even just the stranger next to you with a stunned look that says, Are you seeing this? Can you believe what's happening here? Those looks were all over the arena that night. When Henderson got the nod from the judges, it was as if it almost didn't matter who the winner was. Hendo needed the help of his cornermen just to get out of the cage. Rua's face was so battered and bloodied, it seemed entirely possible that the immigration agents at the airport might refuse to believe he was the same person pictured on his passport. Both men had suffered. Both men had been partners in creating a masterpiece. Right away we all knew it. Fans shuffled out into the rain with the expressions of people who were already planning how to tell this story to their purely hypothetical grandchildren. Reporters stood around in the media room shrugging at one another. Something like a giddy sense of shock set in. Did we really just see that? Did that really just happen? Over at the hospital right then, Rua and Henderson didn't need to ask. They had the proof. They had paid for it. Other contenders worth noting: 2: Mike Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez, Bellator 58 The second-best fight of the night on November 19, 2011 was a very close runner-up for fight of the year. The two lightweights went back and forth in Hollywood, Florida with the Bellator title at stake before Chandler finished it in the fourth with a rear-naked choke. They produced a classic, but one that was almost immediately overshadowed by Hendo-Rua, which took place just hours later on the opposite coast. Sometimes timing is everything. 3. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II, UFC 125 After barely staying conscious through the first round, Edgar battled back to force a five-round seesaw fight that ended in a draw. Unsatisfying? Only if you're the kind of jerk who can't just relax enjoy the ride. 4. Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley, Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley If there was an award for the best one-round fight of the year, these two would have taken it. They set a furious pace right from the start and neither man was at all interesting in slowing down or even giving the crowd a chance to blink. Not a single second went to waste, and when the dust cleared it was Diaz who was left standing. 5. Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez, TUF 14 Finale The Forrest Griffin-Stephan Bonnar finale might have done more for the UFC, but this may very well have been the most action-packed ending to a season of the UFC's reality show. After nearly getting his jaw relocated to the back of his skull, Brandao somehow rallied to secure an armbar submission in another one-round stunner. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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According to noted oddsmaker Nick Kalikas of BetOnFighting.com, it's none other than Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. "The Answer" opens as a -130 favorite headed into his next title defense against Ben Henderson, which is scheduled for UFC 144 on Feb. 26, 2012, over in Japan. "Bendo" comes in as the smooth underdog at +100. Anyone jumping on this line with wallets wide open? Or do you expect a dramatic shift as we get closer and closer to fight night? It's pretty incredible, when you think about it, that Edgar still isn't getting the credit he deserves after consecutive amazing come-from-behind performances against Gray Maynard, the last of which resulted in a fourth round knockout win. "The Bully" was taken down but Edgar still can't get no respect. Henderson, on the other hand, deserves every bit of the accolades he's currently receiving for the 2011 fight campaign he just put together. After ending 2010 with the most humiliating defeat of the year, "Bendo" dusted himself off, picked himself back up and headed for the Octagon to reinvent his name. And that's exactly what he did. Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida all stepped up to the plate and struck out swinging, as Henderson laid waste to each one of them, all within the span of eight months. But is he good enough to snatch the 155-pound title away from Edgar? We're still a ways away from fight time, Maniacs, but who do you like for your money and who ya' got straight up? To see the "Edgar vs. Henderson" odds and betting lines plus all the action for upcoming UFC and Strikeforce events click here.

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Every year in the world of combat sports, there are a handful of fighters who either defy the odds or support them wholeheartedly, laying waste to all in their path in unexpected (or entirely expected) fashion. Loved, loathed, or regarded with mild disinterest once their rampages get dull, these warriors command the attention of viewers through the universal language of violence. As such, we’ve seen the meteoric rise (or surprising rebirth) of a select few over the past 12 months. But which combatant was the best of 2011 in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and mixed martial arts (MMA) overall? Follow me after the jump for some of this year's top candidates and to cast your vote for 2011's "Fighter of the Year:" (Insert Rocky and/or Hulk music here) Jon Jones Photo via Yahoo! Sports Despite caving in Brandon Vera’s eye socket and unleashing a hailstorm of elbows on Vladimir Matyushenko’s face the previous year, Jones still had plenty of questions to answer as he entered 2011. Unfortunately for the rest of the light heavyweight division, he quickly proved himself up to the task, throttling Ryan Bader at UFC 126 before defeating Mauricio Rua for the 205-pound title on short notice and defending it in dominating fashion against former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida. The young phenom is quickly running out of obstacles in the way of uncontested dominance of the division, and MMA fans await his 2012 campaign with bated breath. Nick Diaz Photo via UFC.com Diaz has long been known for laying a physical and verbal smackdown on anyone unlucky enough to be on the opposite side of the cage, but his low level of competition left his status as a top welterweight up for debate. After submitting Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, however, Diaz took steps to correct that issue, becoming the first man to ever knock out Paul Daley before returning to the UFC and absolutely decimating former champion B.J. Penn. Now scheduled to face former WEC champion Carlos Condit for the interim UFC welterweight title while champion Georges St. Pierre recovers from knee surgury, Diaz has the chance to finally be recognized as the premiere welterweight in the world on Super Bowl weekend. Donald Cerrone Photo via UFC.com WEC lightweights had a stigma attached to them of being second-rate, and the only thing that frustrated Donald Cerrone more than being disrespected was his apparent inability to win a title. After an illegal knee on his end forced an early end to his title fight with Jamie Varner, leading him to lose a technical decision, he took on Ben Henderson twice, falling both times. After getting revenge on Varner, though, "Cowboy" made his way to the UFC and commenced a thorough obliteration of everyone in his path. This year alone, he submitted Paul Kelly, battered Vagner Rocha, scored his first-ever (T)KO over Charles Oliveira, and pummeled Dennis Siver before choking him out. With his fifth fight of 2011, against Nate Diaz, scheduled for Dec. 30, Cerrone may be dangerously close to challenging for the title once again, only this time on the biggest stage there is. Junior dos Santos Photo via static.enlapelea.com Junior dos Santos only fought twice in 2011, but he made up for lack of quantity with sheer brutality. After coaching in Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), "Cigano" was matched up against notorious knockout artist Shane Carwin, who was replacing the ailing Brock Lesnar. Dos Santos barely broke a sweat over the course of the fifteen-minute beatdown, crushing the American wrestler with brutally-precise punches. Impressive as this win was, his greatest highlight was yet to come; the hard-charging Brazilian got the opportunity of a lifetime this past November, headlining the UFC’s first show on FOX opposite heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. Stunningly, dos Santos flattened his foe in a grand total of sixty-four seconds despite a torn meniscus, becoming the first Brazilian heavyweight champion since his mentor, "Minotauro" Nogueira, who guillotined Tim Sylvia for the interim title. At only 27, the best is yet to come for dos Santos, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that’s a bloody scary thought. Dan Henderson Photo via mmaweekly.com Dan Henderson has always had a right hand that he needed to register as a concealed weapon to wear a glove on, but in 2011, he truly, unequivocally mastered it. He started the year off by capturing yet another title, knocking out Strikeforce 205-pound champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante. He went on to score one of the biggest upsets of the year in late July, putting the legendary Fedor Emelianenko to sleep for the first time with a hard uppercut from behind. Not content with just making history, however, Henderson also won arguably the best fight of 2011, battering Mauricio Rua for three rounds and fending off a late rally from the deposed champ. On the cusp of a title shot and widely regarded as one of the best light heavyweights in the world, Henderson has defied age and expectations to establish himself as one of the finest fighters in the world. That's a wrap. Be sure to let us know if we missed anyone sufficiently awesome in the comments below and be sure to stop by tomorrow for the finale of our "Best of 2011" series, when we look for "Event of the Year." To see our 2011 "Fight of the Year" nominees and cast another vote click here. To see our 2011 "Knockout of the Year" nominees and cast another vote click here. To see our 2011 "Submission of the Year" nominees and cast another vote click here. Poll The best fighter of 2011 was: Jon Jones Nick Diaz Donald Cerrone Junior dos Santos Dan Henderson Someone else (see comments)   32 votes | Results

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This past month, Ben Henderson got a taste of the UFC spotlight. At the UFC's debut event on network television, he felt the electricity running through the crowd for a UFC on FOX 1 championship headliner between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos. But despite fighting in the night's co-headliner, Henderson's own fight with Clay Guida played a distant second fiddle. However, that won't be the case at UFC 144.

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Fresh off the victory over Jorge Masvidal in San Diego, California, Strikeforce Lightweight champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez continued to call out UFC 155'ers, this time targeting the former WEC champions Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis. Melendez gave credit to Ben Henderson for "being awesome", but still declared that he achieved more as a fighter than the current #1 contender for the UFC Lightweight title. As for Pettis, would Melendez declared he would smash "Showtime" if ZUFFA choose him as the

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Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson? The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, fresh off a five-round bloodbath against former 205-pound titleholder Mauricio Rua last month in San Jose, is likely second in line for a crack at the division title behind the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis Rashad Evans. But if "Mr. Wonderful" can pull off an upset at UFC on FOX 2, "Hendo" may become the number one contender by default. That would put him in line for a fight against reigning division champion Jon Jones, who handily disposed of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 back on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. But how would Henderson, who has spent a good portion of his career at 185-pounds, deal with the size of "Bones," as well as his almost insurmountable reach of 84.5 inches? UFC hall-of-famer Randy Couture tells ESPN he "doesn't see it being a huge issue." "It'd be interesting to see Danny against Jon Jones. At the ripe old age of 40 Danny is coming into his own. He's firing on all cylinders right now. He's got a tremendous wrestling background, he's got one of the best right hands in the sport, it'd be interesting to see how he'd deal with Jon and how Jon would deal with him. I don't see reach being a huge issue. I don't see Jon being able to stay on the outside and pick Dan apart. There's going to have to be an engagement at some point in that cage and we'd get to see what type of punch Jon can take." Henderson is 7-1 over the past three years, his only blemish caused by a middleweight mugging from Jake Shields in early 2010 -- one that saw the former PRIDE champion struggle with his 185-pound weight cut. He's never looked better -- but are you ready to buy into the Hendo hype? Or is he going to find out why no one is able to break "Bones" the hard way? After what you saw against "Shogun" at UFC 139, what's the over/under on how many rounds a Jones vs. Henderson fight would last? Thoughts?

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With three events in the month of December the UFC top ten rankings surprisingly only had a few changes. Post UFC 140 the biggest jump into the rankings occurred at featherweight where Chan Sung Jung (12-3) rocketed into the top ten with a first round knockout of ex title challenger Mark Hominick (20-10). On the fringe of the top ten at 145 pounds prior to UFC 140, Jung enters the UFC featherweight rankings at number seven. The outside of the cage antics of former WEC champion Miguel Torres (40-4) and his release from the UFC opened up a spot in the promotion's bantamweight top ten. Former top prospect Michael McDonald's (14-1) first round KO at UFC 139 and 4-0 record under Zuffa promotions slides him in at number seven at 135 pounds. Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson's (29-8) addition to the UFC's 205 pound weight class is the biggest shake-up to the UFC rankings over the past month. Henderson's instant classic win over Mauricio Rua (20-6) vaults him into the upper half of the UFC's somewhat stagnant light heavyweight. At the number two spot Henderson's next fight in the UFC may come versus light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (15-1). Heavyweight (over 205 pounds)UFC Champion: Junior Dos Santos 14-1 1. Cain Velasquez 9-1 2. Brock Lesnar 5-2 3. Shane Carwin 12-2 4. Frank Mir 16-5 5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 33-7-1 6. Cheick Kongo 17-6-2 7. Roy Nelson 16-6 8. Brendan Schaub 8-2 9. Travis Browne 11-0-1 10. Matt Mitrione 5-1Light Heavyweight (205 pound limit)UFC Champion: Jon Jones 15-1 1. Rashad Evans 16-1-1 2. Dan Henderson 29-8 3. Mauricio Rua 20-6 4. Quinton Jackson 32-9 5. Lyoto Machida 17-3 6. Forrest Griffin 18-7 7. Phil Davis 9-0 8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira 20-5 9. Tito Ortiz 16-10-1 10. Ryan Bader 13-2Middleweight (185 pound limit)UFC Champion: Anderson Silva 31-4 1. Chael Sonnen 26-11-1 2. Vitor Belfort 19-9 3. Yushin Okami 25-6 4. Mark Munoz 12-2 5. Demian Maia 15-3 6. Brian Stann 11-4 7. Michael Bisping 21-3 8. Chris Leben 26-8 9. Alan Belcher 17-6 10. Wanderlei Silva 34-11-1Welterweight (170 pound limit)UFC Champion: George St. Pierre 22-2 1. Jon Fitch 23-3-1 2. Carlos Condit 27-5 3. Josh Koscheck 16-5 4. Jake Ellenberger 26-5 5. B.J Penn 16-7-2 6. Jake Shields 26-6-1 7. Diego Sanchez 23-4 8. Martin Kampmann 18-5 9. Rick Story 13-5 10. Thiago Alves 19-8Lightweight (155 pound limit)UFC Champion: Frank Edgar 14-1-1-UFC 143 vs. Ben Henderson 15-2 1. Ben Henderson 15-2 2. Gray Maynard 10-1-1 3. Clay Guida 29-12 4. Jim Miller 20-3 5. Anthony Pettis 14-2 6. Donald Cerrone 16-3 7. Denis Siver 18-7 8. Joe Lauzon 21-6 9. Melvin Guillard 29-9-2 10. Evan Dunham 12-2Featherweight (145 pound limit)UFC Champion: Jose Aldo 20-1- UFC 142 vs. Chad Mendes 11-0 1. Chad Mendes 11-0 2. Kenny Florian 14-6 3. Diego Nunes 16-2 4. Dustin Poirier 11-1 5. Tyson Griffin 15-5 6. Erik Koch 13-1 7. Chan Sung Jung 12-3 8. Mark Hominick 20-10 9. Darren Elkins 12-2 10. Michihiro Omigawa 12-10-1Bantamweight (135 pound limit)UFC Champion: Dominick Cruz 19-1 1. Urijah Faber 26-5 2. Joseph Benavidez 15-2 3. Brian Bowles 10-2 4. Demetrious Johnson 9-2 5. Scott Jorgenson 12-4 6. Renan Barao 27-1 7. Michael McDonald 14-1 8. Takeya Mizugaki 15-6-2 9. Brad Pickett 20-6 10. Eddie Wineland 18-8-1

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The UFC is turning Japanese (I really think so) this coming Feb. 26, 2012, as the world's largest fight promotion will head to the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, for UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson." The event will be headlined by a lightweight championship showdown, as current titleholder Frankie Edgar puts his strap on the line against top contender and former WEC lightweight king, Ben Henderson. But that's not all. You just knew the powers that be would throw a few names on the card that should draw interest in the "Land of the Rising Sun," and they've done so in the form of Yoshihiro Akiyama and Quinton Jackson, who will take on Jake Shields and Ryan Bader, respectively. Not a bad fight card, huh? And the poster is pretty slick, too. For the complete UFC 144 line-up click here and for all the latest news and notes on the UFC's return to Japan click here.

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Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida ... who's next? It is hard to believe (or imagine) a 24-year-old having such an illustrious career so fast. However, Jon Jones is doing something that none of us can believe, or at the very least, doing it the way he has so brilliantly. Four top 10 light heavyweights, one The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner, three former world champions: Jones has finished them with only having one round raising any eyebrows. The only comparable meteoric rise to fame is that of what Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko was able to do in Pride FC. Who would you bet on in a fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones? Follow me after the jump as we explore all the possibilities: There is little to no money to be made on "Bones" when you visit your local bookie or online -- he's emerged as the consummate heavy favorite. He has run through his division and opponents like a hot knife into butter. On the flip side of that coin, perhaps there is a Matt Serra-like underdog waiting in the wings to land one big shot and turn the mixed martial arts (MMA) world upside-down. As it stands today, the 205-pound division has three viable challengers; however, only two of them can secure a title fight in 2012. Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Phil Davis are all in the direct sight lines of the Greg Jackson-trained pupil and seemingly unbeatable champion. None of them have the same elusive and unpredictable striking as Lyoto Machida, who at UFC 140 got the better of an impressive exchange over Jones, clipping the long-limbed champion with a solid punch when he threw a leg kick. In fact, it was perhaps the first time we've ever seen Jones in a position of danger inside the Octagon. Can any of these three contenders replicate that striking? UFC on Fox 2 is headlined by former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans taking on Phil Davis. It's an interesting match up as UFC president Dana White said that the winner would likely emerge as the next division contender tasked with dethroning Jones. Several days later, White slightly backed off that position, saying that if Davis won, he probably would not earn a title shot. He's likely too green and his striking still to unrefined, even though his wrestling, which can set up submissions like the one secured over Tim Boetsch, can take him very far, very fast. Evans, meanwhile, is a viewed as a small light heavyweight, standing only at 5'11" and doesn't cut drastic weight to make the 205-pound division limit. His reach is 75," which is on par with many other fighters at his weight class, but is still much shorter than Jones' 84" reach. Having said all of that, Evans and Davis both posses some of the best wrestling in the sport as they both can wrestle their ways to unanimous decisions in most fights if required. And the upcoming fight between them will come down to who can impose their will to get to their strong hold. Davis is a very good submission practitioner who trains under Llyod Irvin. He holds notable submissions over Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 112) and Tim Boetsch (UFC 123). If Davis can get Evans down and secure top position, then he could win this one fast. His long limbs and four each reach advantage will allow him to grabs limbs and twist them. Evans will look to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing, possessing the power and striking advantage. Evans has been criticized for his chin even though he has only been knocked out once by Lyoto Machida (UFC 98), he has been buzzed in other fights. Evans holds notable stoppages over Jason Lambert (UFC 63), Sean Salmon (UFC Fight Night: 'Evans vs. Salmon'), Chuck Liddell (UFC 88), Forrest Griffin (UFC 92) and Tito Ortiz (UFC 133). Both have faced fighters who create interesting insight into possible match ups with champion Jon Jones should they win ... and only one of them can. In the case of Davis his, tilt with Gustafsson gives us an insight how he can elude a far better better striker with his wrestling. Gustaffson made the unlucky draw of getting Davis is his UFC debut at UFC 112. He had not faced anyone with the wrestling pedigree of the Penn State University (PSU) alum. Davis wrestled Gustaffson with ease and secure a submission win. Gustafsson has some of the best striking in the light heavyweight division and since his loss to Davis, has gone undefeated (4-0) and holds a technical knockout win over Matt Hamill, another dominant wrestler who recently retired. "Wonderful" was able to impose his will without getting clipped and beat up on the feet. His striking may not lead to highlight reel knockouts yet, but it sure has given him enough to use his wrestling to do what he wants, which is make dudes tap. In the case of Evans, his best example may be his fights with Chuck Liddell and Brad Imes. Yes, Brad Imes at heavyweight. When "Suga" began in the UFC he fought at heavyweight on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter," making it to the finals and facing the biggest man from Jefferson City, Missouri. Imes, a former professional football player, was 6'7" and weighed more than 250 pounds. He was never a stud in the Octagon, but the "Hillbilly Hearthrob" could hit like a Mack truck. And at the finals he did just that. Evans survived the massive size and reach advantage of Imes and fought a three round back-and-forth battle of attrition. He lit up Imes, with his superior boxing skill getting him past the reach advantage. His wrestling wasn't hugely affective, but it was more than enough to win a close split decision. We also learned that Evans competed tiny at heavyweight and could eat a punch from an actual giant man. In another example, Evans took on former UFC light heavyweight weight champion Chuck Liddell, who was coming off his first loss in years when Quinton Jackson knocked him out cold at UFC 71. Evans was taking on his first huge challenge, which he passed with flying colors. Evans would go on to knockout Liddell, who was the first elite striker he had faced to that point, in brutal fashion. Liddell may be predictable, but regardless, he can knockout anyone and put him down for the count with one punch. His takedown defense is one of the best ever and his use of his range is much like "Bones." So, who would put my money on? I'd place money on Evans because his range of arsenal is deeper then Davis' and his wrestling is top notch. Davis may be the better of the two at grappling while on the attack, but Evans has always used his to get up to his feet. These two only have one distinct difference and that's striking, which clearly favors Evans. In short, my wallet and the cash within it would be put toward Evans if he can knockout or smash Davis for all five rounds. I think he is smart enough and holds the distinct advantage of having trained with Jones. He knows how his striking is used and how to carry his weight, too. Now we have the wild card, Dan Henderson, who seems to have no apparent foe before him nor a reason he can't be the number one contender. His performance against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 was phenomenal, and except for a debatable 10-8 in the final stanza, he delivered the performance for the ages. Are we going to wait for "Shogun" to repair himself and get a rematch that many don't seem all too interested in?Jones may have had the best 2011, but Hendo's year wasn't too shabby, either, which included a Strikeforce light heavyweight title win over Rafael Cavalcante, a knockout of Fedor Emelianenko and a five round war with the aforementioned Brazilian. Henderson has two things every bar patron wishes they had: An iron chin and a iron right hand to boot. Henderson is 7-1 in his past eight and his lone loss was at middleweight against a natural welterweight, Jake Shields. He doesn't leverage his Olympic-level wresting, but he does use his clinch game to look for trips and avoid going to the ground. He has wins over some of the best strikers (Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort, among others) and some of the best best grapplers (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Renato Sobral and Rousimar Palhares). Henderson is 1-1 against competition considered to be the best in Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. "Hendo" lost a UFC-Pride FC middleweight title unification bout against Silva at UFC 82. Henderson in many eyes won the first round against "The Spider," but seemed gassed in round two, which led to the Silva's rear naked choke victory. "Dangerous" Dan has never looked that great at middlweight and has always looked his best when he took heavyweights or competed at 205 pounds. At Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Hendo" Henderson would become the first man to knockout Emeilanenko. Fedor swarmed in and put the pressure on Henderson who was able to get back to his feet and drop the Russian with a short uppercut. The most comparable fighter to Jon Jones that Henderson has fought is Silva. Silva has unpredictable striking and long limbs that can create crazy power with little set up. As stated, Henderson isn't great at middleweight as he gassed hard in round two at UFC 82. The biggest difference between Silva and Jones is the wrestling, but Henderson does have some of the best takedown defense since Liddell's heyday. If Henderson and Jones was announced today (or soon), I'd be okay betting Henderson and actually pretty confident that it be much closer than some others would believe. I think they match up pretty close and Henderson's knockout power is just too crazy even with that reach in favor of Jones. I must say this though, even if i were to bet against Jon Jones it be a very small amount. He had what many will consider the best year in MMA history. Jones won't replicate his 2011 simply because of having cleared all possible contenders. And even though Machida just woke up about five minutes ago, his first round has people thinking he'd win a rematch. If that's the closest we see anyone take out Jones, 24, then get a nice seat and enjoy the show because he could be here doing his thing for the next decade years or so. It's going to be hard to stop him and the odds will be stacked against whoever the promotion locks inside a cage with him. In fact, it may not even matter. Check out the full recap of the event that was UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" right here.

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Shortly after UFC 140 ended, former Strikeforce and PRIDE champion, Dan Henderson campaigned for a shot at Jon Jones. He turned to twitter to make the case for a title shot: @danhendoDan Henderson Congrats to @jonnybones -- great win. Hey @danawhite, I'd like to see if his chin is as good as he thinks & I'm ready to go.Dec 11 via SeesmicFavoriteRetweetReply Aside from the winner of Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans, Henderson is probably the only light heavyweight that can draw a ton of interest in a match against Jones. He has the wrestling, and that bomb of a right hand that can cause stylistic problems, plus he's riding high coming off a very impressive run in 2011. That hot-streak has seen him win the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, KO the greatest heavyweight of all-time in Fedor Emeliananko, and defeat Shogun Rua in a fight of the year candidate. While it is a very interesting match up, there could be issues with timing, as Jones said during the post-fight press conference that he wanted to take a few months off. (Transcribed by MMA Mania): "I would like to take up to four months of, maybe even five. Come on Dana, give me a break, give me a break please. Yeah, fighting maybe three times in 2012 would be nice, but you know a break sounds nice, too. So, it's really up to the UFC, one of my goals is to be a company guy, so if the UFC asks me to do something, I probably won't put up much of a fight. So it's really up to Dana." If the bout against Jones does happen though, let's hope it comes sooner rather than later, as the 41-year-old Henderson isn't getting any younger.

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Filed under: UFCWith his second-round TKO win at UFC 140 on Saturday night, Jon Jones might well be off to the greatest career start in MMA history. Through 16 pro fights, he has only lost once, in a fight he thoroughly dominated before making a mistake by throwing illegal downward elbows and getting disqualified. Since then he has been nearly flawless in the cage. He has defeated three former UFC champions in a nine-month span. He has finished each of his last seven wins in what has historically been MMA's most competitive division. But there are still challenges waiting ahead of him. The two biggest threats? No. 1 contender Rashad Evans, who will risk his position to face Phil Davis in January, and sledgehammer-fisted Dan Henderson, who is fresh off his instant classic win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. After fighting four times in 2011, Jones has a well-deserved vacation coming to him. In the post-fight press conference, he said he would like to take 4-5 months off. But when he comes back, he'll likely have one of those two lined up to face him. More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | UFC 140 Post-Fight Press Conference Video From a business perspective, the Evans-Jones fight makes more sense as a gate attraction. The two have a built-in rivalry based on their time together as teammates at the Greg Jackson camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico and eventual split after Jones acknowledged that he would fight Evans if the UFC requested it. Since then, there's been plenty of trash talk between them, and as Jones' star grows, the possibility of a serious grudge match could sell big. After all, Evans rivalry with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did over 1 million pay-per-view buys, so why not one with Jones? From a style matchup, it is intriguing. Jones has yet to face an opponent who offers seamless transitions from striking to wrestling, yet that's exactly what Evans brings to the table. While the Lyoto Machida matchup puzzle is mostly based on timing, feints and distance, Evans is a legitimate threat with power striking, takedowns and work against the cage, offering a triple threat to contemplate. But some of the same old, same old would apply. Namely, Evans would be at a massive disadvantage in reach and height, giving up 9.5 inches in the former and 5 inches in the latter, so his challenge like many would be to find a way to get into striking range without taking damage on the way in. That might be a bit tricky for Evans, who often likes to sit back and let his opponent come to him. That particular approach is never going to be the best one against Jones, who is long enough to hit you as you're simply trying to gauge distance. Machida, for instance, had his best moments when he was aggressive and flurried while coming forward. When he sat back and countered, Jones fired off kicks to keep him on the defensive. The fight-ending sequence in fact began when Machida patiently waited with his back near the fence, waiting for Jones to fire. When he did, Machida's counter left hand was quite literally beaten to the punch by Jones' own left by virtue of his reach. The strike dropped Machida and led to the fight-ending guillotine choke. Because Evans and Jones trained together for a time, they each have an insight into the other. But I would argue that it benefits Jones. Let's face it, Evans was much further along in his career at the time and a more fully formed fighter, while Jones was still in the neophyte stages of the game. Which one do you think is more different now? If your answer is Jones, Evans' memories from their time together are mostly useless. The interesting thing about Evans is that he doesn't do any one thing exceptionally. He's very good at several things, and melds them all together well in a way that makes him hard to prepare for, and harder to beat. That's what he'd bring to the table against Jones. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-141546% The other option is Henderson, the 41-year-old Californian who some consider the greatest American mixed martial artist in history. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson has smashed his way through other studs in the past, and his massive right hand can end anyone's night. Because of that, he might pose the biggest one-punch knockout threat of anyone Jones has ever. While Jones' chin was once thought to be a question mark, after having gone through Rua, Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, it's safe to assume it's just fine. Like Evans, Henderson would have to navigate some serious distance to land his punches, as his 74-inch reach puts him at a full 10.5 inches less than Jones. Stylistically though, a Henderson fight for Jones would be quite similar to his recent fight over Jackson. Henderson certainly has a much more decorated wrestling pedigree than Jackson, but in terms of functional MMA, Jackson is better statistically. According to FightMetric, Henderson successfully defends 58 percent of takedowns against him while Jackson defends 80 percent. Striking-wise, both Henderson and Jackson are both reliant on their boxing first and foremost, trusting their hands to power them to victory. Obviously, most of the time it works out fine for them. Just because Jackson lost to Jones doesn't mean Henderson will, but the style and approach would not seem unfamiliar to him, and that's an edge in his favor. Both men have legitimate routes to victory. Evans would need to keep Jones off-balance by changing his attacks minute by minute. Jones showed in the Machida fight that he can adjust if you continue the same attack, so variability is a key. And Henderson offers a pure power threat that is probably unmatched right now at 205. When you look objectively though, Jones' overall package will continue to make him a favorite to win going forward. He has length and uses it smartly. He is generous with his kicks, keeping his opponent at bay. He switches stances. He throws unorthodox strikes. He is insanely strong in the clinch and has powered every one of his opponents down from the position. He is murder on the ground, particularly with his elbows. He is analytical, processing information and adjusting on the fly. And finally, he has a killer instinct that can not be taught. Whether it's Evans or Henderson next -- or even Davis, who could crash the party by upsetting Evans -- Jones' next challenger will have his work cut out for him. And if the champion wins and defends the belt again, he will continue what is probably the best start to an MMA career we've ever seen. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: jone, jackson, henderson, evan, machida

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Will Michael Bisping get a title-shot in 2012? Is Jon Jones going to finish Lyoto Machida? Which Nogueira brother has a better chance of winning this weekend at UFC 140? How should the UFC handle Dan Henderson? Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Welcome to Grappling with Issues, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from myself and resident workhorse Jeremy Lambert whose general contributions and “Scorecard” event-breakdowns can be regularly found on Five Ounces. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t hesitate to offer your own take on the topics in the “Comments” section below. True/False – Michael Bisping will fight for a UFC title in 2012. Lambert: False. Not unless Dana White listens to BJ Penn and adopts regional champions. Then I’m sure Bisping will fight for the “UFC England” title since he is the company’s biggest overseas star. First, he has to beat Demian Maia, which I’m not 100% sure he’ll be able to do. If he’s able to do that, he’ll still be behind the winner of Chael Sonnen vs. Mark Munoz, which means he’ll either have to fight again in mid-2012 or sit on the shelf for most of the year. My guess is that he’ll choose to fight again since he didn’t look so good after sitting on the shelf most of 2011. So if he fights again, chances are he’ll fight the winner of Vitor Belfort and Anthony Johnson, and I’d favor both of those guys over Bisping. Fact is, Bisping will have to win two more fights against two top middleweights in 2012 before he thinks about challenging for the title and I’m not sure he can do that. That’s also assuming that he and the champion stay healthy to possibly meet at the end of the year. Conlan: True. All Bisping needs to do is beat Maia who he should have no problem with unless he forgets who he’s fighting and decides to dive into the crafty Brazilian’s guard. Maia is smaller, has vastly inferior stand-up, and isn’t much of a wrestler. He’s just terrific on the ground. He just won’t be able to get/keep things there in the same way Jason Miller wasn’t. If Bisping takes Maia out I absolutely think he’ll sit and wait for a title-bout even if it means twiddling his thumbs for nine months. A victory over Maia would be his fifth straight with all of the wins coming against respectable competition, so he’d definitely have earned one in comparison to his peers, and he’s worked too hard for too long to risk fighting for the belt unless forced to. As I think the UFC recognizes the marketability of matching him up against Anderson Silva, or Sonnen if he beats “The Spider,” they will push to make it happen if possible rather than jeopardize the potential pairing. And no, I didn’t list Munoz in the equation because Dana White recently backed off the notion of him getting a shot at Silva’s strap even with a win over Sonnen (which is unlikely in my opinion but certainly possible). What should the UFC do with Dan Henderson now that Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis has been named as a #1 contender’s fight? Lambert: Give him as much time off as possible. After his war with “Shogun” Rua, Henderson has earned some time off to heal up. That said, I’m not buying that Davis will be the #1 contender if he beats Evans. I know UFC is saying that the winner of the fight will get a title shot, but Dana said the same thing prior to Henderson vs. Rua and now look where we are. If Evans wins, I’m sure he’ll get a title shot, but if Davis wins, do you really think they’ll give him a title shot over Henderson? I’m skeptical. If Evans wins though, Henderson should sit on the sidelines, maybe work on some new things, and most importantly study all the new footage he’ll have of his upcoming opponent. Conlan: Giving him a nice vacation certainly couldn’t hurt. Fighting three times in 2011, Henderson was as busy as any of his peers who have a decade less wear-and-tear to contend with. Letting him rest for six months might not be a bad thing at all, at least if Evans beats Davis since I agree “Mr. Wonderful” isn’t guaranteed a title-shot anymore than Munoz is (and perhaps less so with Henderson waiting in the wings). Not including this weekend, how many more times with Tito Ortiz fight before he retires? Lambert: Once. Since I think he’ll lose this weekend, I think he’ll only have one more fight left in him and that will probably come against Forrest Griffin in the rubber match. I wouldn’t pick him to win that bout either, so with one win in his last nine bouts, I’m not sure why he’d stick around. I think win or lose against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, he’ll fight Griffin next and that bout will really determine his future. While I still think a loss puts an end to his career, if he wins, then everything swings the other way because it would be three wins in four bouts, which, believe it or not, would put him right in the mix for a title shot. Conlan: Also once and he’s said as much himself with there only being a single scrap left on his contract. I’m glad Jeremy pointed out the likelihood that Ortiz might reconsider too if he beats Nogueira this weekend and Griffin (or Rich Franklin) in his next bout. I don’t see him as a “retire on top” guy so much as one who would extend his career by a bout or two if he was really within arms’ reach of the divisional title. However, if he stumbles at UFC 140 he’ll definitely call it quits win/lose in his next appearance. Which Nogueira has a better chance of winning this weekend: Rodrigo or Rogerio? Conlan: I’ll go with the Rogerio Nogueira or as we call him in the South, “Lil Nog”. Tito Ortiz’s only claim to fame over the past few years has to do with catching Ryan Bader, then submitting him. Other than that he’s lost with consistency. If Matt Hamill can beat him soundly so can Nogueira, while “Minotauro” faces Frank Mir who has looked far better than “The People’s Champ” (shudders) as of late. Lambert: MINUS TWO to Bren for actually calling Ortiz by that nickname. I do agree with him that “Lil Nog” has the better chance though. I’m actually picking both Nogueira brothers to win, but I feel far more confident about Rogerio defeating Tito than I do about Rodrigo defeating Mir for various reasons. Tito’s only real shot at winning is to get takedowns with consistency and damage Nogueira on the ground. If he gasses (likely) or fails on those takedowns (also likely) then he’ll be stuck striking with a much better boxer. At least Mir is a competent striker who can hang with “Big Nog” on the feet, has the power to finish him, or can win a decision if he takes the first two rounds and then gasses in the third, which I kind of expect him to do. Will Jon Jones finish Lyoto Machida at UFC 140? Conlan: Yes. Machida works primarily from the outside where Jones thrives. I absolutely see “Bones” catching him with enough shots to drop him to the mat or at least take him down, then pound him out from above. Machida was finished by Mauricio Rua so it’s clearly an achievable feat. Lambert: If it happens, I think it’ll happen late. Machida is a very patient fighter. The one time he did turn up the aggression was against “Shogun” in the second fight and we all saw how that turned out. So I doubt he’ll make that mistake again, even though being aggressive is probably his best option against Jones. Anyway, I don’t think Jones will finish Machida. I see this being a slow, mental fight, where both guys take their time as neither man will want to make a mistake. Jones will stay on the outside, at his range, but he’ll be weary of Machida’s speed and timing on the counters, which will make him pick his shots a bit more than he did against past opponents. I think the fight will be pretty underwhelming if you’re looking for an action packed fight, but a great human chess match if you’re into those things. Are you more likely to watch Bellator or TUF 15 on Friday’s in 2012? Conlan: I’m going to watch both because I’m fairly certain the shows won’t conflict with each other. There’s no reason Bellator can’t run their events from 8:00-10:00 PM EST with TUF 15 showing from 10:00-11:00 PM EST as it normally does. However, if forced to choose I’d probably go with Bellator and tape TUF 15 since you’re talking about a full card with respectable talent facing off in comparison to a single bout with up-and-coming guys surrounded by “reality show” fixings. Lambert: For some reason I had the idea that they’d be running head to head, but Bren is right, Bellator should run 8-10 and TUF 15 should run 10-11. If Bellator is dumb enough to run their events from 9-11 then that’s a terrible mistake on their part. Anyway, I have two different answers so here goes: First, I’ll be watching both since I have two (now three) TVs up in my man cave. This answer was for you Samer Kadi. Second, I’ll be watching whichever one Bren tells me to cover for the site. Mr. Conlan is usually a fair man (except when he forces me to watch Natasha Wicks videos when all I want to do is listen to my Taylor Swift CD) so I’m sure he’ll give me the option of covering one over the other, but like a soldier, if he needs me to cover Bellator instead of TUF one night, I’ll be all over Bellator like I’m Darrelle Revis on Chad Ochocinco. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, nogueira, ’t, henderson

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Dan Henderson's epic display of tail pulling on TMZ sure has created some waves. His wingman Brad Penny has been in the gossip grinder non-stop since then because he was engaged to Dancing with the Stars dancer Karina Smirnoff. 'Was' being the key word there. As for Dan Henderson, he claimed he was just giving some friends a ride home. And even if that 'ride' was his penis and the 'home' was their gaping orifices, he's been single for nearly a year so butt out.

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, home, gossip grinder, orifices hes

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It appears that the light heavyweight number one contenders match between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis scheduled for the UFC on FOX 2 event in Chicago may only be a number one contender fight for one man. During the press conference for UFC 140 today, a fan closed it with a question, "Who will get the next shot at the light heavyweight title, the winner of Evans vs. Davis or Dan Henderson? White's response? "The FOX fight, in January will be Evans versus Davis and if Evans wins that fight, Evans will get the next shot at the title. If he doesn't, then, you know, we'll see. " We'll see, indeed. MMA is a very fickle business. What's there one day may not be there the next. Ask Jon Fitch and the two or three title shots he was supposed to earn in the last few years. With that simple two word statement, White has blown open the doors for Dan Henderson to potentially usurp the next title shot at 205 pounds. That is, if Evans were to lose to the upset-minded Phil Davis this upcoming January. "Hendo" has done more than enough to earn his shot as well. Dan Henderson is coming off perhaps one of the most impressive one year runs of all time. He destroyed Ranatu Sobral last December, won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title with a knockout of Rafael Cavalcante in March and then followed it up with a first round stoppage of legendary Fedor Emelianenko at heavyweight this past July. To top it off? Oh, he only went out and had what many consider to be the greatest fight in UFC history, earning a unanimous decision against Mauricio Rua just a few short weeks ago in the main event of UFC 139. At 41 years old, Henderson's age must be taken into consideration. There's not nearly as lengthy of a window for him to be a relevant title contender as Davis. If there ever was a time for him to earn his shot, it's now. Lastly, one must not forget that the UFC is a business which runs on a pay-per-view model. Unless Phil Davis knocks Rashad Evans out with a flying, spinning axe kick, he's not going to have the drawing power of Henderson, at least not yet. Of course, this speculation could all be for naught if Evans goes out and defeats Davis as expected. What say you, Maniacs? If Phil Davis upsets Rashad Evans in January, who would you rather see challenge for the belt? Speak up!

Posted in: title, henderson, shot, evan, davi

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Filed under: UFC, NewsWhile Dan Henderson wouldn't outright say UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been ducking certain opponents, Henderson believes Silva has directly influenced who his next opponents have been. "[Anderson Silva's camp has ] done a really good job at kind of manipulating who they fight, who they don't want to fight," Henderson said Monday on The MMA Hour. "He's conveniently injured quite a bit." Chael Sonnen, who began his career with Henderson even before the official formation of Team Quest, was announced Saturday to face Mark Munoz in a No. 1 contender bout at UFC on FOX 2 in January -- a fight made because Silva remains sidelined due to a shoulder injury. "[Silva] wants to ensure that he retires for the next how many fights he has without losing," Henderson said. "Anybody that has a chance of beating him he doesn't want to fight. That's just my take on it. Obviously, Chael has show he'd probably beat him up if they ever fought again as long as he doesn't get caught with something stupid at the end of the fight." Henderson, who vacated his Strikeforce light heavyweight belt to make the jump back to the UFC, returned to the UFC with the intention of staying in the light heavyweight division unless there's an opportunity to rematch Silva for the middleweight strap. In his UFC return last month, Henderson earned a decision over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139 in a fight talked about at times as a possible title eliminator. But that's not the case now that the UFC has decided to match up Rashad Evans and Phil Davis in a No. 1 contender bout at UFC on FOX 2 in February. Henderson isn't pleased with that news as he wants his next fight to be against the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida for the belt. "I should be given the next title shot regardless," Henderson said. With No. 1 contender bouts made in both light heavyweight and middleweight, it appears Henderson will have to fight at least a couple more times before he steps in the cage for a title shot. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, silva, henderson, fight henderson

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]

Posted in: henderson, shogun, mattyblayze, referee, mattyblayze link

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  There’s nothing left to be said about Dan Henderson that hasn’t already been remixed and free-styled by Mauro Ranallo in a Strikeforce broadcast.  The dude had an amazing year and currently sits in the #1 contender position for either the middleweight or light heavyweight championship (assuming an existing contender succumbs to injury and pulls out of their respective title fight).  Hendo was my nomination for Frate Trane of the year, and if he doesn’t win, I will knock over this neatly-folded pile of laundry on my sofa.  Eventually, I’ll pick it up and put it in the closet, but for at least a short while, my apartment will be covered in t-shirts and ankle socks if Hendo doesn’t win that category.   According to Bleacher Report, the more likely target is Anderson Silva, who’s presently out of action with an injury, but Dan Henderson questions the validity of that injury and reached deep into a mysterious bag of Chael Sonnen quotes to pull out this one while talking about Bisping vs. Mayhem. "Looked like one guy hadn't fought in a long time & the other guy cut too much weight. Kinda like the JV team. Not hating. Just not a great night for either guy--weren't there physically so they looked more like TUF cast than coaches. All the 'injuries' that keep Anderson from a rematch w/ me or Chael will heal real fast if they offer Bisping to him.” This year’s MiddleEasy awards probably should have a “Who said the gnarliest insults about Anderson Silva” category, but it’s hard to imagine anyone could top Chael Sonnen’s 2011 campaign.  2012 is only a few weeks away, and thankfully Dan Henderson looks like he wants to make a play for next year.  Pretty soon, everyone else will be questioning Anderson’s injuries after every interview, regardless of the subject matter.  It’s the future, along with me re-folding stacks of laundry and struggling to find the deeper meaning of Battlefield 3’s dramatic soundtrack. [source]

Posted in: henderson, anderson silva, dan henderson, injury, anderson

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Ben Henderson is awesome. He hits with brick-smashing hardness, he moves with catlike speed and agility, he chokes people as if he were a snake, and he was a two-time All-American in wrestling while completing a double major in college. I used to wonder how Benson Henderson could be so good at life, but it now turns out that this combination of superhuman traits makes sense because he is actually part model minority. Henderson has a Korean mother and an African-American father. The fact that Ben Henderson is from the same breeding stock as Tiger Woods and Hines Ward means that he was destined from birth to have, in the immortal words of Robin Williams, both black athleticism and Asian concentration. Rumor has it that he is also able to barbecue and fry a chicken at the same time, garnishing it with both rotten cabbage and watermelon. The UFC recently paraded Henderson around Asia to promote his upcoming fight in Japan, and he had a chance to snap the above photo when he met his Korean family for the first time. Henderson raved about the experience on Yahoo’s Cagewriter blog, but the question remains, will the Korean public (and, more saliently, the Japanese public) embrace him as one of their own? Not to Zach Arnold out, but the Japanese hate Koreans. However, they love African-Americans. In this case, the Japanese may come to love both Henderson’s Asianness and the stories we tell the Japanese about him living in a broken down school bus by the river. Some videos of Henderson being Asian are available here. (talkin' lots about moms here aren't we?)

Posted in: korean, japanese, henderson, asian, korean mother

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Prior to Dan Henderson's return to the UFC it seemed that many people forgot that Hendo had won his last three UFC bouts before heading to Strikeforce. The loss in his first Strikeforce bout against Jake Shields seemed to only serve to make more people want to write off Henderson as a top level fighter. Now riding a four fight win streak that includes names like Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio Rua, Henderson thinks it's time for him to get a UFC title shot, an he tells Sherdog he should get the next shot and is willing to use the old man ploy to get it: "It's unfortunate that Rashad got hurt, but you know, it's happened twice now," Henderson said. "He's had people step in. ... All I know is, if I have to, I'll pull out the age card and just say I should have seniority here. I'm getting older. Rashad's got a little more time than I do." ... "That's pretty much one of the last things I've got on my list for my career," Henderson said, "to get a UFC title and keep it for a little while." Henderson's speed and the way he telegraphs his biggest weapon (right hand) would likely make for a very long night against Jones, but somehow it doesn't matter who he fights, it seems that he always finds a way to land the big shot. We've not really seen Jones have to deal with getting blasted on the chin by a huge shot yet and that is one thing he may have to deal with against Hendo. Then again, he still has to get through Lyoto Machida Saturday night at UFC 140.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, shot, ufc title, age card

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"It's unfortunate that Rashad got hurt, but you know, it's happened twice now. He's had people step in. ... All I know is, if I have to, I'll pull out the age card and just say I should have seniority here. I'm getting older. Rashad's got a little more time than I do. ... I think I'm a tough fight for anybody. If you're in a fight with me, you're definitely going to know you're in a fight. I don't know if really Jon Jones has felt that too much in his career. I definitely would test that out. I think style-wise I match up real well with him." -- Former Pride and Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson tells Sherdog.com he's running out of time to win a UFC title before he calls it a career and his seniority should get him a crack at Jon Jones before Rashad Evans, provided "Suga" defeats Phil Davis on Jan. 28, 2012, at UFC on Fox 2 and "Bones" gets past Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 this Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011). That and "Hendo" feels like he matches up "real well" with the 205-pound king. Jones may be lanky and move with the speed and agility of a cat but a well timed and even better placed overhand right "H-bomb" will put a stop to all that noise with the quickness. And that's what Henderson thinks he can do, if given the opportunity, of course. At 41-years-old and counting, if it's going to happen, it needs to happen soon. But will it? Is Jones vs. Henderson a sexier match-up than Jones vs. Evans? And will a certain "Dragon" throw a wrinkle in all this and take the title back to Brazil? Sort it out, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, jone, jon jones, henderson, youre

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video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player It doesn’t suck being Dan Henderson. TMZ and a legion of paparazzi caught Dan Henderson leaving a Hollywood night club last night with two girls in tow. People are thinking that one of the girls was for Detroit Tigers pitcher Brad Penny, who walked out alone moments before Hendo exited, but either way, it doesn’t suck being Dan Henderson.

Posted in: henderson, dan henderson, dan, girl, tow people

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After defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a thriller on Nov. 19 at UFC 139, Dan Henderson believes he deserves a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title.

Posted in: ufc, jon jones, henderson, shot, henderson i

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Move over Chael Sonnen, your old buddy Dan Henderson is taking over in the Slam-Silva campaign. The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, who made a successful return to the Octagon in his bloody war against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 earlier this month, has also been pining for a middleweight rematch against Anderson Silva. One he felt he deserved after stiffening Michael Bisping at UFC 100 all the way back in 2009. While the win over "Shogun" has likely put him in line to face the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, he couldn't get another crack at "The Spider" even if he wanted to. Silva has shipped himself back to Brazil for the next six months to rehab an injured shoulder. One that would heal "real fast" if the UFC came calling with a title defense against Bisping, who "looked more like a TUF contestant than a TUF coach" in his Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 Finale headliner opposite Jason Miller. Henderson Tweets: "Looked like one guy hadn't fought in a long time & the other guy cut too much weight. Kinda like the JV team. Not hating. Just not a great night for either guy--weren't there physically so they looked more like TUF cast than coaches. All the 'injuries' that keep Anderson from a rematch w/ me or Chael will heal real fast if they offer Bisping to him." Henderson and Silva first met at UFC 82 in March 2008, with "The Spider" roaring back after losing the first round to hurt and then submit the Olympic-level Greco Roman wrestler with just seconds left in round two. It's been more than three years since that showdown, but it still apparently leaves a sour taste in Henderson's mouth, especially since he's had to sit and watch Silva rack up eight more wins and lay claim to the best fighter, perhaps ever, in mixed martial arts. And it doesn't help that Silva's manager has already gone on record about what a "good opportunity" it would be to have Bisping get a crack at the crown. Anyone taking Henderson's side in this matter? Or does Silva have the right to do whatever he wants, considering he's already submitted both Hendo and Sonnen? What say you?

Posted in: ufc, silva, henderson, tuf, bisping

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At 41 years old, the UFC's Dan Henderson has had a wild ride in mixed martial arts. While it appeared that the period of his career in 2007 when he won the PRIDE middleweight title to compliment the welterweight belt he already held would be the highlight of his career, he now rides a four fight win streak that may top that run. During that run he won a title eliminator in Strikeforce, beat Rafael Cavalcante to win the belt, moved up to heavyweight to stop MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko on strikes in the first round and then made a trip back to light heavyweight in the UFC where he won a narrow decision over Mauricio Rua in arguably the best fight in the sport's history. Dan is now looking for a title shot at either 205 or 185 pounds. Middleweight would mean a rematch with Anderson Silva, something that Henderson seems very interested in. With Michael Bisping winning at The Ultimate Fighter Finale 14, some feel that the UFC would love to give Bisping a title shot and that may mean closing the door on Henderson's chance. So when a fan asked Dan what he thought about a potential Silva vs. Bisping fight, here's what he had to say: danhendoDan Henderson RT @AverageJoeArt: @danhendo what did you think of last night's main event? Looked like one guy (cont) http://t.co/opduR8TR Dec 04FavoriteRetweetReply Nik_juniorNik Powers @danhendo do you agree with all these crazies claiming Bisping deserves the next shot?? Dec 04FavoriteRetweetReply in reply to @Nik_junior↑ @danhendoDan Henderson@Nik_junior All the "injuries" that keep Anderson from a rematch w/ me or Chael will heal real fast if they offer Bisping to him.Dec 04 via SeesmicFavoriteRetweetReply Not exactly subtle in his accusations here, but then again Henderson has never been one for subtlety. SBN coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale

Posted in: title shot, title, henderson, dan, bisping

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Multi-time Mixed Martial Arts Champion Dan "Hendo" Henderson shared his perspective on the current situation around the #1 Contender spot in the UFC Middleweight division. According to Henderson, Anderson Silva's shoulder injury will heal immediately if he's offered to fight Michael "The Count" Bisping in his next title defense. Henderson stated that Silva's injuries are used as an excuse to avoid the rematch against him or his Team Quest ally Chael Sonnen": Dan Henderson also gave his 2 cents about the

Posted in: henderson, injury, count bisping, fight michael, hendo anderson

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A couple days ago I reported that Benson Henderson spent time in Korea while in Asia for the UFC's press conference to formally announce UFC 144 in Tokyo, Japan. During his time in Korea he trained with Chan Sung Jung and Korean Top team and did media appearances. The big news was that he also got a chance to spend time with his mother's side of the family in Korea. It was Ben's first time meeting them and I reached out to find out what the experience was like for him. "It was an incredible experience meeting them, and it was even more special to be able to be there when my mother saw them again too. It was definitely planned, as I always had planned to go to Korea," said Benson Henderson. "I just thought it would happen when I was done fighting. You feel a little more complete as a person when you do something like that." Benson has been afforded many opportunities because of his success in MMA. While winning the WEC belt may be what fans see as the most memorable moment, he sees meeting his family for the first time as the best MMA related moment. Meeting them with his mother just adds to that. After the trip to Korea, Henderson flew to Japan for the UFC 144 press conference. There have been a lot of concerns from fans and media that the current state of MMA in Japan as wells as the unfamiliarity with the UFC product may lead to an unsuccessful return to the Land of the Rising Sun. Benson gave me his perspective on the reception the UFC received at the press conference. "The response was great. I believe the fans knew who all of us were. They are great MMA fans and very passionate about the sport. There's a lot of knowledge there, so it was fun to talk to a lot of the people in Japan." While there are still worries about the current booking of the Japanese event, the fact that the fighters were well received is a good sign that the UFC may find some success in the market. Joe Silva is opting to go the non-freak show route and booking the fights as competitive match ups instead of one sided affairs. The lightweight title fight between Benson and Frankie Edgar may actually be the best fight for the Japanese audience who have been far more accepting of the lighter weight fighters. Henderson vs. Edgar promises to be a Fight of the Year candidate.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, fan, korea, benson

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Forget about the H-bomb, Dan Henderson is dropping the H-word. The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion is pondering the long-term effects of his epic, five-round war of attrition against fellow MMA elder statesman Mauricio Rua, which took place at UFC 139 back on Nov. 19, 2011, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. "Shogun" was bloodied, battered and bruised, but never out of the fight, as evidenced by his gritty comeback in rounds four and five to nearly finish "Hendo" before throwing himself on the mercy of the judges. When the smoke cleared, Henderson squeaked by with a unanimous decision win. "Henderson vs. Shogun" earned "Fight of the Night" honors at the UFC 139 post-fight press conference... but at what cost? No one wants to play Buzz Killington, but it's also irresponsible to ignore a fighter who says he was dizzy, seeing stars and suffering from blood loss. And allowed to continue. Hear what Henderson said about the one question "better left to doctors" (via Sherdog.com): "It was a good one to watch, but I think the fans would have been talking quite a bit about it too if it ended after three rounds with him barely living through it. But yeah, I guess it made it more dramatic with him kind of coming back at the end of that fourth and fifth round. It could be good for the sport. I know there’s probably a lot more new fans that watched that fight that are hooked now. I think [the referee] could have stopped it and I don’t think anyone would have bitched. … Honestly I don’t know how good that was for [Shogun’s] head, to take that much beating and still take more after that. That’s more of a question for the doctors and the people that are doing the head scans on him. Maybe that took a toll on his chin and he won’t be able to do that again." Rua actually outlanded Henderson in total strikes by a margin of 191-113 and a staggering 161-73 to the head. But the bigger issue here is not volume, rather damage sustained. Is it better to take five rounds of Nick Diaz peppering you with a few hundred shots? Or go three rounds eating bombs from a guy like Paul Daley? Unlike boxing, we still don't have enough of a history to accurately determine the long-term consequences of punishment absorbed inside the cage, but one thing is for certain: Adding another two rounds to all main events certainly increases the likelihood of a negative outcome. Thoughts?

Posted in: fight, round, henderson, head, i donrsquot

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submitted by knees [link] [comment]

Posted in: henderson, shogun, knee, knees link, stamina

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Dan Henderson won a grueling five-round classic over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on Nov. 19 at UFC 139.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, shogun, mauricio, fiveround

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Posted in: ben, henderson, bjj, newuploader, comp

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Prior to attending this week's press conference for UFC in Japan, Ben Henderson was in Korea visiting a few family members and getting some work in at Korean Top Team with their residential zombie. Korea's MFight decided to video tape the entire ordeal, and now we have this nifty video to grace your orbital sockets. Just further proof that technology dominates any gift Prometheus could ever give humanity. Eventually, technology will replace religion and Ben Henderson will be giving a shout out to Tony Jimenez instead of Jesus Christ. If that scenario plays out, you could spend your Sunday mornings playing Xbox 360 and nibbling on hot pockets instead of going to church and munching on the body of Christ as represented by a flavorless cracker. To praise God would be the equivalent of obtaining every achievement award in a game. Now check out this video of Ben Henderson and The Korean Zombie sparring and be transfixed in awe. [Source]

Posted in: video, korean zombie, ben, henderson, ben henderson

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Dan Henderson's corner weighs in on the epic five-round war between Hendo and Shogun, arguing that Henderson deserved a 10-8 round as much as Shogun.

Posted in: henderson, shogun, dan, fiveround, corner

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As 2011 began Ben Henderson was little more than a lightweight trying to secure his place on the Zuffa roster after losing his final fight in WEC before the organization was absorbed by the UFC. Now, eleven months filled with “Bendo” taking out top contenders and seeing other 155ers above him on the contendership ladder fall have led to February 26, 2012 where the 28-year old will face divisional champion Frankie Edgar in headlining action at UFC 144. The 15-2 Henderson’s meteoric rise from relative obscurity to legitimate title threat hasn’t been lost on Edgar who understands what type of challenge he’s in for rather than sees his scheduled opponent as being an inferior competitor who lucked his way into a go at gold. Edgar shined some light on his opinion of Henderson in a press conference related to UFC 144 where the 14-1-1 champ showed nothing but respect for his adversary. “He’s been on a tear since he came over from the WEC. He’s beat all the top contenders, so he’s more deserving of a title shot. He’s real exciting,” Edgar explained while alluding to Henderson’s wins over Jim Miller and Clay Guida, both of whom were in line for an opportunity to fight for the belt had they beaten Henderson. Based on those performances, as well as some intangibles, Edgar put it plainly as far as what he expects to see in the ring at UFC 144. “He’s young and hungry, so I know I‘ve got my hands full.” Lightweight Champion Edgar Excited to Fight in Japan Edgar vs. Henderson is only one of the many marvelous match-ups set for Japan with others including Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader, Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon, and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, ben henderson, edgar

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UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar’s next title defense will come at UFC 144. Edgar will meet former WEC Lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the main event of that fight card, which will take place in February 26, 2012 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Henderson has been on a tear since losing his WEC title to Anthony Pettis on December 16, 2010. Henderson has had three UFC fights since that loss with each win more impressive than the last. On his way to his shot against Edgar

Posted in: ufc, henderson, title defense, edgar, wec title

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today put the finishing touches on its upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) fight card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Sun., Feb. 26, 2012. UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring number one division contender Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, a welterweight clash between Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is on tap, as well as a light heavyweight tilt between Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader. That's not all. Check out the current UFC 144 fight card and line up: Main Event: 155 lbs.: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Main Card: (Pay-per-view): 205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader 170 lbs.: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields 155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis 185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami Preliminary card (May not be broadcast): 265 lbs.: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo155 lbs.: Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos 145 lbs.: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski 135 lbs.: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso 135 lbs.: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee 145 lbs.: Leonard Garcia vs. Zhang Tiequan 185 lbs.: Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell **Fight card and line up subject to change**   MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 144, beginning with the PPV telecast at 9 p.m. ET on Feb. 26. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night. We're still a few months away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions for "Edgar vs. Henderson" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event. To get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 144 check out our extensive event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, lb

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In the this mini-Judo Chop, Tom Grant breaks down for us the mechanics of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's fight-saving leglock sweep from the fight against Dan Henderson at UFC 139. Later this week, I will bring you a much larger Judo Chop that will take a look at Shogun's preferred ground game tactics and how various opponents have fared and gameplanned against them. For now, the spotlight is on the third round, just after Henderson has badly staggered Rua and knocked him to the ground. Hendo is hunting for an exclamation point on a surprising finish and pauses to find the right angles to deliver the decisive punches. Rua takes advantage of the half-guard position he loves to apply a threatening inverted heelhook that buys him time to recover from the powerful punches he is still woozy from. To successfully achieve a heel hook, torque is applied through the twisting of the foot and ankle joint in such a manner that the torque is transferred to the knee, which is twisted itself. This type of leglock is considered to be very serious, due to the multiple joints under threat of injury and the tendency for grapplers to not feel pain or significant pressure in their knees before something critical tears or gives way. An inverted heel hook relies on a slightly different setup to apply the same principles of torque and threaten damage to feet and knees.  Mixed martial arts devotee may remember fighters like Masakazu Imanari and Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares as having particularly vicious heel hook submission victories, yet some may forget that other fighters like Shogun Rua have been successfully using the submission to sweep or to buy time. Shogun in particular loves using this submission to create space to get up from the ground and apply his brand of Muay Thai. Join us after the jump for Tom's breakdown of Shogun's fight-saving leglock. Tom starts off with a paragraph on the general background of leglocks and moves right into Rua's application of the heel hook.  Leglocks are bit of wild card in MMA. Most fighters have basic knowledge of leg attacks, but few make it a major part of their game. Part of it is a positional concern, as dropping back for leglocks can be a sacrifice of position and another part of it is safety, as an inch too much extension on a kneebar can force one's training partner to walk with crutches for a few months. Despite this, there are a few grapplers in MMA that make leglocks a central part of their game, and the ability to attack the legs effectively can be the equivalent of KO power on the feet. While a simple Fight Finder search will not yield this result, Maurico "Shogun" Rua has made excellent use of leglocks during his career and he showed a flash of it in his epic match with Dan Henderson. In the third round, Rua was hurt badly and huddled in half guard for pure survival. As Henderson rained down blows, Rua slowly crept into the deep half guard, in which Rua uses his legs to control one leg and hooks Henderson's free leg with his arm, yielding him control of both of Henderson's legs. This is an excellent sweeping position, and with a few hip bridges, Rua forces Henderson to use both his hands to base out on the canvas to prevent from being rolled over, which leaves Rua space to recover and to maneuver. via cdn1.sbnation.com Rua detects this space and puts his hand in Henderson's armpit to create even more space, while rolling on his back to create momentum. Rua then swings his right leg over Henderson's left hip to isolate the left leg and then hooks Henderson's right knee with his left leg to prevent Henderson from spinning out of the heelhook and potentially resume punching Rua. Henderson's leg is across Rua's body and Rua traps the foot under his ribcage and beings to pull up on the heel to threaten a classic reverse heelhook. The lock is meant to turn the foot backwards on the leg and damage the knee joint, but ideally the foot should be up in the armpit and the leg extended more. The placement of the foot gives Henderson the critical time to work his leglock defenses, step over Rua's left leg and spin to remove his leg from danger. While the submission attack failed, the threat of the leglock did stop Henderson's powerful ground and pound and prevented Shogun from taking more damage, which likely would have seen the referee jumping in to stop the match. Questions? Comments? Fire away below and thank Tom Grant for another great brace of mini-Judo Chops. As a bonus, see and listen to Rener and Ralek Gracie explain heel hooks in an all-meat no-filler Gracie Breakdown from 2009:

Posted in: henderson, leglock, shogun, rua, leg

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Filed under: UFCThe entire UFC 144 fight card has been announced for the promotion's return to Japan on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. In the main event, lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will defend his belt against former WEC champ Ben Henderson. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who last fought in Japan exactly six years removed from UFC 144, returns to the Land of the Rising Sun to face TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader. Out of the 12 bouts scheduled for the card, seven of the competitors are Japanese. Check out the complete UFC 144 fight card below. UFC 144 will air live in North America on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET. Pay-Per-View Bouts Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Preliminary Bouts Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Leonard Garcia vs. Tiequan Zhang Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, card

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[div class="notice" class2="icon"]The following is from an article on FighterXFashion.com, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div] Add a piece of UFC history to your headwear collection with Dan Henderson’s official UFC 139 walkout hat. After watching Hendo and Shogun wage all-out war on each other for five straight rounds in a classic clash between two PRIDE legends, there’s no question Henderson’s walkout kit has become a hot commodity amongst fight fans. Now you can add the cap to match up with the rest of the pieces from the Dan Henderson UFC 139 clothing collection, with Hendo’s Monogram FlexFit hat. Check out the Hat...

Posted in: ufc, henderson, dan, walkout, hat

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"No, for me, it was not the greatest fight. It was a fight that displayed a lot of determination and heart, but I believe on the technical points, especially at the end of the fight, the guys were too tired to be able to make a display of technique. But it was an interesting fight for a lot of the fans because ... it showed a lot of heart and courage. Clay Guida's fight with Benson Henderson was pretty good. That was a good fight. It was a display of courage, determination and technique, as well. So they had everything in one (fight). At the end of the fight, they were still able to deliver and the pace was high." Georges St. Pierre is not impressed with Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua's late round performances in their UFC 139 main event bout this past Nov. 19 in San Jose. Speaking with QMI Agency (via slam.canoe.ca), the welterweight champion does not share the same sentiments as UFC President Dana White, B.J. Penn, and countless fans and media around the globe. "Rush" says that while the fight was entertaining for fans, it fell short of his approval for greatest of all time due to the lack of technique and late round issues with cardio. Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson, meanwhile, delivered from the opening seconds to the final horn, leading St. Pierre to say it was the superior contest. Surprised to hear "GSP" preferred the lightweights over the light heavyweights? Agree or disagree with his stance? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, fight, technique, henderson, benson henderson

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Ben Henderson has his sights set on nothing but the UFC lightweight title right now, as “Smooth” will face off with 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar in February at UFC 144. However, Henderson knows that the lightweight division is not a permanent fixture for him, especially considering the rough weight-cuts that he puts his body through before each fight. For Henderson, welterweight looks like a good fit – just not in the immediate future. “I want 155 to be synonymous with myself. I want to be synonymous with the 155-pound weight class, but that being said, the older you are the harder it is to cut weight,” said Henderson during a recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “I’m getting a little bit older now and cutting weights sucks.” Henderson, who is just 28 years old, brought up Dan Henderson, a former wrestler much like himself. “Hendo” has bounced around from middleweight to light heavyweight for much of his career, but has spoken many times about preferring to stay at 205 pounds, which is a weight he walks around at. “There are a few guys who’ve said things pretty similar as far as cutting weight when you get older, how hard it is. Dan is a perfect example,” Henderson said. “He’s wrestled forever. I wrestled and cut weight six months, seven months out of the year since I was 12 years old. It’s kind of getting old. I don’t like to so much anymore.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: henderson, year, weight, ’s wrestled, i wrestled

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Ben Henderson will challenge Frankie Edgar for his lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 144 on Feb. 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. If he wins, the plan is to defend the belt for as long as possible, of course. But either way, "Bendo" has bigger plans for his future. The "Smooth" one wants to fight at welterweight ... eventually. You knew it would happen sooner or later. After all, Henderson usually disrobes before he even tries to weigh in for the first time. That's how difficult it is for him to hit the 155-pound weight limit and as he gets older, it's only going to get harder. Which is why he hopes his speed and technique can give him an edge in a division he doesn't have to cut weight for (via MMA Weekly): "It is hard on the body. People don't realize how much of a factor it is. Thankfully, I hired a nutritionist, Travis Jeffries, full time and been a little bit smarter about it. As I get older, I eat healthier, try to eat the right things, make all these little sacrifices that it takes to be a champion. Hopefully, eventually my technique catches up where I can hang with guys that are freaking 20 pounds heavier than me, and use more of my speed when they're bigger and slower, and my technique makes up for them being stronger than me." When discussing a move up to welterweight, Henderson references another UFC fighter with his namesake, Dan Henderson, who has made it clear he can fight at both middleweight and light heavyweight but prefers the 205-pound division. Because, again, cutting weight sucks. "Hendo" is a veritable title challenger in both divisions, though, as opposed to "Bendo," who has never actually competed at 170-pounds. And first-timers like him will quickly learn, the pool is deep and filled with sharks. Anyone think Henderson could make a run at welterweight?

Posted in: pound, technique, welterweight, henderson, way bendo

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Welcome to this week’s edition of MMAterial Facts, where we feature articles from around the MMA community. *** This week’s MMAterial Facts: Courtesy of Bellator Fighting Championships (Fight of the Year Candidate) - Fowlkes: The Indestructible Daniel Cormier (MMA Fighting) “The first kid begins to cry less than an hour into practice. Everyone can see it coming. That trembling lower lip, that frustrated stomp of the feet. When the tears finally start, twisting his face into a little ball of anguish, no one seems particularly surprised. … “No crying today,” says his coach, Daniel Cormier. Is there even a hint of sympathy in his voice? There is not. Neither is there anger nor impatience. There is only a sense that this is what we are doing because this is what must be done, and crying never won a single wrestling match.” - When Fedor met Satoshi Ishii on NYE; card will not air on broadcast TV (Fight Opinion) “The scuttlebutt coming out of Fedor’s decision win over Jeff Monson in Russia is that he will fight on the Inoki NYE card at Saitama Super Arena against Inoki-managed/owned-in-Japan fighter Satoshi Ishii. On paper, the fight makes sense for both parties. Fedor sees it as a chance to get a win, as ugly as it may be, over a relatively green fighter and an easy payday plus TV rights in Russia. Inoki’s camp views it as a chance to get Fedor back in Japan (where he’s the most valued, still) and that Ishii can somehow make the match ugly enough to get a decision win as long as Fedor doesn’t tag him early and knock his ass out.” - Redeeming Filipino: Phillipe Nover Bellator 59 exclusive interview (MMA Mania) “I’m not the next Anderson Silva, I’m not the next Georges St. Pierre. I have my own type of style and I like to take things from different people. I like to take different movements and styles and stuff but I’m not trying to be the next Georges. I’m not trying to be the next Anderson, I’m the next Phillipe Nover and that’s what I’m gonna live up to.” - Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Booked For UFC 144 In Japan (MMA Convert) “So it looks like Rampage Jackson is going to fight in Japan after all. … But it won’t be against Shogun Rua or even Stephan Bonnar. Instead, Rampage will take on Ryan Bader at UFC 144. Lorenzo Fertitta confirmed the news with ESPN.com.” - Jens Pulver’s 2011 Videogame Holiday Buyer’s Guide (MiddleEasy) “The holiday season is upon us and with the jingling bells, festive lights and awkward family gatherings a veritable avalanche of amazing games are at our gamepad worn fingertips. With many choices comes great responsibility, so what games will you spend your hard earned holiday windfalls of cash on? We recruited Jens Pulver to help you answer this very question. After hours of contemplation and debate, Jens and MiddleEasy compiled the following items that should be at the top of every gamers list and at the bottom of every tree. This is Jens Pulver’s Holiday Buying Guide-Only at MiddleEasy.com.” - Dana White: The UFC Is Going On With Or Without Me (FightLine) “This is McDonald’s man. This thing goes on forever without me,” White asserted. “Is it different without me? Yeah, maybe it’s a little different, but they don’t need me, man. This thing’s goin’ on without me or with me.” - MMA Black Friday: 7 Things That Money Can’t Buy (Cage Potato) “From revolutionizing the MMA landscape with a kick the way the Miami Dolphins did with a Wildcat Offense a few years ago to several strangely fascinating videos, Anderson Silva has provided more entertainment than a Chael Sonnen Says F*ck Canada or at Least This Reporter Who Lives There” Chael Sonnen interview. These are memories that will last a lifetime, or three if you’re Cheick Kongo.” - Grappling with Issues – 11/25/11 (Five Ounces of Pain) “I’m torn. On one hand, Rua vs. Henderson was unquestionably excellent – a “Fight of the Decade” type affair. On the other, it would be nearly impossible to top from an entertainment standpoint. To expect a repeat performance would akin to telling Leonardo Da Vinci to paint another Mona Lisa rather than enjoying the masterpiece he’d already put on canvas. Like Lambert I suppose I’ll say I’m open to the idea if divisional contendership dictates it but otherwise I’m content with having seen one of the greatest fights in MMA history, letting each man move on to new challenges (especially with Henderson likely only having a few more years in the sport).” - Dan Henderson Doing His Part for Thanksgiving and Christmas (5thRound) “Thanks to Dan Henderson and the generous fans that purchased the ‘Hendo UFC 139 Walkout Tee’ he wore this past Saturday in his epic battle against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, almost 8,000 people at the San Diego Rescue Mission and the Denver Rescue Mission will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with their loved ones. “ - Vadim Finkelstein: We will offer the UFC a fight between Velasquez and Fedor (LowKick) “We are determined to move forward, and would like to offer the UFC a fight between Cain Velasquez and Fedor Emelianenko. M-1 Global would take a full responsibility of organizing the fight sometime during 2012 in Moscow, Russia. I can guarantee Dana White great revenue from this fight, and a record-breaking attendance. M-1 Global is ready for dialogue, and would be happy to consider an option of organizing such tournament with combined efforts. I will make an offer to “my best friend” pretty soon, so we’ll see what he has to say.” - Michael Chandler discusses epic win over Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58 (TheFightNerd) “Fight Nerd correspondent Rodolfo Roman got to speak with newly crowned Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler after his four round war with Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58 last Saturday. Chandler discusses winning his first national belt, preparing for Alvarez, and his future as champion. The fight had obviously taken a heavy toll on Chandler as, during the interview, one of his facial wounds reopened.” - Where Does Dan Henderson Fall on the List of All-Time MMA Greats? (BleacherReport.com/MMA) “There is no one to be ashamed about on that list. He also holds victories over Misaki and Wanderlei Silva. That means of his eight losses, there are only five fighters he hasn’t redeemed himself against. … Henderson is currently on a four-fight win streak, including winning Strikeforce’s light heavyweight championship and stopping Fedor Emelianenko. Now Henderson’s future is up in the air. “ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/935972-dana-white-ufc-on-fox-is-a-dream-come-true

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, henderson, fedor

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Top UFC lightweight contender Benson Henderson has a lot of goals he still wants to achieve in the 155-pound division, but he won't be there forever.

Posted in: henderson, division, contender, goal, benson

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Who should Wanderlei Silva scrap with in his next bout? Does Urijah Faber have a better chance against Dominick Cruz in their third go-round than he did last time? Do you want to see Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson Part Deux? How well would Michael Chandler do if he was part of the UFC roster? Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Welcome to Grappling with Issues, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from myself and resident workhorse Jeremy Lambert whose general contributions and “Scorecard” event-breakdowns can be regularly found on Five Ounces. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t hesitate to offer your own take on the topics in the “Comments” section below. Are you hoping to eventually see a rematch between Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson or would you prefer to not risk tainting their excellent encounter at UFC 139? Lambert: I wouldn’t mind a rematch as long as it makes sense. Right now, it seems that Henderson is going to get a title-fight in his next bout, so an immediate rematch is out the window. But, if Henderson loses in that match-up and wins his next bout, plus Rua rattles off a win or two, or if Henderson captures the title and Rua earns a title shot, I’m not against it or anything. I just don’t want to see them do a rematch for the sake of doing a rematch though, something I don’t think will happen since there are plenty of fights at 205 for each man. All of that said, I don’t think we’ll see these two clashes in the Octagon again. Conlan: I’m torn. On one hand, Rua vs. Henderson was unquestionably excellent – a “Fight of the Decade” type affair. On the other, it would be nearly impossible to top from an entertainment standpoint. To expect a repeat performance would akin to telling Leonardo Da Vinci to paint another Mona Lisa rather than enjoying the masterpiece he’d already put on canvas. Like Lambert I suppose I’ll say I’m open to the idea if divisional contendership dictates it but otherwise I’m content with having seen one of the greatest fights in MMA history, letting each man move on to new challenges (especially with Henderson likely only having a few more years in the sport). Who would you put Wanderlei Silva against in his next fight? Lambert: I talked about this with Samer on the podcast and my feeling is that Wanderlei is more or less a money weight right now. He won’t be fighting for the title any time soon so UFC is just best off giving him fights against top name guys in order to draw some money. So going by that, I really want to see Silva vs. Forrest Griffin. Both guys are fan-favorites, they put on good fights, and it’s a bout that could go either way. It’s a fight, much like Shogun vs. “Hendo”, that fans probably aren’t thinking about but when announced it would definitely create a buzz. Conlan: For the record I have zero interest in seeing Silva vs. Griffin, a guy who outweighs Silva by at least thirty pounds on any given day. I’m also not sure how Jeremy can view “The Axe Murderer as a “money-weight” when he’s shown no interest in returning to 205 pounds where he was always undersized to begin with. Moving on, I think a logical opponent would be the winner of Anthony Johnson vs. Vitor Belfort. Silva/Belfort have spoken before about re-visiting their 1998 meeting where “The Phenom” laid Wanderlei out in less than a minute, plus stylistically it would be something earning fans’ attention. Silva/Johnson would give “Rumble” a second opponent with the potential to further establish him as a middleweight, as well as a flawed adversary “Wand” could potentially take out. I’d also love to see the UFC rip Robbie Lawler out of Strikeforce limbo as they’ve did with Cung Le and put him in the Octagon against Silva. Talk about a buzz-inducing bout! Name something relating to MMA in 2011 that you are thankful for… Lambert: I feel like I should be creamed-corny here and say something like, “All the great fighters and fights they put on” or “Bren, podcast-partner Samer Kadi, and the 5OZ readers for being awesome” or even “Brittney Palmer and Jade Bryce” but I’m going to avoid going in that direction. I’m thankful for my DVR and the internet. There has been more MMA than ever in 2011 thanks to the abundance of promotions/outlets, and without a DVR or the internet there’s no way I’d be able to watch it all. I try to watch damn near every single MMA event that I can, even ones that aren’t really on the radar of many fans, and it’d be impossible if I didn’t have over 300 hours of space on my DVR or the internet to hunt down all the fights and events. Plus, thanks to my DVR and internet, I’m able to re-watch all the great fights over and over again. Conlan: Napoleon Dynamite’s brother approves of Jeremy’s affinity for technology. I, on the other hand, approve of the man himself. I definitely don’t say it enough but I’m absolutely thankful for Lambert’s contributions to 5 OZ. Without his hard work this site would not be half of what it is and that’s not hyperbole. Truly, his presence here has been crucial to our success over the past year and it should be noted. I’m thankful for countless other things combining MMA/2011 too such as the expansion of the UFC back into Brazil/Japan, the FOX deal, the numerous men/women who are not just Mixed Martial Artists but true role models, the people who have allowed me to write about something I love including you folks reading these lines, the passion of guys like Dana White, Bellator’s presence on the scene…honestly, the list could go on and on and on and…well, you get the point. What percentage would you give Urijah Faber to win his rubber match against Dominick Cruz? Conlan: 50%. I don’t think it’s physically possible for Cruz or Faber to improve much in the amount of time between their bout at UFC 132 and early 2012 when the bantamweight rivals face off for a third time. It’s not as though either is going to depart from their regular training home to add a new layer to their attack. They’ll enter the fight highly conditioned, quick, and ready to mix up strikes with grappling as was the case in July. Since that match-up could have gone either way I expect the same to be true with what will hopefully be the conclusion to a trilogy. Lambert: I’ll go with 55% just because I think Faber will win the third fight thanks in large part to how the second fight went and how Demetrious Johnson fared against Cruz. I’m not really sure Cruz can do many things different against Urijah than he did at UFC 132, while I know Faber can do a couple of things different against Dominick. I think we’ll see a much more aggressive “California Kid” in the rubber match and when he has Cruz hurt, he’ll be more likely to go in for the kill. How would Bellator lightweight champ Mike Chandler fare in the UFC? Conlan: Extremely well. He is young, powerful, comes from a great camp (Xtreme Couture), has been labeled as having a terrific attitude in the gym when it comes to learning/improving, and is an accomplished amateur wrestler with ever-improving stand-up. Beyond that, as evident in his incredible performance against Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58, Chandler has a tremendous amount of heart and enough gas to weather any storm. He reminds me of a stronger Frankie Edgar. Lambert: I say this all the time but I truly believe that if you took the 32 best lightweights in the world and held a March Madness style tournament, you’d get a different result every single time. That’s just how even and deep the pool at 155 is. So because of that, I’d have to say that Chandler would fare just as well as any other top lightweight. He’d win a good amount of fights and he’ll undoubtedly have a bad night or two and lose a couple of fights. And he won’t lose because the talent isn’t there, he’ll lose because every other lightweight is so talented that they’ll just have his number on that night. Will Fedor Emelianenko fight in the Octagon before he retires? Conlan: No. Emelianenko is burdened with M-1 Global’s requirement of cross-promotion and if the UFC wasn’t ready to give on that front when the iconic Russian was seemingly invincible they most certainly won’t now. Beyond that, M-1’s management have already left the bitter taste of week-old borscht in White’s mouth after their previous negotiations making it even more unlikely the divide between both sides will be bridged anytime soon. Lambert: I really want to say yes, but I have to go with no as well. I’d like to believe that Fedor’s management realize that he’s not the cash cow that he once was but he could still make a good amount of money as long as he’s in the UFC and that they’d relax their stance on “extras” in Fedor’s contract, but that thought was quickly shot down with M-1′s latest co-promotion attempt asking for a Fedor vs. Cain Velasquez fight. As long as M-1 continues to believe that co-promotion benefits them and the UFC – it doesn’t benefit the UFC at all – then they’ll want to co-promote. And as long as they want to co-promote then Dana won’t do business with them. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, lambert

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Filed under: UFC, Rankings, Light HeavyweightsOther than Jon Jones, no light heavyweight in mixed martial arts has been more impressive than Dan Henderson in the last 12 months. Henderson brutally knocked out Renato "Babalu" Sobral in December, won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title with a TKO over Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante in March, took another TKO victory over Fedor Emelianenko in July as a light heavyweight fighting against a heavyweight, and then beat Shogun Rua in an all-time classic at UFC 139. So where does that put Henderson? He's certainly in our light heavyweight Top 5, but it's still tough to justify Henderson going higher than fifth. Henderson did, after all, lose to Rampage Jackson, who lost to Rashad Evans, who lost to Lyoto Machida (who also lost to Rampage). The light heavyweight division has been so competitive for so long, with so many of the top fighters picking each other off, that after Jones, any of the next five guys could easily be put in any order. My order is below. Top 10 Light Heavyweights in MMA (Editor's note: The fighter's ranking the last time we did light heavyweights are in parentheses). 1. Jon Jones (1): The light heavyweight champion has easily separated himself from the pack, with two dominant wins over two other Top 10 light heavyweights, Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson. Jones will try to make it three dominant wins over three other Top 10 light heavyweights when he takes on Lyoto Machida on December 10 at UFC 140. 2. Rashad Evans (2): Evans is a tough one to rank because he's been so inactive of late: He's only fought three times in the last two and a half years. But he's been impressive in all three of those fights, beating Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson and Thiago Silva, and he has earned the light heavyweight title shot that he'll supposedly get whenever he and Jones are healthy and able to fight at the same time. 3. Lyoto Machida (4): Machida is a tough one to rank: Should he be below Evans, even though he brutally beat Evans? Should he be above Rampage and Shogun, even though both of them beat him? There's really no fair way to rank them, since Evans, Machida and Jackson all went 1-1 in their fights against each other. Machida will get a chance to show where he belongs in the light heavyweight division when he takes on Jones. 4. Rampage Jackson (5): Jackson has fought all the best of the best in the light heavyweight division, beating Machida, Henderson and Shogun, and losing to Jones, Evans and Forrest Griffin. With a 3-3 record against the Top 7, No. 4 sounds about right. 5. Dan Henderson (6): As great as Henderson has looked in the last year, I can't rank him ahead of Rampage, given what happened when Rampage and Henderson fought. I'd sure love to see a rematch of that one, though. 6. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (3): Shogun is only 2-3 in his last five fights, but it's about as impressive a 2-3 record as a light heavyweight could possibly have: The two wins were brutal first-round knockouts of Machida and Griffin, while the three losses were close decisions against Machida and Henderson, and a loss to Jones in which he admittedly looked bad -- but then again Jones makes everyone look bad. 7. Forrest Griffin (7): The biggest question about Griffin is whether, at age 32 and having a wife and kid, he's still interested in completely committing himself to MMA. When Griffin is on, he's good enough to beat high-quality opponents like Rich Franklin, Rampage and Shogun. He looked decidedly off in his rematch loss to Shogun in August, however. 8. Rafael Cavalcante (8): Feijao bounced back from his loss to Henderson and beat Yoel Romero Palacio in September, and now would be a good time to see him in the UFC, where there are a lot more good fights for him. 9. Phil Davis (9): The 9-0 Davis was pulled from a fight with Evans in August because of a knee injury, and there's still no word on when he'll be ready to return. A former NCAA wrestling champion, Davis is one of the most talented athletes in the light heavyweight division, and he'll be fighting for the belt eventually. 10. Thiago Silva (10): I've been waiting for someone to step up and take the bottom spot in the Top 10 from Silva, who's been suspended all year for taking performance-enhancing drugs. But no one has really been able to do that, and so Silva stays. He should return early in 2012. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: rampage, jone, heavyweight, henderson, light

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After his 25-minute war with Dan Henderson at UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" this past weekend (Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., Mauricio Rua doesn't want to even think about fighting right now. Who could blame him? "Shogun" and his opponent, Dan Henderson, delivered an instant classic in an epic back-and-forth 205-pound battle that will forever link the fighters together. After receiving the most visible damage out of the two combatants, the former Pride FC grand prix winner says he just wants to take some much-needed time off to rest his body. Rua, who was caught early by an "H-Bomb," recovered from the punch only to be rocked again and nearly finished in the third round. After surviving a few additional onslaughts from "Hendo," Rua dominated rounds four and five, nearly finishing the fight in the fourth when he connected with an uppercut that had Hendo rocked. However, a visibly exhausted Rua didn't have the energy to go in for the finish. In the fifth and final round, Rua had top position on Henderson through the majority of the round and once again failed to finish the fight as his ground-and-pound was lacking some power. As a result, Shogun's endurance (or lack thereof) has once again been questioned from the fans, media and even his old head trainer, Rafael Cordiero. However, as Shogun revealed to Tatame.com, he was simply too dizzy and seeing stars because of the excessive blood loss to focus on finishing an equally exhausted Henderson: "Unfortunately, the outcome wasn't quite the one we expected, but what can I do, right? The important thing is to please the promoters and the fans. I was a little dizzy at the time because I lost so much blood, so I couldn't tell how well I was doing on the fight. For what I've seen later, it was a good fight. Dan Henderson showed he's a really tough guy and deserves to be respected. I was very dizzy, I could see stars. I lost a lot of blood on the fight, I wasn't 100%, but I gave my best. Dan Henderson has alligator skin; he can handle punches without bleeding. I did my best, but unfortunately I couldn't get a positive result." It's unclear at this time when Rua might return to mixed martial arts (MMA) action. His star was born in the "Land of the Rising Sun" back in the Pride FC glory days, making him a logical addition to the UFC 144 fight card in Japan on Feb. 25, 2012. All things considered, a turnaround like that might be a little too quick, but Rua has yet to rule out the possibility: "I guess it's hard for me to fight in Japan, even because I injured my clavicle two months before the fight, so I'm a lot hurt and tired. I'll stay two weeks off and I don't want to think about fighting during that period. But it's not something I discard, I'll think about it carefully." Rua had been rumored to participate in promotion's upcoming Japan card opposite Quinton Jackson.  The pair have massive followings in Japan, making a rematch in Saitama a sure-fire crowd pleaser. The two first met on April 23, 2005 at PRIDE Total Elimination 2005. Rua dismantled Jackson from the opening bell with precision striking that forced the referee to put a stop to the bout five minutes in. However, "Rampage" Jackson recently lamented that he will not participate at the event, perhaps indicating that a rematch with Shogun would have to wait for another date.

Posted in: fight, henderson, dan henderson, shogun, rua

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back on pay-per-view this past Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) with UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson," featuring Dan Henderson outlasting Mauricio Rua in a five-round classic main event that will forever live in mixed martial arts lore.  Wanderlei Silva also returned to the win column with a thrilling technical knockout victory over the debuting Cung Le that showcased all the old familiar traits of "The Axe Murderer." And that's not even mentioning Urijah Faber, who earned another bantamweight title shot by choking out Brian Bowles. In cased you missed any or all of it, you can watch the highlights in the video above. Or you can head right on over to UFC.TV and check out the complete replay of the event. Either way works, folks.  And if you want to get back up to date and everything that went down during one of the best events of 2011, make sure you click here for a complete guide to the madness.

Posted in: ufc, event, henderson, brian bowles, knockout victory

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Benson Henderson talks candidly about how he's not in this sport for fame, money or free bottles of champagne. It's all about being the best in the world and nothing else.

Posted in: henderson, he, isn ’t, benson, fame money

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v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} There's an expression in prizefighting you hear all the time: "leave it all in the ring". Sometimes observers feel like athletes leave too little. With little aggression or urgency, critics feel like it's fair to say 'fighter A choked, and failed to test the boundary between victory and defeat'. This has been the narrative surrounding Kenny Florian since his loss to B.J Penn at UFC 101 in what many feel was a questionable performance: one in which critics feel was rightfully punished. But if Florian's performance at 101 is an example of being unwilling to leave it all in the ring, the performances of Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson at UFC 139 must be an example of being perhaps too willing to leave it all in the ring. As viewers, what we catch are snapshots of who these men are as fighters. We don't see the dedication and work that goes into being able to master a performance like those found in San Jose this past weekend. You don't get to the top, like both Shogun and Henderson have (both former champs), without already pouring much of your life into the work required to make the most of it when the public gets to observe those snapshots. There were periods in the fight where both men could have given up. Rua took shots from Henderson in the 3rd round that knockout out Fedor, Feijao, and Sobral after taking shots from Henderson in the 1st that knockout out Fedor, Feijaro, and Sobral. Dan's ensuing assault should have been enough. Rua fought through it.  Then it was Dan's turn. In the 4th, already exhausted from a brutal 15 minutes of action, Rua landed punches that have felled fighters like Machida, Overeem, and Griffin. But Dan fought through it. I don't know a damn thing about fighting. But combat sports has seen instances of fighters who after certain performances, were never the same again. Meldrick Taylor might be the golden standard for this: the famous boxer who was knocked out with 2 seconds left in the 12th in a dramatic bout with Julio Cesar Chavez.  I can only articulate my suspicions, but I wonder if the kind of punishment we saw this weekend, like a sort of PTSD, doesn't leave an imprint on both fighters. Maybe in a future bout, they find themselves hurt against a different opponent, and feel the sting of a memory not worth reliving. Or maybe they sense the onset of another war and fear seeing the reflection of 139 with the smell of the San Jose crowd, the sight of the crimson shorts, and the struggle to get up that Sunday morning. The Taylor comparison isn't meant to be a direct one. Taylor suffered severe injuries following his loss to Chavez. Henderson came away, unbelievably, with only a sprained thumb. Rua, however, endured a possible facial and skull fracture.  But the Taylor comparison does illuminate the possibility that Rua and Henderson might still feel the effects of their now iconic bout for years to come. Both guys are so tough I'm not sure they'll notice. But an immediate rematch, which Shogun has expressed he's wanting, would probably answer many of these questions. It'd give us a unique look into the psychology of both fighters about how they think of their first fight. That's why I hope they don't grant Shogun his wish. "You've been brave enough for one day".

Posted in: fighter, henderson, dan henderson, rua, performance

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Following the main event of UFC 139, I refrained from putting my thoughts to paper for at least one full day. While it was undoubtedly a tremendous fight, I didn't want to get swept up in the usual hyperbole we, as fans, tend to indulge in immediately following a terrific fight. So upon reviewing Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua, I've settled on the opinion that yes, it was an outstanding fight, but far from the greatest fight I've ever seen. Hell, it wasn't even the best fight that either man has been in. For "Shogun", that would be his classic first battle with Lyoto Machida, perhaps the most distinct, prolonged style clash we've seen in MMA while being a scintillating stand-up battle throughout. For "Hendo", his match with Quinton Jackson was just as grueling but a far more significant bout for both the combatants and the sport at large. Never have I been the sort of fan to demand a stoppage in order to fulfill my appreciation of a bout, but I can't shake the feeling that this fight was like a brilliant novel left without a concluding chapter. A back-and-forth opening salvo was followed by Henderson taking control in the second round, then pushing "Shogun" to the brink of defeat in the third with a stiff right cross and barrage of ground-and-pound. Rua fought back, however, and commandeered all momentum in the fourth, landing at will on his spent opponent. By the fifth it was all Shogun, with the Brazilian having his opponent in mount for 90% of the round and landing strikes at a high volume. With a limit of five rounds, the fight had to stop there. And, if judges followed their given criteria, it should have been ruled a draw. But "Shogun" surviving everything Dan could throw at him and then taking complete control of the fight made it feel... I don't know... a little incomplete. A fight like Bonnar vs. Griffin I or Liddell vs. Silva is so even throughout, with neither fighter truly taking command, that the round limits favor the livelihoods of the men involved; with neither athlete gaining a firm upper hand, those bouts could end with both of them in horrifying shape and still no clear winner. "Shogun" vs. Henderson had a clear narrative - it was going an obvious direction but was never able to get there. Of course, another round of fighting could have done irreparable damage to either man, more so than what had already transpired. As a fan, though, I am innately selfish; I sit down to watch with expectations, and my expectations evolve as the night goes on. When those expectations are not met - be it a stale affair from two normally exciting fighters or a terribly egregious judges' decision - I can't be anything but let down. Toward the end of UFC 139, I expected Mauricio Rua, after surviving barrage after barrage in Nog-like fashion and then completely dominating the second half of the fight, to attain one of the more amazing stoppages of all time, in a fashion similar to Misaki vs Santiago II. So while on certain merits the fight ranks up there with the best of all time, I just can't put it in the pantheon of bouts atop MMA's history. It is, after all, incomplete. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

Posted in: fight, round, vs, henderson, shogun

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UFC 139 recorded a live gate of $1,268,600 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, on Nov. 19, 2011, according to official figures from the California State Athletic Commission released yesterday. The final attendance of 13,832 was a result of 9,496 tickets sold and 4,336 complimentary tickets. That's an increase from the previous mixed martial arts event in "Silicon Valley," as Strikeforce: "Diaz vs. Cyborg" back on Jan. 29 had an attendance of 9,059 for a live gate of $533,214.50. "Henderson vs. Shogun" featured an epic five round war of attrition between former PRIDE stars and UFC light heavyweight contenders Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua. In the co-main event, Wanderlei Silva smashed his way back into the win column with a second round slaughter of San Shou striker Cung Le. Ryan Bader, Miguel Torres, Stephan Bonnar, Urijah Faber and Martin Kampmann also picked up victories at the "Shark Tank." For complete UFC 139 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, san, ticket

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Yesterday I took a look at three fights on the UFC 139 main card. Today I’m back with a breakdown of the co-headlining clashes featuring Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le and Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua. Without question both were extremely entertaining affairs, an opinion supported by the company awarding dual “Fight of the Night” bonuses with one going to each. A Full List of UFC 139 Results Here we go! Wanderlei Silva Wrecks Cung Le’s Welcome Party Many had questioned Silva’s ability to compete at the highest level after his loss to Chris Leben but, undaunted, the Brazilian rose to the occasion once again against a renowned knockout specialist. Silva started out tentatively in the first as he clearly was awaiting the trademark kicking demonstration from his opponent. Le obliged early and often but, a few body kicks aside, wasn’t able to land anything significant until a spinning backfist hit cleanly. Silva fell to the canvas but did well to avoid the barrage of kicks and punches and looked to counter once the pace slowed. Le was cut later in the round from a wild exchange and, as the frame closed out, Silva attacked more and was clearly settling into the fight. Le was slowing down in the second and was soon in trouble as Silva turned up the heat from the outset. The round played out more in Wanderlei’s favor and the Brazilian landed a huge hook which duly opened the gates for the trademark berserker charge. Le looked to be in trouble but the clinch would prove to be his undoing as Silva landed several strikes before landed a textbook knee shattered his opponent’s nose brutally. Le fell to the canvas grasping a single and Silva hammered away to force the referee’s stoppage in a very entertaining co-main event. Henderson and Rua Deliver “Fight of the Year” Frontrunner For twenty five incredible minutes former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion Henderson and former UFC champion Rua put on one of the most incredible spectacles in the brief history of the sport. The initial signs, however, did not indicate that this fight would go more than a few minutes as “Hendo” found a home for a short right hook that dropped his foe instantly. Rua somehow survived this early scare and fought out of a guillotine attempt but was instantly bloodied up for his troubles. Henderson uncorked a salvo of punches without finding the one he needed but, as the round wore on, it was clear that Shogun was badly hurt from those exchanges as he tried to find solace in the clinch. The second round continued as the first had ended with some clinch work punctuated with sporadic striking but it wasn’t long before Henderson landed a crisp straight left down the pipe that opened the floodgates once again. “Shogun” covered up as his foe seemed to have all the time in the world to pick his punches but, once again, couldn’t hit the killswitch. Rua did enough to survive and landed some good strikes at the end of the second as the two circled to the round’s conclusion. Round three saw Rua shrug off an early takedown from Henderson as the two locked up near the side of the cage. It looked a much closer round until Hendo landed his now trademark leg kick into overhand right which dropped Shogun once again in the center of the cage. The Brazilian miraculously survived and somehow emerged from the trauma with a heel hook attempt which Henderson did well to escape. “Shogun” finished the round with a takedown up against the cage but was unable to take advantage and, as the two gasped for air, it was clear this bout had already taken a huge toll. The tide began to turn in the fourth as “Shogun” got the takedown he was looking for and began the assault but was quickly reversed and a breathless transition saw him crucifixed before rolling out from mount and back up to his feet. Henderson responded with a takedown of his own and, after Shogun toughed out a tight guillotine, the two stood back up but this time it was the Brazilian who took the advantage. Rua landed a huge uppercut that rocked Henderson and charged in for the kill but, like his opponent before him, wasn’t able to find the one shot he so needed to finish. The fifth and final round was met by riotous applause as the crowd could scarcely believe what they were watching. “Shogun” got the early takedown and peppered Henderson from the mount with a barrage of punches looking for the one he needed. In one of the most back and forth fights in recent memory, however, round five was the clearest cut of all. Rua spent four and a half minutes of this round on top landing strikes and looking to finish and, as the two battled to the end, the audience exploded in a crescendo of noise as the bell sounded for the end of the fight. Many could not believe what they had just seen but, for the judges, the verdict they had reached was unanimous. All three judges gave the fight 48-47 in favour of Henderson, awarding him the first three rounds. Henderson vs. Shogun was the perfect illustration of why five round non-title fights, if used selectively, have the power to transform the great into the truly epic as no-one who witnessed the battle between these two legends will ever forget. Tweet

Posted in: fight, round, silva, henderson, rua

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The medical suspensions for UFC 139 are in, and it should come as no surprise to anyone that saw the fight card, the longest suspensions that were doled out went to main event fighters Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. On Saturday, November 19, Henderson and Rua engaged in what may have been the best fight in UFC history.  Both fighters were exhausted after the 25-minute bout, with neither fighter making it to the post-fight press conference. Instead, they both made their way to the

Posted in: ufc, fight card, henderson, rua, ufc history  

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Filed under: UFCAt 41 years old, Dan Henderson's forward march is downright ludicrous. A winner of seven of his last eight fights, Henderson re-entered the UFC paired with one of the most destructive strikers the sport has known and again proved that he was far from ready to being put out to pasture. In this sport, it's rare to be madly debating the future prospects of a fighter his age, but Henderson is the rarest of birds. Not only does he continue to excel, he is capable of being relevant at two weight divisions. That will make his future trajectory an adventure, because even if he loses at one weight division, he can always switch back to another and poof, instant contender. Dan Henderson It's so far yet unknown just how much time Henderson or his opponent Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will need, but a lot of Hendo's future plans depends on a recovery layoff. Over the weekend, we heard rumors that middleweight champion Anderson Silva won't be ready to defend his belt until June 2012. And of course, Chael Sonnen remains the frontrunner for the spot. Since Silva is the only divisional fight Henderson's interested in, it seems unlikely that the middleweight class is in his immediate future. Instead, he's much more likely to stay paired up with the big boys of 205, where he gives up size but no power. Prediction: Though it's hard to project the divisional outlook without knowing when Henderson will fight again, there's only a handful of fighters worth his time. The loser of the Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida title fight sounds like a good matchup against a credible opponent. Aside from that, how about a rematch with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson? Mauricio Rua You've got to feel for Rua, who is just 3-3 in his last 6 fights but has two somewhat controversial losses included. Most felt like he beat Machida in their first encounter, and against Henderson, his late performance could have easily salvaged at least a draw. Nevertheless, Rua remains one of the division's elite, and like Henderson, should be matched accordingly. Also like Henderson, he's likely going to need a lengthy period of time off to recover. Given the exciting performances he's taken part in, he deserves every day necessary. Prediction: Rua faces Thiago Silva after Silva's suspension is lifted in early 2012. Wanderlei Silva It almost never fails that a once-great fighter left for dead manages to have at least one last shining moment before fading away. With Silva, we can't be quite sure if his win over Cung Le is a middleweight rebirth or that last moment of glory. Silva looked good in the rematch, rebounding from an early stumble in which he was rocked and knocked down to finish the Bay Area star late in the second round. Now that he's won, he goes from talk of retirement to a debate of where exactly he fits in the division. Prediction: A date with Demian Maia would work well here, but given their friendship, it's an idea not likely to get very far. So I'll match him up with the winner of UFC 142's Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson fight. Cung Le It had been over a year since Le fought, and while his bout with Silva was a crowd-pleaser, it's certainly not the result he wanted in his UFC debut, and in front of his hometown fans. The big question now is whether or not he will retire. Even though he's 39 years old and has a blooming film career, Le like many other fighters likely can't stomach the thought of retiring on a knockout loss. He feels he was competitive in the fight and can still perform at a high level. Because of that, I doubt he will seriously consider calling it quits. He may sit out for a while, but he will fight again. Prediction: Le spends a few months on the sidelines, then comes back to the octagon in mid-2012. Urijah Faber There's no prediction to make here as we already know that by virtue of his submission win over Brian Bowles, Faber will have his third date with Dominick Cruz in a UFC bantamweight title fight to be held sometime next year. It is worth mentioning though that Faber is 0-4 in his last four title fights. After three of those losses, he needed to win only one fight to get his next championship opportunity. One other time, he needed two wins. So all told, he's 5-4 in his last nine fights; 5-0 in non-title fights and 0-4 for the gold. Bottom line: I don't think Faber deserved this quick elevation. As impressive as his win was, he should have fought Renan Barao for it. In this case, business interests were moved ahead of fairness. Brian Bowles For the first time, Bowles looked outclassed in the cage, as he never really got started in his loss to Faber. There are a couple possibilities for him, including a rematch with Miguel Torres, who won on the undercard of the event. But I think another track is more likely. Prediction: He faces Demetrious Johnson Martin Kampmann After heartbreaking back-to-back decision losses to Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields, Kampmann finally got the judges to see a fight his way in the end. Kampmann remains an intriguing talent in the division, because he has excellent skills in every department, yet he rarely turns up his aggression level and has never truly flashed fight-changing one-punch power. On any given day, he's capable of beating anyone, but has to prove he's capable of beating elite talents. Prediction: He faces Rory MacDonald Michael McDonald Among the many storylines that flew under the radar on Saturday night was the excellent performances from two prospects: bantamweight McDonald and middleweight Chris Weidman. It's important for both divisions, as bantamweight champ Cruz has beaten most of the division's top five already, while the middleweight class has little talent under the age of 30. McDonald's standup skills have proven fantastic, and the 20-year-old is rapidly making waves. Prediction: McDonald faces Takeya Mizugaki Chris Weidman Given Weidman's displayed wrestling and grappling excellence (he tapped out Tom Lawlor with a D'arce choke), it seems time to match him up with someone who can cancel that out and see if he passes the test. Prediction: He faces Aaron Simpson Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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The California State Athletic Commission has released UFC 139′s fighter salaries and medical suspensions, with Cung Le, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua topping the $1.5 million payroll, while Henderson and Rua landed the longest suspensions following their five-round war. The UFC 139 fighter salaries were: Dan Henderson: $250,000 (no win bonus) def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua: $165,000 Wanderlei Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus) def. Cung Le: $350,000 Urijah Faber: $64,000 (incl.$32,000 win bonus) def. Brian Bowles: $19,000 Martin Kampmann: $58,000 ($29,000 win bonus) def. Rick Story: $19,000 Stephan Bonnar: $68,000 ($34,000 win bonus) def. Kyle Kingsbury: $10,000 Ryan Bader: $48,000 ($24,000 win bonus) def. Jason Brilz: $13,000 Michael McDonald: $14,000 ($7,000 win bonus) def. Alex Soto: $6,000 Chris Weidman: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus) def. Tom Lawlor: $12,000 Gleison Tibau: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus) def. Rafael dos Anjos: $16,000 Miguel Torres: $60,000 ($30,000 win bonus) def. Nick Pace: $4,000 Seth Baczynski: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) def. Matt Brown: $12,000 Danny Castillo: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus) def. Shamar Bailey: $8,000 The UFC 139 medical suspensions included: Dan Henderson: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by doctor and MRI/CT scan for possible right thumb fracture. Suspended 60 days for “hard bout” Mauricio “Shogun” Rua: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by doctor for possible facial and skull fracture. Suspended 60 days for eyebrow laceration. Suspended 45 days for “hard bout” Wanderlei Silva: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by doctor for right eyebrow laceration Cung Le: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by doctor for possible nasal fracture. Suspended 45 days for TKO loss Brian Bowles: Suspended 45 days for submission loss Martin Kampmann: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by doctor for forehead and right eyebrow lacerations Rick Story: Suspended 60 days or until cleared by doctor for chin laceration Jason Brilz: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss Michael McDonald: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by X-ray for possible finger fracture Tom Lawlor: Suspended 45 days for submission loss Gleison Tibau: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by X-ray for possible finger fracture Shamar Bailey: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss In addition to the salaries listed above, which are simply what the UFC is required to disclose to the athletic commission and not representative of a fighter’s total earnings, Henderson, Rua, Silva, Le, McDonald, and Faber each took home $70,000 bonuses. UFC 139 drew 13,832 fans to the HP Pavilion in San Jose on Saturday for a live gate of $1.27 million, as Henderson edged Rua in a “Fight of the Year” contender, Silva stopped Le in the co-main event, and Faber submitted Bowles. To check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete coverage of UFC 139, click here.

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The CSAC has released the fighter salaries for UFC 139. Keep in mind, these figures represent the base contracted pay the fighter receives from the promotion. These figures do not include any additional undisclosed discretionary bonuses, pay-per-view revenue sharing bonuses or sponsorship money, which in many cases exceeds a fighter’s base pay. These numbers also do not account for taxes, insurance, and license fees. It wasn’t Dan Henderson, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua or Wanderlei Silva who made the biggest disclosed paydays at UFC 139. It was Cung Le who pulled $420,000 (after his FOTN bonus) for being the first fighter in the UFC to get up close and personal with The Axe Murderer’s patented Muay Thai knee strikes. Notice I said “disclosed” payout though. While it’s unknown if Hendo, Shogun and/or Wand are on the UFC’s pay-per-view revenue sharing program, it’s certainly possible given their standing in the sport. If not though, all three fighters still made out well with respective $320,000, $235,000 and $270,000 disclosed payouts with their FOTN bonuses factored in. Urijah Faber also broke the six-figure mark with a $134,000 disclosed payout with his submission bonus. Payouts Courtesy of MMA Junkie: Dan Henderson: $250,000 (no win bonus) Mauricio Rua: $165,000 Wanderlei Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus) Cung Le: $350,000 Urijah Faber: $64,000 ($32k + $32k) Brian Bowles: $19,000 Martin Kampmann: $58,000 ($29k + $29k) Rick Story: $19,000 Stephan Bonnar: $68,000 ($34k + $34k) Kyle Kingsbury: $10,000 Ryan Bader: $48,000 ($24k + $24k) Jason Brilz: $13,000 Michael McDonald: $14,000 ($7k + $7k) Alex Soto: $6,000 Chris Weidman: $24,000 ($12k + $12k) Tom Lawlor: $12,000 Gleison Tibau: $34,000 ($17k + $17k) Rafael Dos Anjos: $16,000 Miguel Torres: $60,000 ($30k + $30k) Nick Pace: $4,000 Seth Baczynski: $16,000 ($8k + $8k) Matt Brown: $12,000 Danny Castillo: $34,000 ($17k + $17k) Shamar Bailey: $8,000 Bonuses $70,000 bonus to each fighter. Knockout of the Night – Michael McDonald Submission of the Night – Urijah Faber Fight of the Night – Shogun Rua vs. Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Total Payout A disclosed total of $1,924,000, including all bonuses, was paid out to the fighters.

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The California State Athletic Commission released the fighter salaries for UFC 139, and Cung Le made out very, very well. He led all fighters with a huge $350,000 payday, followed by main event victor Dan Henderson with $250,000. Here's the full list: Dan Henderson: $250,000 (no win bonus)Mauricio Rua: $165,000 Wanderlei Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus)Cung Le: $350,000 Urijah Faber: $64,000 (includes $32,000 win bonus)Brian Bowles: $19,000 Martin Kampmann: $58,000 ($29,000 win bonus)Rick Story: $19,000 Stephan Bonnar: $68,000 ($34,000 win bonus)Kyle Kingsbury: $10,000 Ryan Bader: $48,000 ($24,000 win bonus)Jason Brilz: $13,000 Michael McDonald: $14,000 ($7,000 win bonus)Alex Soto: $6,000 Chris Weidman: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)Tom Lawlor: $12,000 Gleison Tibau: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)Rafael dos Anjos: $16,000 Miguel Torres: $60,000 ($30,000 win bonus)Nick Pace: $4,000 Seth Baczynski: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)Matt Brown: $12,000 Danny Castillo: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)Shamar Bailey: $8,000 The total purse was $1,524,000. Henderson, Shogun, Le, Silva, McDonald and Faber also picked up $70,000 performance bonuses which aren't included in these numbers. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

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Cung Le, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua were the top earners at this past weekend's UFC 139 event. Overall, the 24 fighters competing on the card earned purses totaling $1,524,000. MMAjunkie.com recently requested and received the list of disclosed paydays from the California State Athletic Commission.

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Dan Henderson and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua booked themselves a trip to hospital on Saturday night after pasting each other for 25 minutes in the...

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Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This week we look at UFC 139 at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, California where Dan Henderson defeated Maurico Rua in a 5 round battle. Henderson defeats Rua in instant classic It appeared that Dan Henderson would make short work of Mauricio Rua as it appeared that Rua was a goner in the first round. However, Rua survived, the referee did not stop it prematurely and fans saw an epic back and forth fight. Rua came back in rounds 4 and 5 but it wasn’t enough. While both fighters were gassed at different points of the fight, this is probably the reason why the UFC wanted main events to go 5 rounds. Both fighters showed a warrior mentality and left it all in the octagon. Silva KOs Le Sandstorm may be heard again in the UFC. Wanderlei Silva defeated Cung Le in front of Le’s hometown crowd. The win likely ensures that Silva will fight once again in the UFC. For Le, it appeared that he lacked the cardio needed to fight three rounds. A disappointing debut. Faber submits Bowles; another rematch with Cruz next Urijah Faber choked out Brian Bowles to earn another shot at Dominick Cruz. It seemed as though Faber’s presence on this card was undersold. Yet, there are rumors that Faber and Cruz will be the next TUF coaches. Based on Faber’s post-fight trash talk, this isn’t a bad idea considering the solid ratings this season’s TUF. The animosity between the two fighters and its debut on the FX channel should propel next season’s TUF. Attendance and Gate MMA Junkie reports attendance of 13,173 for a gate of $1.268 million. In comparison, Fedor vs. Werdum in June 2010 drew 12,698 fans for a gate of $1.1 million at the HP Pavillion in San Jose. Bonuses MMA Junkie reports the bonuses for UFC 139. Each fighter received $70,000. Interesting that there was a tie for Fight of the Night. In my opinion, Rua vs. Henderson was the clear winner for FOTN honor. If there was a tie, I would have given the bonus to Chris Weidman for Sub of the Night. Fight of the Night: Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva; Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson Submission of the Night: Urijah Faber Knockout of the Night: Michael McDonald Sponsorships -The usual suspects were in the octagon for UFC 139. Xyience, Dodge, Tapout, Harley Davidson, MusclePharm and Bud Light had the center of the Octagon a well as the side pads. The UFC also advertised its Ultimate Fight Collection just in time for the holidays. - Clinchgear was featured via Dan Henderson. I really like Henderson’s branded DH apparel. - Tom Lawlor was sponsored by XBox as part of its Kinect Sports 2 launch. He sported a t-shirt at weigh-ins and XBox 360 on his shorts. It was the only sponsor on his shorts. According to an XBox rep, this is just a one-time opportunity as it was specifically for the launch. Pat Barry had a similar sponsor opportunity with XBox 360. Demetrious Johnson remains as the only UFC fighter to continually be sponsored by XBox 360. Twitter Notably, Dan Henderson and Shogun were trending an hour after the PPV. In Brazil, Rua and Wanderlei Silva were trending topics after the PPV. The Henderson-Shogun battle received a lot of buzz via twitter. On another note, Bellator’s Chandler-Alvarez fight received its share of twitter buzz too. Post-UFC 139 Headlines - What’s next for Hendo? Does Dan Henderson fight at 205 or 185? Either division would present interesting title match-ups. At 205, Henderson would come up against Jon Jones, a guy almost 20 years his junior. At middleweight, Henderson could get a rematch with Anderson Silva.  Or, a Team Quest alum fight with Chael Sonnen. Either middleweight match-up seems more attractive than Jones. - Cruz-Faber trilogy. Can this rivalry assist the lighter weight divisions? Certainly this season’s TUF is helping draw a steady viewership. A possible TUF with the animosity of these fighters should propel next season’s version. Odds and Ends - Talking about a guy’s widow’s peak and hair gel is pretty personal Mr. Faber. This rivalry is heating up and that’s a good thing. - I wrote about the interesting weigh-ins this time around and the opportunity for a fighter to create their own personal branding. It also helps to make weight. - Was Stephan Bonnar’s post-fight apology attempting to mitigate any possible lawsuit from Josh Koshcheck about making t-shirts with his likeness? - For as good as Hendo-Rua was Dana White stated that the fight would have been too violent if it had aired on Fox as the UFC is still in the “education process.” Conclusion After the big UFC on Fox airing, UFC 139 seemed like an afterthought. It was a very good card but lacked the buzz. One reason may be that Fuel aired the one hour countdown show instead of Spike TV. Second, many casual viewers may not know Dan Henderson or Mauricio Rua. Certainly, these guys showed that they could put on a good fight. Yet, they aren’t known names. Finally, there is a level of fatigue the casual viewer (or perhaps every viewer) has with these PPVs. It seems like every other week fans are spending money on fights.  With the holidays coming up, some budgeting has to take place and that may mean a decline in PPV purchases. Based on the last couple of PPVs (UFC 136-225K buys, UFC 137-280K buys), it would not be out of line to state that UFC 139 is in the neighborhood of 250K buys. With that being said, it may be time to recalibrate how many PPV buys makes a card successful.

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Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson is an anomaly in the mixed martial arts world. It was a fight that beyond all expectation, and chance, extended beyond an expiration date that for lesser fighters would have been time stamped in the first round. If UFC 139 is a classic, it's because Rua and Henderson fought after November 5th, 2011 when Chris Leben and Mark Munoz battled in the first non title five round fight in UFC history at UFC 138. If you're rolling your eyes at the title, you're not alone. I'm not a big fan of V for Vendetta (the film) or its bubble gum version of Moore's reflection on fascism. But when I first saw it I enjoyed it, and I'm not much of Moore groupie to say his comic was perfect either. A digression on comic books and film aside, I feel like the title is fitting. November 5th has, and will start a necessary revolution for the world of mixed martial arts. Why? Because the fights can finally tell stories. Picture this: Rua and Hendo go three rounds, just as referee Josh Rosenthal assumed, and we're left with a satisfactory, exciting fight, but that leaves us with a clear winner (which no one disputes, as everyone had Henderson up after 3 rounds).  Instead we're left with the indelible image of Shogun staging one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of the sport, and questions about who the better fighter was. The message is clear: five round fights are a must for professional mixed martial artists.  Beyond Shogun and Henderson, Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler also fought for its validation. Chandler staged a comeback in the 4th round after being hurt and out on his feet in the 3rd. If that fight ends in the 3rd, our image of Chandler is of a tough guy who fought well, but faded. Although the scoring might be up for question, most people had Alvarez winning after 3, having narrowly edged out the 2nd, and possibly getting a 10-8 round for the 3rd. Yet this was defiantly not the case. It was Alvarez who faded. How many great performances have we been robbed of because the fight was restrained to 15 minutes instead of 25? Off the top of my head I can think of Machida vs. Jackson, Evans vs. Silva, and way too many to count that were just getting started. A professional boxer typically gets 30 to 36 minutes. Why not mixed martial artists? If there's an argument against the five round fight it's that we'd get 10 more minutes of Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury. Touche. But I have to suspect any fighter going into a potential 25 minute battle would accommodate the running time. On top of that, I don't care that Bonnar and Kingsbury would stink up the place for 10 more minutes. In fact, with ten more minutes, at least we could have witnessed the hilarity of Kingsbury submitting to north south control. The brilliance of Rua and Henderson would make up for it, and whatever changes that would need to be made for a PPV telecast with the time slot would have left the fight on a prelim anyways. I'm not interested in the mechanics of it all (PPV numbers live and die by the main event anyways). I just know that MMA was built for five rounds. 'May the best man win' means little if the clock wields a stronger influence over an outcome than performance.

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“It certainly was a great fight. I don’t know how the judges made the scoring of the last round, but it could or should have been 10-8 for me. But it does not take anything away from Dan Henderson. He is a legend and he is of those guys who created a legacy, but I want revenge. I think this would be another great battle and the public wants to see it. … Even Dana White admitted he would have scored it a draw.” — Mauricio “Shogun” Rua telling UOL Esporte, translated via MMA Mania, that he wants a rematch with Dan Henderson Most normal human beings wouldn’t want to put themselves through another experience that sent to them to the hospital severely beaten, battered and bloodied. If we’ve learned anything about Shogun Rua this past year though, it’s that he isn’t normal or possibly even human. He survived Jon Jones’ onslaught longer than any person should and not only weathered everything Dan Henderson had to throw at him, he nearly came back and won the damn fight. Furthermore, his manager Alonso Eduardo is hinting that he might not have been 100% heading into the fight. “This past Saturday night in San Jose will certainly never leave our memory, and we leave extremely proud of all the guts, heart and courage that our friend Mauricio demonstrated, honoring his nickname “Shogun”, in one of the more dramatic and exciting fights of all time,” Alonson wrote on Facebook. “Only those who were part of the team, are family members or close friends knows all the difficulties we had and what he had to overcome. I’m proud of him as a friend, was a person and as an athlete, and proud of the team that dedicated themselves almost 24 hours per day to help him in this task, which only we know how much as almost ‘Mission Impossible’ “This week I’ll break my silence and tell all the truth to the press, so that unfair situations won’t be created with people that don’t deserve this, starting with the athlete himself. Winning or losing, fair or unfair, once again Shogun made history, and I’m proud of being part of it somehow.” If it turns out that Shogun wasn’t 100%, he wasn’t the only one. Dan Henderson’s manager revealed to MMA Junkie that he was sick and dehydrated all last week, which could explain why he appeared to gas in the early rounds of the fight. Bottom line: What Shogun and Hendo did Saturday night was the definition of toughness, heart and courage. It was the stuff of legends. Doing it sick and injured only reaffirms that they’re two of the sport’s great warriors.

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsSeemingly on the verge of being finished twice before storming back and nearly forcing a draw in the UFC 139 main event, former UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua showed a survivor's mentality on Saturday night. But by the time he left the octagon, Rua's face was marked up with cuts and disfigured by swelling. Despite his appearance, the Brazilian fighter seems to have escaped serious injury in the war of attrition, passing a post-fight CT scan, his manager Eduardo Alonso told MMA Fighting on Monday. "All was fine," Eduardo said in an email. "Only bruises and a cut on the eyebrow." Facing heavy-handed slugger Dan Henderson, Rua fell behind early, trailing after dropping the first three rounds on all three judges' scorecards. But the proud fighter staged a frantic rally in the final two rounds, out-landing Henderson by a 112-17 count over the final 10 minutes to capture the final two frames. Rua spent the entire final round in the mount position, trying desperately to finish Henderson and close out what would have been an epic comeback. In the last round, he out-struck Henderson 79-8, but was not awarded a single 10-8 round despite the dominant stretch. After the fight, neither Rua nor Henderson was able to attend the post-fight press conference, instead taking trips to a nearby hospital for precautionary tests. Despite the loss which dropped him to 20-6, Rua can at least recover while consoling himself with the knowledge that most of the MMA world considers him one-half of the greatest fight the sport has ever witnessed. "He will take a vacation and be back strong," Alonso said. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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One week after the biggest fight in UFC history between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez on Fox, fans may have witnessed one of the greatest fights and greatest cards in UFC history when Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua capped of a memorable UFC 139 event on Saturday night. Rua and Henderson were fighting for a crowd that was nowhere near the size of the 8.8 million that witnessed UFC on Fox 1 in the United States alone last week. But that did not prevent them from putting on one of the greatest fights in not only UFC history, but MMA history, as well. The latter part of that statement is more special due to the fact that both of those men made their name in PRIDE, which is still held to the highest standard amongst longtime MMA fans who know their MMA history. Henderson has long been known for his powerful overhand right punch. That was certainly display on Saturday, and much more than Shogun and his wife would ever want. Henderson came close to ending the fight multiple times throughout the first three rounds, coming closest in the third. Credit referee Josh Rosenthal for allowing the fight to continue, as Shogun showed he was able to fight back. That is just what he did, as Shogun was able to somehow recover from those shots that have put down so many opponents before him, including most recently, the legendary Fedor. Shogun himself came close to ending the fight via strikes, albeit never as close as Henderson was. He displayed excellent guard defense, covering up to deflect Henderson’s strikes from ending the fight, and reversing the wrestler a few times to create his own offense. Regarding the scoring of the fight, personally, I had the fight as a draw, giving the fifth round to Shogun with a 10-8 score. Henderson landed no significant strikes, and Shogun was able to pass into full mount five times. At that point, Henderson was completely exhausted, which has become a problem for the 41-year old. It has been reported that he suffered from an illness the week of the fight, but regardless, with little defense and even less offense, Henderson showed nothing in that round to have it scored as a somewhat competitive 10-9. This all came after a great sequence of fights preceding the main event. Whether it was Wanderlei Silva coming back from the brinks of defeat (and possibly forced retirement) to defeat UFC newcomer Cung Le, Urijah Faber dismantling Brian Bowles to earn another title shot and opportunity against Dominick Cruz, and a great night of preliminary fights, this event stacks up next to the greatest in UFC history. Biggest winner: Urijah Faber Prior to the fight, a few pundits came into the main event thinking it could be a primer to see who the next person to challenge Jon Jones would be. With the war that took place, it does not seem we are any closer to determining that, as even in victory, Henderson did not prove he should be the next to take on the champion (barring he defeats Machida). That position still belongs to Rashad Evans, who is hopefully able to hold that position. Regarding Faber, yes, he did earn the title shot that was promised to the winner of the fight. However, I feel a fighter should win at least two fights following a championship loss. Regardless, Faber looked very impressive against Bowles, as he will look to avenge his most recent loss in a rubber match with Dominick Cruz. Biggest loser: Cung Le Le looked excellent during the first round against The Axe Murderer. Unfortunately for Le, his cardio once again came into play, as Silva was able to demolish Le late in the second round. Just like in his loss to Scott Smith, Le put on a striking clinic, but after being unable to put him away, he was eventually knocked down and the referee decided to stop the fight. Also just like the Smith defeat, Le’s face was destroyed, which puts his acting career into question. That career will be around longer than his MMA career, so every fight he enters can possibly be his last, due to both his age at 39-years old, and because of his budding acting career. Biggest question: Where does Chris Weidman stand in the middleweight division? Weidman was again incredibly impressive on Saturday, defeating Tom Lawlor in the first round with a D’arce choke. The former All-American wrestler has had a great 2011, easily winning all three of his fights in his debut year for the UFC. The New Yorker has, as mentioned, a strong wrestling pedigree, but also a strong BJJ arsenal that has been on display his last two matches, along to go with continually improving striking. In the weak middleweight division, Weidman could be well on his way to the top of the division in just his second year in the organization. Future matchups: Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua II: This five round war will have an effect on these two for a while, and could possibly cause them both to never look the same. Those kinds of fights always leave some sort of mark on a fighter. Regarding the pair’s future, Henderson’s place at 205 is confusing. Even as the Strikeforce champion, he did not look impressive enough to prove he is the true next contender for the championship. He has stated he would drop to 185 to fight Anderson Silva, and only Anderson Silva. The middleweight champion is recovering from a shoulder injury, and is not expected to fight until June 2012, against Chael Sonnen. With a fight that was so close and so exciting, the best option available is to have them put it on again. Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz III: A rubber match is something never seen before at the smaller weights, and it seemed inevitable after the close decision that Cruz won over Faber at UFC 132 in July. Faber looked the best he ever has since joining the UFC on Saturday. Whether that transitions to the third matchup with Cruz is to be determined. Wanderlei Silva vs. Retirement: Prior to the matchup with Le, it was hinted that Dana White would ask that Silva retire if he lost. Even with the win, I feel it would be best for Silva to retire. Going out on a win in this fashion is the best way to leave for The Axe Murderer. His legacy is cemented, and he has already moved on to many non-UFC contributions, as he will be setting up a non-profit gym for lesser privileged kids in Las Vegas. In this matchup, I am obviously taking Silva via knockout. Ryan Bader vs. Stephan Bonnar: Bader made sure not to make 2011 a complete disaster, as he picked up his first win on the year against Brilz. Seeing as he took no damage, and he will want to ride the momentum, he will probably look to return to action rather soon. Bonnar also looked impressive, defeating Kyle Kingsbury to notch his first three fight win-streak in the UFC in over five years. The two behemoths of light heavyweights would certainly put on an exciting fight that will put the victor in the upper echelon of the division. Michael McDonald vs. Takeya Mizugaki: McDonald, at 20-years old, looks more outstanding every time he enters the octagon, and the knockout of the night performance was his best since joining the organization. He can prove he belongs in the top of the division with a victory over a tough opponent in Mizugaki. The Japanese star has struggled at times during his time in the WEC and UFC, but he has never failed to put on a great fight. A UFC 144 matchup in Japan would be a matchup that would be well received by the Japanese crowd. More UFC 139 coverage: UFC 139 results, UFC 139 recap, UFC 139 bonuses Pictured: Dan Henderson (via UFC.com)

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Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua put on one of the greatest fights in mixed martial arts history at UFC 139. Henderson was declared the winner by unanimous decision, but UFC president Dana White thought the fight was a draw.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, dan henderson, arts history

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Revenge is a dish best served inside the Octagon. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua is not satisfied with the outcome of his most recent fight, an epic, five-round war of attrition against fellow MMA elder statesman Dan Henderson, which took place at UFC 139 last Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. "Shogun" was bloodied, battered and bruised, but never out of the fight, as evidenced by his gritty comeback in rounds four and five to nearly finish "Hendo" before throwing himself on the mercy of the judges. When the smoke cleared, Henderson squeaked by with a unanimous decision win. That hasn't stopped the fans and media, and even UFC President Dana White, from challenging that decision and perhaps asking aloud if a draw would have been more appropriate based on the Brazilian's dominance in the final frame. Either way, Rua (via UOL Esporte) wants his revenge. "It certainly was a great fight. I don’t know how the judges made the scoring of the last round, but it could or should have been 10-8 for me. But it does not take anything away from Dan Henderson. He is a legend and he is of those guys who created a legacy, but I want revenge. I think this would be another great battle and the public wants to see it. ... Even Dana White admitted he would have scored it a draw." * "Henderson vs. Shogun" earned "Fight of the Night" honors at the UFC 139 post-fight press conference and speculation has already begun on "Hendo's" next fight. While he may have earned a division title shot, so has Rashad Evans. Unless Henderson opts for another crack at Anderson Silva in the 185-pound division. UFC matchmaker Joe Silva certainly has his work cut out for him. But if you were in his shoes, how would you handle the upcoming fights for Henderson and Rua? And did you agree with the final scoring? For complete UFC 139 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 139 prelim fights that were seen Spike TV, click here and here. Want to know what happened with the UFC 139 Facebook Prelims portion of the card? To read a full recap click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 139 fight card from top to bottom click here. *Translation provided by MMAmania.com Brazilian correspondent Eduardo Cruz.

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While most fans have chosen to focus in on how great the fight between Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua was, there has been lingering frustration over the scoring of the fight. Many fans felt that Shogun's domination in round five was enough to give him a 10-8 round and thus (with Hendo winning rounds 1,2 and 3 and Shogun winning 4) earning him a draw. However, when the final scores were read all of them gave Henderson the 48-47 (3 rounds to 2) edge. There was some question over if the judges possibly gave round 5 to Shogun 10-8 while scoring round 4 as a 10-10 even round which would have arrived at the same score, but this photo of the official cards puts an end to that line of thinking (via MMA Weekly): All the judges scored every round 10-9. There has been a case made by some that simply beating a guy up on the ground and repeatedly moving to mount doesn't earn a 10-8 round, that Henderson was never that close to being finished. But one of the points of the ten-point must system is to measure dominance. A knockdown shouldn't be necessary to score a 10-8 in MMA. It isn't in boxing, why should it be in a UFC bout? Shogun controlled that round completely and did a lot of damage to Henderson while having the ref on the verge of jumping in at several moments. That seems to me to be clear enough to grant Shogun the two point advantage for the round. The problem doesn't seem to be that judges are discouraged from scoring 10-8 rounds, but that they simply aren't schooled well enough on when they should be applied. After all, we saw them used in the Bonnar vs. Kingsbury fight twice in far less dominant rounds. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

Posted in: round, score, judge, henderson, shogun

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Ball three, take your base. UFC 139: "Henderson vs. Shogun" went down last Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, featuring a unanimous decision win for Dan Henderson following a three five round bloodbath that was not only "Fight of the Night," but perhaps of the year, as well. What would have been a three round lopsided win for "Hendo" became an unlikely comeback for "Shogun," who stunned the former Olympian with his Axel Stone-inspired Dragon Smash in the fourth frame. Round five, which many argued in favor of the Brazilian 10-8, not only made it a much closer (and much greater) fight, but supports the promotion's recent decision to increase all televised main events from three rounds to five. Unfortunately nobody told referee Josh Rosenthal (via MMA.tv), who warned the San Jose headliners that round three would be their last. Whoops! Here's why: "Thanks for all the support and kind words, i truly appreciate it. As far as the "last Round" comment, my paper work for the fight said 3 rounds, My bad. Funny though when Dan told me 3 more rounds. It was an true honor to officiate over true legends of our sport. They both showed how great their hearts are." After Rosenthal instructed his fighters that round three would be for all the marbles, Henderson was good enough to remind him that in fact, it wasn't, prompting a chuckle out of UFC commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. No harm, no foul. For complete UFC 139 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 139 prelim fights that were seen Spike TV, click here and here. Want to know what happened with the UFC 139 Facebook Prelims portion of the card? To read a full recap click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 139 fight card from top to bottom click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, henderson, hp pavilion

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MMA fans were treated to something special when Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua met in the main event of UFC 139. Both men had moments where it appeared they were about to be finished, but displayed incredible courage in continuing to fight until the final bell. It was one of the best fights in MMA history, and Shogun wants to do it again. Via UOL Esporte (translation via Tom Mendes): It was certainly a big fight. I don't know how the judges scored the last round, they could or they should have given a 10-8 for me. But that doesn't take anything away from Dan Henderson. He's a legend and that's the type of fight where you create a legacy. But I want a rematch, I think it would be a great battle and the fans want to see it. A rematch would no doubt be thrilling but the idea of either man taking that much damage over the course of a fight yet again is almost frightening. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

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Dan Henderson had prepared himself for a five-round fight against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. But a bug he'd caught the week prior to UFC 139 sapped his strength and left him so dehydrated that he needed IV fluids following a bout that's been called one of the best in UFC history. "He'd been ill throughout the week, so the five-round fight was pretty tough on his body," Aaron Crecy, Henderson's business partner, told MMAjunkie.com. "He was having trouble breathing because he was so dehydrated."

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back this past Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) with UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson," featuring Dan Henderson outlasting Mauricio Rua in a five-round classic main event that will forever live in mixed martial arts lore.  Wanderlei Silva returned to the win column with a thrilling technical knockout victory over the debuting Cung Le that showcased all the old familiar traits of "The Axe Murderer." And that's not even mentioning Urijah Faber, who earned another bantamweight title shot by choking out Brian Bowles. In cased you missed any or all of it -- or just want to keep the discussion alive -- below are links to all the major storylines borne from Saturday night's event in San Jose, California. In we go. UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" Results and live fight coverage Recap and discussion Post-fight press conference video Bonuses and awards Event photos gallery Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua fight video highlights Facebook "Prelims" results and recap Fight recap: Dan Henderson defeats Shogun Rua in a 'Fight of the Century' candidate Fight recap: Wanderlei Silva stops Cung Le with strikes in the second round Fight recap: Urijah Faber chokes out Brian Bowles to earn title shot Fight recap: Martin Kampmann wins a split decision over Rick Story Fight recap: Stephan Bonnar cruises past Kyle Kingsbury Fight recap: Ryan Bader knocks out Jason Brilz Fight recap: Michael McDonald destroys Alex Soto Fight review and analysis: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Fight review and analysis: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Fight review and analysis: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Fight review and analysis: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Fight review and analysis: Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua UFC 139 post-fight fallout Big winners and lowly losers Even though it was an awesome fight, Dana White wouldn't have wanted Shogun vs. Henderson on FOX Picture of the scorecards for the Shogun vs. Henderson fight Dan Henderson breaks down how he scored his fight against Shogun Rua Dana White thought Shogun vs. Henderson was a draw The Fight Metric report agrees with White and not the judges Shogun vs. Henderson is the only reason we need to watch MMA What's next for Dan Henderson and Urijah Faber? Cung Le's nose right after getting it crushed by Wanderlei Silva's knees (Pic) Cung Le's nose one day later Cung Le should be thanking Wanderlei Silva for the impromptu nose rearranging Wanderlei Silva won the fight but was Cung Le a victim of a quick stoppage? Stephan Bonnar fighting Quinton Jackson next? That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What gets your vote for the biggest story coming out of UFC 139? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: fight, vs, henderson, shogun, recap

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Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua put on an all-time great bout at UFC 139. Henderson controlled the first three rounds and after somehow surviving the violent barrage of "Hendo" it was "Shogun" who took over rounds four and five, almost getting the finish in the final round. The final scoring was somewhat controversial as Dan Henderson won by unanimous decision, getting a 48-47 score from all three judges. 47-47 seemed to be the most common score though with Henderson getting the first three rounds 10-9 and Shogun winning round 4 10-9 and round 5 10-8. The bout has been called by many the best in the history of MMA and while that may be a stance that is as much about a bias created by being so near to the actual fight, it's hard to argue against it being on the shortlist. What was the high spot of this fight? What wasn't the high spot of this fight? This was an incredible bout between two legends of MMA. Back and forth action, near finishes, gutsy survivals of being in big danger and that special kind of violence that makes fight sports something unique and amazing. Personally, I know I'll never forget this fight. Where do these guys go from here? Many people want to see an immediate rematch, but there is a part of me that wants to not see them put their bodies and brains through it again. But know that I'd watch the rematch in a heartbeat. Dana White said that Henderson could challenge for the light heavyweight or middleweight title. At 41 years old, it's hard to see Henderson drop back to 185. A shot against the Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida winner or maybe the winner of that fight against Rashad Evans would be a great fight. Watch it now, later or never? Watch it now, then again right away and then again later. This was a special fight.   More BE coverage of UFC 139 in the full entry.   UFC 139 Results: FightMetric Scores Shogun vs. Henderson a Draw - Tim Burke UFC 139 Results: The Resurgence Of Stephan Bonnar - Josh Nason UFC 139 Results: Urijah Faber Earns Title Shot, Possible TUF Slot Against Dominick Cruz - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Becomes the Ultimate Persuader - Leland Roling UFC 139 Video: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video For Shogun vs Henderson - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson vs Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Fight Video Highlights - Leland Roling UFC 139: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 102: UFC 139 Results Review - Matt Bishop UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson Wins Decisions Over Shogun Rua In An Absolute Classic - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for PPV Broadcast - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Wanderlei Silva Knocks Out Cung Le In The Second Round - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Urijah Faber Chokes Brian Bowles Out With A Guillotine - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Martin Kampmann Edges Rick Story with Split Decision Victory - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Stephan Bonnar Dominates Kyle Kingsbury To Unanimous Decision - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Ryan Bader Knocks Out Jason Brilz In The First - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Broadcast - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Michael McDonald Knocks Alex Soto Out In The First Round - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Chris Weidman Sinks In D'arce Choke to Beat Tom Lawlor - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Gleison Tibau Wins Split Decision Over Rafael dos Anjos - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Stream - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Miguel Torres Puts On A Clinic Against Nick Pace - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Seth Baczynski Finishes Matt Brown Early In The Second - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Danny Castillo Finishes Shamar Bailey With Punches - Matt Roth

Posted in: ufc, result, henderson, matt, roth

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has closed out another groundbreaking mixed martial arts (MMA) event, as UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" this past Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) brought the fans in attendance at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, some of the most exciting fights we've seen all year.  The main event, Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson, left the MMA world ablaze and had some fans proclaiming it to one of the finest fights in the history of the sport. We saw one fight that some complained was stopped too early. We also saw a fight (between Chris Weidman and Tom Lawlor) that clearly was not stopped soon enough. UFC 139 was packed to the gills with legends fighting to survive, top prospects looking to rise to the next level and fights that will be replayed for years to come. After the jump, MMAmania.com takes a look back on the highlights that made UFC 139 one of the best MMA events of all time: Coming off the inaugural UFC on Fox 1 event, the hype machine was a little low on "fuel." For this reason, the main event of UFC 139 may have flown under the radar. Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua are MMA pioneers. They've done everything. They've fought everyone and everywhere. Yet, somehow, before Saturday night, the two had never faced each other. All of that changed as "Hendo" and "Shogun" finally took to the Octagon together, giving fans a show that will forever live in the loving memories of all those who witnessed it. Each fighter was sure they were winner. UFC President Dana White felt it should have been a draw. Ultimately, the judges' scorecard showed Henderson to be the winner by unanimous decision. Read a full recap of the Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson fight at UFC 139 here. The close decision left many to speculate as to what the future will hold for both fighters. Afterwards, Dana White was non-committal on the matter, stating that he believes Henderson could contend for either the 185-pound or 205-pound titles, depending on which he preferred. Neither fighter was able to attend the post-fight press conference, as they were both forced to visit the local hospital to have their wounds attended to. Watch the full "Shogun vs. Henderson" post-fight press conference video here.  The co-main event saw two more MMA legends collide as Wanderlei Silva looked to rebound from a tough knockout loss at UFC 132 to Chris Leben. His opponent, Cung Le, was making his UFC debut, after taking almost a year and a half off from fighting to pursue acting opportunities. The fight went almost entirely as scripted. Le used his renowned martial arts skills and fancy kicks to keep "The Axe Murderer" on his heels for much of the first round. But you can't keep "Wandy" moving backwards forever. In the second round, Silva began to stalk Le, unloading on him with flurries of vicious combinations. It was only a matter of time before Le's face was hardly distinguishable.   Silva was able to notch an impressive second round TKO victory and bought himself and his career a little more time. For a full recap with detailed analysis on the "Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le" fight, click here. World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veterans Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles had it out in a number one contender eliminator match that saw "The California Kid" return to his form of old. Bowles was simply no match for Faber and his arsenal of weapons as he fell prey to a guillotine choke in the second round that forced him to tap. Faber will now move on to get the trilogy fight against current Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz that he has loudly been requesting. For an in-depth summary of the "Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles" fight, click here. In the bonus department, Dana White mixed things up a bit by doling out the "fight of the night" award to two fights instead of the usual one. "Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson" and "Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le" received the prestigious honors. the "Submission of the Night" bonus went to Urijah Faber. "Knockout of the Night" was awarded to Michael McDonald, whose quick KO of Alex Soto made a statement heard loud and clear all over the MMA community. Bantamweights beware. It doesn't have to end there. We want to hear your favorite fond memories from UFC 139. For complete UFC 139  results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 139 prelim fights that were seen Spike TV, click here and here. Want to know what happened with the UFC 139 Facebook Prelims portion of the card? To read a full recap click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 139 fight card from top to bottom click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, event, henderson

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UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" took place last night (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, featuring Dan Henderson outlasting Mauricio Rua in a brutally bloody five-round war that culminated in "Hendo" earning a unanimous decision win. Controversial as it may have been. Wanderlei Silva got back in the win column with a performance that harkened back to his days as "The Axe Murderer" in Pride, as the Brazilian scored a second round technical knockout win over Cung Le in the co-main event of the evening. Oh, and Urijah Faber earned himself another bantamweight championship fight against Dominick Cruz by dominating (can't decide if pun is intended) Brian Bowles, finishing the former title challenger via submission in the second round. In other action, Stephan Bonnar easily defeated Kyle Kingsbury and Martin Kampmann saved his job by defeating Rick Story. A photo gallery (via UFC.com) is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury (All photos by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Posted in: vs, henderson, rua, axe murderer, kyle kingsbury

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Seth Baczynski cemented his spot in the UFC welterweight division with a second round guillotine choke finish of Matt Brown. The first round was a bit slow, with both fighters exchanging knees in the clinch against the fence while Baczynski looked for the takedown. The second was a different story though, with Seth latching on a guillotine and managing to hold on despite a valiant escape attempt from Brown. The ref stepped in at the 42 second mark of the round after Brown finally tapped. Baczynski now has back-to-back wins, and Brown was unable to pick up a second win in a row. The welterweight bout was the second fight on the UFC 139 preliminary portion of the card, and was streamed live on Facebook. What was the high spot of this fight? Definitely the finish. Brown did everything he could to fight off the guillotine, but it just wasn't enough. Where do these guys go from here? Baczynski has looked impressive since his return to the UFC, winning both of his bouts by submission. The level of competition wasn't the best, but wins are wins, and Seth will be sticking around for a while longer. A bout with DaMarques Johnson seems like logical matchmaking to me. Brown is probably wondering whether he still has a job right now. He's 1-4 in his last five UFC bouts with a lone win over John Howard at UFC on Versus 4. While his fights are usually entertaining, it's been proven that he can't hold his own in the UFC welterweight division. If he does get a reprieve for some reason, put him against Dan Hardy in a real loser-leaves-town bout. Watch it now, later, or never? Later. The finish was very nice, but the first round was kind of plodding. I'd recommend just watching the second round if you've got the time. More BE coverage of UFC 139 in the full entry. UFC 139 Results: FightMetric Scores Shogun vs. Henderson a Draw - Tim Burke UFC 139 Results: The Resurgence Of Stephan Bonnar - Josh Nason UFC 139 Results: Urijah Faber Earns Title Shot, Possible TUF Slot Against Dominick Cruz - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson Results: Winners, Losers, and Other Thoughts - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Becomes the Ultimate Persuader - Leland Roling UFC 139 Video: Full Post-Fight Press Conference Video For Shogun vs Henderson - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson vs Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Fight Video Highlights - Leland Roling UFC 139: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Results and Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Post-Fight Press Conference Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 102: UFC 139 Results Review - Matt Bishop UFC 139 Results: Dan Henderson Wins Decisions Over Shogun Rua In An Absolute Classic - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for PPV Broadcast - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Wanderlei Silva Knocks Out Cung Le In The Second Round - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Urijah Faber Chokes Brian Bowles Out With A Guillotine - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Martin Kampmann Edges Rick Story with Split Decision Victory - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Stephan Bonnar Dominates Kyle Kingsbury To Unanimous Decision - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Ryan Bader Knocks Out Jason Brilz In The First - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Spike TV Broadcast - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Michael McDonald Knocks Alex Soto Out In The First Round - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Chris Weidman Sinks In D'arce Choke to Beat Tom Lawlor - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Gleison Tibau Wins Split Decision Over Rafael dos Anjos - Matt Roth UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson - Live Results and Play-By-Play for Facebook Stream - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139 Results: Miguel Torres Puts On A Clinic Against Nick Pace - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Seth Baczynski Finishes Matt Brown Early In The Second - Matt Roth UFC 139 Results: Danny Castillo Finishes Shamar Bailey With Punches - Matt Roth

Posted in: ufc, result, henderson, matt, roth

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There was obviously a lot of discussion about the scoring of last night's UFC 139 main event between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Dan Henderson. The judges all gave the fight to Hendo 48-47 (you can see the scorecard here), with Dan getting the first three rounds on all three cards, and Shogun getting the last two rounds on all cards. There were no 10-8's at all, which was surprising to a lot of people (including Dana White). Personally, I scored it a draw on the first viewing, and gave it to Shogun 48-46 on two subsequent watches. Well, Fight Metric believes it should have been a draw based on the stats. When I re-watched the fight twice last night, I gave Shogun the first both times. Well, the stats don't see it that way. Hendo out landed Shogun 23-10 in significant strikes and did most of his damage in the clinch, leading 11-2 in significant strikes there. However, total strikes for the round were a lot closer, with Hendo edging it out 28-24. Hendo also had the guillotine attempt. The second and third rounds were closer than I thought in terms of stats. Henderson led 25-20 in significant strikes and 35-28 overall in the second, again showing a significant advantage in landing strikes from the clinch. The third saw Hendo take significant strikes by a 21-17 margin, and 33-27 in overall strikes. Shogun also had a takedown and the leg lock. So while the stats were similar, there is statistical evidence that Henderson won the first three rounds. But then it all changes. It was obvious Shogun took over in the fourth. Rua outlanded Henderson 23-8 in significant strikes and 33-9 overall, dominating in all areas of striking. He was also credited with three takedowns, while Hendo got one. The the fifth rolled around, and it was one of the more statistically dominant rounds that I can remember. Here are the stats for the fifth: Rua landed 26 significant strikes, Henderson landed zero. Shogun landed 79 total strikes, Hendo just 8. Granted, all of that was on the ground with Shogun on top, but still. Shogun just got the one takedown, but mounted Henderson five times in the round. Henderson was given credit for neutralizing three of those moves to mount. Still, just from looking at the statistics, it's clear that Shogun should have been given a 10-8 for that round, and that would have made the fight a draw. Over the whole fight, Shogun led Henderson in significant strikes (96-77) and total strikes (191-113). You can check out all the stats here.

Posted in: round, henderson, shogun, hendo, strike

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Dan Henderson won a unanimous decision over Mauricio Rua in the main event of UFC 139 last night (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. And here we have the scorecards to prove it. UFC President Dana White was watching the epic bout play itself out cageside and from his vantage point, the judges should have scored it a draw. For his part, Henderson thought he won the first four rounds, three easily, with maybe a 10-8 thrown in there. Finally, the Fight Metric report showed a win for "Shogun" but under the limited parameters of the 10-point must system, it agreed with White that the result should have been a draw. The judges didn't see it that way. How did you Maniacs score this one?

Posted in: henderson, mauricio rua, epic bout, judges didnt, vantage point

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Last night (Nov. 19, 2011), mixed martial arts (MMA) fans at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., were treated to an event full of classic names, rising prospects and exciting fights that exceeded their lofty expectations. UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Hendo" was a card that did not feature a single championship bout, but it still managed to carry a healthy amount of title implications. The headline fight between Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson was never confirmed to be a number one contender eliminator match; however, once the dust settled on its brilliance many believe that it very well have been. Meanwhile, the 135-pound showdown between Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles featured two former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champions who were looking to get a crack at Dominick Cruz's bantamweight belt with a victory. After the jump, we'll talk about what's next for last night's big winners, "Hendo" and "The California Kid:" Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson will forever go down in MMA history as one of the greatest fights of all time. For five rounds, two absolute legends of the sport threw everything they had at each other in a 205-pound fight that had the crowd roaring and on their feet for a good portion of the 25-minute contest. It was a fantastic advertisement for five-round non-title main events. It was also proof that the 41-year old Henderson still has some gas in the tank. The future for "Dangerous Dan" was left up in the air when UFC president Dana White sounded very non-committal in the UFC 139 post-fight press conference about Henderson's next opponent. At one point, White made the comment that Henderson "could fight for the 185-pound or the 205-pound title." Yet, when reporters in the room tried to nail him down on an answer, he was unwilling to say which was more probable for the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion. White did, however, say that he still feels Chael Sonnen is the number one contender in the middleweight division.  If the promotion does actually offer Henderson the choice between middleweight and light heavyweight, he will likely choose the division that offers him the fastest track to a title shot. Hard to say which weight class would offer that opportunity, but a fight against current light heavyweight Jon Jones seems like the most likely scenario after last night's epic battle. For everything you need to know about the fight between Henderson and Shogun click here and here. In regard to Faber, it's not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts. This expression fairly well epitomizes Faber's career. After every one of his MMA losses, he has come back to finish his opponent in impressive fashion. Thus was the case last night, as Faber bum-rushed former training partner Brian Bowles en route to a devastating second round submission victory. Faber will now get the trilogy match for which he's been begging, taking on UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz for the third time to see who will emerge with the belt and, perhaps more important, bragging rights. In the most recent match up between Faber and Cruz, fans witnessed a fast-paced and furious, five-round fight that saw the champion retain his title via unanimous decision. Ever since that fateful night on at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Faber has been calling for another crack at Cruz, who he believes he defeated when they last squared off. No word yet on the date or event for this upcoming title bout, but you can be sure that MMAmania.com will have the news when it becomes available. For everything you need to know about the fight between Faber and Bowles click here and here. Do you think "Hendo" should be next in line to fight "Bones" for the 205-pound strap? Are you Maniacs pumped about "Faber vs. Cruz 3?"  Let's hear it.

Posted in: fight, pound, title, henderson, faber

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It's that time again. As with every major MMA event, I'm going to break down the biggest winners and losers of the night at UFC 139. It was a great night of fights from the UFC. The only real bummer is that with the absurd schedule they've been maintaining since August, the event fell through the promotional cracks with most of the focus being placed on the UFC on Fox card.  Winners: Dan Henderson - At 41 years old, Hendo has been looking better in his 40s than he did in his 30s. There are still questions about his gas tank but last night's performance was spectacular. He isn't ready for a title shot against Jon Jones or Anderson Silva but he can put on some fun fights with high level guys.  Mauricio Rua - Like Dan Henderson, he put on one of the best career performances last night. The guts and heart displayed in the third round are things of legend. The fact he almost won after the absolute drubbing shows that he's still one of the toughest fighters in MMA. Urijah Faber - Earning another title shot after just losing to the champ may seem like a crazy thing to say but last night Faber looked better than he ever has. He sat down on his punches and generated the power needed to put a hurting on Brian Bowles. Stephan Bonnar - I've criticized Bonnar for his apparent lack of desire to continue fighting. He's kept a minimal schedule to explore other ventures and it's a shame he takes up main card spots. But last night he looked solid against a solid Kyle Kingsbury Michael McDonald - I don't know what the future holds for the 20 year old but he's extremely well rounded for his age. Does Joe Silva continue to develop him slowly or will he be tossed to the wolves? Chris Weidman - Awesome win against a difficult opponent. He's still got a ways to go but the d'arce choke and set up was slick.  The Fans - Was that one of the best events or was that one of the best events? If you tuned in you were treated to the best card on paper and in practice of the year. You also got to see one of the best fights of all time. If you didn't tune in then you missed out on so much and there's no reason to even talk to you. Losers and additional thoughts after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Losers: Cung Le - Showed up out of shape. Looked terrible in his fight and left the HP Pavilion with a broken nose. I have legitimate doubts that we'll ever see him fight again.  Wanderlei Silva - Yes, a win is a win. But last night he looked terrible. He looked slow and he was hit by numerous spinning back fists. The time is right for retirement. He got the win. But looking at the top 25 of the division, who has the name and skills to make this a competitive fight for Wand without causing him more brain damage? Eddie Alvarez & Michael Chandler - Before the PPV card started, these guys had the fight of the night. Everyone was buzzing on twitter about how great this fight was and how it was a Fight of the Year candidate. It's now an afterthought because of Henderson and Shogun.    Other Thoughts:   People calling for an immediate rematch of Henderson and Shogun last night was a little ridiculous. Those men left everything he had in the cage. The rematch would never live up to the first fight and neither man deserves to ever take that kind of damage again. It was a once in a lifetime type fight. Cherish that memory and move on.  It really is a shame that this card won't do major PPV numbers because it honestly was the best the UFC has offered in 2011. From the first fight to the main event, I was entertained and on the edge of my seat. I can't remember feeling such an adrenaline high from fights but last night was the perfect event to explain why I love watching MMA. I said it last night and I'll say it again. There's no place I'd rather be on a Saturday night than with you guys on this site.  An interesting point that Strikeforce welterweight Jason High brought up last night is that five round non-title fights aren't for the fighters, they are for the fans. He was pretty down on the fact that both men put their bodies through so much for our entertainment. It was the kind of fight that could take years off a man's life. I hope that puts things in perspective that while this is a sport, it takes its toll on the human body. We love spouting off the fact that there aren't any long term effects of MMA and that it's safer than boxing. Last night may prove that theory incorrect. 

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, event, henderson

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Filed under: UFCAmong the MMA media who log serious frequent flier miles following the UFC around the country all year, it takes something major to jar them out of the vague sense that fight night is another day at the office. That's not to say that even the most grizzled road warriors on press row aren't appreciative of having a job they love following a sport they're passionate about, but when you start to hear the UFC's in-arena playlist in your sleep (damn you, techno remix of "Hotel California"!), some of the action can start to feel routine. Then you get an event like UFC 139, which ended with quite possibly the best fight any of us had ever seen. As Dan Henderson and "Shogun" Rua battled back and forth for five rounds, a sense of baffled astonishment set in. It's that rare moment where you realize you're witnessing something amazing, even as that something is still happening. You could look at the faces of the fans in the arena and picture them preparing to tell their grandchildren about this night decades from now. Afterwards, I tried to compare scorecards with ESPN writer (and fellow University of Montana alum -- go Griz) Chad Dundas. Personally, I had the fight a draw, but you could make case for almost any result, and I was curious how Chad scored it. "Awesome," he replied. "I scored it 'awesome.'" Two things about that: 1) It's a good thing he isn't an actual judge, because the phrase, "Judge Chad Dundas scores the bout awesome," probably wouldn't go over well with any commission (well, maybe Texas wouldn't care), and 2) I can't disagree. That fight was awesome, and it almost doesn't matter who got the official nod from the judges at the end. Some more fight night musings, scribbled from 35,000 feet and culled from a brain suffering from severe sleep-deprivation: - Hendo will likely get a title shot soon, but in which division? Dana White said he was open to letting Henderson challenge for a belt at either middleweight or light heavyweight, depending on which one is available first. The thing about that is, Henderson has made it very clear that he doesn't want to be a 185-pounder full-time. Even if he won the belt, he told us earlier this week, he might not stick around to defend it. He simply hates the weight cut that much. Don't tell that to White, however, who said that if Hendo did beat Anderson Silva, a rubber match would only make sense. "I think Hendo would go back down [to 185 pounds] for that too," said the UFC prez. "I think these guys will go wherever the big money fights are." In other words, White's betting that Henderson likes money more than he hates dieting. He might have a point. - Even though both the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champs have contenders in line to face them, don't assume that those match-ups are set in stone. Henderson tweeted from the hospital that he was suffering only from a sprained thumb, which seems almost impossible to believe, but might mean that he won't need as much time off as you'd expect after a fight like that. That could be important if the UFC finds itself suddenly in need of his services. Talking with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva before the event, he claimed that he'd gone back and crunched the numbers for this year and was slightly amazed to discover that about half his original main events in 2011 had been altered or scuttled entirely by injuries. He seemed to think that the intensity of the sparring in many gyms was to blame, but regardless of the cause, it makes you think twice about assuming that any title shot promises are truly guaranteed. An injury to the champ or the challenger, and the picture could change in a hurry. The show must go on, after all. - Wanderlei Silva's win doesn't automatically extend the life of his career indefinitely. Even with the dramatic TKO victory over Cung Le, White didn't seem like he was at all ready to retract his previous statements about wanting to see Silva hang it up. When the knockouts start piling up, he said, it's time to go -- regardless of whether you can still win one here or there. "People can disagree with me or whatever. Go start your own organization. I'm not doing it," he added. As for how Silva will take that message, White sounded an optimistic tone, saying "I think he gets it. It's pretty clear. I've been very open and honest about it." So has Silva, and he doesn't sound like a man who's ready for the rocking chair just yet. File this little battle under 'To be continued.' - If you think the UFC schedule is crazy now, just wait. White had to sit out from some of the pre-UFC 139 media responsibilities because he was just so worn down after the stress of the first FOX show, which is understandable. But after this emotionally-draining night in San Jose, the UFC is back in Vegas in two weeks, then Toronto the week after that, then Vegas again for the end of the year. In 2012, with the FOX deal starting up and 'The Ultimate Fighter' going live, things really get insane. "The schedule is looking ugly, man. Especially for me," White admitted. "There's 26 weeks alone of live television. 26 weeks of live television, every Friday night ends in a live fight, then I have to jump on a plane and fly to wherever we are on Saturday, then start all over again on Monday." That's a travel schedule that even pro wrestlers and Rolling Stones roadies would wince at, and it already appears to be taking a toll on White. What will become of the organization if he runs himself into the ground? He doesn't sound too worried about it. "This is McDonald's, man," he said. "This thing goes on forever without me. Is it different without me? Yeah maybe it's a little different without me, but they don't need me, man." - I'm not sure how the UFC so consistently manages to position press row so near to each arena's foremost striking expert, but it does. This time, media members were treated to several hours worth of one ticket-holding genius shouting for the "2-4" combination. He must have thought it was a flawless attack, since he offered the same advice to nearly every fighter, from Nick Pace to Wanderlei Silva to Dan Henderson. None of them listened to him, of course, but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm any. A note to those of you who plan on attending a live event: it's not a damn Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, people. The fighters are not taking your requests, no matter how loudly you shout the MMA equivalent of 'play Free Bird!' at them. - Anybody complaining about an early stoppage in the Cung Le-Silva fight obviously didn't see Le's face as he made his way to the locker room. Remember how badly his nose was smashed at the end of his first bout with Scott Smith? It was a lot like that, only with more assorted lumps about the rest of his face to accompany it. You could tell by the way he lunged for that desperate takedown attempt: Le was done. Even if he could have gone on a few more seconds, better to stop it just a tad too soon than to let it go on a punch too far. - Urijah Faber is more willing than ever to be Dominick Cruz's bantamweight nemesis. Before their rematch, he was somewhat reluctant to assume that mantle. Now that he's had some time to stew on that decision loss, however, he's all about the rivalry. Not only did he call out Cruz in his post-fight remarks, telling him to "throw some gel in that widow's peak," but he later insisted that Cruz's narrow win didn't prove him to be the better fighter, hence the need for a rubber match. "We'll find out who's the man for the rest of our lives," Faber said. "That's important to me." No kidding. - Ronda Rousey got the UFC president's attention with her grisly armbar win at Strikeforce: Challengers. White actually referenced the nasty ending to that fight when lambasting the referee in the Chris Weidman-Tom Lawlor fight for being slow to step in. Weidman claimed he didn't blame the ref for not believing him that Lawlor had been choked unconscious since "I could be trying to get a cheap victory with that," for all the ref knew. White disagreed: "I blame him. I do. You're referee. You should know when somebody's out. Get your ass in there and stop the fight. Same thing with the armbar last night in Las Vegas. ...I blame him. 100 percent." Okay, so he didn't call out Rousey by name, but we all know who he's talking about. Just getting him to admit to watching a women's MMA fight is a step in the right direction, even if he later insisted that his general feeling on the lack of depth in the women's division is a deal-breaker for him. Baby steps. - UFC headed to Sao Paulo in June? Magic Eight Ball says, 'Outlook good.' I was reluctant to believe White's claim that Brazil is "our new Canada," but the regular presence of Brazilian media members at UFC fights lately makes me think otherwise. One Brazilian reporter quizzed White about a newspaper report that the organization was headed for Sao Paulo in June -- a question that clearly caught White off-guard. "How's this stuff get out?" he said, before changing gears and trying to play it coy, yet gleefully unsubtle. "I don't know if we're going to Sao Paulo in June, and if Anderson Silva's headlining the card. No clue. That would be awesome, though." - Unsolicited travel tip: When you realize that you didn't pack enough underwear for your excessively long road trip spanning back-to-back MMA events, think twice about trying to wash a pair in your hotel room's bathroom sink. It takes longer to dry than you'd think, and attempting to wear them while still even a little bit damp will be a decision you immediately regret. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, henderson, didnt

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The scene around my living room on Saturday night during the UFC 139 broadcast was typical of any UFC event. The room was filled with constant rambling about some obscure fight I had watched the week prior, my buddy nodding with no idea who the hell I was talking about, a bunch of laughs, and a consistent flow of beer from the refrigerator. Like I said, a typical Saturday night with the UFC pay-per-view echoing loudly through the halls of my historic American Foursquare. As we keenly watched the main event battle between former Pride champion Dan Henderson and former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua unfold, the seat shift occurred. The term is a work in progress, but we've all done it. It's that moment in a fight when you sing your praises to the Lord and your body follows suit by bucking up to the edge of your seat. Henderson's bevy of right hands and Rua's miraculous ability to maintain consciousness was the moment that sparked the shift. The action that followed was enthralling, causing our eyes to focus intently on the television as our legs and hands twitched nervously. What we were witnessing was a moment that creates fans for life. Rua's uppercut blast in the fourth round propelled viewers to their feet. It also vaulted the fight from a great performance by Dan Henderson to an all-time, memorable bout that nobody watching would ever forget. Want to get a friend who doesn't watch MMA into MMA? Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua just became the ultimate persuader. Rua dominated an exhausted Dan Henderson to the final bell, although he ultimately lost on the scorecards due to Henderson's dominance in the first three rounds. There wasn't a loser though. At least not in the context of what the sports' ultimate goal is. We were all thoroughly entertained and willing participants in the emotional roller coaster ride that Henderson vs. Rua provided us. It fed our appetite and provided the perfect example of why we will maintain our resolve as deeply interested fans in the sport for years to come. Bouts like Henderson vs. Rua are rare, but when they come along -- it's difficult to believe the sport will ever fade away.

Posted in: ufc, saturday night, henderson, dan, rua

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"Without a doubt, it was one of the top three best fights ever in MMA, without a doubt. I have so much respect for both of those guys to dig down that deep in a five round fight. That was like our Ali-Frazier three you know what I mean, it was incredible. This is one of those tough fights. In the first round, they both knocked each other down, you give Henderson the first three rounds, you give Shogun four, and you give Shogun 10-8 in the last round for a dominate round; it's a draw. It's one of those tough ones but that's how I scored it. But who the hell am I?" -- UFC President Dana White tells the media at the UFC 139 post-fight conference (watch full video here) that the epic 205-pound battle between Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua, which "Hendo" won via unanimous decision, should have been a draw. The former Pride FC stars treated fans to a back-and-forth battle for the ages, with Henderson dominating Rua for the first three rounds of the fight, nearly finishing him on a few attempts. However, in the (non) "championship" rounds, the Brazilian turned the tide and nearly came close to finishing Henderson himself. Shogun clearly won the fourth and the case could be made that he could have been awarded the fifth round with a score of 10-8, which would have had the fight end in a draw. In a fight which saw both fighters floored to the canvas, a near miraculous comeback from Rua, and great back-and-forth exchanges, many fans were left wanting more. Perhaps if the judges would have seen it the same way as the UFC head honcho, an instant rematch would have likely been in the works, giving fans a continuation of the instant classic. Do you share the same sentiments as White? Or did "Hendo" clearly win the fight as the judges declared? Round six, anyone?

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, henderson, shogun

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Posted in: fight, tekprodfx, vs, henderson, shogun

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UFC 139 is officially in the books. As possibly the most memorable card in UFC history, every fight lived up to the expectations and the main event will go down in the history books as one of the greatest fights of all time. As per usual with post-fight press conferences the victors were there, except for Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson who were taken to the hospital for observation.  Dana White handed out $70,000 bonuses to Shogun and Hendon for Fight of the Night as well as to Cung Le and Wanderlei Silva. Urijah Faber got Submission of the Night and Michael McDonald picked up the Knockout of the Night check.  White was elated about the whole show and it showed in his attitude at the presser. It was a great night for the UFC and the president was in top form when talking to the press following the event. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

Posted in: ufc, night, henderson, press, ufc history

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Fans expected fireworks when former Pride standouts Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua finally met last night (November 19, 2011) in the main event of UFC 139, although something tells me they didn't expect one of the greatest fights of all time. The two heavy-handed strikers collided with a furious force that had the HP Pavilion rocking from start to finish in a back and forth battle filled with knockdowns, H-bombs and boatloads of blood. Henderson had all the momentum early but as the fight wore on, Shogun took over and showcased tremendous heart, although miraculously neither man could finish the other. When it finally came time to tally the scorecards, it was ruled unanimously in favor of Henderson, the former Pride and Strikeforce champion. So what key factors allowed him to pull out the victory? And where do both of these warriors go from here? Henderson got off to a terrific start, blasting Rua with a short uppercut, threatening with a guillotine choke and then unloading on the Brazilian with a huge flurry of strikes while "Shogun" was forced to cover up against the fence and absorb every blow. Rua would bounce back with a right hand that connected behind the ear and dropped Henderson, but just like his fight with Rafael Cavalcante, "Hendo" grabbed a single leg and escaped danger with the the threat of a takedown. The pace slowed slightly in round two as both men tried to catch their breath in the clinch, but that didn't stop Henderson from unleashing one of the nastiest combinations of his storied career. He tags "Shogun" with a probing left hand primarily used to gauge the perfect distance for his lethal right and then crushes the Brazilian with a perfect right cross to the chin. Watch how just as Shogun covers up to protect his eyes, Henderson finds the perfect window to slip in a beautiful uppercut and he continued to press forward. While rounds one and two were entertaining, round three was what this fight will likely be remembered for. Henderson was slightly in control but then seized it with another terrific setup for his big bomb of a right hand. What how Henderson creates an opening for his right hand by connecting with a nice inside leg kick. With "Shogun" off balance slightly and forced to stay directly in front of him even for a brief instant, Henderson explodes forward with a big right hook that blasts the Brazilian in the side of the head. Shogun came within seconds of being stopped here as "Hendo" swarmed him with a huge flurry of strikes but referee Josh Rosenthal allowed it to continue.  Rua held on to Henderson for dear life in a body lock with the faint hope that the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion would be too tired to finish him off. His prayers were answered when his American opponent finally slowed down long enough to give him an opportunity to respond. Not only did he respond, but he threatened to end the fight with a heel hook and when Henderson backed off, "Shogun" got to his feet and took him down at the end of the round, something that likely saved him from a 10-8. From this point on, both men were exhausted, but Rua was the slightly fresher man and he showed his pure heart and determination by winning round four and then dominating round five with his offensive grappling. Despite the fact that he had absorbed more punishment than a masochist at a dominatrix convention, Rua went to work on his clearly gassed foe with the utilization of some slick trip takedowns. Not content to simply ride out the end of the fourth and the entire fifth rounds, Rua passed Henderson's guard like butter, actually taking the mount six total times in the final two frames.  He spent a heavy majority of the fifth round in full mount, but exhaustion and the damage absorbed had taken their toll on him as well and he couldn't put forth enough offense to force a stoppage. Thus, the reason for the judges, who all gave the fight to Henderson 48-47 to give the former Olympian a unanimous decision. We can complain all we want about how the fifth round should have been a 10-8 and the fight should have been ruled a draw, but it will still go down as one of the most memorable, violent and dramatic fights in UFC history. For "Shogun" Rua, he is very lucky that this fight was five rounds. If it had simply been three, it would have been a dominant clean sweep across the boards for Henderson. The extra two rounds gave him a chance to come back but he needed to be more effective early. Where were his kicks? It appeared that he got suckered into a punching exchange and while he's got heavy hands of his own, you simply don't want to go blow-for-blow with Dan freaking Henderson. If he'd been able to establish some leg and body kicks, that would have really taken some of the zest out of "Hendo's" power strikes. Depending on how long he's going to be out of commission after a tremendous war like that, Rua has plenty of options for future opponents. Quinton Jackson called him out for UFC Japan after losing his title shot to Jon Jones and that would be a terrific rematch. Other possibilities include Strikeforce light heavyweights like Gegard Mousasi or "King" Mo Lawal, who may both be coming to the UFC soon. For Dan Henderson, he was on fire for three rounds. He's proven time and time again that he can find creative ways to set up the huge right hand and by doing so, he's more than just a one-punch knockout artist. He set up his right hand with leg kicks, jabs, body punches, you name it. Despite knowing it's coming, it's still very difficult to actually predict when it's coming. If he has anything to work on after that fight, it's the conditioning. He was clearly exhausted in round five and that's the type of thing that could cost him if he were to fight for a title in 2012.  In regards to potential upcoming opponents, Dana White mentioned that Dan Henderson can have a title shot at middleweight or light heavyweight if he wants it, although he'd still be second in line at both weight classes behind Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans. If he doesn't want to wait, he could take on Rashad Evans and try to take his number one contender position away from him. Other than that, it would be smarter to play the waiting game for the title than take any other fight, unless perhaps a rematch were offered with Rua. That would probably do a huge pay-per-view number given the word of mouth from last night's fight. So what do you think, Maniacs? Was this the best fight in UFC history? Or is everyone letting it get to their head since the match is still so fresh? Does Dan Henderson have it in him to potentially be the UFC champion at 185 or 205 pounds? Sound off!   For complete UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: fight, round, henderson, shogun, rua

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  If you didn't buy the UFC 139 pay-per-view last night, it's possible that you missed one of the greatest mixed martial arts fights ever inside the Octagon, possibly in the span of the sports' existence. Former Pride champion Dan Henderson battered and beat down former UFC champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua for three rounds on Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Unfortunately for Henderson, the main event bout was a five-round affair, and Rua survived the onslaught to come back and nearly win by knockout in the fourth round. Check out BloodyElbow.com's own Brent Brookhouse's detailed account of the fourth stanza: Round 4 - Shogun shoots for a single leg and he gets it. Now Henderson stands but he eats big shots from Shogun. Now Shogun goes for a takedown again but Henderson has a crucifix and he tries to mount but Shogun attacks a leg and they're back to standing. Henderson drives through with a takedown into side control. Shogun gets half guard. Henderson trying for a choke but he has to give it up. Right hand from the top by Henderson. Big punches by Henderson and now knees to the body. They're standing now and Shogun with an uppercut. Both men are tired and beat up but they're still fighting. Jab by Henderson. Uppercut by Shogun and some follow up shots. Henderson is hurt badly! Henderson looks for a takedown, Shogun gets out and tags him. Now Henderson with a big right hand. Shogun firing back and Henderson is exhausted. Shogun with a takedown. Shogun into mount. Shogun landing punches. Shogun takes the back, Henderson turns and is on top. This is insanity. This fight is insane. 10-9 Shogun.

Posted in: takedown, henderson, shogun, rua, takedown shogun

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Holy hell. After a weekend that was perhaps the biggest in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) with its network television debut on FOX, the promotion followed it up tonight (Nov. 19, 2011) with one of its most thrilling main events ever. Let's not limit it to just the UFC, either, because two former Pride FC powerhouses -- Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua -- stepped inside the Octagon at the HP Pavilion in san Jose, Calif., and delivered a mixed martial arts (MMA) masterpiece that will surely stand the test of time. I'm not even sure where to begin. Let's start in the first round, where it was "H-Bombs" away with Henderson landing vicious right hands that had the Brazilian hurt bad and bleeding early. Believe it or not, but it seemed as though the end was close -- Rua was ridiculously rocked. But, it was just the start of an epic back-and-forth brawl. Rua was down (several times), but not out. He eventually recovered and even appeared to hurt Henderson before the round expired. Regardless, it was not enough to erase the previous four minutes, which favored Henderson significantly. It was more of the same in the second stanza, with Henderson hurting Rua along the cage before the pair got stuck in a battle of position along the fence. The referee split them apart, which seemingly brought the warriors back to life, exchanging wild blows as the round came to a close. The third round was all Henderson. In fact, Rua -- and MMA fans -- were fortunate that Josh Rosenthal let the 205-pound war continue because Henderson had him hurt so terribly. He hit him with everything he had, including the sledgehammer right hands that so often turn out the lights on most mortal men. Not Rua. Amazingly, despite being thoroughly beaten and battered, Rua actually put together some offense to close the round, including a heel-hook submission attempt, as well as a takedown with a small helping of ground and pound, before the "championship" rounds began. And round four and five are where Rua somehow, someway turned the tide. Henderson, who at this point had expended so much energy punching Rua into oblivion, was dead tired. He was so close, yet so far away from winning his fourth consecutive fight. Perhaps sensing his fatigue (it was impossible to miss), Rua came out for the fourth frame with takedowns on his mind. He got them against the Olympic-level wrestler, too. But Henderson was able to reverse position into a crucifix and then briefly threaten with a rear naked choke. Shortly thereafter in the scramble, Henderson was clinging to a guillotine choke that also was eventually thwarted. Suddenly, we're in the midst of a jiu-jitsu match. As the pair made it to their feet, Rua landed a clean uppercut that wobbled Henderson. Rua swarmed, landing several more strikes before Henderson responded with another right of his own. But, Henderson could barely lift his arms to protect himself at the point, which Rua use to his advantage, scoring another takedown and eventually securing full mount. Henderson would survive, but barely. Rua picked up right where he left off on the final round, in full mount, and stayed there literally for nearly five full minutes. Henderson simply could not get off his back. But, luckily for him, Rua was so tired at this point that he couldn't close the deal. That inability to finish Henderson ultimately came back to haunt the Brazilian when Bruce Buffer read the final scorecards. Henderson won unanimously (48-47) in the eyes of the three judges based on his early success and heavy damage. It was a case of too little, too late. However, there is absolutely no shame in losing an incredible fight like that -- the heart, grit and sheer determination that both men displayed this evening was insane. And had it not been a five-round, non-title fight, it would have been a one-sided beatdown with which Henderson would have walked away the clear winner. Brilliant idea, which spawned a legendary fight between two legends. Impossible to script them much better than that. When's the rematch? In the co-featured fight of the night, another Pride FC superstar, Wanderlei Silva, was once again attempting to beat-back Father Time, while also avoiding the creative kicks of his dynamic counterpart, Cung Le. Vale Tudo vs. Sanshou, baby. Their contrasting styles were evident immediately, with Le spinning and twirling across the cage with elegant -- albeit powerful -- kicks and punches. Silva, for some reason, refused to close the distance and get out of Le's lethal striking range. And it almost resulted in another (technical) knockout loss when Le landed a spinning backfist and several kicks that had the "Axe Murderer" perilously close to staring up at the lights, supine, once again. He endured, perhaps proving that his jaw isn't entirely made of glass. Then, between rounds one and two, Silva made several adjustments that proved pivotal. He side-stepped the kicks and got face-to-face with the former Strikeforce champion, clasping his hands behing his neck and delivering vintage Muay Thai knees to the face and body. Silva then transitioned immediately into old school kill mode, swarming Le with punches in bunches that had him completely dazed and confused. When he made a last ditch effort to avoid the abuse by going for a leg, which Silva punished him with repeated hammer fists, the referee intervened and mercifully stopped it. War Wand! Re-hitch your wagons, fight fans. Confident, quick and cocky. That would be one way to describe former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) posterboy, Urijah Faber, as he strutted into the Octagon -- classic championship cornrows and all -- to take on Brian Bowles in a number one bantamweight contender eliminator match. One devastating uppercut, followed up with brutal ground and pound, sealed the deal for the "California Kid" moments into the second stanza. Bowles, himself a former champion, didn't seem comfortable at all with Faber's frenetic, herky-jerky style from the outset. It was clear from the start of the fight that Faber was going to dictate its pace, even landing a huge crowd-pleasing slam as the first round winded down. And it was going to be up to Bowles to counter and catch Faber in an overzealous mistake if he wanted to emerge victories. He never got the chance. Once Faber had him hurt, he continued the onslaught and eventually finished the fight with a tight guillotine choke, handing Bowles his first "real" loss of his professional career. In the process, Faber once again finds himself in another title fight -- a trilogy match against UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz -- in the very near future. Whether you like it or not. Rick Story came out pistols pumping, slinging a wild barrage of powerful punches that were designed to snuff out the technically-superior "Hitman" early. "The Horror," it seemed, was intent on making Kampmann relive the Paul Daley first round knockout nightmare. Not this time. Kampmann weathered the violent storm, created distance and began to implement his calculated attack. He soon landed a skin-splitting left hand, which opened a cut above Story's right eye. Not to be outdone, Story gave Kampmann a matching mark before the bleeding pair headed into their corners after five minutes of aggressive action. In the second round, Kampmann hit his stride, landing accurate strikes that had Story backpedaling shortly after it started. Kampmann dialed up the pressure and soon got the 170-pound scrap to the ground, where he began to angle for submissions and soften up the tough kid from Tacoma. Unfortunately, what began as a welterweight war ended with a battle for position along the fence, with both fighters attempting and scoring their own takedowns in round three. It was Kampmann, however, who got the better of the exchanges, including a solid rear naked choke attempt as the final seconds ticked off the fight clock. And it was likely that final last-minute effort that earned Kampmann the split decision nod from the judges sitting ringside, steering himself out of an uncharacteristic two-fight losing skid and sending Story into one of his own. Talk about divisional parity. School was in session in the opening fight of the pay-per-view (PPV) main card. The experienced teacher was Stephan Bonnar and his lone, green student was Kyle Kingsbury. After 15 minutes of instruction, "Kingsbu" failed miserably, but hopefully he learned or thing or two from the three-round encounter with The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) legend. At the very least, Kingsbury needs to cobble together a ground game, a gaping hole that was exposed for the MMA world to see this evening. Bonnar, returning from nearly a year-long layoff because of knee surgery, used the better part of the first round to get the 205-pound contest horizontal. And that's where it remained, predominantly, for the final 10 minutes of action. "The American Psycho" was relentless, leveraging his Carlson Gracie-inspired Brazilian jiu-jitsu to control the massive American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) prospect, who was enjoying an impressive four-fight win streak prior to tonight's setback, to earn a lopsided unanimous decision. In doing so, Bonnar quietly extended his win streak to three. And with another win or two, may be able to return to light heavyweight relevance in 2012. He just needs to stay healthy. That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Hendo" in the comments section below. Was the main event one of the best fights ever? Is Wanderlei Silva still a legitimate middleweight threat? Does Faber have a chance in his trilogy fight with Cruz? Let's hear it, Maniacs. Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 139 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Shogun vs. Hendo" right here. While you're at it, check out our fight-by-fight recaps and immediate reactions for the UFC 139 PPV and SpikeTV action: Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson: UFC 139 results: Dan Henderson defeats Shogun Rua in 'Fight of the Century' candidate Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le:   UFC 139 results: Wanderlei Silva stops Cung Le with strikes in the second round Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles: UFC 139 results: Urijah Faber submits Brian Bowles to earn title shot against Dominick Cruz Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann: UFC 139 results: Martin Kampmann wins split decision over Rick Story Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury: UFC 139 results: Stephan Bonnar cruises past Kyle Kingsbury Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz: UFC 139 results: Ryan Bader gets back on track against Jason Brilz with first round knockout Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto: UFC 139 results: Michael McDonald destroys Alex Soto Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 139 results recap of the Facebook "Prelims" right here.

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Filed under: UFCThe UFC's Fight of the Year might not have even been MMA's Fight of the Night. That's how good last night was in the MMA world. Separated by a few hours and a few thousand miles, Bellator's Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez and the UFC's Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua staged two of the sport's all-time epic fights. In the former, Chandler upset Alvarez in a rollicking, explosive fourth-round submission win; in the latter Henderson outlasted Rua in an ferocious war of attrition. "That's the best fight I've ever seen," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said of his lightweight title clash. "It was the greatest fight I've ever seen" UFC president Dana White said of his veteran battle. Somehow, they were both right. Let's start with Henderson-Rua, since there's no doubt it was watched by more viewers. If last weekend's UFC on FOX was about spreading the MMA gospel, UFC 139 was about the sport in its purest form of competition. The event itself was always in the shadows of its network cousin, with promotion minimized due to the UFC's expiring contract with Spike. But when it came time to fight, Henderson and Rua conducted a symphony of violence that surpassed any fight to take place in the UFC's octagon this year. "Without a doubt, it was one of the top three fights ever in MMA," White said afterward. By the time it was over, both competitors were a mess. Rua was bleeding from near his puffy left eye, his bottom lip was swollen, his once-white shorts were stained pink with drying blood. Aside from a knot on the left side of his head, Henderson's face was not quite as marked up, but in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, he draped his arm over Rogan's shoulders, either unable or unwilling to stand on his own power. Henderson also needed help walking backstage. Both men skipped the post-fight press conference to visit a local hospital for observation. It was the kind of fight that shortens careers, which granted, sounds a bit ridiculous in regards to Henderson since he's 41 years old. The hammer-fisted Californian nearly knocked out Rua on at least two occasions. "That guy can take an f'n punch," Henderson said. It was certainly true, and it also applied to him. According to FightMetric, Rua landed an astonishing 161 head shots -- and lost. It was a level of violence that might not have been easily palatable to a network audience. While Velasquez-dos Santos ended with a knockout, it was clean, fast and simple. There wasn't a lot of time to digest what was happening. On the other hand, Henderson-Rua was a physical grind, a war of attrition that seemed on the verge of a fight-ending explosion at any moment, from either side. If you are the type to squirm or shriek at the moments when a fighter is on the verge of being finished, this wasn't the fight for you. There was a lot of that, nearly every round, it seemed. Newcomers to the sport may have been blown away or turn off. There probably would have been no in between. But for those of us who watch regularly, it was a perfect example of why we watch. It wasn't that it was a display of perfect technique or MMA fundamentals, but it was a primal battle of wills. Both fighters refused to be put away in situations where lesser fighters would have wilted. Momentum shifted often and unpredictably. For Rua, it came exactly two fights after his light-heavyweight title loss to Jon Jones, in which he received some criticism for his performance. If there were any questions about his durability or heart, they were answered even in defeat. And for Henderson, he is constantly combating the question of age. It's only fair to wonder how much longer he can keep doing it, and yet here he is in his early 40s with a four-fight win streak and knocking on the door for a title shot. The Chandler-Alvarez fight was every bit as exciting. Alvarez was nearly knocked out in the first, only to roar back in a fight that quickly began to take on a see-saw affect with all the momentum changes. By the end of the third, both fighters' faces were covered in blood. Chandler appeared to be fading, and the champion seemed to be taking control in the fourth until Chandler landed a fight-changer, a straight right hand that floored Alvarez. Seemingly recharged, Chandler pounced on top of Alvarez, rained blows and sunk in a fight-ending rear naked choke with Alvarez gave his back. Say what you will about Bellator being a rung below the UFC in talent pool -- and many will point that out -- but the fight was contested at a high level of technical proficiency and like Rua-Henderson, showcased the gutsy efforts that matter to most fans as much as winning and losing. Maybe these fights were one week late in coming. Or maybe it's best that they were left to us, the smaller, more loyal audience that helped the sport get this far, as a sort of "thank you." There is a certain school of thought out there that once things go mainstream, they are never quite the same. It gets watered down, or played out. That's not always true of course. Most of the time, it's not the same simply because it's not "yours" anymore. It's not the same when you don't have an inside secret. But why would we want to keep this secret? Either fight would have served the sport well in front of a nation's eyeballs. MMA may be easier served up in 64-second knockouts, but eventually the bandage will have to be ripped off and they'll have to learn just how beautiful the right kind of violence can be. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dana White is the first to admit that his scoring of fights means little when it comes to official results. But just in case you're wondering, the UFC president saw Saturday night's UFC 139 headliner between Dan Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as a draw. Henderson was instead awarded a unanimous-decision win, leaving some to wonder if a rematch is in the cards. Doubtful, says White. A "Hendo" title shot seems a more likely scenario.

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Last night (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) at UFC 139 in San Jose, California, Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua engaged in what some are calling the fight of the decade. But what would the fight of the decade be without just a tad bit of controversy? "Hendo" and "Shogun" went at it with everything they had for five full rounds. When all was said and done, the judges awarded Henderson the victory by way of unanimous decision with scores of 48-47 across the board. But did they get it right? The Fight Metric report (Fight Metric report (Fight Metric report (Fight Metric report (click here for the full report) shows differently. In fact, under their scoring system, Rua was the rightful winner, as his performance rating was almost a full 100 points higher than Henderson's. Even under the 10-point must system, the fight should have been a draw. Let's look at how they came to that conclusion. As you can see (click the picture for a higher-res version), Rua outlanded Henderson in total strikes by a margin of 191-113 and a staggering 161-73 to the head. Naturally, this leads one to wonder how that can be the case, especially if you saw the fight. "Hendo" looked fairly effective for the majority of the fight but if that's so, how are the numbers so heavily skewed in Rua's favor? The answer is quite simple, really. Henderson had his most success in the first three rounds, while Rua had his in the final two. The key point to make here is "Shogun" was utterly dominant in both the fourth and fifth round, statistically more so the final frame. In the fourth round, the Brazilian outlanded the American by a margin of 33 total strikes to 9. In the fifth? An incredible 79-8. Yet, the cageside judges failed to give Rua a 10-8 for the final round, which is utterly baffling. Let's look at the grappling report: Again, the total numbers overwhelmingly favor "Shogun." He was 5 of 10 on takedown attempts and was credited with a staggering six passes to mount, not to mention one to half-guard and one to side control. Henderson, on the other hand, was just 1 of 4 on takedowns with one pass to mount and one pass to side control. Once again, the key factor here is the scoring of the fifth and final round. In said round, Rua was credited with one takedown (on his lone attempt) and one pass to side control to go along with five passes to mount. "Hendo" landed eight strikes in the round and spent almost the entirety of the five minutes on his back trying -- and failing -- to fend off a vicious assault from Rua. Still, a 10-8 was not awarded. On to the performance ratings: Because of his overwhelming output, Rua was awarded the win under  the Fight Metric system but that's not even what's important here. What is important is that under the 10-point must system, the fight should have been scored a draw. That's because Henderson was more effective in the first three rounds (Effectiveness Scores of 129-60, 92-65, and 128-73) while Rua was more effective in the final two (Effectiveness Scores of 181-81 and 202-36). The draw comes in because "Shogun" utterly dominated "Hendo" in the final frame, to the point that a 10-8 is the only score that makes sense. Yet and still, not one judge saw it that way. Make no mistake, this contest is not tainted by poor judging. While there will undoubtedly be a great deal of dissent with the final scores, one thing is for certain -- the main event of UFC 139 is one fight fans won't forget for a long time to come. To watch highlights of the fight click here. For a full recap click here. And for complete "Shogun vs. Henderson" results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.

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Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua put on a show Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., beating the daylights out of one another for 25 minutes in their UFC 139 headliner.

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There are times when MMA fans get caught up in the moment and declare a fight “one of the greatest fights of all-time.”  The main event at UFC 139, a battle between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson, two legends of the sport, had many making that declaration. The five round performance that Rua and Henderson may very well be one of those fights that stands the test of time and will go down as one of the greatest in UFC history and if not that, at least one of the most

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Dan Henderson wins a close decision over Mauricio Rua in an absolute classic in the main event of UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" last night (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. After just missing each other in Pride, "Hendo" and "Shogun" finally got together and put on a bout that may or may not win "Fight of the Year." Really, this was a fight for the ages and one you definitely need to watch as soon as you get the chance. In the meantime, here are the highlights to satiate you. To check out the complete fight recap click here and for complete UFC 139 results and live fight coverage of all the night's action click here. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua (205-pound limit) Round one: Both men still and ready. Leg kick from Rua. HUGE right cross from Hendo and Shogun's knees buckle. Shogun shoots and Hendo locks in a choke. Hendo lets it go and unleashes of barrage of power shots that bloodies Shogun's face!!! Another big right hook and Shogun again falls to the mat and grabs Henderson's legs in desperation. Now their tied up against the cage and Hendo tosses Rua to the mat and walks away like a badass. Nice knee and right from Rua. Leg kick from Shogun. Shogun charges in and looks for a take down and he lands a good right elbow on the break. Big right from Hendo glances. Right left combo from Henderson. Body shot from Shogun and now Rua lands a good right that puts Hendo to the mat. Hendo holding onto a leg and gets up and lands a big right hand. Uppercut from Rua and then a right and then a head kick. Jab from Rua. Nice right from Hendo. Hard left from Rua and now their tied up against the cage. Good knees from Hendo to the body. That is the bell and round 1 was all Henderson. 10-9 Henderson. Round two: Shogun is cut pretty good above the left eye. Jab from Rua. Uppercut from Hendo. Jab from Henderson. Jab from Shogun. Henderson with a duck under and knee to the body as they clinch against the cage. Knee to the thigh from Henderson. Good elbow from Shogun and counter right from Hendo on the break. Right from Henderson and then an uppercut land HARD. HARD left to the body. Counter left from Rua after Henderson unloaded a powerful combo. Body sho from Rua. Right from Henderson. Good right from Rua. Henderson with a right and leg kick. Body shot from Rua and right from Hendo. Now their clinched against the cage. Good right from Rua. Good hard body shot and combo from Henderson. Henderson in the dominant position in the clinch. Knees to the thigh from Henderson. Hard right to the body from Henderson. The ref with a clean break. Jab from Rua. Jab from Rua and a good right. Henderson with a uppercut and right hook combo. That is the bell and another round for Hendo although this one was closer. 10-9 Henderson. Round three: Jab from both men. Jab from Hendo. Good uppercut from both men. Two hard uppercuts form Henderson. Counter right from Rua. Body kick from Rua. Now their clinched against the cage. Henderson with a brief take down but cannot get onto Rua and he is up. Jab fom Rua and another. Good right from Rua. Henderson lands a HUGE right hand that drops Shogun and now Henderson on top on the ground. Henderson is landing some vicious ground and pound punches!! Henderson with an uppercut and an elbow now. Rua is gushing blood! Rua now grabs a leg and is going for a heel hook! Henderson si out and now their back to the feet!!! Shogun's face looks like raw hamburger meat! Now their clinched against the cage. Hendeson with elbows to the body. Both men gasping for air. HUGE elbows to the side of Rua's head. Shogun with a take down and now he is landing some good punches! Henderson stands up and eats a right from Shogun on the way up. Their back to the clinch against the cage. Elbow from Rua. That is the bell and another round for Henderson, but both men looked gassed out. 10-9 Henderson. Round four: Shogun's face is a mess. But both men are gassed. Shogun shoots for a single and gets the take down and Hendo pops up but eats some good punches. Now hendo takes Rua's back and rolls him over in a crucifix. Henderson has a choke! Rua slips out! Now their back to the feet an uppercut from Rua. Henderson with a take down and he is into side control. Rua grabs half guard now. Henderson now has a one arm guillotine locked in! Hendo looses it though and is now on top in full guard. HUGE right from Henderson and another BOMB! Now Rua scrambles and Hendo lands a knee to the body and Rua is back to his feet. Both men are tired and they should be. Jab from Rua. Right from Hendo and uppercut from Rua. Right from Shogun. Jab from Henderson. HARD uppercut from Rua! Henderson is hurt!! Henderson shoots for a double and Rua gets out! Big right from Henderson and jab from Rua!!! Jab from Both men. Right from Both men. Rua now with a take down with 20 seconds left. Full mount for Shogun and he is raining punches!!! Shogun has the back but Henderson reveses and is on top!!!! Elbow from Henderson at the bell!!!! OH MY GOD THIS FIGHT IS AMAZING. 10-9 Henderson. Round five: Shogun's face is a bloody mess, Henderson cannot breathe, and this is the best fight i've ever seen. Both men look like theyve been through a war which they have. They engage and shogun with the take down! Knee to the body from Shogun from Side control. Henderson trying to walk the cage. Shogun gets into full mount!!! Rua landing big blows. Hendo looking to buck out of this spot. Henderson trying to stall it out. Henderson gets out of the mount now and Henderson has half guard. Shogun again with full mount!!! Henderson gives up his back!!! Henderson gets half guard and then Rua with the full mount again!!! Henderson is gassed and Shogun is landing a big shot. Henderson trying to hold down Rua and just stall out this round he is gassed. Rua with good hammer fists and punches. Henderson gets to half guard. Shogun again with the full mount!! Punches from Rua. That is the bell, wow. Rua dominated to a 10-8 round, but I have Henderson winning rounds 1-4 with maybe round 4 being a toss up. This was the best fight ive ever got the pleasure to watch. Could be a draw. 10-8 Rua. Final result: Dan Henderson defeats Mauricio Rua via Unanimous Decision

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The buzz going into tonight's card ... actually, there's wasn't a whole lot of buzz. UFC 139 -- despite a solid set of fights from top to bottom - was the victim of being scheduled the week after the company's debut on Fox. The entirety of the promotional muscle was flexed in favor of the heavyweight title tilt between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Through no fault of their own, Dan Henderson, Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Urijah Faber -- all hugely popular and box office draws in their own right -- were playing second fiddle to UFC on FOX 1 and the historic bout from last Saturday (Nov. 12). It didn't seem that they -- especially "Hendo" and "Shogun" -- took the slight all too lightly. The fans inside the HP Pavilion had just witnessed an incredible war between Silva and the former Strikeforce middleweight champion that saw "The Axe Murderer" pull off his first knockout since he loosened Keith Jardine from his consciousness way back at UFC 84. An extremely satisfied Brazilian had fended off calls for retirement, at least for one more fight. After the cathartic experience that was Silva's win, it felt as if nothing -- even Henderson taking on Rua -- could top it. But somehow it did, somehow it managed to prove -- in the first instance on pay-per-view (PPV) -- that every main event should be and always should have been five rounds. It wasn't the best fight ever. That's all subjective. But there's no denying the fight was a ton of fun. That is fact. The 25 minute war turned my Twitter feed -- mostly filled with fellow writers and bloggers -- into a collection of fanboys, excitedly professing how amazing the fight was. Men and women who are usually reserved to maintain a sense of professionalism couldn't stop talking about how incredible Henderson's performance was or Rua's toughness in a way not too dissimilar from how a normal fan would. It reminded everyone how much fun the sport can be. After the 64 second shellacking that Velasquez took at the hands of "Cigano," the meme that began to spring up was casual fans asking, "Is that it?" No! Oh my, no, that's definitely not it. Yes, quick knockouts -- like the one Michael McDonald scored during the Spike telecast -- are a big part of the sport but so are amazing back and forth battles where both fighters leave everything -- blood, sweat, and tears -- inside the Octagon. As stated before, it didn't seem like anything would top the feelings and emotions experienced after a longtime fan favorite won what might have been the most important fight of his career. Only winning four of his last 10 fights, it appeared as if Father Time had finally caught up with the fearsome striker. So when Le -- hopelessly clinging onto his opponent's leg -- lay prone on the mat with a face that wouldn't land him any future movie roles -- aside from one in a horror flick, perhaps -- every Pride Fighting Championships fan's heart skipped a beat when Bruce Buffer called out Silva's name as the winner. How could anything be better than that? And early into the first round, it didn't seem like we would find out. The American wrestler landed one of his patented "H-Bomb" right hands and staggered "Shogun." The Brazilian kept fighting but took a pounding for the best part of three rounds. Then -- in what used to be referred as the "championship rounds" -- Rua stepped on the gas. This was the second non-title main event to be slated for five rounds -- the first on PPV -- and thank the heavens for that. Had it not been, the fight would have ended after three rounds and we would have been robbed of the last 10 minutes that saw "Shogun" give Henderson the fight of his life. Had it been the main event for UFC 136, "Hendo" would have won 30-27 and while everyone would be talking about how great a performance the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ put in, there would not be the outpouring of unabashed fandom there is now. Somehow, against all odds, Rua recovered and soldiered forward. In doing so, he and his opponent gave mixed martial arts (MMA) fans one the best fights we have had the pleasure of viewing.  This -- THIS -- is why I love MMA.

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Dan Henderson defeated Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a UFC 139 main event that few who witnessed will ever forget.

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UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, has officially wrapped, which means it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts. To the tune of $70,000 each. The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 22 fighters on the card, and it's probably no surprise who's leaving "Shark City" with a second sack of simoleons. "The California Kid," Urijah Faber, choked his $70K out of Brian Bowles in the second round of their bantamweight title eliminator, cranking a guillotine until the "Submission of the Night" check was basically in hand. Who's next? Dominick Cruz and his 135-pound title, that's who. Also hauling in a wheelbarrow full of cash is Michael McDonald, who brought home his extra bacon by earning "Knockout of the Night" via multiple mini-bombs landing on Alex Soto's unsuspecting grill.  But who would win "Fight of the Night" for an event that featured Wanderlei Silva bringing back his brand of violence with a second round technical knockout of Cung Le, while Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua left their blood, sweat, and guts inside the cage in a thrilling five-round war? The answer is all of them. That's right, UFC President Dana White was feeling the love at the conclusion of this explosive event, and rewarded his fighters handsomely for coming through with some performances of a lifetime. Every single one of them deserves it, too. Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 139: Submission of the Night -- Urijah Faber Knockout of the Night -- Michael McDonald Fight of the Night -- Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le, Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson Again, each fighter received $70,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. For complete UFC 139 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here. 

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There is an obvious need to talk about the scoring in the UFC 139 main event between Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua, but the main emphasis should be on the bout itself. Henderson vs. Rua had every bit of drama that a fan of fight sports could ask for. It was two legends of MMA squaring off on the biggest stage the sport has to offer and giving everything they had, and possibly even leaving something of themselves in the cage. Wars like this are often not without long-term implications to the lives of the men involved, that is the risk of the game. Dan Henderson hits with an incredible amount of power, so the fact that he was landing bombs on Shogun in round three and somehow Rua not only survived to the end of that round, but to take over the fight going forward is a show of such incredible fortitude that I don't feel that I can properly express it here. There was no moment in the fight that didn't feel like something special was happening. Two men who could have (and really should have) fought years ago yet remained the equal of each other this night. This is a fight which will be talked about forever when debating the greatest fights this sport has ever seen and we now know that Henderson and Rua will forever be tied to each other for their courage and all-out styles in this clash.   On to the scoring. It's hard to understand 48-47 across the board. That means that either no judge saw round 5 as 10-8 for Shogun when it clearly was due to his absolute control and damage to Henderson merely surviving or round 4 was scored 10-10 by all three judges. I could understand 47-46 for Henderson if you scored round three as 10-8 for Dan and five as 10-8 for Shogun, but it's hard for me to believe three judges scored a round 10-10 given the rarity of such scoring in MMA. One part of me desperately wants to see a rematch, another part of me wants to see both men move on to new (and potentially less damaging) things. I have no problem with the stoppage in the Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le bout. Silva was blowing Le up at the end and Le was simply holding on to Silva's leg and getting hit, he wasn't attempting to defend or finish the takedown. As I asked on Twitter, do you think Le could have answered a ten-count at that point in the fight? I know it's not boxing, but that's a big measuring stick used by MMA fans for the "safety" of MMA over boxing, that guys who are badly hurt and concussed don't take extra punishment just because they could stand up and walk forward to the ref before 10. Le had Silva fighting the wrong kind of fight for the majority of the bout but couldn't really capitalize. Silva remained at too far of distance which allowed Le to extend on his kicks. When Silva got inside he was able to use his punching attack without the same fear of kicks. Eventually, Le not taking advantage of distance meant that Silva got inside and crushed him. Urijah Faber really sat down on his punches tonight against Brian Bowles. The combination of speed and actually generating power made Faber too much for Bowles to handle. Faber will have to find a way to cut off the cage and generate that same kind of power in his third fight with Dominick Cruz though, which is no small task. More thoughts after the jump. Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story took a turn as soon as Kampmann made the adjustment of stepping inside when Story threw the right hand. That allowed Kampmann to step inside the punch and counter with his own right hand. From that point in the second round on, it was Kampmann's right that was landing with regularity. Story still did a nice job of letting his hands go but he got barely edged out in a very good fight on my card 29-28. Somehow one judge saw it 30-27 Kampmann while the others scored it 29-28 both ways for the split decision. Stephan Bonnar didn't give the exciting fight that fans wanted, but he dominated Kyle Kingsbury. Bonnar broke Kingsbury a little in round one by making him not just fight a stand-up fight but making it a gritty brawl. Kyle looked a bit uncomfortable there, and then once he started getting taken down by Bonnar he had nothing to give him. It was just a dominant performance by Bonnar in a fight where many expected the young up-and-comer to wear him out. Ryan Bader caught Jason Brilz in exactly the right spot. Overhand right behind the ear doesn't need to land hard, it just needed to land. Not much to say other than that Bader really needed to get back on the winning track. Does Joe Silva hate Alex Soto? Soto was in no way ready to deal with Michael McDonald. He got crushed by a force that was beyond his capabilities to handle. Chris Weidman is really, really good. Get him off the Facebook prelims please. People need to see the guy, he is going to be an absolute force. Miguel Torres looked pretty good. It was a controlled, professional performance. He isn't a wild brawler anymore which makes him less fun, but he was too vulnerable against the best in the world fighting in that style. Photo of the night: Photo via mmaspartan.com

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In order to properly align my fingers to type this article, I had to let all the adrenaline gathered from watching Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua evacuate my body. I was literally shaking while watching this fight. No one in press row could keep still. Every person inside the HP Pavilion in San Jose was on their feet. I've never witnessed a main event like this. The collective effervescence inside the arena was visual. It was as if everyone was practicing some kind of magical ritual to summon an ethereal dragon. The chants were spammed across the crowd. Pockets of cheers exploded throughout the fight. If you looked up 'Rawesome' in the dictionary, you would find a personal note from me with the words 'Refer to UFC 139: Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua.' Currently, I'm at the post-fight press conference typing this article and Shogun Rua and Dan Henderson are both at the hospital. That's the extent of damage both fighters sustained during the fight. I've been told that both competitors left on stretchers due to physical damage and sheer exhaustion. Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua was the greatest fight I've ever witnessed live. Was it the greatest fight in UFC history? Well, any answer is subjective. Personally, I thought Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin was a sloppy slugfest, no where near deserving of the title of the 'greatest fight in UFC history.' What we witnessed tonight was incredible. So incredible that it makes you question if the fight actually happened, or perhaps you just imagined it in a dream. Maybe you better spend the rest of the evening pinching yourself.

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In an epic encounter between two former Pride Fighting Championships cornerstones, Dan Henderson emerged victorious.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Michael McDonald, Urijah Faber, Dan Henderson, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Wanderlei Silva and Cung Le each earned $70,000 fight-night bonuses for their performances at Saturday's UFC 139 event. McDonald earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award, Faber picked up the "Submission of the Night" bonus, and two bouts earned "Fight of the Night" honors: Henderson vs. "Shogun" and Silva vs. Le. MMAjunkie.com learned of the bonus winners and award amounts at UFC 139's post-fight press conference.

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Dan Henderson won a Unanimous Decision over Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. All three judges scored the fight 48-47 for Henderson. The fight will go down as one of the best fights of all time, regardless of combat sport. It was Henderson's return to the UFC after a stint in Strikeforce and Rua's eighth fight in the octagon.  This is one of those fights where no recap can truly do it justice. There are no words to describe the heart that both men displayed over 25 minutes. Henderson landed several heavy shots and had Rua hurt on multiple occasions. Rua had him in some very bad positions and had Henderson out on his feet in the fourth round after a combination of uppercuts and hooks.  The story will be that both of these men survived some terrible positions to fight from bell to bell. Fans and media have long called for five round non title fights and tonight's fight is why. When two fighters lay it all on the line the fans are treated to what ended up being one of the best fights of all time. Dan Henderson picks up the win and possibly a shot at a title. Dana White has hinted that Hendo could challenge Anderson SIlva for the middleweight belt. Rua walks away with the loss but likely won't lose any momentum with fans and the UFC.  SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

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UFC 139 - Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

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The main event of UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" tonight (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) in San Jose, California, featured a light heavyweight showdown years in the making, as Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson, who just missed each other in Pride, finally did their thing inside the cage. While nothing is assured in the UFC, a win in a fight like this would go a long way in determining the next challenger to either the 205-pound title (Rua) or the 185-pound title (Henderson). By the time all was said and done, though, a title shot was the furthest thing from anyone's mind. The entire mixed martial arts world collectively marveled at the amazing feats of athleticism and heart we witnessed tonight.  The judges ultimately awarded the back-and-forth slugfest to Henderson by scores of 48-47 across the board. Rematch, please. Immediately. These two didn't waste any time getting the party going. Rua looked to land first but it was Henderson who hit with his flurry and bloodied up "Shogun"  within the very first minute of the fight. The "H-Bomb" was ready to detonate. Rua showed he wasn't to be counted out, though, by making "Hendo" eat a few knuckle sandwiches, Brazilian style. End of round one and this was already as fun as imagined. Naturally, everything was slowed down in the second frame, as expected. This was, after all, a five round fight and energy had to be conserved. It wasn't until the middle of round three that Henderson finally landed a huge right hand to the temple. And when he did, he attacked with killer instinct. But somehow, some way, "Shogun" survived. He even worked a heel hook shortly after. Thankfully, this was a five round fight and we were treated to yet another round of what was turning into what was already an awesome bloodbath. Henderson kept the edge, earning a takedown and landing shots from top. And then Rua started landing and it was clear "Hendo" was completely gassed. He was just eating every punch and hoping to survive through sheer force of will and determination. Somehow they made it to round five and shortly into it, "Shogun" earned a takedown and got to side control. Then he switched to full mount and started raining down blows. Both men were sucking air with deep, deep breaths. Rua maintained his dominant position and attacked with the determined fervor one couldn't possibly expect from him after the absolute beating he took in the early rounds. By the time the final horn sounded, we had witnessed one of the greatest fights in recent memory. It was everything fight fans could possibly ask for. Two outright warriors giving it everything they had and battling through five rounds of blood, sweat, and guts. Winner be damned, that was awesome. Remember to check out MMAmania.com's coverage of the UFC 139 pay-per-view by clicking here.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - If anyone ever wonders why UFC officials opted to make non-title headliners five rounds instead of the customary three, they can always point to Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua In what easily was one of the greatest fights in recent MMA history, Dan Henderson outlasted Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a thrilling, bloody, action-packed and unforgettable affair to earn a unanimous-decision victory. The fight headlined UFC 139's pay-per-view main card from HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., following prelims on Facebook and Spike TV.

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Filed under: UFCSAN JOSE, Calif. -- Mauricio "Shogun" Rua began bleeding in the first minute of his fight with Dan Henderson at UFC 139. He never really stopped, actually, just like he never quit coming back from one near-knockout after another. That turned out to be a trait he and Henderson had in common during their seesaw main event bout. The scorecards might have registered a unanimous decision win for Hendo once all five rounds were in the books, but the larger result was a fight that instantly earned a spot among the greatest bouts of all time. "That's without a doubt one of the top three best fights ever in MMA," UFC president Dana White said afterward, adding "that was like our [Muhammad] Ali-[Joe] Frazier III. It was unbelievable." And truly, it was. This time, at least, that's not just fight promoter hyperbole from White. It was a fight that, from the very beginning, seemed unlikely to last a round, let alone five. Henderson dropped Rua early in the first frame with his vaunted right hand. Rua appeared to barely survive that first assault, but he managed to turn the tables on Henderson before the end of the round, coming back in the final two minutes to give the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ a taste of his own medicine with a punch combo that left Henderson struggling for survival. So it went for the next three rounds. Henderson started each round strong, dropping Rua with one haymaker after another, only to have the Brazilian rise up and, blinking through the blood, mount a comeback in the second half of each round. In the third, Rua seemed close to being stopped after Henderson knocked him down and then bounced his head off the mat with successive right hands. In fact, had referee Josh Rosenthal stepped in the wave it off there, it's unlikely that too many fight fans could have faulted him for it. But Rosenthal, who by that point had seen Rua battle back from one brain-rattling blow after another, gave the former UFC and Pride champion the benefit of the doubt, and it proved to be the right call. By the fourth, Rua was all the way back in it, and appeared to have Henderson out on his feet at one point. By the fifth, he was camped out in full mount, raining down blows on Hendo as the 41-year-old Californian moved just enough to show he was still in it, and apparently enough to avoid a 10-8 round, which would have rendered the bout a draw. When the judges' scorecards were read after a full 25 minutes of this brutal back-and-forth, Henderson could barely stand and Rua could barely see. All three judges gave Henderson the first three rounds and Rua the final two, resulting in a 48-47 score across the board for Hendo. Not surprisingly, neither the winner nor the loser made it to the post-fight press conference. Both had an appointment at the hospital instead, but not before Henderson tweeted a picture of himself laid out on the locker room floor, requesting a title shot for his next fight. "That guy could fight at [1]85 [pounds] or 205 [pounds] for the title," White concurred. "No doubt about it. I don't disagree." In a video interview inside his locker room after the fight, Henderson said he thought the fight was "one or two shots away from being finished" at one point, but Rua had "tried to Rocky Balboa me, wore me out with his head." As often as the comparison gets tossed around in combat sports, this was one fight that was not at all unlike a Rocky movie. The knockdowns, the comebacks, the almost unreasonable amount of physical damage sustained by each fighter -- if it was a film, it might have stretched the limits of believability. This one was all real, and yet difficult to believe. Even both sets of cornermen, as they made their way out of the cage, seemed stunned and exhausted. Fans at cageside lingered, some with hands on their heads, still trying to comprehend what they'd just witnessed. Was it the greatest MMA fight of all time, or simply one of the greatest? Was it number one, or just top three? That's an argument that will stretch on well past Saturday night, but after what Rua and Henderson accomplished together, there's simply no way you can have the conversation without them. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Filed under: UFCIn a brutal, bloody 25-minute war, Dan Henderson survived to win a unanimous decision victory over Shogun Rua in the main event at UFC 139. Henderson and Rua both gave it all they had for all five rounds, and the story of the fight was that Henderson built up a big enough lead on the judges' scorecards early that he was able to hold on and win the fight despite being dominated in the fourth and fifth rounds. All three judges scored it 48-47 for Henderson. The victory represents an impressive return to the UFC for Henderson, who left Strikeforce as its light heavyweight champion and is now a winner inside the Octagon again. "That guy can take an F-ing punch," Henderson said afterward. Henderson got off to a great start, first sinking a standing front choke in, and then letting go of the choke and teeing off with punches. By the time Shogun finally got away, his left eye was badly bloodied. Henderson seemed to be in control of the fight for the first three and a half minutes, but Shogun landed a big overhand right that hurt Henderson, then several hammer fists on the ground before Henderson could get back to his feet safely. In the second round the pace slowed as both men tired out, but Shogun was the more tired, while Henderson was more fresh. Henderson connected with some hard punches as Shogun gasped for air, and Henderson was up two rounds to none. In the third Henderson landed a huge punch that knocked Rua down, and then Henderson pounced and started pounding Rua on the ground so hard that it appeared that referee Josh Rosenthal would step in and stop the fight. But Rosenthal let it go, and Rua amazingly managed to not just survive but actually put Henderson in some trouble by attempting a heel hook. Henderson eventually pulled his leg free, but Rua got back up and kept fighting and did a nice job of pressing Henderson against the cage and connecting with hard shots late in the round, although Henderson had done enough early in the round that he clearly won the third. At the start of the fourth Rua went for a takedown and got the fight to the ground, but it was Henderson who got into a dominant position, first controlling Rua in a crucifix and then mounting Rua. And then they scrambled up to their feet, and we saw one of the craziest rounds in UFC history: Both men were so exhausted and so hurt that they could barely fight, but they kept going with everything they could muster, and Rua got the better of the exchanges, battering Henderson with hard punches and getting on top of him on the ground, winning the round. In the fifth it was more of the same, with both men just trying to survive after 20-plus minutes of brutal action. Rua got on top of Henderson on the ground and battered away, but Henderson managed to survive the round despite being mounted multiple times. Both men were bloody messes by the time this classic fight ended. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (6 p.m. ET), continuing through the Spike TV prelim broadcast (8 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event. This post will cover live results and thoughts on the pay-per-view broadcast. The card is headlined by a very exciting light heavyweight bout between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Dan Henderson. Wanderlei Silva takes on Cung Le in a bout between two great strikers. Former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber faces former WEC bantamweight champ Brian Bowles. Rounding out the card is Martin Kampmann against Rick Story and Stephan Bonnar squaring off with Kyle Kingsbury. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down.

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Filed under: UFCSAN JOSE, Calif. -- This is the UFC 139 live blog for Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Dan Henderson, the main event of tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the HP Pavilion. In this light heavyweight bout, Henderson (28-8) makes his return to the UFC after a two-year stint with Strikeforce. Henderson has won his last three fights, most recently a TKO over Fedor Emelianenko in July. Rua (20-5) lost his UFC belt in March to Jon Jones and then bounced back with a KO over Forrest Griffin in August. The live blog is below. More Coverage: UFC 139 Results | Latest UFC 139 News Round 1: %VIRTUAL-Gallery-139928% Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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In the main event of UFC 139, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua, better known to fans as Shogun Rua (20-5; 4-3 UFC) faces former Pride and Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Dan Henderson (28-8; 5-2 UFC). This Light Heavyweight fight will determine the next #1 contender to face the winner of Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida. The USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings currently have Shogun ranked as the #2 Light Heavyweight in the world, with Henderson just a few spots lower at #6. The PPV card airs on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. This is a fight with a lot of rich history behind it, dating back to both men's days in Pride. When Pride folded, Shogun was considered by many to be the top 205 pound fighter in the world, and certainly the top in Pride. But Henderson was Pride's champion in that division, having won the belt from Shogun's Chute Boxe teammate Wanderlei Silva. After the end of Pride, both men came to the UFC. They each had a bit of a rocky start, but Shogun eventually won the UFC belt, while Henderson left the organization and claimed his gold in Strikeforce. They should have met a long time ago, and it will be great to see them finally matched up now. How do these two stack up? Shogun: 29 years old | 6'1" | 76" reachHenderson: 41 years old | 5'11" | 71" reach What have these two done recently? Shogun: W - Forrest Griffin (KO) | L - Jon Jones (TKO) | W - Lyoto Machida (KO) Henderson: W - Fedor Emelianenko (KO) | W - Rafael Cavalcante (KO) | W - Renato Sobral (KO)  How did these two get here? Shogun Rua has had a very rough road since the end of Pride. As I said above, he was the young phenom when the organization folded. Feared for his brutal assaults, Shogun was a beast. Then, in his UFC debut, he was choked out by Forrest Griffin, and his star immediately dulled. It wasn't until a pair of fights against Lyoto Machida that resulted in Shogun winning the UFC Light Heavyweight title that he finally began to really look good in the UFC. But since then, he's lost to Jon Jones, and defeated Griffin in a rematch that spoke volumes about Forrest, but didn't tell us much about Shogun. He may have what it takes to regain UFC gold, but his body (and his knees in particular) has taken a lot of damage, and if he's going to make one more run, now is the time. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Hendo, Dan Henderson, is a long time veteran whose UFC debut came all the way back at UFC 17. He's an original Team Quest fighter who combines his wrestling with a bomb of a right hand. Hendo spent most of his career in Pride where he was the champion in two separate divisions when the company closed. He returned to the UFC a double champion, losing to UFC champions Anderson Silva and Rampage Jackson. He was on a 3-0 UFC streak when he left the company after UFC 100, moving to Strikeforce. There, he won the Light Heavyweight belt, as well as became the first man to knock out Fedor Emelianenko. He's 41 years old, but still fighting as well as he's ever fought, and is a real threat to the UFC Light Heavyweight division. Why should you care? If you're a Pride fan, this is the long awaited fight that should have been. If not, it's still two former champions fighting for a shot back at the top. They match up well stylistically too, and this one should be good. More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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The largest MMA organization in the world ends one of the most historic four week stretches in company history tonight with a PPV card that is stacked from top to bottom. Coming to us live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, it’s UFC 137: Shogun vs. Henderson. As always, FiveOuncesOfPain.com will provide complete results including a round by round recap of all the live televised action. The preliminary card kicks off on Facebook.com at 5:50PM EST, followed by two more prelim fights on SpikeTV at 8PM EST. Then the main card goes live on PPV at 9PM EST. UFC 137 is headlined by a light heavyweight showdown of legends as former UFC champion Mauricio Rua battles former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson with the winner possibly earning a shot at the 205 lb title. In the co-main event, fan favorite Wanderlei Silva takes on kickboxing expert Cung Le. Also on the card is a bantamweight battle between former WEC champions Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles. PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook) Danny Castillo vs. Shamar Bailey Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski Nick Pace vs. Miguel Torres Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael dos Anjos Chris Weidman vs. Tom Lawlor PRELIMINARY CARD (SpikeTV) Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz MAIN CARD Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua

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An excellent stretch of UFC cards come to a conclusion tonight with a fitting finale in the form of UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson. The event is headlined by two of MMA’s most-decorated competitors facing off, Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson, and also features a few of their fellow former champions clashing on PPV with Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le and Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles. Though no titles may be on the line, the winners of Rua/Henderson and Faber/Bowles are expected to lay claim to a top contendership slot meaning each man will be a win away from calling himself divisional king. Take a Last Second Look at the UFC 139 Countdown The evening’s action kicks off on Facebook at 6:00 PM EST with Spike TV prelims showing two hours later before the main card kicks in on PPV at 9:00 PM EST. Fighters.com will be tuned in throughout and bringing live results back to readers. Read below for a list all UFC 139 outcomes: Danny Castillo vs. Shamar Bailey Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski Nick Pace vs. Miguel Torres Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael dos Anjos Chris Weidman vs. Tom Lawlor Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Tweet

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In the semi-main event of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua, former Pride champion Wanderlei Silva (33-11-1, 1 NC; 3-5 UFC) welcomes former Strikeforce champion Cung Le (7-1; UFC debut) to the Octagon. This is a Middleweight fight, and will be the second to last bout of the evening. The Axe Murderer sneaks into the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings at #18 at Middleweight, while Le is unranked, largely due to his inactivity.The PPV card airs on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. This fight was originally planned as Vitor Belfort vs. Cung Le, but when Belfort was forced to drop out, his countryman and rival Wanderlei Silva stepped in to take his place. The end result is a fight that, to be honest, has no real impact on the UFC Middleweight division, but is a lot of fun. Both Le and Wandy have highly entertaining styles, based primarily on striking. This is in many ways a kind of old school MMA battle - the Sanshou master vs. the wild Brazilian Muay Thai specialist. Obviously, both men possess deeper games than just their one discipline, but I would expect them to stand and duke it out here. How do these two stack up? Silva: 35 years old | 5'11" | 74" reachLe: 39 years old | 5'10" | 69" reach What have these two done recently? Silva: L - Chris Leben (KO) | W - Michael Bisping (UD) | L - Rich Franklin (UD) Le: W - Scott Smith (KO) | L - Scott Smith (KO) | W - Frank Shamrock (TKO)  How did these two get here? Wanderlei Silva is one of the true legends of the sport, but he joins Mirko Cro Cop as the big Pride names who just have not been able to get it going in the UFC. Since his return in 2007 for the huge Chuck Liddell dream fight at UFC 79, Silva is just 2-4. After dominating the Pride ranks for so many years, he has lost 6 of his last 8, with 4 of those 6 loses coming via brutal, lights-out KOs. There's no doubt he'll still come forward, still bring the crazy Axe Murderer aggression, but he is only getting older, with his chin taking more and more damage. You have to ask yourself how many more chances you will have to see this legend compete. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Cung Le is a unique fighter in the MMA landscape. The Vietnamese native started his fighting career in Sanshou where he earned a number of accolades throughout the 90's. He competed in other stand-up competitions, including a brief 3-0 run in K-1, before transitioning to MMA in 2006. As an MMA fighter, he became an immediate local draw for Strikeforce, as Le has a massive following in San Jose. His 2008 fight with Frank Shamrock was a big event for Strikeforce, with Le breaking the arm of his legendary opponent and claiming the Strikeforce Middleweight belt in the process. Since then, he has focused more on his acting career, with only 2 fights in that time (a 1-1 split with Scott Smith). Even though he is making his UFC debut, and he hasn't fought in over a year, don't be surprised if he gets the biggest ovation on Saturday. Why should you care? I love this fight. Two massively entertaining fighters coming together in what should be a wild affair. Add in what will hopefully be a rabid crowd, and you have a potential show-stealer right here.    More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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Follow live results for UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson from San Jose.

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As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC 130: Shogun vs. Henderson. Our live coverage will start with the beginning of the Facebook prelim stream (6p.m. ET), continuing through the Spike TV prelim broadcast (8 p.m. ET) and finally through the pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so make sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event. This post will cover live results and thoughts on the Facebook preliminary stream. There are five bouts on the Facebook portion of the card with a middleweight scrap between Tom Lawlor and Chris Weidman serving as the featured bout on this portion of the card. Brazilians Gleison Tibau and Rafael dos Anjos meet in a lightweight battle. Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres will be in action against Nick Pace in a 141 pound catchweight bout after Pace failed to make weight. Rounding out the card is Matt Brown against Seth Baczynski and Shamar Bailey taking on Danny Castillo. Make sure to come back during the event and share your thoughts as the event goes down. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua

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At UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua, two former WEC champions meet as Urijah Faber (25-5; 1-1 UFC) faces Brian Bowles (10-1; 2-0 UFC). This is a Bantamweight fight, and may determine the next challenger to champion Dominick Cruz. Both men are ranked highly in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings with Bowles at #3 and Faber right behind him at #4. The PPV card airs on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Interesting WEC clash here between two former champions of that organization. Faber was the WEC poster-boy for many years, ruling over their Featherweight division. Bowles is a relative newcomer, but scored a huge win in 2009 when he unseated Miguel Torres as Bantamweight champion, ending Torres's remarkable 17 fight win streak. Since those championship runs, Faber and Bowles have lost to a common opponent - Dominick Cruz. Each man is looking for a rematch, and each has unfinished business with Cruz. For Faber, he's 1-1 with the champion and will look to close out their series, while Bowles suffered an injury against Cruz that brought their fight to a premature ending. Winner here will likely get their shot at that redemption. How do these two stack up? Faber: 32 years old | 5'6" | 69" reachBowles: 31 years old | 5'7" | 70.5" reach What have these two done recently? Faber: L - Dominick Cruz (UD) | W - Eddie Wineland (UD) | W - Takeya Mizugaki (Sub) Bowles: W - Takeya Mizugaki (UD) | W - Damacio Page (Sub) | L - Dominick Cruz (TKO)   How did these two get here? At one time, The California Kid sported an incredible 21-1 record. But after dropping his Featherweight belt to Mike Brown, he's had trouble finding consistency. Faber is 4-4 in his last 8, with all 4 of those loses coming in title shots. After falling to Jose Aldo in the only WEC PPV, Faber dropped down to Bantamweight, where he is 2-1 and coming off a loss to Cruz this summer. Faber trains with a number of top talents, including #1 contender at Featherweight Chad Mendes, at California's Team Alpha Male. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Bowles has only been fighting for a little over 5 years, but has already faced many of the world's best. He came to the WEC in only his 4th pro fight, and went 7-0 before upsetting Torres and becoming the WEC Bantamweight champion. His first defense was the loss to Cruz, and a hand injury in that fight kept him out of action for a year. When he returned, it was to the UFC, where he is 2-0. Bowles is a very complete fighter, with an excellent guillotine and real knockout power. Why should you care? This is a very tough fight to pick between two dynamic and well rounded fighters. I'm thrilled it's being featured so prominently on the card, as these two absolutely deserve that recognition. This is an easy Fight of the Night candidate, and a possible #1 contender fight as well - watch it.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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This week we have myself, Dick, and Clint sharing our picks for the top two fights on tonight's UFC 139 card. How will we fare? Drop into the Fightlinker Chat, starting at 6pm EST, to find out! Or just read them now, watch the event, and go "Huh, they really have no idea what they're talking about do they?" Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Fightlinker: When two guys seem evenly matched, the best solution is to pick the one who's more consistent. In this case, that means Dan Henderson. While Dan has had his bad fights (most recently against Jake Shields, where a back injury kept him trapped on the ground for five long rounds), he's still not one of those guys you have to flip a coin with to see if he's going to show up or not. With Shogun, it seems like there's always a chance he'll secretly come into the fight with his hamstrings holding onto bone by a few fibers of meat. Or without cardio. Or something. Dan Henderson via decision.Dick: Dan Henderson UD 5 - Picking the better wrestler in a main event has really bitten me in the ass over the last couple of events: BJ Penn and Cain Velasquez both got the beatings of their lives in their last outings. Being a glutton for Interwebs-related castigation, I'm going to take the better wrestler again here and pick Henderson by decision. Even though he is 41 years old, Henderson's practice of injecting ball juice directly into his testicles has made him as spry and agile as one of Sandusky's boys. Like Josh Gross, I don't see Shogun getting knocked out unless it happens as part of a scramble or odd position a-la-Fedor, but I like Henderson's prospects to stymie Shogun against the fence and on the mat and get off the more damaging strikes down the stretch. It will take a couple of rounds for Rua's higher-volume and higher-variety striking to level off, but Henderson will weather the storm (as he always does, unless a submission is involved, which it won't be) and take a close come-from-behind decision.Reverend Clint: Henderson has one of the hardest rights in mma plus the ability to wrestle. Shogun is a tough fucker who can strike and submit. I think hendo can take shogun to the cage or the mat.He will rough him up like subo at a bath house. Hendo via UDWand vs Cung predictions after the jump! read more

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Mauricio “Shogun” Rua respects Dan Henderson, but the former UFC light heavyweight champ knows that to get back in the title talk he must defeat the affable Californian later today at UFC 139. “Shogun” was nearly matched up with Henderson while the two were part of PRIDE in Japan a few years ago, and Henderson even fought Rua’s brother, Murilo Rua, in 2001. “I always admired Dan Henderson as a great fighter. When I started to make a name for myself in PRIDE, people always talked about this fight taking place, and we both entered the Grand Prix tournament in 2005, where we could have met in the second round,” said Rua, in a recent interview with the UFC’s website. “Later on, when he got the (middleweight) belt from my former teammate Wanderlei Silva, I was next in line to challenge him for the belt, but PRIDE collapsed, so that never happened. I am glad we are finally having the chance to fight, as it’s a privilege to fight legends.” Rua lost the UFC 205-pound title to Jon Jones earlier this year and is hoping that a strong showing over Henderson will place him back near the front of the line to get a rematch. Comparably, Henderson is returning to the UFC after winning the Strikeforce light heavyweight title and then taking out longtime legend Fedor Emelianenko in July. “It would mean the world,” Rua said of returning to golden glory. “It (regaining the title) is my long-term goal, but my focus now is to beat Dan Henderson, which is a tough task in itself. After that, I’ll think of what’s next and talk to my manager and the UFC about it.” Rua-Henderson is the main event of UFC 139 with other bouts on the PPV card include Silva vs. Cung Le and Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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In a Light Heavyweight fight at UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua, Ultimate Fighter Season 1 runner-up Stephan Bonnar (13-7; 7-6 UFC) faces Kyle Kingsbury (11-2, 1 NC; 4-1 UFC). This is the PPV opener in San Jose. The USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings currently have Kingsbury just inside the top 25 at #24, while The American Psycho is unranked. The PPV card airs on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Great choice of PPV opener here as these are two guys who are going to get in there and trade. The story here is two Ultimate Fighter alums trying to gain some traction in the Light Heavyweight division. But truthfully, I don't see either man as a future contender. And there's nothing wrong with that. These guys entertain and give it their all, and they'll do so again at UFC 139. How do these two stack up? Bonnar: 34 years old | 6'4" Kingsbury: 29 years old | 6'4" | 79" reach What have these two done recently? Bonnar: W - Igor Pokrajac (UD) | W - Krzysztof Soszynski (TKO) |  L - Krzysztof Soszynski (TKO)Kingsbury: W - Fabio Maldonado (UD) | W - Ricardo Romero (TKO) | W - Jared Hamman (UD)   How did these two get here? Stephan Bonnar's name came up a bit lately as the big UFC on Fox Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos fight drew some business comparisons to Bonnar's epic Ultimate Fighter finale with Forrest Griffin. That fight still goes down as perhaps the most significant fight in MMA history, and one of the greatest. It also has all but guaranteed Bonnar a UFC job for life. The American Psycho had a tough time of it a few years ago, losing three straight, including a hard loss to the aged Mark Coleman. But he is now on a 2 fight win streak, and the most relevant he's been since 2006. I loved seeing him back in the winner's column at UFC 116, and would be happy to see him there again. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Kyle Kingsbury (or, the unfortunately nicknamed "Kingsbu") came to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter season 8, where he lost to eventual winner Ryan Bader (and then again to Soszynski). He lost in his UFC debut on the TUF Finale show, and seemed like just another unremarkable TUF castoff, but has since put together a surprisingly impressive 4 fight win streak, looking very good in his last fight against Fabio Maldonado. After taking only 1 fight each in 2009 and 2010, Kingsbury is now fighting for the third time in 2011, and with a win over Bonnar, he'll keep his unlikely ascent going strong.  Why should you care? Emotionally, I still have a lot of love for Bonnar thanks to the numerous fun fights he's been in over the years, and I want to see him win. But even without that, this is a very well booked fight that should be really entertaining.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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You'd be hard pressed to think of a better pair of two men from the All Violence Team than Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson. Rua's last three wins: KO's, all in round 1. Henderson's last three wins: KO's, two in round 1, one in round 3. So yea, the numbers don't lie. There will be blood. But whose? In between those wins for Rua, however, are losses that make you question just how healthy he is and when he'll ever recover. Despite being relatively young, Rua is an old 29 given all of his knee surgeries (Henderson, meanwhile, is a very young 41 so go figure). It's impossible to overstate Rua's injuries. And it's strange how his performances seem to alternate, with or without recent surgeries (which he's always having). It's almost impossible to believe that Rua fought Mark Coleman the same year he fought Lyoto Machida for the title at UFC 104 (a classic of technical acumen in my opinion). Rua's health seems 50/50 these days. Either you get the nimble, flowing, and aggressive guy who put an all time great with Rogerio Nogueira. Or you get the plodding, walking in a pool of caramel, aggressive guy that couldn't kick Coleman's plastic walker from under him. At his best, Rua is Donny Yen against Bad Guy #7. At his worst, he like a Swishahouse CD that's been tossed in the microwave next to a hot pocket. Henderson is pretty reliable. At least lately. So on the surface he's the smart pick. He looked absolutely brilliant against Feijao, and of course, earned himself some serious acclaim with the KO of Fedor Emelianenko. On the feet, I don't know who to give the edge too. Shogun has pretty good defense on the feet, and is perhaps a little underrated in this regard. Machida found little success with his boxing because Rua generally keeps the "ear muffs" on. He covers up well, and behind his defense is a pretty good chin as well. It took a three round incineration by Jon Jones to put him away. So, I don't think Henderson will find the sweet spot as much as he'd like. Can Rua put Henderson down? Henderson has a great chin, but he's been rocked before, and Rua has enough raw power to hurt him. If Dan needs to watch out for anything, it's the kicks. He doesn't check leg kicks very well, and his defense relies on landing his right hand first (though his left hook has increasingly become a factor). I'm tempted to say that Rua has the edge. When he's on, he can be pretty smart on the feet, using angles and making sure he stays out of harm's way. Meanwhile, Henderson is still one note: he's a right hand and an occasional left hook machine. While that's benefited him for the past several years, it doesn't change the fact that any tactical fighter will exploit that: even Kazuo Misaki was able to do it. But how if there's one thing you can't do, it's overstate Dan's power. And that leaves the ground. Rua has really good takedowns: in fact, he was able to put Quinton Jackson on his back with regularity, and Jackson can defend the takedown with the best of them. However, Rua only ever finds success in the clinch, where Dan gets his pedigree. With a double or single, we've seen as we did against Jake Shields, that Henderson can be vulnerable to the takedown (even Shogun's inferior brother found success this way). On his back, Dan is at his most vulnerable. And as we've seen with Shogun, he's "got jiu jitsu" (to put it mildly). I'm go with the modest upset and pick Rua. I think the Feijao fight is a good look for how this match will go, except I consider Shogun to be the superior fighter. It's not about my confidence in Rua, but that I think Dan is not technical enough on the feet to overcome Shogun's acumen. In fact, I'll be bold and say Shogun by TKO, round 2 (Henderson's granite chin has to whittle away eventually: it might as well be while he's nearing 42 years of age). Poll Who do you got? Mauricio Rua Dan Henderson   0 votes | Results

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In one corner, you have a scrappy guy that was known for giving everyone he's faced fits in the cage (until his last fight at least). In the other corner, you have a former top prospect who's trying to turn his career around after two bad losses in a row. Jason Brilz (18-4-1, 3-3 UFC) meets TUF 9 winner Ryan Bader (12-2, 5-2 UFC) in a light  heavyweight bout at UFC 139. Bader is currently ranked at number 17 at light heavyweight on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Brilz is unranked. Bader was a top-ten guy before his two losses, and the one to Ortiz particularly hurt his standing. Brilz would likely make the list with a W here.  This light heavyweight UFC 139 fight will be on the televised portion of the preliminary card, and will be shown live on Spike TV. The Spike broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Brilz: 36 years old | 5'11" | 71.5" reachBader: 28 years old | 6'2" | 74" reach What have these two done recently? Brilz: L - Vladimir Matyushenko (KO)  | L -  Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (SD) | W - Eric Schafer (UD)Bader: L - Tito Ortiz (SUB) | L - Jon Jones (SUB) | W - Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (UD)  How did these two get here? Jason Brilz's first fight came all the way back in March of 2000. Eight years later, he made his UFC debut with a TKO victory over Brad Morris at UFC Fight Night 15. He went 2-2 over his next four bouts (including losing a controversial decision to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira) before getting knocked out in 20 seconds by The Janitor in his last bout. The full-time firefighter will look to reignite his faltering UFC tenure with a win over Bader. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Ryan Bader is a two-time All-American wrestler who started off his UFC career on The Ultimate Fighter 8, and cruised to a six-figure contract. He had won five fights in a row in the UFC over the likes of Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira before meeting Jon Jones at UFC 126, where he was choked out in the second round. Next up was Tito Ortiz and despite entering the fight as a huge favorite, was knocked out in under two minutes. He is looking to rebound from those losses and stay in contention in an increasingly deep light heavyweight division.  Why should you care? Despite the ugly loss to Ortiz, Bader is still a top guy in the division. If he can handily take care of Brilz, that will prove it. If he has trouble with him, as a lot of others have, he's going to be facing even more questions after the bout. Watch it! Be the one to ask questions!   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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UFC 139 takes place later tonight at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The event airs live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The pay-per-view broadcast will be preceded by prelim specials on Facebook at 6pm ET/3pm PT and Spike TV at 8pm ET/5pm PT. In the main event, Dan Henderson returns to the UFC to take on fellow PRIDE veteran Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. In the co-main event, Cung Le makes his UFC debut against Wanderlei Silva. Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles fight for a potential bantamweight title shot. Rick Story faces Martin Kampmann in a welterweight bout. Stephan Bonnar takes on Kyle Kingsbury in a light heavyweight match-up. Results, recap and bonuses after the jump. Results Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman Nick Pace vs. Miguel Torres Rafael dos Anjos vs. Gleison Tibau Seth Baczynski vs. Matt Brown Shamar Bailey vs. Danny Castillo Recap & Thoughts Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto: Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson: Bonuses $??? Submission of the Night: Knockout of the Night: Fight of the Night:

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Back at the landmark UFC 100 event on July 11, 2009, Dan Henderson unleashed the biggest "H-Bomb" of them all and exploded it on Michael Bispings face, delivering what has held up as one of the greatest knockouts in the history of MMA. Though we've seen him knock a few fools out since that violent night, "Hendo" has never quite been able to replicate the success he found against "The Count." Tonight (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011), Henderson takes on Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 in San Jose, California. Will we finally see him do it again? Stay tuned, Maniacs.

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You can probably expect a lot of action in the first bout of the Spike prelims, and that's probably why it got promoted at the last minute. Bantamweights usually deliver, and despite one of the guys in the fight being a newcomer to the UFC, it should be a good one. Top prospect Michael McDonald (13-1, 2-0 UFC) meets Alex Soto (6-0-1, 0-0 UFC) in a bantamweight bout at UFC 139. McDonald is currently at number 13 at bantamweight on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Soto is unranked. McDonald isn't going to move up much with a win here, but he looks to be a solid contender in the future no matter what. This is Soto's first fight in the UFC, and win here would definitely earn him some consideration for the top 25. This bantamweight UFC 139 fight will be on the televised portion of the preliminary card, and will be aired live on Spike TV.  The Spike broadcast begins at  5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? McDonald: 20 years old | 5'8" | 70" reachSoto: 27 years old | 5'9" | 71" reach What have these two done recently? McDonald: W - Chris Cariaso (SD)  | W - Edwin Figueroa (UD) | W - Clint Godfrey (SUB)Soto: D - Seiji Akao | W - Brady Harrison (SUB) | W - Rafael Salomao (TKO)  How did these two get here? McDonald made his pro debut at the young age of 16, rattling off 7 wins in 14 months before meeting fellow UFC 130 competitor Cole Escovedo. Escovedo handed him the first loss of his career, finishing Mayday by TKO in the second round. McDonald rebounded from that with three more wins, including a knockout of Escovedo in a rematch, to earn his way into the WEC. After finishing Clint Godfrey in under three minutes at WEC 52, the merger went down and McDonald was quickly off to a new organization again. His decision win over Edwin Figueroa at UFC Fight Night 24 was one of the most entertaining BW matchups of 2011 so far, and his split-decision win over Chris Cariaso at UFC 130 was pretty good too.  UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Alex Soto is a former member of the US Army and current dolphin trainer (seriously) who made his MMA debut in mid-2009. He rattled off six straight wins before going over to Japan to fight in DEEP. He went to a draw in his only bout there, but that was enough to earn him a spot on the UFC 139 card as a late replacement for Johnny Eduardo. Why should you care? If you don't care about Mayday, I don't care about you. End of story.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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A little more than eight years ago a relatively unknown 21-year old Brazilian coming off a submission loss to Renato Sobral named Mauricio Rua debuted on the PRIDE stage against one of the organization’s originals – Akira Shoji – and knocked the veteran competitor out less than five minutes later. Little did they realize it at the time, but with the performance the world had witnessed the birth of a legend going on to a storied career featuring one-sided stoppages against some of the sport’s best including Lyoto Machida, Chuck Liddell, Alistair Overeem, and Quinton Jackson. In a matter of hours Rua will face Dan Henderson in the main event at UFC 139, an opponent he knows well from their time in Japan though the two never actually crossed paths professionally, and as might be expected the pairing has provided a dose of nostalgia for the 29-year old who celebrates his birthday in less than a week. “I always admired Dan Henderson as a great fighter, and he fought my brother Murilo “Ninja” back in 2001 in PRIDE,” Rua explained in an interview with the UFC’s website. “When I started to make a name for myself in PRIDE, people always talked about this fight taking place, and we both entered the Grand Prix tournament in 2005, where we could have met in the second round, but I ended up facing Antonio Rogerio Nogueira instead, since he defeated Dan. Later on, when he got the belt from my former teammate Wanderlei Silva, I was next in line to challenge him for the belt, but PRIDE collapsed, so that never happened. I’m glad we are finally having the chance to fight, as it’s a privilege to fight legends.” Henderson Believes He can Knock Rua Out Rua went on to compare the iconic Japanese promotion to his current home, saying, “I think the production of the show, the large arenas, the raw rules and the way fighters would always engage in a fight, giving their all, got people in love with the show There was certainly a great feeling about fighting in PRIDE back then, and seeing those epic matches. However, UFC has got to a level which is amazing, where we never would expect to be so soon, so there’s a great feeling in fighting in the UFC nowadays, and certainly much more pressure.” Then again, that’s not to say “Shogun” doesn’t miss certain aspects of his time under the PRIDE banner, also adding he hoped to fight in the Far East again sometime soon with the UFC’s recent expansion into the Land of the Rising Sun. “The stomps,” Rua replied with a smile when asked about the aspect of PRIDE he truly longed for. “I also miss fighting in Japan and the Japanese people; it was great fighting there, as it is great fighting in the US or Brazil. Hopefully I can fight in Japan for the UFC soon.” Fans can catch Rua vs. Henderson on PPV when the broadcast starts at 9:00 PM EST. Other match-ups on the card include free preliminary pairings on Facebook/Spike TV like Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz, Chris Weidman vs. Tom Lawlor, and Nick Pace vs. Miguel Torres. PHOTO CREDIT – PRIDE Tweet

Posted in: ufc, henderson, dan henderson, rua, pride

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Mixed martial arts (MMA) nostalgia is in the air ... can you smell it yet? Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) booked a classic pay-per-vew (PPV) event tonight that hearkens back to the heyday of the sport, presenting an old school fight card that features two former Pride FC superstars -- Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson in the main event -- and its most menacing marquee mauler, Wanderlei Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night. Even the opponent for the "Axe Murderer" in the co main event, Cung Le, is a well-known, marketable former champion from an entirely different promotion, Strikeforce. It's a delicious melting pot of MMA talent. However, the main course between "Shogun" and "Hendo" is the true tasty treat. Both fighters have competed side-by-side for more than half a decade in the same promotion; however, somehow, someway, the pair have yet to lock horns. Of course, those parallel career tracks finally crisscross tonight (Nov. 19, 2011) at UFC 139 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. No titles are at stake, even though both men have had their share of championship success. Both men are former champions -- Rua in the UFC and Henderson in Pride FC and Strikeforce -- and both men have won grand prix tournaments. In the case of Henderson, he has several such accomplishments tucked impressively under his belt, whether it's at 185 pounds or more. Sure, a potential number one light heavyweight contender case can be made for the winner, but Rashad Evans still lurks in the shadows. It's not a clear-cut assumption. At least not now, anyway. On the contrary, the chefs in the UFC matchmaker kitchen have cooked up a classic contest that is much more profound. And it smells oh-so sweet.

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In a bout that was strangely dropped from a spot on the televised Spike show to the undercard, a guy known for his humorous entrances and toughness in the cage will take on a rising star in a semi-shallow division. TUF 9's Tom Lawlor (11-3, 1 NC, 3-2 UFC) meets likely the best prospect at 185 in the UFC, Chris Weidman (6-0, 2-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout at UFC 139. Weidman is currently ranked at number 21 at middleweight on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Lawlor is unranked. A win for Lawlor isn't likely going to get him on the charts, but it'd be a solid start. And Weidman isn't likely to move up much with a win. This middleweight UFC 139 fight will be on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at approximately 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Lawlor: 28 years old | 6'0" | 74" reachWeidman: 27 years old | 6'2" | 78" reach What have these two done recently? Lawlor: W - Patrick Cote (UD)  | L -  Joe Doerksen (SUB) | l - Aaron Simpson (SD)Weidman: W - Jesse Bongfeldt (SUB) | W - Alessio Sakara (UD) | W - Valdir Araujo (UD)  How did these two get here? "Filthy" Tom Lawlor had just six pro fights and had never been out of the first round when he was selected for The Ultimate Fighter 9. Unfortunately, he ran into eventual winner (and fellow UFC 139 participant) Ryan Bader in his first fight in the house, and was knocked out in the first round. He's had an up-and-down career in the UFC so far, picking up a sub of the night and fight of the night bonus along the way but never gaining much traction. A win over the uber-prospect would do wonders for his career. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Chris Weidman is a two-time NCAA Division 1 All-American in wrestling, and has shown great promise in his brief MMA career to date. In just his third pro fight, he knocked out Uriah Hall to win the Ring of Combat middleweight title. After another decision win later in the year, Weidman was brought into replace Rafael Natal and took on veteran Alessio Sakara at UFC on Versus 3, where won a 30-27 decision. He was again a late replacement at UFC 131, where he submitted Jesse Bongfeldt with a brutal standing guillotine at the end of the first round. He'll look to continue his ascension with a win over the scrappy Lawlor. Why should you care? You should watch as many of Weidman's bouts as you can now, because I have a feeling he'll be fighting for a title one day. That, and Lawlor's entrance should be entertaining at least.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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Two distinguished icons of Pride, the UFC and MMA in general will grace the UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua pay-per-view. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua represents an epic match up between two of the sport's best who hail from the old bastion. "Hendo" sported both the welterweight (183-pounds) and middleweight (205-pounds) championship belts in Pride Fighting Championships, contested for gold in the UFC's equivalent weight classes, ventured off to Strikeforce to capture their light-heavyweight title and knock off a heavyweight legend, and is now making a reinvigorated return to the Octagon. Once considered the all eminent light-heavyweight on earth, "Shogun" Rua mesmerized the combat sports world as the newest Chute Boxe offering who carved through Pride's elite with highlight reel panache. Initially exhibiting signs of the unshakable curse that most overseas fighters are mysteriously plagued with in the states, Rua rebounded well from his unflattering intro. After the shocking Forrest Griffin upset in his Octagon debut and a sub-par win over Mark Coleman, he accomplished what most thought to be impossible when he booted Lyoto Machida off the 205-pound throne. Then crushed under the wheels of the Jon Jones hype-train, Rua recently avenged the Griffin loss in "old Shogun" fashion to kickstart another rally to the top. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Wielding the scariest right hand in the game and boasting a burly Greco Roman clinch aptitude, Dan Henderson usually has a great influence over the pace of the fight and where it takes place. This means, to keep Hendo out of the driver's seat, Shogun's mobility and cage motion will be pivotal. In fact, there seems to a be a concise correlation between Shogun's success and how agile and fleet afoot he is. The two vexing Octagon performances he opened with were underscored by an uncharacteristic level of fatigue and sluggishness. Toying with the fragile emotions of his dedicated fan base (relax, I'm one of them), Shogun blasted through Chuck Liddell like he'd been shot from a cannon just as we were writing him off as another underwhelming Pride crossover. The glaring difference? Mobility. The Shogun who lumbered around the cage like he was sloshing through hot cheese was transposed with the explosively athletic and dexterous madman from his dominant Pride reign. The metamorphosis was attributed to rehabbing his nagging knee injury; a root-cause that became even more sensible in his pair of title bouts against Lyoto Machida. These, of course, took place in the "Machida era" where the champ dazzled the combat sports audience with elaborate footwork. "The Dragon" had confounded all comers with a mystical inability to be hit or get ahold of, flitting out of range while offering only the stings of a long left hand. Shogun was the first opponent to crack the code, able to engage the heralded champion endlessly whereas most others were fortunate to merely get the better end of a brief exchange. Again, it was Rua's liveliness of motion that enabled him to mount offense. He doggedly pursued Machida through every winding and circuitous angle he cut in reverse, anticipating his circling and cutting off the cage brilliantly. The first Machida bout was a decision loss embroiled in controversy. However, Shogun left no room for dissenting opinions in the second. Their roles were reversed in the final flurry where Rua became champion, as it was Machida vaulting forward aggressively and Rua playing the counter-striker. That finite detail is salient here, as Shogun will be dealing with an opponent who comes straight forward behind a heat-seeking right hand, endeavoring to brawl at phone booth range. To keep the contest at his preferred striking range, Shogun's footwork and agility will be cardinal. Just because everyone, including Shogun, knows the barreling, haymaker-laden charge shown to the right is guaranteed to reoccur, it doesn't make it any easier to defend. Really, none of Dan Henderson's 30+ opponents should have assumed otherwise, because it's exactly what they all got and only the top of the food chain fighters were able to overcome it. In the last four years, the caliber of martial artist to repel Hendo's primal onslaught are current UFC pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva, then-205-champ Quinton Jackson, and elite sub-grappler Jake Shields.  Since Shogun can't imitate the scorching low single that Shields dismantled him with, that leaves clinch fighting as the standout variable in those losses. The saving grace for Silva and "Rampage" was their top-notch clinch prowess. Silva enforces massive leverage in the clinch with exceptional footwork and Muay Thai, and Rampage is one of the strongest and powerful clinchers at 205. While clinching with Dan Henderson belongs on the very bottom of every To-Do list ever created, Shogun is quite a beast himself in that position.   The pixilated outburst to the right came after a destructive interaction in the clinch where Shogun pummeled Rampage with knees to the midsection. The chess match there will be that Shogun always goes high on the head for the Thai plum, which will be conducive based on the way Hendo lowers his head coming in, but Hendo usually allows that hold because he can still bomb loopers over the top from his crouched and balanced stance. I think Shogun can hang in the clinch with Hendo, but it's just like playing with fire and something he doesn't want to do often. As he showed against Fedor Emelianenko, Hendo can turn the tables in the blink of an eye, going from knocked on his back and eating punches to reversing, regaining his footing and finishing the fight with one punch. That's why I think it would be wise for Rua to avoid clinching whenever possible and circle out into open space where he can work his kickboxing arsenal, which is thoroughly more dynamic than Hendo's violent and predictable boxing. Shogun used to excel with trip takedowns, but I'm not sure he will tonight. Though Henderson will punish him mercilessly for it if he fails, Shogun does have a vast library of utterly creative offense. The way he drops for a leg lock from the rear waist-cinch to the right is downright poetic. Henderson's submission defense is solid but, despite being a risky tactic, Shogun's BJJ acumen is awesome. If Shogun's cage motion, agility and explosiveness are in top form, I think he can avoid the H-Bomb and land the more meaningful and memorable exchanges. He's a smart fighter with a ridiculously rounded skill set. I do feel that Henderson is the safer choice here. His chin is nearly impervious, he's always one punch away from ending the fight, and he'll surely be chasing Rua around and manipulating him in the clinch, which endows him with the oft-overpowering scoring aspects of aggression and control. That leads me to believe that Shogun might have finish Henderson or rock him visibly in two of three rounds, which seems less likely than Hendo executing his classic game plan. My Prediction: Dan Henderson by TKO   All gifs via MMA-Core.com and Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua Hendo Shogun   15 votes | Results

Posted in: henderson, shogun, dan, rua, hendo

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Normally a fight like this would at least get televised, but this card is pretty deep. It seems like Brazilians don't fight each other that often in the UFC, but that's not the case on Saturday night. Gleison Tibau (23-7, 1 NC, 9-5 UFC) meets Rafael dos Anjos (15-5, 4-3 UFC) in a lightweight bout at UFC 139. Both fighters are ranked at lightweight on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, with dos Anjos sitting at 19 and Tibau sitting one spot below him at 19. This is the only bout between two ranked fighters on the preliminary card. This lightweight UFC 139 fight will be on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at approximately 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Tibau: 28 years old | 5'10" | 71" reachDos Anjos: 27 years old | 5'9" | 71" reach What have these two done recently? Tibau: W - Rafaello Oliveira (SUB)  | W - Kurt Pellegrino (SD) | L - Jim Miller (UD)Dos Anjos: W - George Sotiropoulos (KO) | L - Clay Guida (SUB) | W - Terry Etim (SUB)  How did these two get here? Gleison Tibau made his UFC debut way back in late 2006, where he was TKO'd by current Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz at welterweight. He dropped to lightweight after that fight, where he's been ever since. He's had an up-and-down career in the UFC, never putting together more than three wins in a row, yet only losing two in a row once in his tenure. He has won 6 of his last 8, most recently picking up a submission win over Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 130. UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Rafael dos Anjos has had some bad luck in his UFC career so far. He dropped his first two fights in the UFC, but was in complete control of Jeremy Stephens until he was put out by a popeye punch in the third, and he had Tyson Griffin in a deep calf slicer that most anyone else would have tapped to. Tyson didn't though, and RDA dropped the decision. He rebounded with three straight wins and was given a shot at Clay Guida. The fight was very even into the third, until Guida broke Rafael's jaw and he was forced to tap out. He returned to face George Sotiropoulos at UFC 127, and picked up the biggest win of his career with a 59 second knockout. He'll look to build on that with a win over the gigantic Tibau. Why should you care? While Tibau isn't the most exciting guy in the cage, dos Anjos always brings it and is a top-notch fighter. This bout will be really good.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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For fans of mixed martial arts, this past week has been a slow crawl of steadily rising anticipation for tonight's "Shogun vs. Henderson" event, going down at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. UFC 139 will feature a light heavyweight showdown pitting former champion Mauricio Rua welcoming "Dangerous" Dan Henderson back to the Octagon. Other match-ups on the card include Cung Le debuting with the UFC against Pride legend Wanderlei Silva and Urijah Faber taking on Brian Bowles with the winner promised a bantamweight title shot. It's been a flurry of non-stop news, analysis, quotes, predictions and previews for the past week and it's certainly understandable if you missed out on a few stories. But don't worry, Maniacs, we've got you covered.  In cased you missed any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — below are links to all the major storylines heading into tonight's broadcast. In we go: UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" Fight card and line-up Results and live fight coverage UFC 139 predictions and previews: Predictions from the myth himself, Nostradumbass Spike TV "Prelims" preview and predictions Facebook "Prelims" preview and predictions Fight preview: Shogun Rua vs. Dan Henderson Fight preview: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Fight preview: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Fight preview: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Fight preview: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury UFC 139 press conferences: Pre-fight press conference Press conference video Press conference staredown pics Press conference photos gallery UFC 139 weigh-ins: Weigh-in results Weigh-in video Weigh-in staredown pics Weigh-in photos gallery UFC 139 odds: Shogun Rua vs. Dan Henderson Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Complete odds and betting guide UFC 139 news: How to watch the event Event poster Conference call live blog Open workouts photos gallery Exclusive interview with Martin Kampmann Exclusive interview with Brian Bowles Exclusive interview with Miguel Torres Exclusive interview with Nick Pace Exclusive interview with Seth Baczynski Complete statistical breakdown of Shogun Rua vs. Dan Henderson UFC 139 editorials: The Striking Zone: Cung Le brings Sanshou kicks into UFC 139 debut History in the Making: Wanderlei Silva crushes Rampage Jackson at Pride 28 Shogun Rua looks to avenge his brother, Murilo's, loss to Dan Henderson Surprise, Dan Henderson looking to knock Shogun Rua out Is Shogun vs. Henderson a light heavyweight number one contender bout? Wanderlei Silva has no date set for his retirement Dominick Cruz still has something Urijah Faber wants but he'll have to go through Brian Bowles to get it Miguel Torres ready to return to his former glory Miguel Torres road back to the top starts with Nick Pace UFC 139 videos: Dana White video blog episode one Extended event preview Countdown to UFC 139 Shogun wants to become the first man to knock Dan Henderson out Wanderlei Silva: Believe in your dreams and never give up in the face of adversity Wanderlei Silva training for Cung Le fight Wanderlei Silva has a secret weapon for Cung Le fight -- Anderson Silva Cung Le: We'll see if Wanderlei Silva can deal with my kicks Shogun Rua vs. Dan Henderson preview Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le preview Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles preview What makes Kyle Kingsbury so dangerous? Urijah Faber looking to make a statement against Brian Bowles That, my friends, should be enough to keep you talking -- at least for the time being. What has been the biggest story heading into this event? The return of Dan Henderson? The debut of Cung Le? Something else? Sound off, Maniacs.

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One is coming off a highly-debatable loss that put him back into the middle of the pack in his division. The other is coming off a very entertaining back-and-forth bout he just came up short in, but always brings action and excitement when he's in the cage. Miguel Torres (38-4, 1-1 UFC) meets Nick Pace (6-2, 1-1 UFC) in a bantamweight bout at UFC 139. Torres is currently sitting at number 7 at bantamweight on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Pace is unranked. Torres used to hold down the number one spot, but has faded a bit in recent years. Pace would most definitely make the list with a win over the former champion. This bantamweight UFC 139 fight will be on the preliminary card, and will be streamed live on Facebook. The Facebook stream begins at approximately 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Torres: 30 years old | 5'9" | 76" reachPace: 24 years old | 5'6" | 68" reach What have these two done recently? Torres: L - Demetrious Johnson (UD)  | W - Antonio Banuelos (UD) | W - Charlie Valencia (SUB)Pace: L - Ivan Menjivar (UD) | W - Will Campuzano (SUB) | L - Demetrious Johnson (UD)  How did these two get here? Miguel Angel Torres is one of the pioneers at bantamweight, going 32-1 in local promotions before getting the call to come over and fight in the WEC. After submitting Jeff Bedard in his debut, he was plugged right into a bantamweight title fight with champion Chase Beebe, from which he emerged victorious in less than four minutes. Torres defended his title three times, and two of his title fights were candidates of fight of the year. Finally he stepped into the cage with Brian Bowles, and ended up getting knocked out for the first time in his career in a back-and-forth war. He sunk even lower in the aftermath, getting submitted for the first time in his career by Joseph Benavidez at WEC 47. Torres managed to turn it around with one more WEC win and a move to the vaunted Tri-Star Gym, where Firas Zahabi taught him how to use his length. In his UFC debut, he jabbed his way to victory over alligator-armed Antonio Banuelos at UFC 126, but lost the aforementioned controversial decision to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 130.  UFC 139 Results | Dan Henderson Interview | Weigh-In Results Nick Pace is a Tiger Schulmann disciple that started his career in the Ring of Combat promotion in New Jersey. He ripped off five straight wins there and won the RoC bantamweight championship before he was called up to the WEC last year. He dropped an exciting decision to current title challenger Demetrious Johnson, but was brought over to the UFC anyway. Despite missing weight in his first UFC fight, he impressed everyone with an extremely rare pillory choke finish of Will Campuzano, that he dubbed "The Pace Choke". His next fight was just as exciting, but he came out on the short end of the stick with a unanimous decision loss to Ivan Menjivar. Why should you care? Both of these guys bring it every single time. If this fight doesn't do it for you, you need to check and see if you still have a pulse.   More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

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On the Facebook undercard portion of the UFC 139 undercard, Matt Brown (12-10, 5-4 UFC) meets Seth Baczynski (14-6, 1-1 UFC). Both men need a win badly to remain safe in their position on the UFC roster. This is also a bout with serious potential to be explosive. How do these two stack up? Brown: 30 years old | 6'0" | 76" reachBaczynski: 29 years old | 6'4" | 73" reach What have these two done recently? Brown: W - John Howard (Dec) | L - Brian Foster (SUB) | L - Chris Lytle (SUB) Baczynski: W - Clay Harvison (SUB) | W - Alex Garcia (TKO) | W - Tim McKenzie (KO) How did these two get here? Matt Brown has been in the UFC since a stint on season seven of The Ultimate Fighter in 2008. After going 4-1 in his first five UFC bouts, Brown dropped his next three bouts all by submission. Brown rebounded with a decision win over John Howard this past June. His slightly over .500 record doesn't do his mixture of decent striking and submission game justice, but he does badly need a win at UFC 139 to remain safe in his spot on the UFC roster. Seth Baczynski is on his second UFC stint. After competing on Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, he lost to Brad Tavares at the finale show and was released from the organization. Two stoppage wins on smaller shows earned him a return to the big stage where he cashed in with a submission of Clay Harvison. A win over Brown would cement his place in the UFC and likely move him into a much better spot on the card in his next outing. Why should you care? There's good potential for a fun and exciting scrap in this fight. It may not be determining any sort of title contender, but a good fight is still a good fight. More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, tim, burke

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Dan Henderson added another big-win victory to his record. But what should be next for the H-Bomb master? Click on your vote, and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, dan henderson, dan, bigwin victory

Read the full article at Low Kick

Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua was the first non-title UFC bout to go into championship rounds, in what was without a doubt one of the greatest displays of heart, courage and skill ever seen inside the Octagon. Dan Henderson opened well with perfectly-timed striking combinations. Hendo rocked Rua on several occasions, but the Brazilian displayed an amazing chinned that time after time absorbed Dan Henderson's famous H-Bombs. Both fighters exchanged striking combinations, but it was Hendo who bloodied up

Posted in: henderson, dan, rua, championship rounds, dan hendersons

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Shamar Bailey and Danny Castillo kick off the night's action as the first fight on the UFC 139 undercard. The bout will stream live on Facebook. Both fighters suffered a loss in their last fight and are looking to improve their position in the UFC. How do these two stack up? Castillo: 32 years old | 5'9" | 71" reachBailey: 29 years old | 5'9" What have these two done recently? Castillo: L - Jacob Volkmann (Dec) | W - Joe Stevenson (Dec) | W - Will Kerr (KO) Bailey: L - Evan Dunham (Dec) | W - Ryan McGillivray (Dec) | L - Kurt Kinser (TKO) How did these two get here? Danny Castillo had a fairly successful run during his time in the WEC, only picking up losses against top names like Donald Cerrone, Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis. The Team Alpha Male fighter won his UFC debut with a decision over former UFC lightweight title challenger Joe Stevenson. Jacob Volkmann brought him back down to earth by dragging him to a decision loss in a bit of an ugly fight. Shamar Bailey is the kind of fighter for whom The Ultimate Fighter was probably his only path to the UFC. Despite having lost two straight fights, he secured a spot on the show and managed to win his bout on the finale broadcast to ensure more UFC bouts in his future. He dropped from welterweight back to lightweight only to lose to Evan Dunham at UFC Fight Night 25. Bailey missed weight by three pounds for this bout, coming in at 158 and having to give up 20% of his purse. Why should you care? I couldn't blame you if you didn't. This has the potential to be a very long wrestling match for three rounds. Or, maybe Castillo comes out and blitzes him. But it's not likely to be pretty. More UFC 139 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 139: The PRIDE History of Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Weigh-In Results: Two Fighters Miss Weight - Tim Burke UFC 139 Shogun vs Henderson: Staff Picks and Predictions UFC 139: Nick Pace in a 'Dream Fight' Against Miguel Torres - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Countdown Video - Tim Burke UFC 139 Roundtable: Did the Marketing Push For UFC on Fox Kill UFC 139's Buy Rate? UFC 139 Interview: Chris Weidman Talks Wrestling, UFC Jitters, and His Fade - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Video - Dana White Talks UFC on Fox, Fox 2, and Dan Henderson - Matthew Roth UFC 139 Judo Chop: Cung Le and the Sanshou Spinning Back Kick - Fraser Coffeen UFC 139: Bader vs. Brilz, McDonald vs. Soto Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Coverage - Tim Burke Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 101: Derek Brunson, UFC 139 Preview - Matt Bishop UFC 139: Embracing the Beautiful Violence of Mixed Martial Arts - Brent Brookhouse UFC 139: Shogun vs Henderson Conference Call Quick Quotes - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Brian Bowles Discusses Fight With Urijah Faber - Tim Burke UFC 139: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 139: The Magnificent Ruin of Wanderlei Silva - Leland Roling UFC 139 Media Call News and Updates - Matthew Roth UFC 139: Dana White Video Blog, Part One - Tim Burke UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 139: Martin Kampmann Discusses Recent Losses, Fight With Rick Story - Tim Burke UFC 139 Video: Shogun vs. Henderson In-Depth Preview - Anton Tabuena UFC 139 Fight Card: Shogun vs. Henderson - Tim Burke

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, tim

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MMAFrenzy.com will have live results for tonight’s UFC 139 event in San Jose, California starting at 5:30pm ET for the preliminary card and 9pm ET for the pay-per-view main card, which is headlined by light heavyweight contenders Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Hendersona and also includes Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le and Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles. Stay tuned for live UFC 139 results below beginning at 5:30pm ET: MAIN CARD Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury PRELIMINARY CARD Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto Chris Weidman vs. Tom Lawlor Rafael dos Anjos vs. Gleison Tibau Miguel Tores vs. Nick Pace Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski Danny Castillo vs. Shamar Bailey Pictured: Shogun and Henderson (via @DanaWhite)

Posted in: vs, henderson, shogun, card, dan hendersona

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When Mauricio Rua made his Pride Fighting Championships (Pride FC) debut in 2003, he was a fresh-faced prospect from Wanderlei Silva's camp. Barely past the drinking age, but already with five fights to his name, "Shogun" sparkled in his first fight across the Pacific, knocking out Akira Shoji in less than four minutes. Then, just two years later, the Brazilian made an impact on the 205-pound division that will never be forgotten. Punching, kicking and stomping his way through a minefield of 16 world class light heavyweights, "Shogun" emerged at the end of the promotion's grand prix tournament, the last man standing. By the time Rua stepped inside the Pride FC ring, Dan Henderson was six years and 16 fights into his career. Already amassing an impressive collection of accolades -- winning a UFC tournament stateside and Rings' King of Kings tournament in Japan -- "Hendo" had spent the better part of three years in Pride FC.  But somehow, despite spending more than half a decade in the same promotion -- four years in Pride FC, a couple more in the UFC -- the two never got the opportunity to tangle. Tonight (Nov. 19, 2011) remedies that minor tragedy as the two future Hall of Famers lock horns in the UFC 139 main event. Before they do, let's take a look back at their histories, which never quite intertwined as much as fans would have hoped, in the extended entry: At first glance, the two men might not seem all that alike. One is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt with Muay Thai chops few could match, and the other is the American wrestling prototype with the added weapon of a sledgehammer for a right hand. But, the similarities are there, rest assured. Both have spent most of their career fighting only the best of the best. "Shogun" has squared off with Lyoto Machida, Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson. "Hendo" has gone toe-to-toe against legends like Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and "The Axe Murderer." At the time of Rua's Pride FC debut, the two even shared a similar opponent in Renato Sobral -- who the Brazilian lost to, but Henderson managed to beat. Despite both men's proficiencies in their respective grappling arts, they've each gained a reputation as knockout artists, being able to rob their opponents of their consciousness in fashions that are as quick as they are brutal. "Dangerous" Dan earned a spot on the shortlist for "Best Knockout Ever" when he took out Briton Michael Bisping, while all but three of Rua's victories have ended in a post-fight concussion test for his opponent. With all this in mind, it's shocking that they haven't ended up as opponents at some point in the past eight years. Tonight's main event has all the makings of an instant classic and makes the hearts of fans who crave devastating knockouts skip a beat. With all that potential, why didn't Pride or the UFC make this fight happen earlier? I suppose you can place most of the blame on Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. "Little Nog" was booked against Henderson in the opening round of the 203-pound grand prix back in 2005 and eliminated the American with a perfectly executed armbar. Across the bracket, Rua battered "Rampage" en route to a dominant first round technical knockout (TKO). The two Brazilians would face off in the quarterfinals, while the loss not only bounced "Hendo" from the tournament, but also from the weight class. Starting with his next fight, Henderson began making the cut down to 183-pounds. And it wasn't until Pride FC offered him a fight against Vitor Belfort at its inaugural show in the United States that Henderson returned to light heavyweight. He won that bout and it earned him a show at Wanderlei Silva and the belt many thought would have to be pried from "The Axe Murderer's" cold, dead hands. "Hendo" came as close to that without actually killing the poor Brazilian. Henderson would then spend his next few fights bouncing between weight classes with mixed results. Facing the risk of drifting between 185- and 205-pounds until the end of his career, "Hendo" decided to make a statement at UFC 100. Everyone knows how that shook out. Well, everyone except Bisping, who likely doesn't remember a thing from that night. Failure to upend Jake Shields as Strikeforce's middleweight champ caused yet another shift in weight for Henderson. This move has proved more fruitful than any other. Three fights, three knockouts and one championship. On the flip side, "Shogun" has spent his entire career at light heavyweight. The enormous success he achieved in 2005 was dulled somewhat by a fluke injury loss to Mark Coleman and then completely smudged out when he was choked out by Forrest Griffin in his highly anticipated Octagon debut. He would eventually claw his way back to the top of the 205-pound mountain when he barreled his first in Machida's jaw and captured the most prestigious title in the sport. A knee injury kept him sidelined for nearly a year after claiming the belt. And when "Shogun" returned to the cage, he would end up losing the belt to Jon Jones at UFC 128 before exacting a measure of revenge on Griffin when the company returned to Brazil this past August.  So what does the future hold for each man? "Hendo" seems to have hit his stride at light heavyweight while the shellacking Jones gave "Shogun" doesn't instill a desire in fans to see a rematch. It's also no secret that the Brazilian doesn't cut much to make weight, a practice that could be a death sentence in the sport. Both men step inside the cage tonight in a light heavyweight bout, but do both have futures at 185-pounds Henderson has a history at that weight and hasn't been shy about wanting a rematch with Anderson Silva. Middleweight is uncharted territory for Rua, but could be the change that gives his career a strong second wind if he's unsuccessful this evening. But that discussion can wait for Sunday. For now, let's just enjoy a fight we've wanted for years and are finally getting to see. Let's enjoy two living legends do what they do best. Finally fight.

Posted in: fight, henderson, year, rua, pride

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Ever since PRIDE FC folded back in 2007, one of the most common lingering regrets among its die hard followers was the fact that a bout between the light heavyweight champion (dubbed middleweight champion at the time), Dan Henderson, and the “uncrowned” champion, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, never materialized. Much has changed since the night “Hendo” knocked out Rua’s training partner, Wanderlei Silva, to capture the title: Henderson went on to have a decent — but unspectacular — stint with the UFC before finding his footing in Strikeforce, while “Shogun” recovered from a stuttering start and multiple injuries to fulfill his long heralded potential and become the UFC light heavyweight kingpin. Finally, the two MMA legends are set to square off in a bout that could determine the next contender for the UFC light heavyweight title. Light Heavyweight Fight: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson One seemingly overlooked aspect of this fight is the state of Rua’s knees. While all was forgotten with a quick knockout of Forrest Griffin, Rua still looked a touch lethargic in that fight. Little can be taken away from a sub-one minute fight, but the fact remains Rua didn’t throw a single kick, was very sloppy with his punches (another fighter could have made him pay), and looked a tad slower compared to his usual explosive self. The same can also be said about his performance against Jon Jones, however, with “Bones” looking utterly sensational in that bout, it is difficult to gauge just how badly hampered Rua’s knees really well. Nevertheless, multiple knee surgeries at such a young age are never good news. For this bout, Rua needs to on top of his game. I’m of the belief that the incarnation of “Shogun” who showed up for the first Lyoto Machida fight was the best we’ve seen from the Brazilian — his PRIDE days included. In that fight, Rua showcased the perfect balance of technical striking (at least by his standards), tactical discipline, aggression, and patience. Most importantly, his footwork was truly sensational, as he cut off the cage extremely well, landed kicks, was very quick andunpredictable when moving forward, and circled away from Machida’s power. Against Henderson, this will be a key aspect. Whether “Hendo” is in pure “H-Bomb” mode or wrestling mode (for his sake, he better combine the two), Rua’s footwork needs to be on point. For starters, it will be imperative for the Brazilian to circle to his right in order to avoid Henderson’s trademark right hand. Furthermore, Rua can’t allow his opponent to close the distance, get the clinch, tire him against the fence, and potentially take him down. As such, Rua would be smart to slow Henderson down with bread and butter leg kicks. Given that Hendo’s wrestling is almost exclusively reliant on securing the clinch first, “Shogun” is unlikely to put himself at risk of being taken down if he throws kicks. Additionally, the accumulation of said kicks could very well hinder Henderson’s movement when moving forward, and over five rounds, this could make a substantial difference. Conversely, leg kicks may leave Rua prone to a counter-right hand from Henderson, something he — and any other sane person — does not want to taste. That is why it will be vital for Rua to throw leg kicks from a relatively safer range, outside of Henderson’s reach. However, if anyone could potentially survive a Henderson right hand, it’s Rua, as he possesses one of MMA’s most proven chins. In fact, both individuals’ chins — as well as power — are, for the lack of a better term, freaky. Despite cringe-worthy technique, Rua punches like a truck, and has excellent timing to boot. That, coupled with his speed, makes up for his uneducated technique – Rua is a major arm puncher. The diversity of his striking is also a key component to his success, as Rua is good at methodically chomping down his opponent with leg kicks, blitzing him with trademark flurries, or punishing his body and head with knees from the clinch. The real challenge however, will be hurting Henderson, and potentially finishing him. Rua may just be the best finisher in MMA in terms of killer instinct, but as discussed, the American’s chin, and especially, his recovery, are stuff of legend. And yet, if someone can become the first fighter to finish Henderson with strikes, it’s “Shogun.” Henderson’s striking might be a little less versatile, and at times, one-dimensional in his over-reliance on his right hand, but there can be no doubting its efficiency. He does an excellent job at setting up the overhand right, either with an inside leg kick or with a jab; albeit one that he throws with little conviction.  Occasionally, Henderson will mix things up and come underneath with a sneaky uppercut, and he would be smart to do so here. One of Rua’s defensive flaws is the fact that while he’s very good at covering up to avoid getting hit cleanly, this seems to be his instinctive go-to move, rather than attempting to doge the punch altogether. This means that his vision is no longer in direct contact with his opponent, which in the world of combat sport, is risky business. The way Rua covers up when his opponents throws a feint is equally worrisome, as it leaves him a sitting duck for a takedown, or for the aforementioned uppercut. On the other hand, there will be times when Rua times his opponent’s attack correctly, and will look to cut him off with a counter-right instead of covering up, and beat him to the punch; something Machida knows all too well about. Henderson’s right hand becomes that much more unpredictable when he mixes up his game and uses some clinch work and takedowns. That is what allowed him to catch Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante earlier this year, when Henderson turned in a great, well-rounded performance. Should Henderson get on top, he likely will struggle to get much going in terms of meaningful ground and pound, however, that should change late in the fight if he can keep taking Rua to the ground and eventually, wear him out. However, while Rua’s takedown defense is shaky to say the least, he does have an active bottom game. While his constant work for fruitless leg locks is at times counterproductive, he possesses some great sweeps in his arsenal. Even when he fails to complete the sweep and get on top, he does a good job at using it to scramble and get back to his vertical base. It wouldn’t be too shocking to see Rua score some takedowns, as Henderson’s over-aggression occasionally gets him in trouble, to the point where he gets taken down by far inferior wrestlers. Rua’s offensive wrestling is underrated, and if timed correctly, he could put the former Olympian on his back. From there, Rua possesses terrific guard passing skills and some of the most brutal ground and pound in the division. The fight could well come down to cardio. If Henderson doesn’t push things early, and instead allows “Shogun” to settle into a rhythm and fight at his own pace, similar to what Machida did at UFC 104, Rua will likely pepper him with leg kicks, wear him down, and cruise to victory. However, if Henderson clinches up, takes Rua down, and tires him, the former Chute Boxe sensation will be a spent force come the championship rounds. Determining which scenario is more likely is incredibly difficult, but hesitantly, I will side with the American to take a competitive — but ultimately well-earned — decision. Official Prediction: Dan Henderson to defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua by Decision

Posted in: fight, henderson, shogun, rua, leg

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Was Dan Henderson's knockout of Michael Bisping the most famous KO in UFC history? If so, Henderson says thank you.

Posted in: ufc, ko, henderson, michael bisping, ufc history

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

SAN JOSE, November 19 - Dan “Hendo” Henderson versus Mauricio “Shogun” Rua = Instant classic. The inspiring and dramatic five-round war between the light heavyweight stars produced one of the all-time greatest fights you will ever see Saturday night, and it was Henderson who eked out a unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards at the HP Pavilion via scores of 48-47 across the board.But as is the case with such magical masterpieces, there are no words on the printed page that can do justice to a fight where both men came oh-so-close to finishing the fight – only to be deprived by the never-say-die spirit in the other. Both men set a fast and furious pace early, and both put the other on the deck with punches. It was Henderson (29-8), making his triumphant return to the UFC /a>after winning the Strikeforce title, who seemed to carry the first three rounds behind booming overhand rights and potent uppercuts. Yet while Rua would be wobbled, and bloodied, and overwhelmed by punches, and gassed, the Brazilian refused to quit. In fact, the 29-year-old stormed back in rounds four and five, blitzing his tired 41-year-old adversary with hard punches and wobbling the iron-chinned Californian with punches. Rua further tormented the former two-division PRIDE champion with ground and pound but, amazingly, could not find a breaking point. It was the raging subplot that dripped for every second of this back-and-forth classic: With every passing second you were thinking, “Who wants it more?” and “Who will quit?” “I hit him hard and clean,” an exhausted Henderson said afterwards of Rua, a former UFC champion who fell to 20-6. “I thought I could finish him the first two or three rounds, but he finished the fight strong. But I knew I had him the first three rounds easy. He stayed in there with great heart and he finished strong.”

Posted in: fight, round, henderson, rua, punch

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Two of the most historically successful light heavyweights in mixed martial arts (MMA) will finally meet tomorrow night (Nov. 19, 2011) as former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua takes on former two-division Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson in the UFC 139 main event. "Shogun" Rua bounced back from losing his title by ferociously thumping former champion Forrest Griffin earlier this summer in his rousing return to Brazil. It was the third time he's avenged a loss during his UFC career. And if he wants a chance to avenge the loss to 205-pound division champion Jon Jones, he'll need an impressive showing against "Hendo." Easier said than done. Henderson is still bringing it at 41 years old. He destroyed Renato Sobral and Rafael Cavalcante to become the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion earlier this year. And he followed it up with perhaps the biggest performance of his career with a first round knockout of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko. He's looking for one last run at a UFC title, but he's got a dangerous Brazilian currently standing in his way. Will Rua make Henderson regret signing (again) with the UFC with a big victory? Can Henderson keep Father Time at bay for a final sprint to UFC gold? What is the key to victory for both legendary light heavyweights? Let's find out: Mauricio Rua Record: 20-5 overall, 4-3 in the UFC Key Wins: Lyoto Machida (UFC 113), Alistair Overeem twice (Pride 33, Pride Final Conflict 2005), Quinton Jackson (Pride Total Elimination 2005) Key Losses: Jon Jones (UFC 128), Forrest Griffin (UFC 76) How he got here: Shogun was a prodigy while competing in Japan for the Pride FC organization. He absolutely smashed everyone in his path, including "Rampage" Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Alistair Overeem, among others, en route to winning the Pride 2005 middleweight grand prix. Seven of his eight victories were by way of knockout. He finished his Pride FC run with at 12-1 before making his Octagon debut against Griffin. Things didn't go exactly as planned, however, as Rua slowed drastically in the second round and never recovered, losing via rear naked choke right before the final bell in a huge upset. After getting back on track, Shogun would smash former champion Chuck Liddell, which would earn him a title shot against Lyoto Machida. He would lose a highly controversial decision after five rounds of action. However,  afterward he was granted an immediate rematch, which he used to knockout "The Dragon" to become the UFC light heavyweight champion. The champ would be forced to sit on the sidelines for 10 months while rehabbing a knee injury and was welcomed back to the cage by the rising phenom Jon Jones. Jones battered Rua for two and a half rounds, taking his title in dominating fashion. Afterward, "Shogun" signed on to fight Griffin in Brazil for UFC 134, where he would knockout the inaugural The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner and UFC champion in the first round. This would be the third of his five career losses that he's avenged. With the quick victory, he had a short turnaround to welcome Henderson back to the UFC this Saturday night. How he gets it done: Standing and trading punches only really makes this fight about as even as it can get. Rua hits incredibly hard, but so does Henderson. Also, with all the surgeries to his knees over the years, Shogun has lost some of that explosion that made him so violent. One major thing Rua has going for him is his kicks, and they could be the deciding factor in the bout if used properly. The Brazilian should attack Henderson's legs and body with repeated heavy kicks. With every blow he lands, it's one less ounce of power that will be sapped out of the "H-Bomb" that the former Olympian possesses. In addition, Henderson is not the quickest guy out there so he should be a pretty good target for the kick attacks. If he can get him to slow down even more, it'll also open up more avenues to get inside and do damage with his punches. Rua should try to avoid clinches and takedowns in this fight because he's much better off and more dangerous at the cage center. Dan Henderson:  Record: 28-8 overall, 5-2 in the UFC Key Wins: Fedor Emelianenko (Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson), Michael Bisping (UFC 100), Vitor Belfort (Pride 32) Key Losses: Anderson Silva (UFC 82), Quinton Jackson (UFC 75), Jake Shields (Strikeforce: Nashville) How he got here: Henderson started out as a Greco Roman wrestler, competing twice in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic games for the United States. He had immediate success after transitioning to MMA The first four events Henderson competed at were single night tournaments, and he won them all, winning nine fights overall in four nights. Afterward, he would sign with Pride FC, where he would have an up and down career, never really stringing together a huge run of victories. That is until the inaugural Pride FC welterweight (185-pound) Grand Prix. He would knockout consecutive opponents on one night to make it to the finals and then go on to win the tournament with a split decision victory against Murilo Bustamante. After defeating Vitor Belfort at 205 pounds, he was offered a title shot against Wanderlei Silva, an opportunity to avenge his initial Pride FC loss from six years prior. He would capitalize on the opportunity with an incredible third round knockout to become the Pride FC champion in two weight classes. Henderson would earn back-to-back title shots in his UFC return, losing to both Anderson Silva and Quinton Jackson, but would put up strong performances in both. After three consecutive victories in the UFC, including the 2009 "Knockout of the Year" against Michael Bisping, he left the promotion and signed a very large deal with Strikeforce. Henderson would lose his first Strikeforce bout to middleweight champion Jake Shields, but he would follow it up with consecutive knockouts of Renato Sobral and "Feijao" Cavalcante to become the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion. He capped off his Strikeforce career with an incredible knockout of MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko earlier this summer in Chicago. After that incredible victory, he negotiated a deal with the UFC and stepped in to take on "Shogun" in his third tour with the promotion. How he gets it done: Henderson has a few solid methods to getting the job done. First, of course, is to land that killer right hand of his. If he can knockout Fedor with it from an uppercut on the ground, he can put Shogun to sleep, too. Obviously, Rua will be looking for the right hand, as every opponent Henderson has ever faced in the last three years has been cautious of it, but they still keep getting tagged. Henderson, despite his age, does a pretty good job of closing the distance. And, he's still got some explosion in him when he needs it. He could be looking to set up the right hand with a takedown attempt or perhaps just lunging in with a lead left jab. Another advantage for Henderson would be in the clinch. He did a pretty good job of controlling Emelianenko along the fence and he should be able do be even more powerful along the fence against Rua. If he can keep him pinned down, it'll open up some dirty boxing attacks and he's always capable of throwing a huge right hand on the break. If all else fails, he could even attempt some Greco takedowns along the fence if he's not winning the striking exchanges.  Fight "X-Factor:" The X-Factor for this fight is very simple. Both men have some of the best finishing instincts in MMA. Seriously, when was the last time you can remember either of these fighters letting an opponent off the hook when they had them hurt? If either man gets rocked, they are likely going to get swarmed and finished very quickly. It may sound cliche, but the outcome of this fight is likely going to come down to who lands a big strike first. Whoever lands that big blow and rocks their opponent is likely going to be able to score a knockout with follow-up strikes. Bottom line: This is a terrific match up between two MMA legends. Both Henderson and Rua hit incredibly hard and they can also take a punch or two. Henderson's been dropped in his last two fights, but his immediate response afterward has been terrific. He has great recovery -- either shooting for a takedown or grabbing a single leg -- and slipping to safety and he's proven that he might be even more dangerous when he's been hurt. Rua is also one of the most tenacious light heavyweights in the history of the sport, so this bout is almost guaranteed to be exciting. The winner of this bout would also likely be either one fight away from a title shot or he could be a title shot alternate in case of an injury. Keep your eyes peeled for this one. Who will come out on top at UFC 139? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which legendary light heavyweight will earn a huge victory in the UFC 139 main event? Mauricio Rua Dan Henderson   0 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, henderson, champion, rua, pride

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UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" is all set to pop off tomorrow (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The pay-per-view (PPV) event features a 205-pound clash between mixed martial arts (MMA) legends, Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson, in the main event of the evening. Also on tap is a middleweight mash up that pits strikers Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le, as well as exciting bantamweight contenders Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles colliding for the right to rematch division champion Dominick Cruz. Check out the photo gallery from today's (Nov. 18, 2011) UFC 139 weigh in event (via CombatLifestyle.com) after the jump. Click here for complete UFC 139 weigh in results, click here for UFC 139 staredown pics, and click here for UFC 139 weigh in videos. Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Nov. 19), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts. See you then!

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On Sat., Nov. 19, 2011, two men who are larger than life in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world will step inside the Octagon at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., to determine which veteran of the sport still has got "the juice." Lately, the fight landscape has been unkind to the legends who have paved the way for some of the current and emerging bigger names (see Mirko Filipovic and B.J. Penn, among others). Both Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson believe they still have what it takes to take on the best of the best. And it has even been suggested that this 205-pound showdown is possibly a number one contender eliminator match (though that has never been officially confirmed). The two men share a total of six common opponents. They both fought for Pride FC in Japan and now both fight for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Yet, somehow, they've never fought each other. After the jump, we'll take a look at the numbers and see if they shed any light on the outcome of Saturday night's main event: "Shogun" and "Hendo" have both fought the following common opponents: -- Kazuhiro Nakamura-- Ricardo Arona -- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira-- Renato Sobral-- Akiro Gono-- Hiromitsu Kanehara. Againts those six shared foes, Rua holds a record of 5-1, while Henderson's record versus the bunch is a nearly identical 5-2 (he fought Sobral twice). The math whizzes over CompuStrike went to the trouble of analyzing 12 of each fighter's bouts and collected data based on those respective contests. Once again, CompuStrike was kind enough to share its findings. It's no secret that Rua and Henderson have knockout power and possess the ability to put a man to sleep in the blink of an eye. Let's take a look at who the numbers favor in the general striking game: Total Strikes: Rua -- 55 of 97Henderson -- 53 of 107 Percentage: Rua -- 57%Henderson -- 50% Total Power Strikes Landed: Rua -- 32Henderson -- 31 Total Non-Power Strikes Landed: Rua -- 23Henderson -- 22 Pretty close, other than the accuracy aspect. This probably will not surprise most MMA fans because Henderson is known for sometimes throwing wild, looping shots that are intended to end fights in one fell swoop. Let's take things one step further. The stand up game comprises what are called "arm strikes" (any punch or elbow blow) and "leg strikes" (and kick or knee). So who's got better hands?: Total Arm Strikes Landed: Rua -- 16 of 37Henderson -- 17 of 49 Percentage of Arm Strikes Landed: Rua -- 53%Henderson - 35%Power Strikes Landed: Rua -- 10Henderson -- 12Non-Power Strikes Landed Rua -- 6Henderson -- 5 It would appear as though Rua's "arm strikes" are more accurate, but Henderson may have a slight edge in the "power" department.During his Pride FC days, Rua had a reputation for using lethal "soccer kicks" and knees to finish his opponents. Therefore, one would assume that the Brazilian would hold the advantage over Henderson on the "leg strikes" end of things. Let's take a look-see: Total Leg Strikes Landed: Rua -- 14 of 22Henderson -- 10 of 15Percentage of Leg Strikes Landed: Rua -- 64%Henderson 67%Power Leg Strikes Landed: Rua -- 8Henderson -- 5Non-Power Leg Strikes Landed: Rua -- 6Henderson  -- 5 Interesting. And much closer than you'd think. Henderson would appear to be the more accurate of the two, while Rua is slightly more powerful. Moving along, Henderson is a world class wrestler. While Rua is certainly not terrible on the ground, you'd think Henderson would be a huge favorite if the fight hits the canvas.  Let's check the actual numbers and see if they back up this assumption:  Ground Strikes Landed: Rua -- 25 of 38Henderson -- 26 of 43Percentage: Rua -- 66%Henderson -- 61%Power Ground Strikes Landed: Rua -- 14Henderson -- 14 Non-Power Ground Strikes Landed: Rua -- 11Henderson -- 12 Takedowns: Rua - 30 of 48 for 68%Henderson - 18 of 33 for 55%Submission Attempts: Rua - 16Henderson - 4Dominant Positions: Rua - 37Henderson - 7 Wow. That's a bit unexpected, but you have to take into account the fact that Henderson prefers to stand and trade, regardless of his Olympic-level wrestling pedigree.  Is this what you expected the numbers to bear out? Are you thinking any differently than before or do you Maniacs not put a lot of stock into statistics? Opinions, please!

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Main Card: Dan Henderson (203) vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (205) Cung Le (185) vs. Wanderlei Silva (185) Brian Bowles (136) vs. Urijah Faber (136) Martin Kampmann (170.5) vs. Rick Story (170.5) Stephan Bonnar (205) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (205) Prelims: Ryan Bader (205) vs. Jason Brilz (204) Michael McDonald (136) vs. Alex Soto (135) Tom Lawlor [...]

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Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua once helped tip the spear for Pride Fighting Championships.

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When Ben Henderson outworked Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 1 this past Saturday night (Nov. 12) in Anaheim, he earned himself a lightweight title shot against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 on Feb. 26 in Japan. But who will "Bendo" defend the belt against first if he is to emerge victorious, as many are predicting him to? Former 155-pound number one contender Anthony Pettis has a good idea. The winner of his bout against Joe Lauzon, which is conveniently taking place on the very same day. "I want to fight top five guys so I can get that title shot back. (Ben) Henderson's getting a title shot and that's supposed to be my position, so I want to go back for that. Fighting a guy like Joe Lauzon and winning that impressively, would get me right back in that title shot. ... Henderson's on a tear. He deserves a title shot. I'm just eager to get my shot back at him." Pettis went on to predict that Henderson will win the title from Edgar, which would, in theory, set up a highly anticipated rematch between the two for yet another 155-pound title. You know, because the first fight they had resulted in this kick right here, quite possibly the greatest moment in WEC (and maybe even MMA) history. A whole hell of a lot has to go right for us to get to that point, though. But is it possible that Henderson beats Edgar after Pettis beats Lauzon and UFC President Dana White decides a rematch would earn boku bucks for all involved? Maybe. Maybe not. Stay tuned either way, Maniacs. In the meantime, here more from "Showtime" after the jump, including what he thought of Henderson's performance against Clay Guida and how he thinks "Bendo" will defeat Edgar in Japan.

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MMAFrenzy concludes its coverage of UFC 139 with our preview of Saturday’s main event between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy as we provide complete coverage of UFC 139 including weigh-in results, recaps, and play-by-play starting at 9pm ET. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson Keys for Rua (Bryan Robison) -  There is no better way to garner the interest of MMA fans than to put together a matchup of two former PRIDE stars. We get that gift on Saturday with Dan Henderson taking on Shogun Rua. The two have had very different roads after leaving PRIDE leading up to UFC 139. Henderson has fought for the UFC title at both light heavyweight and middleweight, losing both times. He famously knocked out Michael Bisping at UFC 100, then moved on to Strikeforce to win the light heavyweight title there, along with defeat Fedor in the last Strikeforce match for both. Meanwhile, Shogun has stayed in one division and one organization, but faced similar scrutiny. He started his UFC career with a deflating loss to Forrest Griffin, but came back with a victory over Mark Coleman. He has a current patter of loss-win-loss-win going into this fight, with the most recent win occurring against Griffin in a rematch at UFC 134 in August. The two have nearly squared off twice before, both during their PRIDE careers, but those fights never occurred. Now we finally get the opportunity to see two of the greatest light heavyweights of all time. Regarding Shogun, he has a complete arsenal of strikes. He has excellent punches, great knees in the clinch, and fantastic leg kicks. The latter two can prove to be integral to defeating Henderson. Even with Henderson’s strong right hand, Shogun’s punching can not be discounted. Henderson has been knocked down in the first round of his last two fights, firstly against Feijao Cavalcante, and then against Fedor Emelianenko. If Shogun is able to knock Henderson down, expect him to be able to finish the fight, unlike Feijao and Fedor. Shogun looked much more alert and agile in his most recent fight against Griffin than he did in his loss against Jon Jones in February. Coming off of a long layoff at UFC 128, in which Shogun was fighting for the first time in ten months, Shogun looked out of shape from the beginning. That was not the case against Griffin, as he has always been better the more active he is, and with less extended layoffs. Even with that improved conditioning, neither fighter has consistently shown they can maintain that energy and agility going into the championship rounds. With this fight scheduled as a five round affair, chances are the fighter that imposes his will in the earlier rounds, will carry the advantage throughout the whole fight. That will be advantageous for Shogun, who of his last ten wins, eight came in the first round. Meanwhile, Henderson has just two. Both of those occurred within the last year. If Henderson is unable to impose his will on an opponent, he can get flustered and begin to rely on his overhand right too much. That was the case against Jake Shields, along with his loss against Rampage Jackson. While Henderson is an elite wrestler, he has never truly relied on it, as he has always been willing to test himself against his opponents on his feet. As long as Henderson does not surprise everyone by attempting to grapple with Shogun the entire time, Shogun can either outpoint Henderson, or win the striking battle and use his advantage on the ground with his submission game. Keys for Henderson (CL) – Dan Henderson is a former Olympic wrestler who was also a standout college wrestler. However, as time has gone on he has increasingly become the incarnation of a former baseball coach’s favorite saying “swing hard in case you hit it.” Henderson has a lot of power in that right hand and his ability to survive punches that would fell a horse is an asset to someone who makes up for a lack of technique with power. While Henderson has been dropped multiple times in his last few fights, that only seems to wake him up since he creates violent knockouts soon after. Shogun is aggressive and posseses some of the hardest striking in MMA when he is at 100% and he can also finish off an opponent after rocking them without getting too over-extended. Henderson knows this, and while this would cause normal fighters to be more cautious, Henderson is not a normal fighter and will likely be MORE aggressive so he can try to land first. Do not expect a lot of technical wizardry to set up that sledgehammer of a right hand, just expect a lot of violence.

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There's a lot of history on tap for UFC 139. Dan Henderson, a champ in two different weight divisions in Pride. Shogun, a Grand Prix Champion, Wanderlei, the former Pride Champion, Urijah and so forth. What history will prove to be the most relevant? That's the question, and the answer guarantees brutality. Mauricio Rua vs. Alistair Overeem II at Pride 33, 2007 While Overeem was never considered a great fighter before moving to HW, he was still a considerable threat to anyone he fought. Especially before the end of round 1. Shogun would end up laying waste to Overeem with a brutal right hand from top control (well, on his feet). Why it's relevant As in their first match, Rua had a hell of a time in the clinch. This is where he's liable to have trouble against Henderson, who is also a monster in the clinch. Against Overeem (who hadn't yet polished his standup), Rua would take punishment. But like his other fights, he'll respond to the firefight. Which is why this match has all the makings of a slugfest. Unless... Dan Henderson vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at Pride Total Elimination, 2005 Henderson has been on winning streaks before. Right now he's on a hell of a run, sending Fedor, Feijao, and Sobral to a pine oil heaven. However, in 2005 he was on a similar run until he was dominated by Lil Nog. While there were many rumors about Henderson's health to explain why he was embarrassed, it's still worth exploring.  Why it's relevant While Dan has looked amazing recently, it would be silly to overlook his sometimes lackluster performances. Against Nog, he got outstruck, and in the grappling department, he looked out of his element. It's been awhile since we've seen Henderson on his back, and when we do, he often looks inferior. Jake Shields scored mount at will against Dan. And as we've seen with Shogun, he's highly active, thus Shogun likely has the best chance to win on the ground. Henderson is a legend, but he's had some assists from the judges in the past, and it's difficult to ignore contested bouts with Yuki Kondo, the rematch with Bustamante, or the ineffectual Pride judging that contributed to his decision win over Murilo Rua. Still, Shogun and Hendo are members of the All Violence Team. Let's not forget that this fight promises just that. Cung Le vs. Scott Sheely (Sanshou) The video to this fight is here if you're interested. Just to save you the suspense, it's a complete exhibition as many of Cung's fights in Sanshou tended to be. Some nice strikes are landed every now and then, but for the most of the running time it's the viewer watching Sheely pensively picking himself off the canvas after being dumped on his butt, usually from various sweeps and throws.  Why it's relevant It's not really, but you get to see Le in his natural element: you get to see why people were so interested in watching him try his hand at MMA. Sheely doesn't just lose the fight: he's a marionette doll whose strings are being operated by Le. While his MMA career has been interesting, I'm not sure what the story is. He hasn't had very many relevant fights to begin with, other than the Shamrock match. Perhaps that's what makes his UFC debut so interesting. He's fighting Wanderlei Silva. Will Cung be able to practice his Sanshou on a veteran like Wand?  Wanderlei Silva vs. Michael Bisping at UFC 110 Silva's fight against Bisping was a relatively entertaining affair. Wanderlei was somewhat tentative, but showed poise and acumen by using his trademark aggression in bursts, as if he took lessons from Sugar Ray Leonard. Bisping, meanwhile, took his own lessons: constantly backing straight up, and circling the wrong way even after the same criticism was drilled into his head by the media. Bisping took a clear loss, although he still believes otherwise. Why it's relevant Wand isn't a rejuvenated fighter, but I don't think it's fair to judge him by his loss to Leben. Cung doesn't have Chris' power, and so with Le's only avenue to victory being a decision, we'll see the Wand that thinks. If there's one thing the Bisping fight reveals, it's that Silva has never been the meathead he's portrayed as. In his first match with Mirko Filipovic in 2002, he knew better than to slug it out completely and utilized takeodwns. Against Henderson, he learned enough wrestling to scramble his way out of being put on his back. And he doesn't get enough credit for his deliberation in the rematch with Arona. In short, for all of Wand's faults (his chin being one of them at this point), he's a smart fighter when he's not fighting off the adrenaline, and contrary to popular belief, he doesn't run on pure adrenaline. His problem is that he's just not that technical, and never has been. His boxing is too raw. Nonetheless, I expect the measured Wand to show up against Cung. Urijah Faber vs. Raphael Assuncao at WEC 46 Before Assuncao fell on relatively hard times underneath the Zuffa banner, he was a guy every hardcore fan would talk about that deserved the spotlight. He had wins over Joe Lauzon and Jorge Masvidal while they were blue chip prospects, and should have been undefeated going into his fight against Faber (he lost to Jeff Curran in a complete robbery at XFO 13). It was a great fight for both men at the time.  Why it's relevant Brain Bowles, like Assuncao, is stationary on the feet. So while Faber may not have the power that Bowles does, he should still hold the advantage. Urijah is still a liability on the feet because he keeps his hands low, but I think he's still capable enough of turning this into the wild scramble fest that confused even the established black belt in Assuncao. Bowles is a good fighter, but Faber is a better one when he's not attempting silly elbows (see Mike Brown), or dumb superman punches (see Tyson Griffin).

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A win over Dan Henderson at UFC 139 Saturday could add Mauricio Rua's name to the discussion for a possible light-heavyweight title shot.

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The UFC returns to pay-per-view this weekend, giving Zuffa a chance to refill its coffers after last weekend’s free show on FOX, and giving us a chance to watch some “name” fighters wallop each other.  And by “wallop”, I mean at least three of the five bouts on the main card will likely result in fighters carted out of the Octagon on stretchers and an emergency room full of guys waiting to get x-rays of their hands and skulls.  That’s right, I’m talking about Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Dan Henderson, Cung Le, Wanderlei Silva and Brian Bowles, a quintet of dudes who could punch and kick the paint off a battleship if they had to.  Between the five of them, there’s been an absolutely murderous selection of kicks, knees and punches collectively delivered to opponents over the years.  Think we’ll see some more of that violent magic at UFC 139 on Saturday night?  I’m not a gambling man, but I’d say our chances are good.  Preview time! -Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson –  When not getting manhandled and destroyed by champ Jon Jones, Shogun is usually wrecking dudes with his aggressive Muay Thai.  In his lifetime, he’s taken out Lyoto Machida (which made him the UFC light-heavyweight champ for a spell), Chuck Liddell, Alistair Overeem, and what he did to Quinton Jackson in PRIDE would make him a king in certain small South Pacific islands.  But lo, who is the Brazilian facing?  None other than the heavy-handed Henderson, who’s smashed everyone from Fedor Emelianenko to Renato Sobral to Michael Bisping.  Despite Shogun’s jiu-jitsu black belt and Henderson’s wrestling, the odds are slim this bout is going end up a grappling chess match.  No, I’d say someone is getting KO’d.  Most likely Shogun. -Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva – San Shou kung fu product Le was utilizing pinpoint-accurate spinning back-kicks before it was cool, and when not kept on the bench, was one of Strikeforce’s shining stars.  Silva, well, everyone knows Silva.  With his Muay Thai and raw bloodlust, he ruled PRIDE with an iron fist, and though Father Time has made him somewhat less dangerous, it hasn’t changed his “go for it” attitude.  This match-up matters little in the grand scheme of things, but instead is more about pitting a fan-favorite against another fan-favorite.  Will Le find Silva’s admittedly worn-down chin before Silva bum-rushes him into oblivion?  I hope not.  The Brazilian was badly knocked out when he faced Chris Leben, and too many more of those means the end is near.  I say Silva’s still got enough in him to get in range and unload, earning himself a win via TKO. -Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles – Bowles was the WEC bantamweight champ after his first-round knockout of Miguel Torres, but a loss to Dominic Cruz stripped him of the belt, and his propensity for shattering the bones in his hands seems to keep him on ice a lot.  Faber was the Lord of the Featherweights for a while, but with Jose Aldo the boss there and Cruz in possession of the 135-pound championship title, no way is Faber getting a taste of that kind of glory again.  So what we have here is a very dangerous puncher versus a talented and fast cat who’s probably better than everyone else in the division but the champ himself.  No matter what, Bowles always has a chance at landing that one massive fist, but Faber will probably be too quick in terms of getting in and out and varying his angles of attack.  Therefore, if he can avoid eating knuckles, Faber takes the decision. -Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story – Story was an unstoppable mix of wrestling and punching, until he met Charlie Brenneman and got wrestle-humped to death.  Kampmann’s skill set is so well-rounded, he probably has first aid, carpentry and interior decorating knowledge to go with his knowledge of submissions and striking.  Plus, Kampmann’s last two losses – to Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields – were close, seesaw affairs.  All of this means Story isn’t going to be showing the Dane anything he doesn’t have an answer for.  In fact, those answers are likely going to make Story cry, and through those tears will come a loss via decision. -Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury – For his epic and timely battle against Forrest Griffin at the TUF 1 Finale, Bonnar will always have a job with the UFC.  Which means we occasionally get to see him take on guys with impossible names like Krzystof Soszynski and Igor Pokrajac.  Thank God for Kyle Kingsbury, then, whose name rolls off the tongue and whose mode of attack could best be defined by the word “grinder”.  Nothing spectacular is going to happen in this fight.  They’re going to tie up, hit each other with short punches and knees, and Bonnar’s hair is going to get wet with sweat and it will probably get in his eyes en route to his decision victory.  But that’s okay.  The rest of the card should be exciting.

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Dan Henderson talks his return to the UFC, a potential bout with Anderson Silva and his fight with Shogun Rua at UFC 139.

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The official weigh in event for UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" is set to take place TONIGHT (Nov. 18, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET. As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 139 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" will be headlined by former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson, climbing back inside the Octagon to wage war against Mauricio Rua in a potential number one 205-pound contender eliminator bout. The co-main event will highlight the long-awaited UFC debut of Cung Le as he takes on "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva. In addition, Urijah Faber will battle Brian Bowles for the right to rematch Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight belt. Complete UFC 139 weigh-in results are as follows: Main event: 205 lbs.: Dan Henderson () vs. Mauricio Rua () Main card (pay-per-view): 185 lbs.: Cung Le () vs. Wanderlei Silva () 135 lbs.: Urijah Faber () vs. Brian Bowles () 205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar () vs. Kyle Kingsbury () 170 lbs.: Rick Story () vs. Martin Kampmann () Spike TV Prelims: 205 lbs.: Ryan Bader () vs. Jason Brilz () 135 lbs.: Alex Soto () vs. Michael McDonald () Preliminary card (Facebook): 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau () vs. Rafael Dos Anjos () 135 lbs.: Miguel Torres () vs. Nick Pace () 185 lbs.: Tom Lawlor () vs. Chris Weidman () 170 lbs.: Seth Baczynski () vs. Matt Brown () 155 lbs.: Shamar Bailey () vs. Danny Castillo () Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Nov. 19), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts. It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 139 coverage you can handle.

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Mauricio Rua is not the first member of his family to square off with Dan Henderson

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Countdown to UFC 139 full video is now available for your consumption to promote the upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. The network special provided a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline this weekend's event, featuring former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua and the returning Dan Henderson. Also getting a closer look was the "Shogun vs. Henderson" co-main event pitting middleweight maulers Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le, as well as 135-pound brawl between former WEC champions Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles. For more on UFC 139 be sure to hit up our complete news archive right here.

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Filed under: UFCWhen you look at the tale of the tape for UFC 139's main event, the only difference that really jumps out at you is age. For Dan Henderson, it's probably going to be that way for the rest of his career. In fact, at 41 years old, he is the oldest fighter on the UFC roster. By comparison, his opponent, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is 29. Despite being over a decade apart in age, Henderson has had a more successful recent history than Rua, winning six of his last seven overall -- four by knockout -- with his only defeat coming in a decision loss to Jake Shields. Henderson has also pulled off wins in three weight classes (middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight) during that time. His return comes on the heels of one of his most dominant stretches since his PRIDE days. Not only has he KO'd three straight opponents, he also was the Strikeforce light-heavyweight champ and won a heavyweight bout against Fedor Emelianenko. More Coverage: UFC 139 Fight Card | UFC 139 Results There is nothing he really needs to accomplish before calling it quits, but Henderson would love to earn a UFC championship, a feat that would make him the only man to capture titles in Strikeforce, PRIDE and the UFC, the leading promotions of his era. For the last few years of his career, Henderson (28-8) has mostly been a striker, a vast departure from his early days as a wrestling-heavy grinder. In his last seven fights, he has just seven takedowns, and he tends to wrestle offensively in spurts. For example, against Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante in March, he scored three takedowns, and against Rich Franklin in January 2009, he had four. In his five other fights, he had none. Most puzzling in that stretch was the one loss to Shields, where he didn't try a single attempt in a five-round fight. That can make Henderson tricky to prepare for, but because of his power, you have to focus on that as a starting point. Henderson keeps his right hand cocked by his ear, ready to fire at any opening. He is very patient in waiting for his moment, but aggressive when it comes. Unlike many elite fighters, Henderson does not blow away his opponents in statistical categories. According to FightMetric's breakdown of his last 31 fights, Henderson lands 2.46 significant strikes per minute while his opponents land 2.36 against him. He lands 49 percent of strikes while opponents land 50 percent against him. Even in the wrestling game, the former Olympian hasn't overwhelmed his opponents, as he's completed 59 percent of takedowns while opponents have put him on the mat on 41 percent of tries against him. Yet somehow when you add that all up, Henderson is elite. That's because the sum total of his skills allows him to overcome most of his issues. If you are willing to stand and trade with him, he's probably a harder striker than you. If you want to take him down, it's not going to be easy, but even if you do, he'll probably get right back up. And with most of his fights contested standing, his power is going to win out most of the time. Rua (20-5) has alternated wins and losses over his last five fights, though one of those defeats -- a decision loss to Lyoto Machida -- was controversial. In March, Rua lost the division championship, but he came back to knock out Forrest Griffin in less than two minutes in August. Rua features a very diverse striking attack that is heavy on kicks, knees and clinchwork. According to FightMetric, he out-lands opponents at a nearly 2-to-1 rate, a major gap that explains much of his success. He is an average offensive wrestler (48 percent success rate) but his defensive wrestling has been downright terrible during his UFC tenure. In his seven UFC fights, he's only stopped two of 17 takedown tries against him. That means opponents put him on the mat on 88 percent of their attempts. That could prove disastrous against Henderson if Henderson capitalizes on the advantage that's there for the taking. In this fight, Rua's footwork will be important as he must circle away from Henderson's power hand. His kicks can also keep him out of range for that overhand right. One other factor to think about is the potential for a five-round fight. Rua has exhibited conditioning issues at times, and Henderson is 41. Who will a long fight favor? Possibly Henderson, because if they fall into clinches, he can take Rua down and earn points from the top position. But as I noted previously, Henderson wrestles in spurts, and that may or may not be a part of his plan on Saturday. Rua is a slight favorite in this fight, and I understand the thinking. He has more diversity in his standup offense, and this is likely to be a standup battle. But this is no easy money fight for him. Henderson's right hand and wrestling can be difference-makers. Above it all, we know both men have shown epic chins. This fight is a coin toss, but I'm going to guess Shogun's technique overcomes Hendo's sheer power and wins an exciting decision. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Filed under: UFCThe UFC invades San Jose on Saturday night for an event at Strikeforce's longtime stomping grounds in the HP Pavilion, and at least on paper UFC 139 looks like one of the best fight cards of the year. Oddsmakers have already had a look at the card and determined their favorites. Now it's our turn. Who knows, we might find a crazy underdog somewhere in here to carry us to the promised land. Dan Henderson (+110) vs. "Shogun" Rua (-140) In the past couple years it's seemed like you never know for sure which "Shogun" you're going to get until midway through the first round. Will he show up fierce and in shape, or soggy and slow? Fans have been willing to cut him some slack after injury layoffs, but a five-round battle with a grinder like Henderson could get ugly for the Brazilian if it makes it into the later rounds. If it remains a kickboxing match, you've got to like Rua's chances. But Hendo seems to have a special gift for turning what looks like a nice, technical bout on paper into a messy, nasty affair in the cage. The more rough and tumble it gets, and the longer it goes, the more this fight favors Henderson. If he can wear Rua out in the clinch and on the mat in the early going, this is a very winnable fight for him. My pick: Henderson. At these odds, it's worth small action, but I wouldn't go big on the off chance that we saw a sharp "Shogun" or a Hendo who suddenly starts to look his age. Wanderlei Silva (+115) vs. Cung Le (-145) I have to imagine that if Le's acting aspirations hadn't already resulted in him losing a fight he should have won, the line on this would be considerably more lopsided. It's not that Silva's got no chance. Power is always one of the last things to go, though Silva's trademark aggression is high on that list as well. He could conceivably get in close and smash Le with a big hook, or snatch him up in a Thai clinch and knee him like he's "Rampage" Jackson and it's 2004 all over again. More likely though, Le will keep him at a distance with his kicks, sticking and moving all night long. Le might not be known for his knockout power, but these days, Silva isn't known for his ability to take much a shot. If Silva were somewhere north of a 2-1 underdog here, I could see taking the risk. But to get Dan Henderson odds on a fighter who is younger, but clearly further past his prime, that doesn't seem like such a good deal. My pick: Le. I'll save it for the parlay, and a part of me will continue to hope I'm wrong, since I'm not sure I can handle seeing Silva get knocked out again. I also can't justify picking him, though. Urijah Faber (-250) vs. Brian Bowles (+195) I realize Faber is far more popular -- Bowles realizes it too, in case you're wondering -- but this seems a tad ridiculous. You're telling me that of all the fighters on the main card here, the biggest underdog is the guy who was champion of his division as recently as March of 2010, who has only lost one fight (via injury TKO, to the current champ), and who is facing a guy who has not held a belt since November of 2008, despite multiple chances to win one? I'm sorry, but I have to call shenanigans here. This is a much closer fight than the odds reflect. Faber deserves to be the favorite, and I understand why he's got the bigger fan following, but cool hair and an almost disturbingly laid-back attitude isn't enough to justify a line like this. In a straight-up pick, I'll take Faber. Even then, however, I won't feel totally confident in it. With a line this lopsided, I pretty much have to roll the dice on Bowles. If I didn't, I'd hate myself in the morning. My pick: Bowles. He might look like Opie Taylor going up against Point Break-era Patrick Swayze, but it's not a beauty contest, people. Martin Kampmann (+115) vs. Rick Story (-145) If you ask me, this is the closest fight on this card. It could go so many different ways, and almost no outcome is unfathomable. Because of the unpredictable nature of this particular style match-up, my gut instinct is to stay away from it entirely. But then, that's not much fun, and it doesn't make for the most interesting of betting odds columns, either. With that in mind, I'll go with the guy who I think has the more diverse skill set, not to mention a little more experience against top-level opponents. That's Kampmann, but not by much. We're talking slim margins on this one, which is not something I like to bet on. My pick: Kampmann. But if I were you, I'd opt to stay out of this one. Like Hemingway said of bicycle racing as compared to horse racing, this is one where you don't need to bet on it in order to enhance your enjoyment of it. Kyle Kingsbury (-150) vs. Stephan Bonnar (+120) Bonnar is a big, tough guy who's been around the block and earned the right to keep going around even now, when it's very clear that he'll never challenge for a title or even get closer than the announcer's table to one. But against Kingsbury he finds himself facing an opponent who's probably a little faster, a little stronger, and just generally more athletic. Kingsbury was very green when fans first saw him on TUF, but he's improved drastically since then and has four straight wins to show for it. Bonnar's no easy opponent for anyone in the light heavyweight division, and you can rest assured that's probably going to make you work for the full fifteen minutes, but if Kingsbury does what he's capable of this should be his fight. My pick: Kingsbury. Another one for the parlay. Quick picks: - Miguel Torres (-340) over Nick Pace (+260). I suppose it's possible that Pace is on Torres' level. We just haven't seen any evidence of it yet. - Danny Castillo (-300) over Shamar Bailey (+230). No offense to Bailey, but Castillo probably faces tougher fights in the gym on a regular basis. The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Le + Kingsbury + Torres + Castillo Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" may have flown under the radar, what with the lack of major fight hype just days away from the Nov. 19 pay-per-view event in San Jose, California, but there's still a veritable triple main event on tap for the HP Pavilion this weekend. The show is headlined by a potential title eliminator, as Mauricio Rua continues to climb back to the light heavyweight championship while Dan Henderson makes his return to the Octagon looking for a 205-pound title bout or even a middleweight shot. Either will do. In the co-main event, Wanderlei Silva is basically putting his career on the line for a showdown against exciting Karate kicker and former Strikeforce middleweight kingpin Cung Le. Oh, and former WEC champion Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles will do battle to determine who gets to rematch Dominick Cruz sometime in 2012. So there's that. Each fighter hit the stage at the UFC 139 pre-fight press conference (full rundown with quotes here, complete video here, staredown pics here) and you can check out a photo gallery (via UFC.com) after the jump.

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If we’re going by the usual order of the fight universe, at 41 years old, Dan Henderson should probably be either on the tail end of a lengthy losing streak or already retired. Instead, the ageless wonder is still fighting at a high level, is coming off a first round knockout of Fedor Emelianenko, and will be headlining Saturday’s UFC 139 event against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.To borrow a phrase from his former teammate Randy Couture, “Not bad for an ‘old’ man.”Yet while wins in six of his last seven fights against top level foes speak for themselves, Henderson isn’t about to say that he feels 25 on the inside. In fact, when asked if there are things he can’t do now that he used to, he chuckles.“There are a lot of things. Give me a week and I’ll give you a list of what I used to be able to do. But the key is experience, knowing that I can relax in a lot of places where I used to not relax. I could keep going back then, but now I go when I need to go, and I put my energy and strength in the right places.”It’s worked for him, yet Henderson is not a cagey gameplanner like Couture was when he was beating top level foes into his 40’s. “Hendo” is still a free swinger and a deadly finisher if he lands his right hand. That hasn’t changed, and while it proved a detriment to him at times when he didn’t use the wrestling skills that got him to two Olympics, eventually he settled into a style where that right hand finds a home more often than not. It certainly did in the last fight of his previous UFC stint against Michael Bisping in 2009, and it worked wonders for him in Strikeforce, where he followed up a decision loss to Jake Shields in 2010 with KOs of Babalu Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, and Emelianenko. So is it safe to say that he accomplished all he wanted to in Strikeforce before returning to the Octagon?“With the exception of the one loss,” he said. “I didn’t expect to lose, but that happens. I had a bad fight and I’m the one that has to learn from that and move on. I’m not dwelling on it at all, Jake did a good job and did what he needed to do, but regardless, I didn’t perform the way I knew I could, so the only thing I didn’t accomplish when I was there was a good performance in every fight.”But after the win over Emelianenko, at heavyweight no less, it was almost inevitable that the biggest fights left for the 14-year pro were going to be in the UFC. So Henderson was welcomed back into the fold, even though he didn’t know that was going to be the case when he left the UFC after the Bisping fight.“I didn’t know what to expect,” said Henderson. “When I left the UFC and went to Strikeforce, I didn’t know what was in the future. It was always a possibility; I knew the UFC wasn’t going anywhere and I know I didn’t leave on bad terms at all, so it was a matter of how things worked out at Strikeforce. And (UFC President) Dana (White) missed me so much he had to go buy Strikeforce.”Henderson laughs after deadpanning that last line, but in all seriousness, for the 41-year old, who is the first and only man to hold PRIDE titles in different divisions simultaneously, and who has done so much in the sport, a UFC title is the only thing missing on his resume, and he’s ready to make a final run at getting it.“I do this for the challenge as well, and not saying there’s not tough guys to challenge me in Strikeforce, but the bigger fights and better matchups for me right now are in the UFC, so I think I will be retiring in the UFC, and not somewhere else,” he said. “I’m not retiring soon, but I won’t be going anywhere and I’ll be fighting the remainder of my fights in the UFC I’m sure.”Does he think about a legacy that includes the aforementioned wins and titles, along with victories over Carlos Newton, Minotauro Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, Murilo Bustamante, Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, and Rich Franklin?“I don’t really give too much thought to that,” he said. “I know I’ve accomplished quite a bit in the sport, but in my mind, I’m not gonna be satisfied with what I’ve done when I have bigger goals that I want to accomplish. Once I accomplish those goals, maybe I’ll retire and be satisfied with that.”Probably not, as Henderson seems like the type to instantly formulate new goals as soon as he’s done with the first batch.“I’ve been doing it a long time and it’s tough to stay motivated throughout that many years of fighting, 14 years now, and the challenges with the different opponents is what kept me motivated.”On Saturday, it will be a fight fan’s dream fight when he takes on Rua, like Henderson a former PRIDE star now slugging it out in the Octagon. Henderson admits that he “really didn’t give too much thought” to a matchup with the Brazilian Muay Thai master while the two fought in Japan, but now that the fight is a reality, he’s preparing for the same ferocious force that tore up the ring a few years back.“He (Rua) has still got that youth to him, and obviously the rules are a little bit different now than they were in PRIDE, but he’s dangerous and he’s well-rounded, so I think he’s definitely as dangerous as he used to be,” he said. “He’s got a lot more experience and he’s better than he used to be as well.”As for Henderson?“I’m better.”That’s the answer you have to expect from a man who has been at the top of this game for nearly 15 years now. And when Saturday comes, expect him to be ready for five rounds, just like always.“My gameplan is to win every round, pick my shots, control him the whole fight, and beat him everywhere we’re at.”

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Following a four-fight stint with Strikeforce in which he captured the promotion’s light heavyweight title, Dan Henderson is glad to be back with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Posted in: henderson, dan, light, contract issues, fourfight stint

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Dan Henderson is back in the UFC. He's happy with the decision he made when he left for Strikeforce, but jokes about Zuffa buying the company because Dana White missed him.

Posted in: strikeforce, dana, henderson, dan, ufc hes

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There's nothing more satisfying than an arrogant loudmouth getting his comeuppance. Have to be subjected to their endless prattling is more than enough incentive to see them put in their place. Embarrassing them is great, seeing the look on their face when they realize they've been outwitted is priceless. But Dan Henderson doesn't think, he hits. And that's exactly what happened when he met Michael Bisping inside at the Octagon at UFC 100. When the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion's right hand was sent crashing into his opponent's jaw, Bisping's body seized up and stiffened while everyone watching became the polar opposite; a symbol of kinetic energy, jumping up and cheering loudly. Before "Hendo" meets Mauricio Rua this Saturday (Nov. 19) in the main event of UFC 139, we'll take a look at the American's picture perfect knockout over the cocky Brit. If "Shogun" gets caught with an H-Bomb as powerful as the one that dropped "The Count," you can be sure it will be lights out for the Brazilian. Let's dive in. With a victory over Rich Franklin at UFC 93, Henderson earned the coaching spot opposite Bisping during The Ultimate Fighter's (TUF) ninth season, a "United States vs. United Kingdom" themed installment. Unless you scout the English mixed martial arts (MMA) regional scene for talent, chances are most -- if not all -- of the fighters fighting for UK side were unknown to you. Combine that with the way "The Count" carries himself and his arrogant attitude and you almost immediately started the season off by rooting for Henderson -- with his blue-collar, brawling style -- and the Yank team. Something funny happened during the course of the show, however. The United Kingdom side knew they were at a distinct disadvantage -- it's no secret that fighters across the pond are playing catch-up in the sport -- and as a result banded together in a way that their opponents didn't. Halfway through the season, the camaraderie displayed by the Brits made them unlikely favorites and despite all odds, three Englishman were slotted in the finals of the two weight classes. It was a feel good story that made that TUF 9 one of the last wholly entertaining seasons of the series. And for all intents and purposes, Bisping was a good coach. He cared about those guys, wanted them to succeed, and was personally motivated to help them achieve their goals unlike coaches past such as Ken Shamrock and Quinton Jackson. That sneaky Briton almost made you forget why you hated him in the first place. But in three weeks between the TUF 9 Finale and UFC 100, "The Count" of old came back right on cue. Henderson refused to get sucked into the verbal warfare as usual but there was a different air about him this time around. It was almost as if he was saying, "I know something you don't know" without actually saying anything at all. On a night that celebrated the promotion's centennial event after nearly 20 years of promoting fights, it was Dan Henderson -- not UFC posterboys Brock Lesnar or Georges St. Pierre -- that provided the defining moment. Let's take a closer look. The American immediately begins looking to land that right hand. He cuts Bisping off from moving away from it, forcing the Briton to circle towards the kill shot. Henderson throws it twice but neither finds its mark. Bisping, for his part, is landing leg kicks, duly aware of what entering into an extended exchange with "Hendo" will lead to. A little over a minute in the fight, Henderson finally lands with enough force to stagger his opponent. "The Count" pedals backwards, being stopped only by the cage, while the American unloads. The crowd begins to roar, anticipating a quick finish to the bout but Bisping offers them no such satisfaction. The Englishman then spends the round circling the outside, avoiding the power shots of his opponent while landing crisp punches of his own. These strikes don't faze the American in the slightest. Henderson has been in the ring with the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Anderson Silva. He's knows a thing or two about taking a hard shot and not going down. In between the first and second rounds, Bisping's cornerman is absolutely livid that his fighter keeps circling towards Henderson's right hand. Knowing what we know now, perhaps he should seek a career as a psychic rather than a trainer. In the second, Henderson continues to stalk "The Count." Walking through every punch Bisping throws, the American opts for patience, waiting for the perfect moment to end the fight. It comes over halfway through the round. Henderson lands a small leg kick and immediately follows it up with a left jab. Seconds later, he lands the same leg kick but instead comes over with a monstrous right hand that immediately forces the Briton's brain to reboot. As "The Count" crashes to the mat, "Dangerous Dan" follows suit as he flies through the air to deliver a cherry-on-top forearm to the unconscious fighter. "Hendo" caught some flack for his post-fight comments about the diving forearm being mostly to shut Bisping up. He backtracked quickly, however. Having never been in the cage myself, I will reserve judgment as I don't have the basis of comparison. I don't know what it feels like to have adrenaline pumping through every vein, having taken punch after punch, only to land one of your own that drops your opponent flat onto his back. Obviously, if what Henderson said immediately after the fight is true, it's a devastatingly poor display of sportsmanship. But it also is a warning to those fighters who think it's more important to talk before the fight than it is to actually perform well in the cage. The Team Quest wrestler bolted from the UFC after that fight after the promotion was unwilling to pay him what he felt he deserved. He quickly signed with Strikeforce and made his debut in a middleweight title fight against Jake Shields. The fight went according to plan at first. Stifle Shields on his feet and land that bomb of a right. Except somehow Shields survived and outgrappled the UFC vet to a five-round decision. A move back to 205-pounds proved more fruitful for "Hendo." A technical knockout (TKO) victory over Renato Sobral got him back in the win column while a brutal knockout against Rafael Cavalcante earned him the light heavyweight strap. After the Zuffa buyout of Strikeforce and Henderson's TKO victory over Fedor Emelianenko, it wasn't long before the American found himself signing a contract to get back inside the Octagon. His first bout back won't be as as "Shogun" is looking to put himself right back in the title hunt. But should "Hendo" win, does he stay at light heavyweight and challenge the champion there? Or head back down to middleweight? It might depend on if his teammate and long-time friend Chael Sonnen is successful in his attempt to usurp the 185-pound crown from "The Spider." What do you say, Maniacs? "Dangerous" Dan at 185-pounds or 205-pounds? Which would you prefer?

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Filed under: UFCSAN FRANCISCO -- Maybe someone should tell Dan Henderson that he's about to headline one of the better UFC pay-per-views of 2011. While they're at it, maybe they should also tell him that the match-up is kind of a big deal to the fans who always wanted to see Henderson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua mix it up back when they were both in Japan's Pride organization, and if he wins there just might be a title shot in it for him. Not that I expect it would make much of a difference to him, nor would it generate any outward displays of enthusiasm, but it might be nice just to know that he knows it. If you weren't already used to his sleepy pre-fight demeanor, you might have been forgiven for mistaking his laconic performance at the UFC 139 press conference on Thursday afternoon for disinterest. Again though, that's only if you didn't know the guy. It's only if you weren't familiar enough with his sense of humor to recognize that, when asked about the differences between training for a three-round fight and a five-round fight like this one, he was just trying to have a little fun by replying, "The difference is two rounds." You'd also have to know him well enough to know that, when he deflected talk about getting back into a title shot, suggesting that the winner of his fight with Rua might not be deserving of a crack at the champ if it ends up being "a boring fight and not a whole lot happens," he wasn't trying to be difficult so much as honest. After all, this is the same man who, at Wednesday's open workouts, insisted that he'd never been all that passionate about pursuing a rematch with middleweight champ Anderson Silva, and that, sure, he wouldn't mind winning a UFC title, since that was "definitely on the goal list." Maybe that's just what happens when you're a 41-year-old fighter with more than 14 years in the sport, and you've won big fights in every major organization. Maybe you show up to press conferences in a little conference room on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, and you still can't get too terribly worked up about the man you're about to fight in a cage just two days from now. Fortunately for us, UFC bantamweight Urijah Faber was there to tell us a story about Hendo -- a story that told us more about Hendo than Hendo would likely ever tell us about himself. As Faber told it, he was a former wrestler in his first couple weeks of MMA training, and he ended up on the mat with a Henderson during a training session in a Sacramento gym. "I was just going in there, going for the kill, and of course I went against a guy who's another great wrestler and bigger and more experienced and everything and he was just killing me and he was like, 'Man, don't you know any jiu-jitsu?'" The answer, Faber said, was "not really," which only earned him a shaming from Henderson, who pointed out that another smaller fighter, Javier Vazquez, was able to hang with him thanks to his jiu-jitsu skills. The message was clear enough to Faber, who said he also started asking around about Henderson's training regimen because "I was trying to get a feel for how the best guys did things." "I was asking his training partner how much he runs, and he said, 'Dan hasn't ran in 13 years,'" Faber said, before recounting a story about the year Henderson spent "partying" instead of training, only to then enter and win a national wrestling tournament. "This guy's a unique cat," said Faber. "He's like a pirate or something." Here's where you naturally pan to Henderson himself, looking for a reaction, briefly forgetting who you're dealing with. "I guess I got no comment about that," he replied. Of course not. Why would he? When you've got exploits like Henderson's, both in the cage and out, you don't have to talk about them. You can let others do it for you. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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UFC 139: Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson participants will step on the scales at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, as part of the official weigh-in procedure for this Saturday's fight card. The event will be headlined by Light Heavyweight collision between the legends Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua, while Wanderlei Silva and the debutant Cung Le will battle it out in the co-main event. Also, in the potential #1 Contender for the UFC Bantamweight title scrap, Urijah Faber takes on the former Champion Brain

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Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson will go face to face in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of the official UFC 139 pre-fight press conference. The event will start at 4PM EST, hosted by the UFC President Dana White, and featuring the UFC 139 combatants Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles, Cung Le, Wanderlei Silva, Maurico Rua and Dan "Hendo" Henderson. UFC 139 pre-fight schedule will continue with UFC 139 Weigh-Ins, also LIVE on

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Megan Olivi catches up with Dan Henderson just days before he returns to the UFC to face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of UFC 139.

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The UFC held the media call for UFC 139 this afternoon. Dan Henderson, Mauricio Rua, Cung Le, and Wanderlei Silva were on the call to promote their respective fights. While the conference call did miss out on any sort of pre-fight drama, it did have some good snippets from legends of the sport. Below are the best of the best from this weekend's combatants. Dan Henderson, two-division PRIDE champion, STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight champion "I'm going to finish up my career in the UFC and I am excited by it; and the fact the UFC has a huge FOX deal now makes it even more exciting. I am not going to worry about my next fight - as far as getting a title shot - I need to win this fight and then the rest will take care of itself. I need to win in the Octagon this weekend first before I talk about what's next. Shogun is a very dangerous opponent; this is a fight I wanted to happen years ago in PRIDE and he's a name that will look good on my record." "I feel I have got a lot of fights left in myself. 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. I am aggressive throughout the whole fight and always trying to finish a fight, although Shogun is very good and well-rounded so that will be a challenge to do." "I think it is fair to say I've accomplished a lot in the sport, but one thing I have not accomplished is winning the UFC title. I like to set goals and that's a big one: winning the UFC title." SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Shogun Rua, former UFC light heavyweight champion, PRIDE GP Champion "I came very close to fighting Henderson in PRIDE, on two occasions. But these fights never happened. This is a great fight. It could have been a huge fight in PRIDE in 2006, and it is a huge fight in the UFC now." "I'm a hundred percent recovered from my injuries. It was very tough to stay sidelined for one year without competing, but this is my third fight in 2011 and I feel good. As a fighter, I like to stay active and stay busy and thank God I'm recovered from my injuries so I can keep this rhythm going and keep fighting. I felt 100 percent against Forrest Griffin and I'm very happy to fight again three months later. I like being active." "I have worked a lot on speed. I beat Forrest Griffin with speed and I think speed will be the difference in this fight at UFC 139. I will press forward against Henderson. It is my style, I have always fought this way, the fans love it and I am very successful with it. If I go forward, I can't see myself losing this fight." Wanderlei Silva, former PRIDE middleweight champion "I think my performance in this fight will (allow) me to fight again. I don't want to retire and I know that if I perform like I do in the gym, I will make everyone happy. What happened in my last fight (versus Chris Leben) can happen to anyone in MMA. You can't tell Cain Velasquez he should retire now because he got knocked out. Anyone can get knocked out early, one punch early finishes the fight." "I don't have (retirement) in my mind. I have trained too hard, and am too good, and in too great condition. I want to fight again, and again, and again and again." "This is a great match with me and Cung. I know it will be a great show for the fans. We both have attacking styles. We both fight. He is a really good fighter, I saw his tapes, I studied his game and it's so hard to find some guys fight like him. We brought in some guys from Taekwondo and from all the other martial arts to try to help me prepare for Le's style." Cung Le, former STRIKEFORCE middleweight champion "It's great to have the chance to fight on such a huge card. I am very focused on this fight. I'm not thinking about the future, just enjoying the moment of fighting in the UFC. After my last fight, I got put on hold for a while with fighting even though I wanted to fight right away. I got busy with movies, but then I had the chance to fight in the UFC. Everything happens for a reason. I could have hung up my gloves and done movies, but I am a fighter first and actor second." "Of course, the UFC is the top of the food chain; they are the ones who put MMA on the map. I'm very excited to fight for the UFC. It has worked out so well, I get to fight for the UFC and fight in San Jose. It is full circle: I had my first MMA fight here and now my first UFC fight. I have all my friends from high school and my friends from junior high all coming out and hitting me up for tickets. It's great and I believe everything happens for a reason." "I started following Wanderlei when I started following PRIDE so I know he's had one of the longest win streaks in MMA. It's an honor to fight someone like Wanderlei for my UFC debut."

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An accomplished wrestler with as many decision wins as strike-based stoppages, UFC 139 headliner Dan Henderson hasn’t always been seen as a finisher so much as a grinder with knockout power. However, his last four wins have all involved a knockout/TKO, including a July victory over Fedor Emelianenko, and to hear “Hendo” tell it there’s a good chance the streak could be five in a row after this weekend’s bout with Mauricio Rua. Henderson spoke on the subject of ending Rua’s evening before the twenty-five minute mark in a promotional interview with the UFC where he reflected on his recent run of rendering opponents defenseless, saying, “With every fight I have there’s an opportunity to execute and finish guys, and I feel like I’m getting better at that.” When it comes to Rua, a former UFC light heavyweight champ fresh off a shellacking of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, Henderson believes he has a firm grasp on what “Shogun” offers as an adversary and is confident in his ability to deal with it. “Some guys do certain things more than others,” the 28-8 Henderson began. “Rua throws more kicks than some and more knees in the clinch than some. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I definitely feel like I can knock ‘Shogun’ out. It’s a matter of putting that power right where it counts.” Rua Says Focus Has Been on Boxing for Henderson Camp Interested parties can see whether or not the Californian’s fists will support his words this Saturday night when the PPV portion of UFC 139 starts at 9:00 PM EST. Other fighters set for action on the card include Urijah Faber, Wanderlei Silva, Martin Kampmann, Ryan Bader, Stephan Bonnar, and numerous other notable competitors. Check out the complete interview with Henderson below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship will be holding a public press conference today (Nov. 17, 2011) in advance of Saturday night's UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" event. The conference will begin at 4 p.m. ET live from the Fort Mason Center's Golden Gate Room in San Francisco, California, the although the event will be held in San Jose.. Scheduled to attend will be UFC president Dana White and headlining fighters of the evening: Mauricio Rua, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Cung Le. "Shogun" Rua is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and recently avenged his first UFC loss with a destruction of Ultimate Fighter season one winner and fellow former champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 in Brazil. He'll be challenged by Dan Henderson, the former simultaneous multi-divisional champion of Pride who was crowned the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion earlier this year. Henderson is coming off a monumental knockout victory over Fedor Emelianenko this past July and signed with the UFC afterwards. Wanderlei Silva has fallen on hard times after a legendary run in Pride although he's still a fan favorite in the UFC. He was recently stopped short by the heavy-handed Chris Leben this summer and stepped up in place of the injured Vitor Belfort to take a fight against Cung Le. Cung Le was the Strikeforce middleweight champion and possesses a very exciting arsenal of diverse strikes which helped turn him into a superstar in California. He's been distracted by a career in movies but a bout in his hometown and in the UFC was enough to call him back to MMA. We'll have complete updates of the UFC 139 press conference after the jump. Brian Hemminger here. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET.

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Dan Henderson returns to the UFC to take on Shogun Rua in a light heavyweight battle this Saturday, Nov. 19 at UFC 139.

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"With every fight I have, I feel there is an opportunity to execute and really finish guys. I feel like I'm getting better at that…. Shogun throws more kicks than some, more knees in the clinch than some, but it's noting I haven't see before. I definitely feel like I can knock Shogun out. It's just a matter of putting that power right where it counts."   Michael Bisping? Check. Renato Sobral? Check. Rafael Cavalcante? Check. Fedor Emelianenko? Check. Mauricio Rua? TBD. The mixed martial artist formerly known as "Decision" Dan Henderson has been knocking out opponents left and right, winning four of his last five bouts via (technical) knockout. Henderson feels that he's getting better at finishing fights, which at 41 years old, seems a little late. But, better late than never. Henderson intends to continue the exciting trend this weekend (Nov. 19, 2011) when he takes on "Shogun" in the UFC 139 main event from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Will he?

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At UFC 139, Shogun Rua and Dan Henderson will finally face each other in what should be an exciting war.

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Two mixed martial arts (MMA) legends will come face-to-face inside the HP Pavilion when Mauricio Rua takes on Dan Henderson at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., this weekend (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011). Five championship belts have been won between the two of them. Both were superstars in the Japan-based Pride FC organization during its heyday. And both fighters have fought a veritable "who's who" of MMA competition; however, somehow they've managed to avoid each other for all these years. During the "Countdown" to UFC 139 pre-fight program on Spike TV, "Shogun" described his upcoming fight versus "Hendo" as a "title eliminator." Maybe it is, but if that's the case, UFC President Dana has not made this information public. If indeed accurate, it begs the question: Should the winner of this fight between Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson get the next crack at the light heavyweight belt? We'll examine the issue after the jump: First, let's get some housekeeping out of the way. Early next month (Dec. 10, 2011), light heavyweight champion Jon Jones takes on Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in Toronto. There's no telling how the championship fight will end; however, if the 205-pound showdown were to have a controversial ending, it's not crazy to think there could be a rematch. It's happened before. And it could happen again. On the flipside, if the fight does end decisively then, naturally, a new challenger will get the next crack at either "Bones" or "The Dragon." Most fans are under the assumption that it would be Rashad Evans who would finally get his date (again) with destiny. That's because twice in a row now he has been passed over for a chance to finally put his feud with "Bones" to rest. Believe it or not, Evans himself recently admitted that he will need to win at least one more fight before he will deserve another title shot. "Suga" has said that he can be recovered from a hand injury and ready to return by Feb. 2012. However, if Jones can emerge with his belt intact, fans would certainly clamor for the showdown between he and Evans to finally take place. After all, you can only talk so much. Eventually, you've got to just step into the Octagon and handle your business. Meanwhile, if Machida can find a way to finally solve the Jones puzzle, it would settle up an intriguing "rubber match" between he and "Shogun," provided he is able to stay out of the way of Dan Henderson's big right hand this weekend. Are Rua's comments just wishful thinking? Maybe. Nowadays, it seems like you've got to call someone out if you really want to fight them -- the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Fair or not.

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Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson sees his UFC 139 fight with "Shogun" Rua going one way... with him on top.

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Dan Henderson, PRIDE legend and current UFC middleweight/light heavyweight, faces a tough challenge when he fights Mauricio “Shogun” Rua this Saturday at UFC 139. Henderson has heavy hands and a granite chin so he may try to engage in a striking war with Shogun — a risky idea against the more technical and well rounded Brazilian fighter. “I am going to try to out strike Shogun. 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.” If Henderson wins, a possible shot at the light heavyweight championship against champion Jon Jones could be arranged in early 2012. Here is what Henderson had to say about it: “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 look forward to the light heavyweight showdown between Henderson and Shogun this Saturday.

Posted in: ufc, heavyweight, henderson, shogun, i ’ve

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Mauricio "Shogun" Rua knew a meeting with Dan Henderson was inevitable. It's just taking place in a different organization, in a different millennium, on a different continent, in a different fighting apparatus and with slightly different stakes. Sure, Rua and Henderson aren't fighting for a PRIDE title, but Saturday's UFC 139 event will do just fine, he said.

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UFC 139 main eventers Shogun Rua and Dan Henderson, alongside Wanderlei Silva and Cung Le, sat in on a conference call on Wednesday to field questions from the media.

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On the eve of his third stint in the UFC, Dan Henderson considers himself a pretty lucky guy. There are those who leave the promotion for what they believe are greener pastures and are never seen again inside the octagon. Henderson, though, managed to leave the UFC on a high and return the same way - and in no small part because he continued to compete and win at a high level.

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If you're going to get knocked the (expletive) out, I suppose your only hope can be that same fighter goes on to win the title and destroy everyone else in the process. Such is the case with Michael Bisping, who's rooting for Dan Henderson at UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" this Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. After all, if "Hendo" can knock out half the light heavyweight division, including Mauricio Rua, fans may tend to be more forgiving when they point and laugh at one of the most talked about kayos in UFC history, a thunderous second round "H-Bomb" that put Bisping down for "The Count." The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 coach explains (via Middle Easy): "Everyone knows what happened with me and Henderson. So I always root for Henderson because it makes me look better. It redeems me slightly if he continues to knock people out! That aside, I'd go with Henderson in this fight. He knocked out Fedor [Emelianenko], he knocked out Babalu, he's knocking out everyone other than that night with Jake Shields. I'm not sure what went on there. That said, you can never rule out Shogun. The guy's a beast. It's going to be a great fight, but I'm leaning towards Henderson." Hear more on Bisping's UFC 139 predictions after the jump. For more on UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" click here.

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Filed under: UFC, NewsOn November 3, 2001, the fans at the Tokyo Dome were treated to a great fight between Dan Henderson and Murilo "Ninja" Rua at Pride 17. A decade later, Henderson will take on Ninja's little brother Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139. And just because it's been 10 full years since the Henderson-Rua fight, that doesn't mean Shogun has forgotten. In fact, Shogun said on Wednesday that he's been motivated during his preparation for the fight with Henderson to avenge his big brother's split decision loss to Henderson from the Pride days. And Rua said that watching and re-watching that fight, and discussing the fight with his brother, has helped him to formulate his game plan for his own bout with Henderson. "Certainly that was a great fight," Shogun said. "I watched that fight between my brother and Henderson a number of times. It was a very competitive fight. My brother is one of the people who helped me a lot with my strategy for Dan. I hope to impose my game plan, knowing it's going to be a tough fight with a great fighter. That was a great fight and I have good memories of it." Henderson has even better memories, because he won -- but only after a brutal battle, and only by split decision. Henderson said he expects a similarly difficult time fighting against the younger Rua. "It was a tough fight," Henderson said. "It was a war and I would expect the same from his brother." If the Henderson-Shogun fight is as good as the Henderson-Ninja fight, the fans will be the winners. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua promised MMA fans around the world to become the first man to ever KO/TKO Dan "Hendo" Henderson, at this weekend's UFC 139 in San Jose, California. Rua coming off a convincing TKO victory in a rematch with Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, looking to get back on track for a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight title. As for Henderson, the All American is currently on a three-fight win streak, victimizing Fedor Emelianenko, Renato Sobral and Feijao

Posted in: ufc, forrest griffin, henderson, mma fans, tko victory

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hold a special media conference call today (Nov. 16, 2011) to promote UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson," which is scheduled to take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2011. The call, which begins at 1 p.m. ET, will feature headlining fighters Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson, as well as co-headliners Cung Le and Wanderlei Silva. "Shogun" Rua is the former UFC light heavyweight champion and is coming off a quick first round destruction of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one winner and fellow former champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 in Brazil. He'll be challenged by Dan Henderson, the former simultaneous two-divisional champion of Pride FC who recently became the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion. Henderson is coming off a monumental knockout victory over Fedor Emelianenko this past July and re-signed with UFC in the fallout. Wanderlei Silva was a legend in Pride FC and is still a fan favorite in the UFC. He recently had his run in the middleweight division stopped short by the heavy-handed Chris Leben and accepted a bout against Cung Le in place of the injured Vitor Belfort, staving off retirement for at least one more fight. Le was the Strikeforce middleweight champion and possesses a very exciting arsenal of diverse strikes, which helped turn him into a superstar in California. He's been distracted by a career in movies, but a bout in the UFC was enough to call him back to mixed martial arts (MMA). Join us for complete LIVE updates of the UFC 139 conference call after the jump: Brian Hemminger here. The conference call is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET.

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Filed under: UFCWill Dan Henderson make a statement in his return to the UFC that he deserves to contend for the light heavyweight belt? Or will Shogun Rua beat Henderson and make a case that he should get another crack at Jon Jones? Can Cung Le thrill the fans in his UFC debut, or will Wanderlei Silva pick up a much-needed win? Will Urijah Faber or Brian Bowles take a big step toward a rematch with bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz? We'll examine those questions and more as we predict the winners of Saturday night's UFC 139 pay-per-view. What: UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson When: Saturday, the Facebook preliminary fights start at 6 p.m. ET, the Spike card starts at 8 and the pay-per-view starts at 9. Where: HP Pavilion, San Jose Predictions on the five pay-per-view fights below. More Coverage: UFC 139 Fight Card | UFC 139 Results Maurício "Shogun" Rua vs. Dan Henderson Henderson left Strikeforce and its light heavyweight belt behind after beating Fedor Emelianenko, and now he'll try to prove that he deserves a shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship. If he beats Rua, he'd have an excellent case that he deserves to challenge the winner of the upcoming Jones-Lyoto Machida light heavyweight title fight, although Rashad Evans has been waiting for a light heavyweight title shot for a long time, so Henderson may have to get in line. However, I think it's going to be a moot point, because I think Rua has the right striking style to frustrate Henderson standing up, and I think he'll be just good enough on the ground to avoid getting controlled on the canvas by Henderson, who's a vastly superior wrestler. I like Shogun to win an action-packed fight by decision. Pick: Rua Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le I've always enjoyed the aesthetic beauty of Le's san shou style of striking, but I've never believed it would be effective against a top-notch opponent. And so I think the result of this fight hangs mostly on whether Silva is, at this point in his career, even close to "top-notch" anymore. So is he? Based on the way the Axe Murderer looked against Chris Leben, I'd have to say no: Silva buckled the first time he was hit hard and was knocked out in just 27 seconds. Silva is 2-6 in his last eight fights, and four of those six losses have been ugly knockouts, and so I'm going to lean toward Le to win this one, just because I think Silva has taken so much damage through his spectacular career that he just doesn't have a lot left. Pick: Le Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles Faber is another fighter who has had a long and spectacular career but has begun to decline lately: He was 21-1 in his first 22 fights, but has gone just 4-4 in his last eight. However, Faber's only losses have been to featherweight and bantamweight champions, and he has looked awfully good while winning, too. Bowles is a terrific fighter who has bounced back from serious hand and foot injuries to win two in a row, but Faber has such good wrestling and such a diverse style of striking that he should be able to dictate where the fight goes and win a decision. Pick: Faber Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story This is a very interesting fight between two guys who are right on the cusp of the welterweight Top 10 but who are coming off disappointing losses. Story's wrestling might just be enough for him to control Kampmann for 15 minutes and win a decision, but Kampmann has more ways to win, with a good striking game and varied submissions. Pick: Kampmann Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury This isn't a great matchup -- neither of these guys is even close to the top of the light heavyweight division -- but it does have the potential to be an entertaining brawl. Bonnar is a fan favorite riding a two-fight winning streak, but Kingsbury is a better technical striker and should beat Bonnar. Pick: Kingsbury Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson live results and play-by-play on Saturday, Nov. 19, in San Jose, California. The main event features Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Dan Henderson.

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UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson quick results on Saturday, Nov. 19, in San Jose, California. The main event features Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Dan Henderson.

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When Mauricio Rua battles Dan Henderson at UFC 139 this Sat., Nov. 19, 2011, in San Jose, California, he wants to become the first man to ever knock "Hendo" out. "I hope I can be the first to knock out Dan. He's a talented, experienced fighter. He has fought many tough fighters and been hit many times and has never been knocked out but I am confident and I trust my skills. I am going to go in there and give it my best. Hopefully I will be the first to knock him out." Anyone think "Shogun" will be the man to finally knock Henderson out? Or will it be the Brazilian who falls prey to the dreaded "H-bomb?"

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Mauricio “Shogun” Rua takes on fellow PRIDE veteran Dan Henderson this Saturday, Nov. 19, at UFC 139.

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“I actually would have rather been in a fight for the title, but this fight excites me too. Shogun’s a tough guy, and it’s gonna be a big challenge, I think he’s always been a little bit hot and cold, but when he’s on, he’s a little dangerous and tough. When he’s off, he’s still tough just not quite as tough as he normally would be. Everybody has those days, but it seems like the last couple of years he’s been hot and cold. I’m not going to try extra hard to knock him out just to get a title shot. I’m going out there first and foremost to win the fight, and obviously try to finish him along the way.” — Dan Henderson on MMA Weekly Radio talking about his upcoming fight against Shogun Rua at UFC 139 Shogun has had a rather interesting run in the UFC. Whenever he’s come off knee surgery, he’s looked like crap, but once he gets that fight out of his system he looks awesome again. So if the pattern continues, we should see the Shogun of old this weekend when he takes on Dan Henderson. I hope that’s the case because this should be an awesome fight if both fighters are at the top of their games. Dan Henderson added that he really wants to fight Jon Jones and believes he would have got that fight instead of Lyoto Machida had Rashad Evans been injured sooner. There’s no indication yet that a win over Shogun will give him that opportunity, but if it comes, Hendo thinks he has the style to give Jones problems. I agree. Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime

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This morning, perched atop my pad in Hollywood, I sat near my windowsill and was affixed on two dogs attempting to have sex outside. From what I could see, it appeared that a havanese repeatedly attempted to mount a mastiff, which was easily quadruple his size. That dog, man, no force on this planet could has stopped this little havanese from going at it. He tried every part of the mastiff's body, any place, just to satisfy his sexual urge. As far as the mastiff, he just stood there, unaffected by his canine groupie. People, I watched this go on for over a half-hour before I realized I need to get back to the computer and write this article of Michael Bisping choosing Dan Henderson to defeat Shogun Rua at UFC 139. Just before UFC 100, this guy I know named CJ bet $100.00 on Bisping to defeat Dan Henderson because he played UFC Undisputed the night before and crushed Henderson in a unanimous decision. He used a videogame to justify his gambling addiction. That's actually sort of baller. He also claimed that 'Stanky Leg' was the best rap song ever made. That's the exact opposite of baller. If you listen to a song that begins with 'Stanky', you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Somewhere in-between my friend CJ promoting the worst song ever made and dropping $100 at Las Vegas bookie, Bisping got knocked out at UFC 100. But not the normal knock out that LL Cool J was talking about. Bisping traveled to the 8th dimension. In fact, it took him months to even make a public statement about the fight. We caught up with Bisping to get his take on UFC 139, and he tells us that he wants Dan Henderson to defeat Shogun Rua in order to justify his loss to the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, dan henderson, dan, bisping

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Dan Henderson, who headlines UFC 139 opposite Shogun Rua on Nov. 19, is an "Incomparable Warrior," according to MMA Nation's Jonathan Snowden. Find out his reasons why right here.

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Jonathan Snowden looks back at Dan Henderson's history in the Octagon, starting with two bouts at UFC 17. Read it at MMA Nation.

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Because "Hendo" has been around the block a few times and has seen his share of "next big things." Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson, who left his belt in San Jose to re-sign with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), will make his Octagon return against former 205-pound titleholder Mauricio Rua at the UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" event this Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) on pay-per-view. And if he's able to successfully unload "Shogun," he's ready for a fight against reigning division champion Jon Jones, who must first get past Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Canada. The "H-Bomb" detonates at MMA Weekly: "I do think that would be a fight I would enjoy. He’s awkward and unorthodox and it creates something to think about and how to beat that, and that’s what excites me these days. Guys that are a big challenge, and he would be more cause he’s awkward and dangerous at the same time, but I think he matches up really well with me style wise. I’m not one to buy into things too quickly. I’ve been doing this for a long time and seen a lot of guys beat a lot of tough guys really quick and then die out. I think he’s going to be around a long time, he’s just going to get better. But at this point he’s still got a lot to improve on, and he’s athletic and talented and he does learn. He’s got a huge future, but I think he’s got a little ways to go." After back-to-back title losses to Quinton Jackson and Anderson Silva in his 2007 return to the UFC, Henderson reeled off three consecutive wins, including a thunderous knockout over Michael Bisping to secure what many believed to be another 185-pound title shot.It never came. That's because his contract had expired shortly after "The Count" did and the two sides had very different ideas as to what "Hendo's" value was.The former Olympian bolted for San Jose and may, at long last, come full circle after a stellar 3-1 run with Strikeforce, including a July 30 destruction of former heavyweight "Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko. In fact, the former PRIDE champion is 6-1 over the past three years, his only blemish caused by a middleweight mugging from Jake Shields in early 2010 -- one that saw Henderson struggle with his 185-pound weight cut. He's never looked better -- but are you ready to buy into the Hendo hype? Or is he going to find out why no one is able to break "Bones" the hard way? Anyone think "Shogun" will keep us from ever finding out? For more on UFC 139: "Henderson vs. Shogun" click here.

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After his meteoric rise to the top of the division, many have already began to proclaim Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones as one of the all-time greats at 205. But, make no "bones" about it, former PRIDE champ, Dan Henderson, isn't one of them. According to "Hendo", the 24-year-old presents an exciting challenge, but at this point, still has a lot to improve on before the veteran is willing to buy into what some are selling.

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The official weigh in event for UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" is set to take place this Friday (Nov. 18, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET. As usual, MMAmania.com will provide up-to-the-second coverage of the UFC 139 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" will be headlined by former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson, climbing back inside the Octagon to wage war against Mauricio Rua in a potential number one 205-pound contender eliminator bout. The co-main event will highlight the long-awaited UFC debut of Cung Le as he takes on "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva. Here is the current UFC 139 fight card and line-up: Main event: 205 lbs.: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Main card (pay-per-view): 185 lbs.: Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva 135 lbs.: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles 205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury 170 lbs.: Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann Spike TV Prelims: 205 lbs.: Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz 135 lbs.: Alex Soto vs. Michael McDonald Preliminary card (Facebook): 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael Dos Anjos 135 lbs.: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace 185 lbs.: Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman 170 lbs.: Seth Baczynski vs. Matt Brown 155 lbs.: Shamar Bailey vs. Danny Castillo For those fortunate enough to be in "Silicon Valley" this weekend, remember the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 p.m. PT. In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend a special Q&A session with former welterweight number one contender Josh Koscheck at 2 p.m. PT. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Nov. 19), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 6 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts. It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 139 coverage you can handle.

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Benson "don't call me Ben" Henderson may not have been on the FOX telecast (though his fight with Clay Guida was on Sportsnet and Fox Deportes), but despite that, he found a way to be the talk among the town. Well, for hardcore fans. Junior dos Santos triumphed in the most dramatic way, and he's the man that got 5.7 million viewers. But his win has been buried beneath Dana White's criticism, the emphasis on the broadcast in general, and even Brock Lesnar's shadow has gotten in the way. Only Benson can make the claim that the spotlight has been purely on his performance. And for good reason. He shredded Guida when both fighters were bipedal. As quadrupeds, Henderson was the superior, winning the grappling exchanges, avoiding submissions, and threatening with the vicious ground and pound that he's known for. What makes Henderson unique among the impressive LW class is his ability to set a high pace in all dimensions of MMA. He has a resolve that is not forced, or fake. He doesn't need to get beaten to a pulp like Guida did against Diego Sanchez in order to prove he's tough. Instead he has a proactive toughness. His toughness is outlined in the way he moves forward without hesitation: in the way he maintains pressure without looking a the clock. Both Jim Miller, and Clay Guida were stalwarts in the division: themselves known for being fighters of resolve. Yet Benson took that resolve away from them as if they didn't know what the term really means. What Henderson, I think, illustrates is the difference between heart and toughness. 'Heart' is the description you give to guys who show up, and can take a beating. They can't offer much else, and so their virtues are defined by their ability to survive. Toughness is more than survival. It's fortitude informed with a future. Henderson doesn't just show up hoping his loss won't be abbreviated. He shows up with expressed goals.  And now he's been rewarded. Benson Henderson is set to face Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan in February. "I think it's a great matchup," Henderson said after finding out his fate. "I'm as confident as any fighter here in the UFC. As far as the matchup with Frankie, I have to do a better job sticking to the game plan ... I think I match up very well. I've got to stick to the game plan, but I'm very excited for that. Frankie and I are going to put on a great show." These were Benson's words at the press conference. And yet somehow, this fight feels "wasted' in a sense. This is precisely to the type of fight you want a mass audience watching. This is what you want your 5.7 million watching. LW is the gift that keeps on giving, and you'd be hard pressed to think of a better gift thank Frankie Edgar defending his belt against Benson Henderson. It's a fight we can only classify in the cliches of our new technospeak: "OMG/WTF/HOLY S--T!". And yet they're coming from a place just as sincere. Now...can I get an "AMEN!"?

Posted in: way, henderson, clay guida, benson henderson, benson

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UFC 139 “Shogun vs. Henderson” takes place on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The official UFC 139 fight card can be found in our fight cards section.

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, henderson, hp pavilion

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[div class="notice" class2="icon"]The following is from an article on MMA-Japan, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div] Frankie Edgar will defend his lightweight championship against Benson Henderson this February at UFC Japan we learned Saturday evening.  Following a three round drubbing of Clay Guida, one that saw Henderson beat Guida at his own game and then some, Henderson will look to become the UFC lightweight champion in the organizations return to Japan - the first since UFC 25.  While I will not name anyone, the best grappler in Japan who is also a lightweight and a champion, marks Henderson as one of his favorite fighters, always telling me how Henderson has the best guillotine in MMA. Furthermore, we are inclined to believe that Riki Fukuda will make his octagon return at this event, in addition to Akiyama, Gomi, Omigawa, Hioki, and possibly even Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto.  The dark horse here is Yushin Okami who has not been nearly as well received in Japan despite him being the most successful of these fighters to compete in the organization. Read More...

Posted in: ufc, henderson, japan, ufc japan, round drubbing

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to pull the trigger on its latest blockbuster pay-per-view fight (PPV) card this Saturday night (Nov. 19, 2011) live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" will be headlined by former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson, climbing back inside the Octagon to wage war against Mauricio Rua in a potential number one 205-pound contender eliminator bout. The co-main event will highlight the long-awaited UFC debut of Cung Le as he takes on "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva. MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 139 beginning with the PPV telecast at 9 p.m. ET. Up-to-the-minute quick results of all the other under card action will begin to flow around 6 p.m. ET with our coverage of the Spike TV "Prelims" special beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Complete UFC 139 fight card and line-up after the jump. Main event: 205 lbs.: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Main card (pay-per-view): 185 lbs.: Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva135 lbs.: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury170 lbs.: Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann Spike TV Prelims: 205 lbs.: Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz185 lbs.: Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman Preliminary card (Facebook): 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael Dos Anjos135 lbs.: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace135 lbs.: Alex Soto vs. Michael McDonald170 lbs.: Seth Baczynski vs. Matt Brown155 lbs.: Shamar Bailey vs. Danny Castillo We're still a couple of days away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions for "Shogun vs. Henderson" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event. To get up to speed on all the news and notes for UFC 139 check out our extensive event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, vs, henderson, lb, card

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Legendary Light Heavyweights Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Dan "Hendo" Henderson will headline the stacked UFC 139 fight-card, set to take place November 19th from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Also featured will be a Middleweight showdown pitting the heavy-handed "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva against former Strikeforce Champion Cung Le and a Bantamweight title eliminator between top contenders Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, hp pavilion, rua, middleweight showdown

Read the full article at Low Kick

UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" is less than a week away, featuring former PRIDE stars and light heavyweight champions Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson. The two will battle on Nov. 19, 2011, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, for a spot in the pecking order in what has become a tight division title race. "Hendo" is a slight favorite heading into "Silicon Valley," sitting pretty at -130 while "Shogun" is listed as the +100 underdog. Henderson's stock is as high as it has ever been, following violent finishes over his last three opponents, including a high-profile stoppage over famed Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko back in July. The former Olympian hasn't seen the inside of the Octagon since nearly killing Michael Bisping at UFC 100 a little over two years ago. Now he's back and one division heavier. Rua has struggled to put together s streak of consistent performances since his UFC debut back in 2007. His most recent win came at UFC 134, when he smashed Forrest Griffin to avenge his debut loss and erase the memories of the shellacking he took when surrendering the 205-pound title to Jon Jones earlier this year. A win over Henderson could make a strong argument for a "Bones" rematch -- or at least an title eliminator fight opposite Rashad Evans. UFC 139 will also feature a middleweight mash-up between everyone's favorite "Axe Murderer," Wanderlei Silva, and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le. Odds on that fight, and so much more, over at OddsShark.com. For the rest of the UFC 139 fight card and line-up click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, henderson, rua

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Or at least that's what the "Smooth" one seems to think. After running through Clay Guida at the UFC on Fox 1: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos" event this past Sat., Nov. 12, 2011, in Anaheim, California, Ben Henderson was awarded a lightweight title shot against division champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 on Feb. 26 in Japan. And "Bendo" thinks he holds the edge no matter where the fight goes: "I think I can hold an advantage in a lot of places, where ever I take it. I think I'm as confident as any other fighter out there, you know, I'm as confident as any fighter in the UFC. I think my boxing's a little bit better than his. I haven't really showcased that in a fight yet in the Octagon. I think my kickboxing is better, I think my Muay Thai is better, I think my wrestling is better, I think my jiu-jitsu is better, but that's just because I'm a fighter, of course I'm going to think I'm better. If I can put it all together and perform well when the lights are on and when it's time to actually perform, I think I definitely hold the edge." That's some serious confidence, perhaps bordering on cocky, but Henderson has reason to feel good about his abilities. He's 3-0 since debuting in the UFC back in April with dominant wins over Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida, respectively. Most impressive, however, is the fact that he's somehow managed to get people to forget about that "Showtime off-the-wall Kick" Anthony Pettis posterized him with at the final WEC show in December of last year. Speaking of which, who would have thought it? Henderson loses to Pettis, which earned "Showtime" a title shot against Edgar, but he forfeited it to fight Guida and lost. That defeat took him out of the picture while "Bendo" used a stellar 2011 fight campaign to earn himself the shot he originally lost. Look out, Japan, here they come. Henderson keeps going in the full entry, as he breaks down his championship fight and talks about Gilbert Melendez coming to the UFC.

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, clay guida, im

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The world's largest fight promotion returns to pay-per-view in just six days with its UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" event, which will take place on Nov. 19 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The show will feature a triple main event of sorts, despite lacking a certain measure of star power. Headlining the show is a light heavyweight showdown pitting former 205-pound champion Mauricio Rua continuing his climb back up the ladder against "Dangerous" Dan Henderson, who will be returning to the Octagon for the first time since 2009. Also on the card, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Cung Le makes his debut with the UFC to take on fading legend and former Pride king, Wanderlei Silva. Finally, "The California Kid," Urijah Faber, will attempt to earn himself one more crack at Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz against a man who is attempting to do the same, former 135-pound ruler, Brian Bowles. Looks like a great night of fights, no? For all the latest UFC 139 news and notes click here.

Posted in: ufc, san jose, henderson, notes click, star power

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Normally the awesome reports from FightMetric aren't a talking point in a bout that wasn't super close. But in the case of last night's number one contenders bout between Ben Henderson and Clay Guida, it is a very good tool to show that the fight was a little closer, at least on stats alone, than it appeared. You can view the whole report here, and here's a summary of the striking: While that looks like a blowout for Bendo (and it was), I was surprised at how little each fighter scored on the feet. If you go into the report and switch over to the "striking distance" option, it shows that Henderson only landed seven strikes at distance (including a knockdown) and Guida only landed six. In the clinch is was somewhat even as well, with Bendo outlanding Clay 37-26. On the ground it was a different story though, to the tune of 58-3. The grappling was closer than it appeared as well (at least to me), with each fighter getting credit for two takedowns (Bendo went 2 for 7, Guida 2 for 9), and Guida was given credit for four submission attempts. Henderson was given credit for one pass to side control, and two instances of taking Guida's back. Obviously statistics are just one tool used when evaluating a fight, but reports like this do a good job of adding a lot of context to 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. More SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1

Posted in: henderson, report, guida, bendo, credit

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After all the talk, speculation and hype, the door is now closed on UFC on Fox 1. Last night (Nov. 12, 2011), big winners emerged from the fights between Cain Velasquez  vs. Junior dos Santos and Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson in front of the thousands in attendance at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and about 4.5 million more at home. The main event saw Junior dos Santos shock the world as he dethroned champion Cain Velasquez with an overhand right to the temple that sent him spiraling to the canvas. In the co-main event, which aired on Facebook and FOXSports.com, Ben Henderson registered a thrilling three-round unanimous decision victory over Clay Guida in a number one contender eliminator match. Hair and hands flew in abundance. It was an affair to remember. After the jump, we'll talk about what's next for last night's big winners, "Cigano" and "Smooth:"  For Henderson, the future picture is much clearer. He will fight UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar for his 155-pound world title on Feb. 25, 2012, when the promotion travels to Saitama, Japan. UFC President Dana White announced the exciting match up, which will presumably serve as the headlining bout, during the UFC on FOX 1 post-fight press conference (watch the video here). If you thought watching Henderson and Guida go at it for three rounds was fun, just strap on your seatbelt. We are going to get to see Henderson and Edgar fly around the Octagon for five rounds, potentially. And if you can't get up for that, something just ain't right. The fight will feature a mash up between the current UFC strap holder and the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion. Who will win when worlds collide? Stay tuned. Unlike Henderson, "JDS" will be forced to wait to see who his next opponent will be. On Dec. 30, the day before New Year's Eve, two mixed martial arts (MMA) monsters will meet as former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar squares off against former Strikeforce heavyweight title holder Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 in "Sin City." The winner will be first in line to challenge dos Santos for his newly acquired championship belt. It's anyone's guess who will come away victorious. That said, it's really a "win-win" for the UFC. Whether dos Santos takes on Lesnar or Overeem, it will be a fight that sells itself. If Overeem comes out on top, we will see quite possibly the two best heavyweight strikers in all of MMA exchanging leather in the cage until someone gets caught and goes to sleep. Should Lesnar get the nod, we will see a pairing that was originally planned when the two coached opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 before Lesnar was forced to withdraw because of a second bout with diverticulitis. How excited are you Maniacs about seeing Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar go toe-to-toe? Can Brock Lesnar or Alistair Overeem give Junior dos Santos a serious run for his money? Let's hear it.

Posted in: ufc, world, henderson, do, lesnar

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Other than the champion of the weight class, there has been no lightweight fighter who has impressed more in the last year than Ben Henderson. That includes last night (Nov. 12, 2011) in Anaheim, California, at UFC on Fox 1: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos," where "Bendo" put in an impressive effort against top division contender Clay Guida. Impressive effort is actually selling it short. Henderson was dominant, as you can see in the Fight Metric report above, which shows "Smooth" landing 102 total strikes (40 significant) compared to just 35 from Guida (11 significant). That's enough to earn him a crack at Frankie Edgar in Japan on Feb. 26, 2012. Henderson's more than just a solid striker, though, and he proved that in the clinch and when "The Carpenter" tried to wrestle with him. Check out the grappling and performance reports after the jump. For more on this fight, check out the blow-by-blow here and the analysis right here. To check out all our amazing coverage of UFC on Fox 1 before, during and after the historic event, click here.

Posted in: fight, fox, henderson, check, report

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With Saturday night’s historic showdown between Cain Velasquez and new champion Junior dos Santos in the rear-view mirror, the MMA world’s attention will now turn to the war for light heavyweight contendership between former title-holders Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. Henderson and Rua are set to scrap in San Jose next weekend as part of huge lineup featuring fights like Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le, Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story, and Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles. Le Says Competing in the UFC a Dream Come True With less than a week to go the UFC has released a nine-minute preview for the event featuring Henderson and Rua discussing their main event match-up, as well as Le and Silva reflecting on their road each has traveled to get to UFC 139. “My biggest dream is getting the belt back but right now I’m focused on beating Dan Henderson,” the dynamic Brazilian explains, with Henderson saying he is also focused purely on the moment in front of him and not what comes after the bout’s conclusion. Check out the video below: Tweet

Posted in: ufc, henderson, event matchup, nineminute preview, rearview mirror

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It may not have been televised, but the much anticipated lightweight battle between Ben Henderson and Clay Guida lived up to and likely exceeded fan and analyst expectations last night (November 12, 2011) on the UFC on Fox preliminary card. With a title shot against UFC 155 pound champion Frankie Edgar on the line, both Guida and Henderson put the pedal to the metal for 15 straight minutes. It was hectic, it was violent and it was one of the best fights of the year. Apparently that's what happens when a fighter is capable of stopping Clay Guida's takedowns. Ben Henderson, the former WEC champion, did just that and he was able to earn a unanimous decision victory and a shot at UFC gold. So how did the "Smooth" one pull it off where every other potential number one contender had failed? And what's next? Despite all the funky footwork, Guida still got clipped by Henderson, getting tagged with a sweet 1-2 combo right when he thought he had his opponent cornered. After getting dropped, Guida popped right back to his feet, and like a wounded animal, he struck back with a wild flurry of strikes along the fence very reminiscent of when he got hurt by Diego Sanchez in their 2009 "Fight of the Year" bout. Also take a look at Henderson's beautiful takedown defense. His sprawl was perfectly reactionary and he wasn't content to just stuff takedowns but instead looked to dish out heavy punches as well. This was a process that would be repeated throughout the fight. Henderson would display incredible takedown defense and balance and he would punish Guida for every attempt to take the fight to the ground with short punches and knees. With his primary offense stifled, Guida began resorting to more desperate measures, submission attempts. If anyone knows anything about Ben Henderson and his rubber everything, they understand that going for submissions against the flexible wunderkind is simply an exciting waste of time and energy. Here's another example of some more epic takedown defense from Henderson. He had Guida pinned against the fence but the second he got overaggressive with a knee, Guida caught it, dropped down and exploded forward pushing him across the cage on one leg. Against 99% of fighters, that would have been an easy takedown, but Henderson stuck with Guida the whole way, hopping on one foot as he got shoved across the cage and then deftly side stepping "The Carpenter" and taking inside position along the fence.What a tremendous display of balance and agility. The last minute of the bout was as good as it gets for fans of ground fighting. It featured some of the most entertaining scrambles I've ever seen as Guida escaped a Henderson body triangle, attacked with a guillotine choke, nearly had his back taken again, got swept, ate some vicious ground and pound, escaped out the back door and then attempted a single leg takedown at the final horn. In the end, though, despite putting on a wildly entertaining performance, it was in yet another losing effort for Guida. Ben Henderson was simply too agile, too strong and too adept at both offensive and defensive wrestling for "The Carpenter" and he was awarded a unanimous decision victory. For Clay Guida, this bout once again proved that he can be competitive against the top of the division, but if anyone has good enough takedown defense, they should be able to beat him (although they'll have to work for it). He's capable of being an incredibly entertaining fighter whenever he's forced to utilize something more than his wrestling and it's primarily due to his extremely high level of energy he brings in every fight. I would like to see Guida face someone like Jim Miller in his next fight. Both men lost hard-fought decisions to Ben Henderson and both are still top tier lightweights in the UFC. The winner would be right back in the thick of things. Other intriguing potential opponents include Dennis Siver or perhaps Jeremy Stephens, who both recently lost high profile decisions to some of the division's best 155-pounders. For Ben Henderson, what more is there to say? He killed it last night yet again. He was just a bit better than Clay Guida at everything. His striking was on point and he was even willing to take some risks with attacks like an axe kick or a superman punch, something we haven't really seen out of him much before. As Forrest Lynn described it perfectly, Henderson is simply one of the rawest fighters out there right now. He's looking to hurt his opponent from every single position and he's got the strength and balance to actually do it. There's no secret who his next opponent will be. Henderson will battle champion Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight title this upcoming February in Japan. That bout has the potential to be even more entertaining than his battle with Guida, and that's not hyperbole. So what did you think, Maniacs? Did the Guida vs. Henderson fight live up to your expectations? Will Ben Henderson offer a credible challenge to Frankie Edgar's title? Sound off! For complete UFC on FOX 1: "Velasquez vs. dos Santos" results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: fight, takedown, ben, henderson, guida

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-The Junior Dos Santos 66 second win over Cain Velasquez was the second fastest UFC heavyweight title victory in the promotion's history. Andrei Arlovski's 15 second knockout of Justin Eilers still holds the record of quickest UFC heavyweight title win. -In eight career UFC fights Dos Santos has five first round finishes -The 66 second win for Dos Santos was third fastest of his career-After five straight UFC wins over foreign born fighters to start his Octagon career Dos Santos last three wins have come versus US born fighters. - The loss was the first of Velasquez's five year MMA career-Velasquez was UFC heavyweight champion for 385 days-Win or lose seven of Velasquez's ten career fights have ended in the first round-Per Fight Metric Dos Santos connected with 8 of 13 significant strikes for a 62% accuracy rate -Ben Henderson is now 3-0 in his UFC career with all three wins via unanimous decision -Henderson has won 13 of his past 14 fights-The win moves Henderson to 2-1 versus ex WEC, UFC and Strikeforce champions-The loss snaps a four fight winning streak for Guida-Guida is 9-6 inside the UFC-Guida attempted four submission attempts during the fight, all were guillotine chokes - The Fight Metric Effectiveness Score had Henderson over Guida 219 to 96. In the ten point must system Fight Metric scored the fight 30-27. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} -Betting favorites went 5-4 at UFC on Fox 1. Darren Uyenoyama ‘s +290 upset of Norifumi Yamamoto was biggest win for underdogs on the night. -The UFC returned to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for the first time since UFC 121 in October 2010. UFC 121 was headlined by a title fight between Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez. Below is attendance and gate comparison for the two events. UFC 121Attendance: 14,856Gate: $2.2 millionUFC on Fox 1Attendance: 14,019 Gate: $1.1 million

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, do, career

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After spending 2011 fighting Gray Maynard, UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar will challenge a new foe to start 2012 by the name of Ben Henderson, fresh off an outstanding performance in a lightweight eliminator fight against Clay Guida at UFC on FOX 1. The bout is set to go down in February when the UFC returns to Japan for the first time since 2000. UFC president Dana White confirmed the bout during last night’s post-fight press conference. Losing the WEC lightweight title at the final WEC last December to Anthony Pettis put Henderson’s immediate UFC title aspirations on hold, but with a three fight UFC winning streak under his belt, “Smooth” is exactly where he wants to be. Henderson picked up convincing decision victories over Mark Bocek and the highly touted Jim Miller to earn a #1 contender’s fight against the ultra-popular Guida. The former WEC champ proved once again that he’s as good as anyone in the world at 155 by out-working “The Carpenter” en route to another decision win. The bout, which was not televised on FOX, earned Fight of the Night honors. While Henderson fought hard to earn a title shot in 2011, Edgar fought hard to keep the title. Facing Maynard, the only man to defeat him in his professional career, twice this year, Edgar was nearly finished in the first round of both contests but somehow survived both times. In January, Edgar fought back from a 10-8 first round to earn a draw and in October, he fought back to finish Maynard in the fourth round to retain the title. Both bouts are on the shortlist for fight of the year. UFC 144 is scheduled for February 24 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, henderson, edgar

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

ANAHEIM, Calif. - If it's 24 hours before one of his fights, former WEC champ Ben Henderson is an octagon girl's worst nightmare. You see, when "Smooth" is ready to weigh-ins for his fights, you can be sure Burt Watson and Dana White will soon be holding a towel (sending the girls scurrying away), as Henderson always makes use of the full 156 pounds allowed in his lightweight contests. But now, with a UFC title shot against a smaller Frankie Edgar looming on the horizon, Henderson said he wants to push the envelope even further.

Posted in: henderson, frankie edgar, burt watson, octagon girls, horizon henderson

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Clay Guida talks about his performance against Benson Henderson and how he may have lost, but he's not stopping until he gets his own shot at the UFC lightweight belt.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, guida, clay, benson henderson

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Despite a three round unanimous decision victory, Benson Henderson was his own worst critic following his win over Clay Guida Saturday night.

Posted in: night, henderson, saturday, guida, benson

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

MMAWeekly.com caught up for an exclusive one on one interview with new No. 1 lightweight contender Benson Henderson after his win over Clay Guida at UFC on Fox.

Posted in: ufc, fox, henderson, clay guida, benson

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Yesterday at the UFC on Fox weigh ins Joe Rogan announced that the winner of Clay Guida and Ben Henderson would be the number one contender for Frankie Edgar's lightweight belt. With the fight of the year candidate in the books and Henderson as the victor, the fight was made official at the post fight press conference. It was rumored that the next Frankie Edgar fight would be at Zuffa's first attempt to break into the Japanese market in January. Dana White confirmed this rumor tonight.  The Guida/Henderson fight did not disappoint tonight, going all three rounds to a Unanimous decision. It was the kind of fight that has fans begging for two more rounds. It was the kind of fight that had fans questioning why the UFC decided not to air it on television. Henderson was the aggressor the whole time and walked away as the new challenger. It was almost a year ago that he lost his shot at the title when Anthony Pettis upset him at WEC 53. What difference a year makes. Pettis is fighting on prelims and Ben Henderson is getting a title shot.  SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, henderson, ben henderson

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UFC on Fox 1 took place tonight live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event marked the first time the UFC appeared on Fox and while the main event did not last long, the entire card provided memorable action through out the night. Clay Guida, Ben Henderson, Ricardo Lamas, and Junior Dos Santos each picked up $65,000 for their performances. Henderson wins a wild one with Guida, awarded title shot Clay Guida and Ben Henderson was expected to be a fast-paced war and it did not disappoint as the two picked up “Fight of the Night.” While the fight was a unanimous decision victory for Henderson, each round contained enough back and forth action to fill an entire fight. With the win, UFC president Dana White announced Henderson will face UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar when the UFC heads to Japan in February. Dos Santos picks up “Knockout of the Night” Newly-crowned heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos dream night got even better as he picked up “Knockout of the Night” for his knockout victory over Cain Velasquez. Velasquez was never able to get it going against Dos Santos with the fight ending after throwing a telegraphed hook that Dos Santos timed perfectly with an overhand right. Dos Santos quickly followed up on the ground before the dazed Velasquez could recover. Dos Santos is expected to face the winner of Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. Lamas taps Swanson to pick up “Submission of the Night” Ricardo Lamas recovered from a tough first round to choke out Cub Swanson and pick up “Submission of the Night.” Lamas was caught in a deep guillotine choke in round 1 but refused to tap and managed to survive. Lamas then set up a beautiful arm-triangle in the second round that Swanson was unable to escape from. Other notes from the post-fight conference: Attendence was announced at 14,019 with a live gate of $1.1 million. The UFC’s Japan event is being called UFC 144 Dana White stated that TUF Brazil is set to begin very soon but that the coaches have not been determined. White added that Brazil has become the “New Canada” for the promotion.

Posted in: ufc, night, henderson, do, lama

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

UFC on FOX: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos," which emanated from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011, is officially in the books. So too, is the hunt for a new lightweight title contender. That's because Ben Henderson staked his claim as division number one contender with a three round unanimous decision win over Clay Guida on the preliminary portion of the promotion's network television debut. UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, during the UFC on FOX post-fight wrap-up show on Fuel TV, confirmed that "Smooth" will fight reigning champion Frankie Edgar when the UFC returns to Japan at the Saitama Super Arena on Feb. 25, 2012. Henderson (15-2) sawed his way through "The Carpenter" to win his third straight win since transitioning to the UFC and while they've all been won on the judge's scorecards, his performances have been impressive. They've also been against some of the best lightweights in the division. "Bendo" will need every ounce of that momentum to dethrone Edgar (14-1-1), who's fresh off a technical knockout win over 155-pound "Bully" Gray Maynard back at UFC 136. And if Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez is victorious over Jorge Masvidal in December, expect him to be waiting in the wings for the winner of of this upcoming match-up. How about it Maniacs, early predictions for this 155-pound title fight? Can Henderson find "The Answer" to beating Edgar and reclaim the lightweight belt -- something he held back in the WEC? Opinions, please. For complete UFC on FOX results and play-by-play click here.

Posted in: ufc, fox, henderson, ben henderson, edgar

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Junior dos Santos, Ben Henderson, Clay Guida and Ricardo Lamas each took home post-fight bonuses worth $65,000 after Saturday’s inaugural UFC on Fox event.

Posted in: fox, henderson, lama, ricardo lamas, saturday ’s

Read the full article at Sherdog

Ben Henderson answered an important question. He is next in line for lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.

Posted in: henderson, champion, shot, upend, secure

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UFC on Fox 1 - Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida

Posted in: ufc, vs, ben, henderson, guida

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Adding more insult to the bad decision-making by the UFC, Ben Henderson and Clay Guida battled each other in a wild affair that should be the front runner for Fight of the Night. Despite the craziness in the Octagon, the judges didn't see the bout as very close, awarding a decision to Henderson by the scores of 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27. The opening frame was a wild back-and-forth affair that saw both Henderson and Guida land damaging shots. Most notably, Henderson dropped Guida early in the round with a left hook to the jaw, stunning Guida. Henderson couldn't take advantage, however, allowing Guida to recover and land his own shots later in the round.  The second round was no different than the first as both fighters struggle to get the upper hand. Guida was able to secure a takedown midway through the round, but Henderson escaped to his feet instantly, turning to the fence and going on the offensive. Guida attempted to sink in a guillotine choke at that moment, pulling guard, but missing the attempt. The mistake allowed Henderson to gain top control and eventually transition to the back where he threatened with a choke in the final seconds. A stalemate early in the third ended at the two-minute mark when Henderson countered a Guida head kick with a takedown. Henderson eventually transitioned to side control, then to Guida's back where he threatened with a choke. Guida escaped, but Henderson followed him to the ground. Guida evaded the shots, and in a crazy shift -- found a way to a guillotine choke in the scramble. Henderson snuck out the back, only to threaten Guida once again all the way to the final bell.  Henderson absolutely destroyed surging lightweight Jim Miller at UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle in August. The win not only derailed Miller's progression to the top, but it swapped him out for Henderson in the title contention picture. Henderson holds previous wins over Mark Bocek, Donald Cerrone, Jamie Varner, Shane Roller, and Anthony Njokunai. Guida also held his own surprise party, beating WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in June. He had previously won three straight prior to the tonight's contest, submitting Takanori Gomi and Shannon Gugerty while making Rafael dos Anjos quit due to injury. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, round, henderson, side control, guida

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The co-main event of UFC on Fox 1: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos," taking place tonight (Sat., Nov. 12, 2011) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, featured a match-up of two energetic lightweights that seemed too good to be streamed live on Facebook. Clay Guida, on a four-fight win streak, put it on the line against WEC import Ben Henderson with a lightweight championship fight against Frankie Edgar in Japan on Feb. 26, 2012, likely awaiting the winner. That winner was Henderson, who turned in yet another brilliant performance that will, at the very least, ensure he's not too much of an underdog early next year. After three rounds of back and forth action, which featured knockdowns, submissions attempts, takedowns, clinching, wrestling, all that good stuff, "Bendo" earned the unanimous decision win. The fight quickly turned into the war it was promised to be. In the very first minute, Guida pushed forward with punches but took one on the chin. His response? Swing for the fences. When that didn't work and he got rocked again, it was time to abandon the striking game and duck down for a single leg. There wasn't much to be had there, either. Quite frankly, Henderson looked worlds ahead of Guida in the opening round. That was until "The Carpenter" caught him with a big punch set up by a flying knee. A silly and hopelessly worthless guillotine attempt yielded no results and the first frame ended. Whew. They bounced around, energetic as ever, before the start of the second stanza. Finally, Guida earned a takedown but it lasted  about one second. Before you could blink again, "Bendo" was back on his feet, landing a punch against the fence, and earning a takedown of his own. They traded positioning along the fence. Guida, shot and scored another takedown, Henderson, controlled the pace and stayed even. Guida tried to work a guillotine again but failed -- again -- and ended up with Henderson on his back looking for a rear-naked choke. Just 30 seconds remained in the round, though, and Guida defended until the horn saved him. Henderson got comfortable in the final frame, likely ahead on the scorecards, or at least assuming he was. He even busted out an Axe kick. His measured pace and even attack continued to stymie Guida, who simply had no answer for the offensive capabilities of the "Smooth" one. At one point, Henderson actually had Guida's back WHILE Guida was working a guillotine. Seriously. We'll see you in Japan, folks. Henderson vs. Edgar should be awesome. REMEMBER: MMAmania.com is still providing LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 1. We will provide LIVE, real-time results of the heavyweight championship bout as it happens later this evening at 9 p.m. ET.

Posted in: ufc, takedown, henderson, guida, guillotine attempt

Read the full article at MMA Mania

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Surprisingly snubbed from the lineup that marked the UFC's network-television debut, Benson Henderson and Clay Guida proved why they belonged on the broadcast. In an action-packed fight that left the crowd buzzing, Henderson topped his frantically paced opponent and staked claim to a lightweight title shot. The fight was the featured undercard attraction of UFC on FOX, which took place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, henderson, honda center, actionpacked fight

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Clay Guida Vs. Ben Henderson just proved that you can burn an incredible amount of calories by sitting down and watching a fight on TV. In a 15 minute human tornado of hair, tattoos, guillotine chokes and BJ Penn style takedown defense, Bendo just outhustled the once thought outhustleable (my made up word of the day) Clay Guida. Greg Jackson and The Carpenter used every known tool in his belt to try to dismantle Bendo, the trademark Guida flurry was implemented, as well as Guida's insatiable double leg, but for every zig Bendo zagged and in the end Guida was on the wrong side of a friggin amazing decision loss. At one point Bendo even did a full on split to avoid getting taken down by a single leg. The athleticism almost makes me feel guilty for eating this delicious pizza dip. Almost. Frankie Edgar now awaits his new contender Ben Henderson. WEC never die!

Posted in: ben, henderson, guida, clay, bendo

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Filed under: UFC, NewsLess than two hours after Ben Henderson became the No. 1 contender, he already has a date set for his championship match against current titleholder Frank Edgar. The two will meet on February 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, at the event likely to be numbered UFC 144. UFC president Dana White confirmed that the fight has been booked during the UFC on FOX post-fight press conference. "I think it's a great matchup," Henderson said after finding out his fate. "I'm as confident as any fighter here in the UFC. As far as the matchup with Frankie, I have to do a better job sticking to the game plan ... I think I match up very well. I've got to stick to the game plan, but I'm very excited for that. Frankie and I are going to put on a great show." Henderson improved to 15-2 with a unanimous decision victory, topping Clay Guida with a mix of striking and ground work. It was his third straight win since coming to the UFC, following wins over Jim Miller and Mark Bocek. Edgar is coming off a UFC 136 performance that will probably be considered as a Fight of the Year and Comeback Win of the Year nominee. Edgar was nearly knocked out in the first round of his fight with Gray Maynard and rebounded for a fourth-round TKO victory. Edgar is 14-1-1 overall. White said the fight is expected to be the main event of the show, which will mark the first time the UFC brings its octagon to Japan under Zuffa ownership. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, henderson, edgar, fate im

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Filed under: UFC, News, UFC on FOXBen Henderson and Clay Guida fought furiously for three full rounds and were awarded Fight of the Night honors at Saturday's UFC on FOX 1 event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. In the scrappy fight, Henderson defeated Guida by unanimous decision to become the next challenger in line for champion Frankie Edgar. Henderson and Guida each won a $65,000 bonus for the Fight of the Night honor at UFC's live debut on national television. New heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos edged out DaMarques Johnson for the Knockout of the Night award. In just 64 seconds, Dos Santos connected on an overhand right to drop Cain Velasquez and finish with a flurry of punches. Johnson was the other (T)KO candidate with a crushing left uppercut on Clay Harvison in 94 seconds. Robert Peralta also technically won via (T)KO but the finish came about controversially when an intentional headbutt floored opponent Mackens Semerzier. For Submission of the Night, featherweight Ricardo Lamas attached a tight arm-triangle choke to submit Cub Swanson in the third round. The was one other submission finish on the card, a D'arce choke applied by featherweight Dustin Poirier over Pablo Garza. According to UFC president Dana White, UFC on FOX 1 drew a gate of $1.1 million and 14,019 in attendance. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-139230% Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, henderson, night honors

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Clay Guida has been here before ... less than five months ago, actually. The last man to hold the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) lightweight title, Anthony Pettis, was lined up to challenge for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) belt shortly after the promotion and its best fighters melted into the 155-pound mix. However, when UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard battled to a draw earlier this year, "Showtime's" automatic title shot went up in smoke. Rather than sit on the sidelines, he accepted a fight with "The Carpenter," who was riding a three-fight win streak and in the midst of establishing himself as a legitimate division contender behind Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard, among others. Guida was thrilled, saying that he was going to make Pettis pay his dues inside the Octagon just like him. He did just that, defeating Pettis via unanimous decision at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale and, in the process, opening up the division for other contenders. Meanwhile, "Smooth" racked up two big wins, including a dominant performance over the aforementioned Miller. Combined with a loss from Guillard just last month at UFC 136 to Joe Lauzon, and the fight tonight (Nov. 12, 2011) between Guida and Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 has emerged as a number one contender eliminator match. Right back where we started. Unsurprisingly, Guida's tenor hasn't changed much, remarking that he has fought numerous opponents who are better than Henderson. Perhaps he still feels as though his experience inside the Octagon (this will mark his 15th appearance) will carry him to victory. Or, perhaps, he's not sold on Henderson and his level of competition to date. That would be a big mistake. Henderson, 27, is among the most talented up-and-coming fighters in the sport today. He improves each time out and is nearly impossible to finish. Yes, he was the recipient of the now infamous "Showtime Kick," but other than that he has demonstrated that he has what it takes to compete against the best in the business.  Guida has been here before; however, he can't expect the same results. Henderson might be a WEC carry-over, but that's where the similarities between him and Pettis end. Measure twice, cut once, Clay. REMEMBER: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 1, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the heavyweight championship bout as it happens later this evening at 9 p.m. ET.

Posted in: ufc, petti, henderson, guida, others guida

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Filed under: UFC, News, UFC on FOXIn a fight that was just as exciting and fast-paced as most expected of a matchup with two of the division's best-conditioned athletes, Ben Henderson outworked Clay Guida in the UFC on FOX co-main event to earn a shot at the UFC lightweight championship. In a measured yet frenetic performance, Henderson outwrestled and outstruck Guida over the course of the three-round bout at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The cageside judges scored it 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 in his favor. "Frankie Edgar, we got a date. Let's do it baby," Henderson said moments after the victory. Describing Guida's style as "energetic and awkward," Henderson clearly had the fight's biggest moments, knocking Guida down twice early on and leaving few openings for his opponent. Henderson got off to a brilliant start from the get-go, dropping Guida early with a left hand and then again moments later after a wild exchange. Guida was able to buy time by attempting a takedown, but Henderson controlled most of the round with his standup, though Guida did have a late knockdown of his own. The second was much more competitive, with Guida managing a pair of takedowns, but he could not hold Henderson down for any period of time. Guida also briefly threatened with a guillotine. But Henderson showed excellent composure throughout, carefully picking his strikes and outmaneuvering Guida for positioning on most occasions. During one scramble late in the round, Henderson took Guida's back and threatened for a rear naked choke as time expired. Both fighters had their moments in the third, but Henderson controlled Guida at various points, again taking his back and hunting the submission finish. Though Guida survived, it clearly wasn't enough to get past Henderson.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, time, henderson, guida, moment

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Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXANAHEIM, Calif. -- This is the UFC on FOX live blog for Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson, a lightweight bout on the undercard of tonight's UFC on FOX event from the Honda Center. The winner of this fight will challenge Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight strap. Former WEC champ Henderson (14-2) has won both his UFC fights against Mark Bocek and Jim Miller by unanimous decision. Guida (29-11) has won his last four fights and is coming off a win over Anthony Pettis. The live blog is below. More Coverage: UFC on FOX Results | Latest UFC News Round 1: %VIRTUAL-Gallery-139230% Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, henderson, blog

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In one of the most entertaining bouts this year, Ben Henderson secured a shot at Frankie Edgar's UFC Lightweight title with an impressive performance against Clay Guida in the co-main event of UFC on FOX. Henderson and Guida went toe-to-toe during all three rounds, with both fighters having their opportunities to get the finisher. The war was at the fence, in stand up, and on the ground - something that was a true display of Mixed Martial Arts.  Benderson won the majority of stand-up exchanges,

Posted in: ufc, henderson, guida, ground something, fox henderson

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It’s a momentous night in the UFC‘s history Saturday, but you don’t need me to tell you that. The TV ads, viral marketing campaigns and thousands upon thousands of Twitterbombs have done a good job of that. All I’m going to offer up is a subtle reminder that the event starts at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific and no fights will be shown outside of the main event. This was a decision of FoxSports to pay homage to past broadcasts of shows like Wide World of Sports that would never broadcast anything but the main event and succeeded in doing so for many many years. Yesterday I looked at the preliminary fights for UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos. Today it’s time for the big boys, both literally with headliners Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, as well as figuratively in the form of lightweight contenders Ben Henderson and Clay Guida. Also, don’t forget Fighters.com is giving away autographs from Dustin Poirier and Guida – two of the night’s premier talents – and winning doesn’t require too much effort to boot! Now on to the fights! Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson This fight was JUST announced as a lightweight title eliminator, and the winner will receive a shot at Frankie Edgar‘s lightweight title. Truly, could you pick two more popular fighters to duke it out for the #1 contendership? It seems like Guida started hopping about when he came out of mom Debbie’s womb and hasn’t stopped for 29 years. He’s forged his niche in the lightweight division as a neverending bundle of energy, fighting anybody’s game at any time. He’s racked up six event-related bonuses, including two “Fight of the Year” awards. Many of his fights are highlight reels in and of themselves and his mere presence can bolster an average card and make it a great one. Guida’s one of the few fighters out there that even when he loses, he wins. His heartbreaking loss to Roger Huerta likely won him more fans in defeat than he would have won otherwise, and his classic against Diego Sanchez is one that will stick with him positively, even in his loss. He’s one of those fighters who defies any fight styles. While being a very capable wrestler, his sheer energy and relentless work ethic has powered him past the likes of Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz, and his fierce determination helped him flow through Takanori Gomi. Guida is more of a setup striker, who will use his jabs and power punches to prelude to a takedown. It’s rare that you’ll see Guida try to box his way to victory, preferring to create opportunities to press his ground dominance. On most nights, you would probably take a well oiled and well disciplined Guida to cruise to victory. However, the next question is – Can anybody stop Henderson right now? Shane Roller was supposed to stop him and that didn’t happen. Donald Cerrone was supposed to stop him and that didn’t happen. Jim Miller was 100% supposed to stop him, and that didn’t happen either. Pettis hit him with a kick so hard that any normal man would’ve been felled. Henderson’s inability to quit has taken him from a fringe fighter all the way to the top, and all that way he’s been bettering what he was already good at. Once a wrestler with decent strikes, Henderson has turned into a world class ground grappler of numerous disciplines. His lower body mobility and ability to push off at the moment’s notice are so explosive that it’ll be as if his opponents are standing still. Henderson’s toughest challenge to date was supposed to Miller, who had won seven straight and 15 of 16 coming into that fight. Henderson survived a few submission attempts, but cruised to a victory that was so dominant that it probably pushed so far Miller out of the title picture that I don’t know that his name has been mentioned on a UFC broadcast since. The fight left many, including Henderson, clammoring for an immediate title shot, yet the Guida camp felt he was deserving as well. What better way to settle it than fighting for the right to have a title shot? This fight will contested at a frenzied pace. Guida’s speed has been largely unmatched until now, and though I believe he holds an edge there, Henderson isn’t far behind. Both fighters are going into a bit of uncharted territory, as both are used to being the speedier and the aggressor. It will be interesting to see who is the one capable of holding the other down and taking control. Guida’s going to work his usual gameplan of setting up for successful takedowns, and Henderson will probably push forward with his strikes and wear Guida down that way. I’m not expecting this one to end in a knockout, it’s likelier there will be a submission, but expect this one to be endless work from both fighters in all areas with an emphasis on the ground. Henderson’s key to victory will be using his tremendous strength to his advantage, looking to keep Guida from bouncing up easily. Guida is one of the best in the lightweight Division from the top, and he’ll be looking to work upper body submissions from there. Henderson has a strength advantage over Guida’s last opponent (Pettis), however, so don’t expect Guida to be able to control as easily or willfully as he did in that fight. This could be one for the ages. FOX will probably regret the decision not to give this one a shot on the broadcast. I would be surprised if this wasn’t “Fight of the Night” and a career defining performance for either one. Prediction: Ben Henderson def. Clay Guida via Split Decision Heavyweight Championship bout: Cain Velasquez (c) vs. Junior dos Santos This is it! What all the months of hype have led to will soon be on display for the world to see. Much like Wide World of Sports in years past, the public has been invited to gather around their television sets to witness a battle for the World Championship. This is perhaps the biggest opportunity in the sport’s history to capture the eyes and ears of the world, and the UFC has trotted out two of their biggest draws to showcase. Velasquez is making his return to the Octagon for the first time in almost a year, and first as heavyweight champion. His meteoric rise to the top of the heavyweight division has been nothing short of remarkable, walking into numerous situations as the underdog, and coming out the victor. In his path, he’s defeated three former world champions including a dominant performance over Brock Lesnar which gave him the title. His fight record: A perfect 9-0 with nearly all TKO victories. Lost in this shuffle is his jiu-jitsu and resilience, both of which were tested and needed against Lesnar who rushed into the fight to overwhelm Velasquez. However, his composure and ability to work out of a tough spot paid dividends, as he waited for Lesnar to tire before taking the fight to him and winning. Equally impressive, and longer of a road has Dos Santos traveled. He was thrown to Fabricio Werdum in his UFC debut, and the little known Brazilian wasn’t given much of a chance. However, he rattled Werdum early, winning in under 90 seconds and beginning a 3 year undefeated streak enroute to his first title shot, including five straight KO/TKO wins. Dos Santos’ was forced into deeper rounds against Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin, both of whom he dominated enroute to easy wins, but tested his mettle and conditioning. Following both fights, Dos Santos looked like he’d been warming up, and could have easily gone another 5 or 6 rounds before breaking a sweat. No doubt has ever lingered in my mind that there is a better fight out there to break the UFC into the mainstream than this. Sure there are bigger draws and bigger names. Lesnar could have brought many more pro wrestling fans over with a free fight. Georges St. Pierre is Georges St. Pierre. However, when it all comes down to it, the heavyweight title is what has always been the most revered of years past. No major wrestling PPV was ever built around the Intercontinental Title. Few boxing sanctions in the Wide World of Sports era would let a lower weight class provide sole representation of their sport. Horse racing’s crown jewel was never the Schuck’s Auto Parts Quarter Mile. This is the right fight to have at the right time. There’s no telling what either fighter has in store for the other. Dos Santos and Velasquez both have such crisp striking that they could be game to stand and throw for 25 minutes, though I don’t see it going that long. Dos Santos has great BJJ, and Velasquez showed off his skills, but neither have been tested against skill sets they’re about to face, so it’s hard to say what could happen if it goes to the ground. Dos Santos has exhibited flashes of greatness, but because he’s been so quick to dominate in some of his fights, there’s been rarely an opportunity to showcase his BJJ. The end stages of the Carwin fight showed his ability to take a fantastic wrestler down at will, however, something Velasquez should be wary of. Though he’s the challenger, I truly believe Dos Santos is the one who has the most to lose. This is a fight he can win from more angles than Velasquez, however, the sheer strength and one punch knockout power of Cain’s could end the fight very quickly. Edgar propelled himself into legendary status with his recent victory over Gray Maynard. This could be Velasquez’ propulsion to that same status. I have to believe Dos Santos is the stylistic favorite coming into this fight. If Dos Santos is the aggressor early, and Velasquez comes back to win in some gutsy, or Hollywood-style ending, it will be a night never to be forgotten. If Dos Santos can keep from getting caught, I’m expecting him to finally get the opportunity to work magic on the ground and ultimately, find a way to work in some solid submissions. Whether Cain will tap remains to be seen, but I’ll take Junior here via submission to crown a new UFC Heavyweight Champion. Prediction: Junior Dos Santos def. Cain Velasquez via Submission There you have it – The UFC on Fox 1 the way I see it breaking down. Don’t forget to enter our giveaway contest, and take home an autograph of one of the fighters on the card. Once again, all you have to is follow See you cageside! Tweet

Posted in: fight, henderson, do, velasquez, guida

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ANAHEIM, Nov. 12 - It’s almost impossible to out-Guida Clay Guida, but Benson Henderson somehow managed to beat the hyper-energetic grinder at his game over the course of 15 minutes in the UFC on FOX co-main event Saturday night. The reward for Henderson’s unanimous decision triumph is immense, and the Arizonan made that abundantly clear afterward when he declared to the crowd at Honda Center: “Frankie Edgar, we got a date. Let’s do it, baby.” While Henderson’s stingy takedown defense was key – the newly crowned No. 1 contender is a former collegiate wrestler, after all – his most amazing saving grace came in the waning 60 seconds of the all-out, back-and-forth scrap. Guida sunk in a deep guillotine choke. Everybody in the arena watched the struggle with bated breath. Would Henderson tap? Or would he go unconscious? But once again, as he did against Donald Cerrone in their epic first fight, “Smooth” Henderson displayed an almost supernatural resilience to chokes. Trapped in a narrowing vise grip around his carotid arteries, Henderson is somehow able to breathe and move when no one else could. Guida squeezed with everything in that final minute and Henderson always somehow managed to change the angle on the choke ever so slightly, allowing him to breathe and eventually wiggle free. The Houdini-esque escape proved the dagger for Guida, whose gutsy performance could not overcome having Henderson take his back in both the first and third rounds and arguably get the better of their standup exchanges, as reflected in judges scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. “He’s hard to deal with, has a high energy, awkward pace,” said Henderson, the former World Extreme Cagefighting champion who is now 15-2 and boasts back-to-back wins over Jim Miller and Guida. Guida had won four straight entering the bout, largely on the strength of his smothering and overpowering takedowns and ground assault. He was clearly the crowd favorite, with fans chanting “Guida! Guida! Guida!” for portions of the bout, especially early on, when he and Henderson elected to stand and trade toe-to-toe. But where other foes could not stop Guida’s explosive takedowns, Henderson was able to. Never was that more evident than in the third round, when Guida shot a double leg like a raging bull and ran Henderson clear across the cage – only to still be denied the takedown. GARZA VS. POIRIERQuietly but undeniably, Dustin Poirier is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the UFC featherweight division. The 22-year-old Louisianan notched his fourth straight win with a second-round D’Arce submission victory over 14-2 Pablo Garza. Showcasing his trademark intensity, Poirier pushed his lanky 6’1” foe around for much of the fight (throwing Garza to the canvas no less than four different times) and methodically beat him up with punches before finishing matters with a D’Arce choke from half-guard top position. “I’m a purple belt, I train with Tim Cradeur,” Poirier (11-1) said immediately afterward to Joe Rogan. “A lot of you guys haven’t seen my ground skills because I like to tuck my chin and bang. I feel amazing. I came here the best I’ve ever been.”LAMAS VS. SWANSONCub Swanson cinched in a super-tight guillotine choke early in round one and an embattled Ricardo Lamas made a promise to himself: ‘He’s going to have to put me out.’ But with all his might, Swanson could not choke Lamas unconscious. And though the Greg Jackson protégé appeared to handily win round one, Lamas’ second life would come back to haunt Swanson, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who one round later found himself the victim of a role reversal: Lamas trapped Swanson in an arm triangle. With no room to wiggle or breathe, Swanson tapped out at 2:16 of the round. “I wasn’t tapping, man, he was going to have to put me out,” an emotional Lamas (11-2) offered afterward. “My grandmom passed away a week to go today. I just want to dedicate this fight to her. Te quiero mucho.” Asked about Swanson’s choke, Lamas had this to say: “It was very tight, man. I couldn’t breathe. Thank God he let go because I couldn’t hold out much longer.” JOHNSON VS. HARVISONThe up-and-down UFC career of DaMarques Johnson is “up” again after he swiftly annihilated Clay Harvison with a vicious two-punch sequence just 94 seconds into the fight. The TKO victory pushed the Utah native’s record to 18-9. The devastation was set in motion by a potent left hook that dropped Harvison; a booming right hand from The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finalist sealed the deal. YAMAMOTO VS. UYENOYAMAIn his heyday, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto wielded an aura of intimidation and awed fans and foes alike with his explosive knockout skills. But whatever remained of the Japanese superstar’s fearsome ways likely vanished in the Octagon on Saturday when the Tokyo legend was thoroughly outclassed by world-class grappler Darren “BC” Uyenoyama. While Yamamoto did drop Uyenoyama with a stiff straight left, and busted Uyenoyama’s nose and cut him over the eye (and executed a textbook judo throw), most everything else of consequence that unfolded featured the San Franciscan either hanging from Yamamoto’s back or peppering him with punches. Uyenoyama likely came within seconds of finishing the fight in the first round, sinking in a deep rear naked choke as the final seconds waned. An oxygen-challenged Yamamoto faintly motioned his arm several times, but it seemed inconclusive as to whether it constituted an official tap and so the bout carried on. Judges scored it 30-27, 30-26, 30-27 for Uyenoyama, who improved to 7-3. Yamamoto (18-5, 1 NC) has now lost four of his past five fights, which is sure to deepen speculation that his best years have come and gone. “I wouldn’t have imagined being here 10 years ago,” Uyenoyama, a highly-decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, told Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview. “Without the sport of jiu-jitsu I would have never made it.” Asked whether Yamamoto had, in fact, tapped, Uyenoyama said, “I thought he might have. You know, I don’t know.” SEMERZIER VS. PERALTAA competitive contest took a sudden turn when an incidental but violent clash of heads sent Mackens Semerzier crashing to the canvas early in the third round, prompting Robbie Peralta to unleash a hail of punches for a referee stoppage at 1:54 of round three. Semerzier had caught a Peralta kick in the first round and floored him with a right to the chin. But Peralta stunned Semerzier a round later and then again in the third.  Now 16-3, Peralta departed the cage with a large hematoma forming on the side of his head, courtesy of the collision of heads. ESCOVEDO VS. CACERESAn unpredictable array of kicks, spinning backfists and strikes propelled Alex “Bruce Leroy” Caceres to his first UFC win, a unanimous decision over former World Extreme Cagefighting champ Cole Escovedo (17-9). Despite Caceres’ 5-4 record entering the bout, the contest was decidedly one-sided throughout. Escovedo, a submission specialist, was finally able to take Caceres down in the third round, but it was Caceres who threatened with triangle choke/armbar and omaplata variations, cementing the triumph for the Miami, Fla., southpaw. PIERCE VS. BRADLEYWhen two talented wrestlers collide – a boxing match usually breaks out. That is precisely what happened in this rematch between aggressive welterweights, with former University of Iowa wrestler Bradley gunning for revenge for a 2009 loss. The 28-year-old Bradley was effective with kicks early and popped Pierce with some hard shots in the first round, drawing blood under Pierce’s eye and causing swelling. Pierce responded in the next round, scoring with the heavier punches and snapping Bradley’s head back with hooks and jabs. The third round was very close, but the judges awarded Pierce a split decision by scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 28-29. The Oregon fighter improved to 13-4. Bradley is now 18-4, 1NC.LUCAS VS. ROSAFatigue didn’t make a coward of 37-year-old Matt Lucas, but it certainly stifled the light heavyweight’s UFC debut against Aaron Rosa. The latter notched his first win inside of the Octagon with a rather ho-hum, difficult-to-watch victory over Lucas, a former collegiate wrestler who for the most part unsuccessfully tried to make a wrestling match out of their 15 minutes in the cage. Lucas, who had prevailed in five straight headed into the contest, was winded midway through and suffered a point deduction for what referee John McCarthy deemed an intentional spitting out of his mouthpiece. With their fighter slowing down, Lucas’ cornermen repeatedly encouraged him to attack more, yelling “Come on Matt, punch him back!” and “Please Matt, let’s go, start fighting!”A slimmed down Rosa, who lost his UFC debut to Joey Beltran at heavyweight, seemed content to coast throughout with light punches and a modest Muay Thai attack. He improved to 17-4; Lucas fell to 14-3.

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Here are videos of the UFC on Fox weigh-ins, as heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior dos Santos weighed in for Saturday’s main event as well as a matchup between lightweight contenders Clay Guida and Ben Henderson that leads the preliminary card. Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos weigh-in video: Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson weigh-in video:

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To cement the next number one contender in the UFC lightweight division, perennial candidate Clay Guida meets accelerating WEC crossover Ben Henderson at UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. dos Santos. With the heavyweight championship headliner proclaimed as the only bout guaranteed to air on the live broadcast, Fox Deportes has announced that they will air Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza and Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson, though the entire show's undercard will also stream live on the UFC's Facebook page and Fox.com. The trio of top WEC lightweights have wasted no time in proving they belong in the sport's elite echelon. Though Anthony Pettis was matched with the stiffest competition right out of the gate, he along with Henderson and Donald Cerrone have made the transition with flying colors. Not only have they all authenticated their status, they've maintained the same rousing level of exhilarating combat that magnetized fans in their WEC forays. In all likelihood, the glamorous "Showtime kick" and subsequent fifth-round knockdown was the single, standout ingredient that swayed the score cards in Pettis' favor during the WEC's bon voyage lightweight title fight. Fending off the normally overbearing double leg takedowns of Mark Bocek in his UFC debut put Henderson on the map as a viable contender, and his dominant follow up against the stalwart Jim Miller was a jaw-dropping and career-defining performance. Hard-nosed workhorse Clay Guida has long been on the cusp of a title shot; now more than ever after a staunch five-piece sequence that's once again elevated him above the pack. Criticized as a non-finisher, Guida's latest streak is punctuated by four stoppages over Shannon Gugerty (arm-triangle), Rafael dos Anjos (broken jaw), and Takanori Gomi (guillotine choke) along with a commanding decision over Pettis. With the Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard trilogy in the books and B.J. Penn out of the picture, the stacked 155-pound class is ripe for a new wave of fresh contenders, the first of which will be determined this Saturday night. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos "The Carpenter" has long been stamped as a wrestler. In my opinion, he's made phenomenal strides to prove otherwise. Hiding amidst a typhoon of flowing brown locks like a ninja in a smoke bomb, Guida has tightened up his boxing game and become unafraid to light off combinations at close range instead of falling back on takedowns. Though his newly enhanced head movement might be a little more "show than go", his vivacious motion is tough to track and clouds his intentions in unpredictability. Adding a few kicks to his repertoire signifies that he's rounding out his arsenal and endows him with more offensive options. The key aspect of his unremitting pressure is the way he continues to pursue even when his shots are defended. This trait actualizes as more of a constant stream of threatening attacks rather than an inability to achieve control. Normally his frenetic pace is difficult to contend with but Henderson is known for the same. With no laudable wrestling pedigree to speak of, Guida's prime effectiveness comes through opportunistic aggression rather than raw power or unstoppable technique. His intelligence, explosive quickness, relentless pace, set ups and basic fundamentals fuel his takedown prowess. He's the type of wary competitor that will create endless opportunities and capitalize in full, punishing his opponents by maximizing on every inch they give him. That's exactly what we witness to the right. Preying on the slightest mistake, Guida scoops up an errant Pettis kick and swallows up the distance by charging forward with the single leg. The deciding factor on many of his takedown attempts is the range he's in. Clay does an excellent job of transitioning from striking to shooting and always drives through on the takedown to crumble his opponent's foundation of balance. He's a submission threat as well, though his catches are typically those conducive to domineering wrestlers. In the few takedowns Mark Bocek was able to secure, Henderson's unreal scrambling ability came into play to even the scales. What makes "Smooth" so unique is his blend of considerable strength and balance with his slippery scrambles. Fighters tend to excel with one or the other, so his mesh of stout power and elusive grappling make for an insurmountable combination on the mat. While his pace is equally dizzying, Henderson seems to be much more on-balance and in control compared to Guida's wild and untempered approach. Another aspect I admire is how Bendo's offense is such a predominant factor of his incredible defense. To the left, it's the quick armbar he swivels for that causes Bocek to back off and create enough space to escape. In the blink of an eye, Henderson is on his feet and pouring on a ridiculous amount of violence from the top. In the first Bendo gif above, even his ruthless Thai clinch is compacted tight and his base is wide and strong, yet he's always able to react instantly and use precise movement rather than stay flat-footed. This ties back into my recurring theme of how Bendo's strength-to-agility ratio elevates him as such a special fighter. Guida can be quick and slippery and he can switch to being strong and powerful, but Henderson has an innate ability to wield all those qualities all the time. To the right we see Miller taking a gutsy dive for a standing arm-triangle. Henderson stays patient and grabs his own wrist to keep his shoulder in a downward position to prevent the choke, all the while holding up Miller's body weight. When Miller readjusts his hooks, he squirms free and commences the attack. At this point, when you factor in Henderson's freakish aversion to submission attempts and rock-solid chin, I don't see too many avenues to victory for Guida. I don't think he can out-strike him, I don't think he can knock him out, I don't think he can submit and I don't even think he can out-wrestle him. My inner voice is reminding me that any time I make such a bold prediction and feel so confident about a high level match up, an upset tends to follow. Guida is a gamer who's earned his stripes and can never be underestimated. That being said, Clay has a bit of tendency to leave his head upright and his chin extended when throwing his hands, so I see Bendo scoring a stoppage by bombing a monumental flurry of ground and pound, crushing the midsection with knees in the clinch or catching a submission when Guida leaves himself exposed on a furious scramble. While any are possible, I'll venture a guess for the latter. My Prediction: Ben Henderson by submission   Guida vs. dos Anjos gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com   Poll Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson Clay Guida Ben Henderson   3 votes | Results

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Confident "Carpenter" is confident. UFC lightweight tornado Clay Guida is feeling pretty good about his chances against Ben Henderson when they throw down on the preliminary card of UFC on FOX tomorrow (Nov. 12, 2011) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The winner is expected to challenge Frankie Edgar for "The Answer's" lightweight title in early 2012. Henderson recently derailed the Jim Miller hype train and spoiled his title plans by dominating him at UFC on Versus 5 to secure a lopsided unanimous decision victory. Guida was not impressed. That's because he's already fought "numerous opponents" that are better than "Bendo," according to comments he made during this week's UFC on FOX pre-fight press conference (via USA Today): "I believe I've fought numerous opponents that are better. I believe Nate Diaz is better on the ground. I believe (Takanori) Gomi is a more well-rounded fighter; maybe I caught him on the end of his career. I believe we've got an up-and-comer in Rafael Dos Anjos, who's starting to surprise people; (he's) got great stand-up, great grappling (with) his ground game. We've seen his knockout power now. We'll see how he does against Gleison Tibau. I can't go over every name I've fought. I think I've got 50 fights; I'll be sitting here until Saturday morning. But I know that I have the confidence and the experience to take him down." Guida recently played spoilsport to Anthony Pettis, who had actually earned himself a chance at the lightweight championship, but chose to fight in lieu of waiting around. Unfortunately for "Showtime," that meant a war against the energetic caveman and "The Carpenter" used his superior wrestling to send him to the back of the line, catapulting himself to the front of it in the process. He's ripped off four wins in a row and if he makes it five at the expense of Henderson, it will become increasingly more difficult to justify not giving him a title shot. Especially with Melvin Guillard no longer "in the mix." Do we wait for the winner of Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal before committing to anything? Or is it pointless to even have this conversation because Henderson will win? Thoughts?

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The fans and oddsmakers still see Ben Henderson as a very strong favorite to beat Clay Guida.

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He may not have an opponent yet but now know "The Answer" to when we'll see Frankie Edgar inside the Octagon again. According to a report from MMAWeekly.com, Edgar will represent one half of the main event when the UFC returns to Japan on Feb. 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. But against who? While nothing is set in stone, obviously, the most likely candidate would be the winner of the Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson fight going down this Sat., Nov. 12, 2011, at UFC on Fox 1 in Anaheim, California. The reality of the situation is that there simply aren't any other worthy contenders, barring injury of course. Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez has a fight scheduled for Dec. 17 and a two month turnaround is likely too little time for "El Nino" to be adequately prepared to face off against one of the best in the world. That leaves Guida or Henderson. Edgar was last in action this past Oct. 8 at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, where he knocked out Gray Maynard to bring an end to their historic trilogy. Now, after a short break, it's on to the next one in the "Land of the Rising Sun." Which fight would you rather see, Maniacs? Edgar vs. Guida or Edgar vs. Henderson?

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LOS ANGELES - Maybe fighting on Facebook isn't the worst thing in the world. While many MMA fans and pundits have expressed their frustration that a key UFC on FOX lightweight matchup between Clay Guida and Ben Henderson has been relegated to the evening's Facebook-streamed undercard, it appears UFC brass is still dangling a rather large carrot in front of the winner. MMAjunkie.com has learned from multiple sources close to the promotion that the winner of the Guida vs. Henderson matchup is expected to receive an immediate title shot against current lightweight champ Frankie Edgar.

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MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Ben Henderson and Clay Guida to talk about their fights this Saturday at UFC on FOX 1.

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Ben Henderson and Clay Guida meet in a pivotal lightweight bout this Saturday, Nov. 12, at UFC on FOX 1. You won’t see it on FOX, but Ben Henderson says it’s going to be so good, the UFC will have to put it on TV “somehow, someway.” “Someway, somehow, this fight will make it to air,” Henderson said at Thursday’s pre-UFC on FOX media workouts in Rosemead, Calif. “If it is afterward or whatever, Dana White is going to want to put this one on primetime television. He’s going to be like, ‘Oh, wow. We need to get this on TV somehow, someway.’ I’m going to make sure of that.”

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ROSEMEADE, Calif. - When UFC president Dana White says his company is focused solely on the promotion of Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos leading into this weekend's UFC on FOX event in Anaheim, Calif., he means it. Unfortunately, that means a critical bout in the lightweight division between perennial contender Clay Guida and former WEC champ Ben Henderson has flown largely under the radar. But if you listen to "Smooth," it won't stay that way for long. Henderson thinks his promotion will take place when the cage door shuts.

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Frankie Edgar could be finding out who the next challenger to his UFC lightweight title will be this Saturday night (November 12, 2011) as two of the top contenders at 155 pounds, Ben Henderson and Clay Guida meet in what promises to be a pivotal lighweight showdown at UFC on FOX: "Velasquez vs. dos Santos." Ben Henderson emphatically made his case as one of the best lightweights in the world when he completely dominated then-number one contender Jim Miller earlier this summer by simply being more physical fighter. He will make a strong case for a title shot with a victory over fan-favorite Guida on Saturday night. Clay Guida has won four straight in the UFC lightweight division and nothing was more impressive than when he also defeated the number one contender, Anthony Pettis, earlier this summer by grinding out the WEC champion and earning a unanimous decision victory. Once considered the division's gatekeeper, a big victory over Henderson would definitely give Guida a solid case for a shot at the title. Can Ben Henderson keep his crazy momentum rolling all the way to a shot at UFC gold? Will Guida's gas tank be the deciding factor in this fight? Who has more heart? Even more, what would be the best plan of attack for each man to be victorious? Let's find out: Ben Henderson Record: 14-2 overall, 2-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Jim Miller (UFC on Versus 5), Donald Cerrone 2x (WEC 48, WEC 43), Mark Bocek (UFC 129) Key Losses: Anthony Pettis (WEC 53) How he got here: Ben Henderson was a two-time All-American at Division II Dana College while earning a double degree in criminal justice and sociology. Instead of pursuing a career with his degree, he tried out amateur cagefighting, compiling a 2-1 record and loving the sport enough to make it his job. It didn't take him long to be noticed. Henderson was fighting for Mark Pavelich's MFC within 18 months and earned an invite to the WEC just over two years into his professional career. He was thrown into the fire immediately, earning stoppage victories over Anthony Njokuani and Shane Roller to earned him an interim WEC lightweight title shot against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone at WEC 43. Henderson was still green at the time, but he gutted through a multitude of submission attempts from the former bullrider, using his wrestling to outscore him positionally in what was voted Sherdog's 2009 "Fight of the Year." With the victory, he became the interim WEC lightweight champion. He unified the titles by defeating incumbent champion, Jamie Varner with a third round guillotine choke and would once again have to face Cerrone for the title at WEC 48, the first and only pay-per-view the promotion ever attempted. In what was expected to be a repeat of their first epic war, the "Smooth" one, choked out Cerrone in less than two minutes to defend his belt. Henderson would fight one last time for the WEC against the upstart Anthony Pettis. We all know how that played out, with the kick heard 'round the world. What some may forget, was the fight was incredibly close, entirely up for grabs until the final minute of round five. In his UFC debut, Henderson put on a strong showing against submission specialist Mark Bocek and he followed it up with the most impressive victory of his career, a three round domination of then-number one contender Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5. With the victory over Miller, he earned a match against Clay Guida, a fight that fans have been demanding ever since the UFC-WEC merger was announced. How he gets it done: Henderson has the overall skills to keep this fight standing if he wants to, but when was the last time you really saw someone put Clay Guida on his back? If anyone can do it in the UFC lightweight division, it might be "Bendo."  While I feel that the former WEC champ should have an advantage on the feet and in the clinch, he also is strong enough to potentially overwhelm Guida and give him a taste of his own medicine. Also, this wouldn't be the old Henderson who was content to have his position on the ground. Against Miller, he was brutal, bashing his opponent with ground and pound and bloodying him up. If he can score a takedown at any point during the fight, he could definitely do the same thing to "The Carpenter." In the strand-up, Henderson would be wise to avoid regular exchanges in the pocket as his defense still needs some work. The best plan of action would be to try to corner Guida along the fence where he can explode forward with knees or attack with short strikes that have a much higher percentage of landing. I believe Henderson is the stronger man, so if he can close the distance and try to tire Guida out with pressure, that could be key for him. Clay Guida Record: 29-11 overall, 9-5 in the UFC Key Wins: Anthony Pettis (Ultimate Finale 13), Nate Diaz (UFC 94), Rafael dos Anjos (UFC 117) Key Losses: Kenny Florian (UFC 107), Diego Sanchez (Ultimate Finale 9), Roger Huerta (Ultimate Finale 6) How he got here: Clay Guida, believe it or not, was once the Strikeforce lightweight champion. He defeated Josh Thomson for the title before losing the strap via split decision to current champ Gilbert Melendez. After a WEC fight, Guida made his way to the UFC where he fought a high energy and fan-friendly style that created incredible fights but also put him in situations to lose often. "The Carpenter's" UFC record had dropped to 5-5 after a tough submission loss to perennial contender Kenny Florian and he needed to change. Guida stepped up his training with Greg Jackson and put a focus on his offensive wrestling, footwork, head movement and submissions. The results have been amazing. The Chicago native scored three consecutive submissions against impressive foes like Takanori Gomi and Rafael dos Anjos. In his last bout with Gomi, he perplexed the Japanese slugger with some of the most ridiculous and frenetic head movement of all time, eventually mixing in takedowns to put away "The Fireball Kid" with a guillotine choke. With the victory, Guida once again entered contender status and he solidified his claim as one of the promotion's best 155 pounders when he ground out an easy unanimous decision over the WEC champion and number one UFC lightweight contender, Anthony Pettis earlier this summer. He accepted about against another former WEC lightweight champion, Ben Henderson and will duke it out with him this Saturday night. How he gets it done: Clay Guida has the best gas tank in the lightweight division and he'll need to utilize it as best he can if he wants to secure a victory on Saturday night against Henderson. He'll need to constantly be moving, trying to confuse his opponent in the stand-up like he did against Gomi and hopefully that will leave openings for him to land his punches. Guida doesn't have one-punch knockout power, but if he can create the correct type of openings, he can definitely do damage. Who can forget his brutal uppercut to Roger Huerta, or when he broke Rafael dos Anjos' jaw with a nasty hook? Guida needs to harness his frenetic energy and go full speed for the entire fifteen minutes. He's capable of pushing a pace that even Henderson might not be able to keep up with. If he can wear "Bendo" down, that will open up opportunities for takedowns later in the fight. I don't believe Guida is a strong enough wrestler to put Henderson on his back early, but he definitely could do it as the fight wears on. Conditioning kills at times, and while the former WEC champion has never had major cardio issues before, he could definitely wilt if pushed to the limit by Guida over the course of three rounds. Fight "X-Factor:" The X-Factor for this fight is which man has the better takedowns and wrestling? Both Guida and Henderson have utilized their wrestling throughout their careers to dominate their opponents and stand atop the division. Now it could come down who can put their opponent on their back and keep them there for an extended period of time. Also, if the wrestling cancels out, as it is prone to do when two high level grapplers match up, this fight could come down to who is better in every other facet of mixed martial arts. It could be clinch work, footwork, striking and power that end up being the deciding factor in this fight and that's what makes this bout so special. Both of these men are very evenly matched so the tiniest advantage could be the biggest deciding factor of them all. Bottom Line: This is must-watch television. Even if this fight isn't going to be aired on the major FOX broadcast, it still has as much implications as any non-title lightweight fight this year. Finally, this isn't a case of the number one contender taking a fight against a non-contender while waiting for his next opponent. This time, it's two men who are both the elite of their weight class battling it out. It would be a shame if the winner of this fight doesn't earn a title shot as both men have the credentials and both men have defeated the number one lightweight contender this year to get to where they're at right now. This expects to be a high-pace, action intensive battle. Clay Guida has had his best fights of his career when he's matched up with fighters that he can't simply take down and grind out a decision victory, and this fight has the makings of another classic Guida war. Don't miss it! Who will come out on top at UFC on FOX? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Who do you think will potentially earn a lightweight title shot with a victory come Saturday night? Ben Henderson Clay Guida   14 votes | Results

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Top Lightweight contender Ben Henderson, who will battle Clay Guida in the UFC on Fox co-main event, discusses his opponent, as well as his place in the title mix. Henderson says despite popular rumors as of late, he's unsure if a win over Guida will earn him a title shot, and insists that until Dana White says so, he's not going to believe it. Photo: MMAWeekly.com

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UFC veteran and top Lightweight contender Clay Guida, who will go head to head with Ben Henderson this Saturday night, discusses his opponent, as well as his growth as a fighter. Guida acknowledges the strengths that Henderson presents with, but says he is more confident about this fight than he was going into his previous bout with Anthony Pettis.

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Our Fight Hub TV correspondent Dustin De La Torre caught up with Ben Henderson in Los Angeles days before his bout with Clay Guida on the under card of the historic UFC On Fox card. The main event is destined to provide fireworks but Henderson and Guida are two fighters known for a relentless pace [...]

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Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXUFC on FOX is no ordinary event, so this is no ordinary odds breakdown. Normally we have a main card full of favorites and underdogs to sort through and pick away at. This time? It's the main event, a lightweight contender bout, and then a lot of stuff that (at least by comparison) feels like filler designed to keep the fans in their seats until it's time. With the abbreviated TV offering just a few days away, it's time to take a look at the action that really matters. Cain Velasquez (-190) vs. Junior dos Santos (+155) It hasn't gotten a lot of attention so far, but before we get crazy can we talk about Velasquez's injury layoff for a minute? Not only is a torn rotator cuff kind of serious, but it kept him out of the cage for almost 13 months. He hasn't gone that long between fights since the first year of his career, so maybe we shouldn't assume that it'll be no big deal for him to jump right back into the cage against one of the world's top heavyweights just like that. Ring rust is real, and it doesn't help that one of Velasquez's main sparring partners -- former Olympic wrestling team captain Daniel Cormier -- has been sidelined with a broken hand lately. You factor in the possibility that the champ might be feeling some pressure to brawl in order to give the FOX audience (and his boss) a show they'll remember, and suddenly dos Santos starts to look like a very strong underdog pick, right? Maybe, but that is an awful lot of faith in a few intangibles. On paper, Velasquez's speed and wrestling skills should make the difference. He ought to be able to get in close, negate dos Santos' ability to box from the outside, and either put him down or rough him up in the clinch. It's hard to feel terribly confident after the lay-off he's had, but it's also hard to pick against the champ at this point in his career. This is one fight where dos Santos will not be able to take his foot off the gas in the later rounds. My pick: Velasquez. If you were smart, you jumped on this line back when it was -150. Then again, if you're smart you don't bet on fights this tough to call to begin with. Clay Guida (+220) vs. Ben Henderson (-280) I admit that I'd be salivating over this underdog line on Guida if not for one thing: Henderson's last fight. Jim Miller was riding a seven-fight win streak and looked for all the world like the next major lightweight title challenger, and Henderson absolutely demolished him. If he can do that to Miller, who's a solid all-around fighter, what can Guida threaten him with? It sounds as if Guida's pinning his hopes on his wrestling and his non-stop motor here, and why not? It worked against Anthony Pettis, and if we want to start playing the transitive property game, we could point out that Pettis beat Henderson. At the same time, Henderson's takedown defense keeps getting better, and he can be absolutely brutal when his striking game starts to click. Guida has outworked superior athletes before, but this is a tall order even for him. My pick: Henderson. I still think it's a closer fight than these odds would suggest, but it's a tough style match-up for Guida. Quick picks: - Ricardo Lamas (-130) over Cub Swanson (even). I'm afraid Swanson's best days may be behind him. Lamas is just good enough to get the job done. - DaMarques Johnson (-280) over Clay Harvison (+220). Johnson's getting a much easier bout after stepping up late to face Sadollah. Expect him to make the most of it. - "Kid" Yamamoto (-370) over Darren Uyenoyama (+280). Kind of seems like the UFC might be tossing Yamamoto an easy one to keep him around for at least a little while longer. Oh well. Crazy underdog pick of the night: Pablo Garza (+220) over Dustin Poirier (-280). People may be getting a little too hot on Poirier just a tad too soon. There aren't a lot of attractive underdog lines on this card, so this one will have to do. The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Velasquez + Henderson + Johnson + Yamamoto Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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“Cardio is something I’ve always used my entire life to push the pace and get the upper hand. Ever since I was back in junior high wrestling I knew I was in better shape than the other kids. You might be better than me, you might be faster, you might be stronger, you might have better technique, but guess what, I’m gonna keep pushing the pace and I’m gonna go until you break.”Sounds like something that would come out of the mouth of Clay Guida. But it’s not. Instead, the man speaking those words is Guida’s opponent this Saturday night in Anaheim, lightweight contender Benson Henderson. And given the dedication both men have shown to being tougher, meaner, more aggressive, and in better shape than their opponents, the anticipation for their bout is pretty high. That’s not even counting for the fact that the two have won a combined 19 of their last 22 fights, making this a pivotal one in terms of finding the next challenger for UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.But a title shot is something that’s on the horizon for these two 155-pound standouts. The only thing that matters right now is Saturday and a fight that is expected to be an old-fashioned 15 minute war with enough sweat, spit, and hair flying around that ringsiders should be given ponchos. And that’s a night out Henderson will never turn down.“I’m gonna continue doing the exact same thing I always do,” he said. “Clay has good cardio, we all know that and we’ve seen him go for a long time, but my goal, as in every fight, is to break him, to make him so tired that he just wants to get out of there.”On the other side of the Octagon, Guida has gone on record in the past saying that his goal isn’t to break his opponents, but to make them miserable. Henderson can appreciate that sentiment, but he’s sticking to his guns.“My goal isn’t to make people miserable, my goal is to mentally and physically break them,” he reiterates. “I want you so tired that there’s no way you can keep going. Let’s see who can go longer. Let’s turn the treadmill all the way up to the highest level and see who steps off first. Let’s put some burning coals in our hands and see who lets go first. It’s not gonna be me.”Those are fighting words, and as laid-back and affable as Henderson and Guida are outside of competition, when the bell rings, they’re as ferocious as fighters come. And while that’s been Guida’s reputation for years, it’s only now that Henderson is getting that same kind of respect from casual fans. Of course the diehards know “Smooth” from his days tearing through the WEC lightweight division, but it’s only been in 2011 that the rest of the world has gotten a dose of the cool contender from Arizona. So how’s it feel to be the “new” guy?“I get that quite a bit and it’s fine by me,” he laughs. “I understand and it’s no big deal.”Maybe it’s because the 27-year old doesn’t get rattled by too much, if anything, or because with a body of work that includes a WEC championship and wins over Donald Cerrone (twice), Anthony Njokuani, Shane Roller, and Jamie Varner, he really doesn’t have anything to prove. Yet even with a stellar reputation in hand as he entered the UFC earlier this year, Henderson fought like he had a point to make in the Octagon, first decisioning Mark Bocek in April, and then snapping Jim Miller’s seven fight win streak in August with an emphatic three round win. And now he’s got Guida and the opportunity to cement his place in line for a shot at Edgar, who successfully defended his crown for the third time in October with a knockout of longtime rival Gray Maynard.“The Frankie-Gray fight was awesome,” said Henderson of the third bout between the two. “It was a quality, entertaining fight fought at a high pace, and man, what a chin by Frankie. He showed the true heart of a champion and he’s definitely one of the most underrated belt holders in the UFC. It was a heckuva fight and what more can you say that hasn’t been said already? Great job by Frankie and Gray, and it was a thoroughly entertaining fight.”Now it’s Henderson’s turn, and to get ready for 15 minutes in hell with Guida, he’s enlisted his usual group at the Lab in Glendale, and just as in the aftermath of his win over Miller, he’s not shy about singing the praises of training partners like UFC vet Efrain Escudero, Chris Gruetzemacher, and Yaotzin Meza, among others, all of whom he would like to see join him in the big show.“These guys are my brothers,” said Henderson, “and we literally beat each other up every day, we make each other bleed, and it’s not easy. Practices are as tough for me as it is for them and I know everything they go through and how much work they’re putting in, and they know how much hard work I’m putting in. They sacrifice a lot for me and I sacrifice a lot for them, and I was there once. I wasn’t making any money, it was hard to find fights when you have a good name and a good record but you’re not quite at the UFC level, and I see my guys struggling and having a hard time, and I know how hard they work, and I want good things for them too. And they’re ready for it. I want them to just get a chance, and I’m pretty darn sure people are gonna get wowed by what my boys can do.”How many athletes, regardless of sport, are going to take their time in the spotlight and shine it on someone else? Not many. But that’s just who Henderson is, and he hasn’t let the bright lights change who he is. And while the free time he used to have isn’t as abundant as it was before as he’s raised his profile in the fight game, he’s not complaining. For him, it’s just part of the job.“Whether you’re fighting in front of a hundred people in your first couple amateur shows or when you’re fighting for UFC titles, how you prepare should be the same always,” he said. “As far as the media and the interviews, and doing this or doing that, that’s the biggest difference. It’s all a juggling act and you have to be able to balance. NBA players do it, NFL players do it, tennis players have to do the same thing, and you have to be able to juggle all those balls at the same time – training, preparing, making sure you’re eating the right foods and getting enough time to sleep, making sure you’re taking enough time for interviews and to knock everything out.”That’s a true professional right there, but the great thing about Henderson is that he hasn’t taken to talking in clichés and he hasn’t lost his passion for the sport. If anything, getting closer to a shot at the UFC title has only amped him up even more. So, is he starting to take a quick glance at what may lie ahead for him in 2012? You’ll like the answer, because it shows a fighter thinking not about autograph sessions or the next car he’s going to buy, but about his legacy.“I do keep an eye on the division and see how guys are going and how they’re progressing, but as far as matchup wise, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I literally want to have the belt and defend it 20 times. I want to fight everybody in the division. If you’re at 155 after I have the belt, trust me, you’re gonna get your shot, because they’re gonna run out of people to throw at me. I want to run through this division, I want to defeat everybody, and I don’t want to look too far ahead, but that’s the goal.”Sounds like some Joe Louis stuff right there.“I want to be the best MMA fighter of all-time, hands down, no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” said Henderson. “That’s my goal, that’s what I want to do.”

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Ben Henderson knows what being in the spotlight can do for you as a fighter, as he was a champion in the WEC and was featured in several main events on the Versus Network. Now, with a fight against Clay Guida scheduled for this Saturday’s UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos card, Henderson has come to grips with not being part of the television show. The fight, which could decide the next contender to UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar, will be streamed live on Facebook and FOXSports.com. Henderson is riding a two-fight win streak since dropping his WEC title to Anthony Pettis. He stopped Jim Miller recently, sending himself right back into title contention by knocking Miller out of the top spot. Guida has won four consecutive bouts, including a victory over Pettis. “It’s just the next step up the ladder. I don’t really care who I fight,” said Henderson, in a recent interview with USA Today. “I like all the guys in the UFC. They’re all nice, good guys, so I don’t really want to call anybody out; I’m not that kind of guy. But I do want to further my career. I want to take the right steps going up the ladder to get to the title shot.” “Bendo”, who admits he would make a terrible matchmaker, does believe that the winner of his fight with Guida deserves to be the top contender at 155 pounds. “Makes sense to me. Clay’s on a big fight win streak. There’s a lot of rumors about our fight being a title contentionship and all that stuff,” Henderson said. “I only have two wins so far in the UFC, but both wins (were) over quality opponents. The one win was over who Dana White said was for sure, in fact, the No. 1 contender (Miller) if he had gotten past me. If I were to hear that Clay or I – the winner of us; after I beat Clay – get a title shot, I wouldn’t be too surprised about that.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, henderson, clay

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UFC veterans Clay Guida and Ben Henderson couldn't have been pleased with the UFC's newest television partner, Fox, last week when it was confirmed by UFC President Dana White that their lightweight battle wouldn't make the network broadcast on Saturday's inaugural UFC on Fox card. Guida spoke publicly about the situation a couple of days later, stating the snub has motivated him even more. Henderson said he was "a little bit bummed out" by the news, but ultimately came to the conclusion that winning is the only thing that matters. At this point in the storyline, Henderson has the right attitude in this unique situation. There isn't anything anyone can tell either fighter that will alleviate the disappointment of being denied access to the grand stage. Their highly-relevant showdown could determine the next title challenger in the UFC's lightweight division, yet through bad decision-making -- it's been shrouded in darkness. Unfortunately, the assumption that the fight's outcome will determine who fights Frankie Edgar next was premature, and the UFC's inability to sell this fight to Fox executives almost assures it won't happen in the near future. When's the last time the UFC determined contention from a bout that wasn't featured on the main card of a pay-per-view or a free event? Start digging. The strongest argument against my point is that the UFC's lightweight division doesn't have any opponents ready to step up to fight the winner of Guida vs. Henderson. Jim Miller, Melvin Guillard, and Anthony Pettis were derailed in their progression toward the top, leaving the winner of Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone at UFC 141 as the most logical choice.  Interestingly enough, Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez has been heavily rumored to be on the slate to make the transition to the UFC after his title defense against Jorge Masvidal on December 17 in San Diego. If Melendez retains his title, which most fans expect, there's a very good chance he puts himself into immediate title contention for the UFC strap. Why not pit him against the winner of Guida vs. Henderson? Of course, that suggestion hinges on what the UFC plans to do with Strikeforce. Will they keep Melendez as the Strikeforce lightweight champion if Zuffa keeps Strikeforce around? I imagine Melendez wouldn't be happy with the situation, and I struggle to see the value in keeping Strikeforce around without a change in the organization's goal. That's an argument for another day though. Exposure is one of the keys to selling a title fight, and Guida vs. Henderson doesn't fit the formula if it's headlining the preliminary card on Facebook. When the UFC tries to sell a title fight off a dark match, it's going to cause a lot of blank stares and shoulder shrugs from casual fans who have no idea how the fight came to fruition. It's especially grim for a guy like Ben Henderson, who still isn't well-known by the UFC's casual fanbase. Last week's news, in my mind, adds another step to the stairwell. The UFC must create a match-up that's promoted correctly and pushed as the #1 lightweight contender bout to fans. It makes too much sense, especially if we consider how poorly the division's upper-echelon has done in drawing in fans. My prediction? Guida vs. Henderson winner vs. Gilbert Melendez in early 2012. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

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UFC on FOX, party of two, your time slot is now available... Despite a stellar preliminary card, the UFC on FOX network television event, scheduled for Saturday night (Nov. 12, 2011), in Anaheim, California, will only feature two fighters during the hour-long broadcast: Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. That doesn't mater to Ben Henderson. While he was initially "bummed" about being relegated to the Facebook and FoxSports.com live video stream for this weekend's extravaganza, "Bendo" quickly realized that beating Clay Guida is the only thing that matters, not how many people get to watch him do it. The former WEC lightweight champion elaborates to USA Today: "When I heard that, to be honest, I was a little bit sad about that, a little bit bummed out. (But) the more I thought about it, I was able to settle myself down. … Being on Fox or Facebook or Foxsports.com of Spike TV or Versus or pay-per-view, it all doesn't really matter; what matters is you winning, you getting your hand raised.Clay's on a big fight win streak," Henderson says. "I only have two wins so far in the UFC, but both wins over quality opponents. … If I were to hear that Clay or I -- the winner of us; after I beat Clay -- get a title shot, I wouldn't be too surprised about that." Henderson recently derailed the Jim Miller hype train and spoiled his title plans by dominating him at UFC on Versus 5 to secure a lopsided unanimous decision victory. With Melvin Guillard no longer in the mix and Anthony Pettis working his way back up, it's very possible the winner of Saturday's lightweight affair could be next in line for a 155-pound title shot. Unless Gilbert Melendez has something to say about it next month in Strikeforce. How about it Maniacs, anyone think the winner of Henderson vs. Guida should get an immediate title shot against division kingpin Frankie Edgar? Why or why not?

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Clay Guida could earn a lightweight title shot if he beats Ben Henderson on Saturday at UFC on Fox 1.

Posted in: title shot, henderson, clay guida, ben henderson, guida

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Title shots, contender fights, Ben Henderson doesn't really want to think about any of that because he just wants to win, the rest will sort itself out.

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In less than one week (Nov. 12, 2011), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) unveil its premier brand of mixed martial arts (MMA) for the world to see on the FOX television network. UFC on FOX 1: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos," which will take place from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., is significant for the sport, featuring the biggest and most successful promotion putting its best foot forward to finally make it mainstream. For more than one decade, UFC has shined a bright spotlight on many of the world’s finest athletes in their respective combat disciplines. It was one core martial art, however, that rose above the rest in the early days thanks to Royce Gracie and his family's style of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Most non-fringe fans today are very well versed and informed when it comes to knowing what is happening when two combatants begin to grapple, whether it is on the feet or on the mats. However, as we usher in a new audience from the network television broadcast of the promotion's heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos on Saturday night, it is a great opportunity to take a look at some of the most often used submissions we will see executed inside the Octagon in primetime. Follow me into the extended entry below as we look at the most frequent submissions in MMA, .gifs included: Submissions can come in several ways, some quick and straight forward, while others require some set up and may be flashy. The bottom line is they almost all restrict breathing or cause pain in some limb of the body. Let's take a look at some of this Saturday’s competitor’s using several of these techniques. Fringe contender Ben Henderson will look to solidify himself atop the lightweight rankings when he faces fellow contender Clay Guida on Saturday night. Henderson is a former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion who holds several notable victories and has a knack for the grappling game as it compliments his amazing physical dexterity and flexibility. With a 14-2 record, "Smooth" has eight submission victories with half of them coming via guillotine choke. Very well rounded, Henderson is a black belt in Taekwondo, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a former NAIA Division I wrestler. Following his decision win to become the Interim WEC champion, Henderson would face the promotion's top lightweight Jamie Varner. Varner, a fellow wrestler and outstanding grappler, would offer Henderson his stiffest test up to that point in his young career. Henderson passed with flying colors.     Varner would eat a very powerful knee to the abdomen as he shot in for a takedown, which allowed Henderson to use his powerful base and balance to remain upright. As Varner drove Henderson backward, he left his head and neck in a position where Henderson could slip his left arm underneath the neck of "C-4." Henderson immediately jumped on the opportunity … literally. As he got his left arm underneath the chin of Varner, Henderson clutched the free hand, which was coming over and through the arm pit, making this choke an "Arm-In Guillotine" (To read up on this choke in depth click here), meaning the arm of Varner was stuck within the clutch Henderson had between his hands. Henderson would jump onto Varner, establishing a standing guard position as he wrapped his legs around the body, which made it more difficult to escape since a slam would land Varner in the same position. The choke itself is very useful when facing wrestlers, as the guillotine is often available on wrestler’s who shoot in for takedowns. It is also very fight-altering because the choke -- even if it isn’t finished -- saps loads of energy from the lungs of the opponent. Before the main event on the broadcast on Saturday night, an upcoming prospect, Pablo Garza, will look to keep his perfect record (3-0) under the sport's brightest lights intact with his return to the Octagon against fellow prospect Dustin Poirier. On the heels of a highlight worthy submission, Garza could very well duplicate the wizardry he showed in his last bout. Just like fellow UFC on FOX participant Ben Henderson, Garza used his grappling prowess in a standing position initially. Utilizing unorthodox set ups to traditional submissions causes chaos in terms of defending because the unorthodox set up often calls for untraditional counters. This sort of technique relies on tons of athleticism, fast twitch muscle fibers and trust in your own skills. It is a high-risk, high-reward type of move and the consequences could lead to a slam and (technical) knockout. "The Scarecrow" starts with some work from within the clinch. He sees an opening with his opponent Yves Jabouin’s right arm trapped low enough to get his left leg over it and atop that shoulder. That is the key to setting up the submission hold. As Garza falls backward, he lands on his back and Jabouin is now trapped inside a triangle choke. (For more on this choke specifically click here. For more in-depth analysis on the general choke click here.) The choke itself is complicated -- the pressure applied by the left leg over the neck of Jabouin and the free leg is locked in over the ankle in the crevice of the knee. This pressure causes Jabouin to essentially choke himself with his trapped arm/shoulder. While locking in the choke, Garza reaches under Jabouin’s leg to take away mobility and any opportunity to escape. The triangle choke is a favorite amongst lanky-long limbed fighters. Garza uses the surprise element of fighting to catch an opponent off guard, fighting is much like a chess match and Garza set up his "checkmate" very well. On the undercard of the UFC on FOX event, WEC veteran Mackens Semerzier will fight in second bout since the UFC absorbed the WEC promotion. He looks to stay on the winning path, a road Semerzier hasn’t walked down since upsetting highly touted Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, Wagnney Fabiano, more than two years ago. In his first fight under the UFC banner, Semerzier would impress with a dominant first round stoppage victory.   The most dominant position you can achieve in grappling is the back mount. When you are able to wrap yourself around your opponent on, while on his back, it extremely limits the options he has to offer. You won’t be able to offer any offense if at all, your defense is limited to fighting off hands and arms trying to choke and pry for arm locks. Most people choose to create a scramble, but that also is risky at several times it lands you in an even more vulnerable position. Semerzier is sitting snuggly behind opponent Alex Caceres in the .gif above, looking to find a home for the rear naked choke (For the in-depth breakdown of this choke click here). The choke will require Semerzier to get his forearm under the chin and tightly on the throat, from there that choking hand will grab onto the free hand to allow leverage and strength to take over. Semerzier places the right arm as the choking arm and connects it to his left bicep. The left hand now goes atop Caceres in a defensive posture, preventing Caceres from loosening the hold. As you can see, Semerzier also has Caceres' body controlled with his legs, too, which prevents a roll to escape the danger of the choke. Mike Pierce will rematch a former foe, Paul Bradley, in the middleweight division on the undercard alongside Semerzier. He will bring in his wrestling pedigree as he will try to once again attempt to make a run to contendership. Even though only one of his 12 wins have come by way of submission, that lone submission victory is a perfect example as to how dangerous submissions can be.   Pierce is lying in a very dominant position, with the upper body heavy on the on the body of his opponent. While his leg is stuck in a half guard, he still attacks the right arm. Arm locks that require you to stay heavy on top is a wrestler favored technique because their background really focuses on staying on top, being heavy and using their leverage to gain the advantage. With his left hand clutching the right wrist, he is attempting to execute an arm lock submission to secure victory. He has so many options at this point as he can try for a kimura or Americana (For more on those click here), but instead he opts for a straight arm bar. Pierce uses the off hand that isn’t grabbing the wrist to clutch onto his own wrist once it is snaked through under his opponents arm. That position that Pierce’s arms and hands create apply a lot of tension onto the elbow. As Pierce continues to straighten the arm and torque it outward, the consequence of not submitting will be a dislocated elbow or broken arm. He just makes a statement with an arm bar (For the breakdown on the submission click here). That is all for now fight fans. These are just several submissions we may see this Saturday on the inaugural UFC on FOX event. 

Posted in: submission, henderson, arm, hand, varner

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Clay Guida may be getting shafted a bit by it being made clear that his fight with Ben Henderson is not going to make the Fox TV broadcast no matter how quickly the bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos ends, but that isn't keeping him down. Guida knows that the Henderson fight is a huge moment in his career and he seems ready to pounce. In a recent interview with Lowkick.com, Guida made it clear that he has no plans to take Henderson lightly, and thinks a win means big things for his future: Since coming over from the WEC, Henderson has went 2-0, defeating two top contenders in Jim Miller and Mark Bocek. Are you surprised by the level of success he's found in such a short period of time? And what, if anything, do you feel Miller and/or Bocek could have done differently to change the outcome of those fights? Ben is obviously a gamer, he always comes to fight and fight hard. From what I know, he is a real good dude and respectful, so add that to an intense work ethic and that's a great recipe for success. As for the other guys, I'm sure they can tell you what they feel they should have done, that's not really something I focus on. ...[Anthony Pettis] was considered the number-one contender heading into your fight. Now that you've taken him out of the equation, Henderson has defeated Jim Miller, and Melvin Guillard recently came up short against Joe Lauzon, that pretty much leaves you and Ben as the last two contenders standing. Have you received confirmation that a win over Henderson will earn you a title shot? To me, a big win earns a title shot. I want to win big so that there is no question about my title shot. Everyone hyped Melvin Guillard as the obvious next shot, but then he lost in the first-round to Joe (Lauzon). So, I figure with a big win, then it's my turn for that title shot. It's been a long road in the UFC for Guida and the fact that he is actually primed for a title shot is somewhat surprising for those of us who remember a time when Guida was seen as little more than a very tough gatekeeper.

Posted in: title shot, title, henderson, shot, guida

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Yesterday during the UFC on Fox conference call with UFC President Dana White, champion Cain Velasquez, and challenger Junior dos Santos, news was finally released regarding the status of the main card festivities, specifically whether the one-hour special would feature more than one fight. White confirmed during the call that the special event on November 12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California would only feature the UFC heavyweight championship bout on the network broadcast, even if it only lasts thirty seconds. The news leaves the scheduled lightweight bout between former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson and UFC veteran Clay Guida out in the cold. It was originally thought that Fox executives and the UFC would find a way to include the anticipated bout on the broadcast, likely as a fill-in fight if the title bout ended quickly. Unfortunately, that won't be the case. The decision to include Henderson vs. Guida on the UFC on Fox card seemed like an obvious and brilliant move at the time. The UFC needs to build stars, and youthful fighters like Ben Henderson and Rory MacDonald were constantly brought up by fans as possible fighters the UFC could push on the platform. Henderson just so happened to wallop surging UFC veteran Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5 in August, raising his stock considerably with the win and putting himself within striking distance of the title. Now, the fight is stuck headlining the preliminary card, which won't receive the attention from casual fans it deserves. The logic behind adding Henderson vs. Guida to the UFC on Fox card in the first place reeks of poor decision making by the UFC. It's something we aren't accustomed to seeing on a regular basis, and that's likely why the UFC is one of the most successful organizations in the business. Unfortunately, this is a major slip-up. The premature move to add the fight to the UFC on Fox card makes one wonder if the UFC assumed this fight would make the broadcast because of its relevance to the division or their desire to push a guy like Henderson. Perhaps Fox said no to the request later in the ballgame, but one must wonder how the UFC didn't foresee that conclusion? If they had, Henderson vs. Guida could have served as a headliner for UFC 138 or perhaps a main card bout on UFC 139. Now, the relevant, highly-anticipated lightweight bout is relegated to the void of the Facebook preliminary card. Hardcore fans will obviously watch the fight in all its glory, but how does the UFC push the winner of this fight into contention with a performance that wasn't under the magnifying glass of casual fans? I don't think they will. Not only has the UFC squandered a great opportunity to promote both fighters, but I think the poor decision creates another layer between contention and a title shot for both men. The UFC will undoubtedly want to create buzz around any potential lightweight title fight, and that can't be done when your fight is headlining the preliminary card on Facebook. They have to make up for the lost opportunity, and pitting the winner of Henderson vs. Guida against another worthy challenger, perhaps Cerrone vs. Diaz, may be the solution for next year. The UFC made a major mistake in pushing Bendo vs. Guida to the UFC on Fox card too soon. Hoping for the possibility that the fight makes the network broadcast seems uncharacteristic of a promoter like Dana White, who has been always hesitant to confirm fights until the ink has dried on a contract. In this instance, it obviously wasn't confirmed that the fight was taking place on the UFC on Fox broadcast yet, so why was the fight scheduled to take place on the card regardless? It doesn't make any sense and that error has not only cost the UFC money, but it has wasted a golden opportunity to promote a youthful fighter like Ben Henderson.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, henderson, card

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Remember how Clay Guida, Ben Henderson and their respective managers took a big gamble in asking to fight on the UFC on FOX 1 card, hoping their fight would end up airing live on network television in millions of households? Yeah, well, they lost. In fact, they would be been better off fighting on the main card of a low-rated UFC on Versus broadcast. Reason being: Dana White confirmed on a UFC on FOX 1 conference call today that the only fight that will air on FOX on Nov. 12 is Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos, even if it “only goes 10 seconds.” That sucks for Henderson and Guida, who were hoping for the added exposure and bigger sponsorship dollars, but fans will at least have the opportunity to watch their fight if they really want to. Dana confirmed that the full 10-bout undercard will stream live on Facebook and FOX.com so you’ll be able to catch it there if your internet/computer can handle live video streaming.

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UFC 139 “Shogun vs. Henderson” takes place on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and will air live on pay-per-view at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The official UFC 139 fight card can be found in our fight cards section.

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The biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world is finally coming to San Jose, California, as UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" will invade the HP Pavilion on Nov. 19, 2011. The pay-per-view event will be headlined by a light heavyweight throwdown that could very well determine the next number one number contender to the 205-pound title, as Mauricio Rua welcomes Dan Henderson back to the Octagon. In other action, Wanderlei Silva will give it one more go against the debuting former Strikeforce champion Cung Le. The complete UFC 139 fight card is after the jump. Main event: 205 lbs.: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua Main card (pay-per-view): 185 lbs.: Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva135 lbs.: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury170 lbs.: Rick Story vs. Martin Kampmann Spike TV Prelims: 205 lbs.: Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz185 lbs.: Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman Preliminary card (may not be broadcast): 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael Dos Anjos135 lbs.: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace135 lbs.: Johnny Eduardo vs. Michael McDonald170 lbs.: Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski155 lbs.: Danny Castillo vs. Shamar Bailey For all the latest news and notes on UFC 139 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

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There's a fantastic lightweight clash pitting Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida heading to the UFC on FOX event, which serves as the promotion's network television debut on Nov. 12, 2011, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Unfortunately the outcome is unlikely to determine the next division number one contender in what is a stacked 155-pound division. That's according to UFC President Dana White, who told reporters at yesterday's UFC 137 pre-fight press conference (via MMA Fighting) that neither man is guaranteed a title shot with a win. At least, not yet. "I don't know. I have no idea. We're going to have to see what happens. I haven't even thought about it. You have to understand, the only thing I'm thinking about now is FOX. I've just got to get past this event. Everything else is taking a back seat. All the other s--- will work itself out." Henderson is fresh on the heels of derailing the Jim Miller hype train and spoiling his title plans by dominating him at UFC on Versus 5 for three whole rounds. Guida also played spoilsport to Anthony Pettis, who had actually earned himself a chance at the lightweight championship but chose to fight in lieu of waiting around. Unfortunately for "Showtime," that meant a war against the energetic caveman and "The Carpenter" used his superior wrestling to send him to the back of the line, catapulting himself to the front of it in the process. He's ripped off four wins in a row and if he makes it five at the expense of Henderson, it will become increasingly more difficult to justify not giving him a title shot. Especially with Melvin Guillard no longer "in the mix." Anyone think this one's a no-brainer? Or do we wait for the winner of Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal before committing to anything? Thoughts?

Posted in: ufc, title shot, title, fox, henderson

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