Dan Henderson: The Bobby Hull of MMA

Dan Henderson is the Mixed Martial Arts version of Bobby Hull.

For those unfamiliar with the career and biography of "The Golden Jet," Hull was one of the NHL's preeminant stars, sniping goals from the left wing for the Chicago Blackhawks in larger quantities than anyone before him, including Maurice "The Rocket" Richard.

But in 1972, Hull grew unhappy with being chronically underpaid and threatened to sign with the upstart WHL. Even though his contract demands seem unreasonable, the owners banded together, came up with the money and landed one of the marquee names in the sport to help sell their brand.

Dan Henderson is Strikeforce's version of Bobby Hull.

Sure they already have the consensus top heavyweight the sport has to offer in Fedor Emelianenko, but ask anyone invested in the Mixed Martial Arts industry and they'll confirm for you that Joe Smith in Springfield has no idea who "The Last Emperor" is and therefore, his value is somewhat limited.

But thanks to The Ultimate Fighter, even the most casual of MMA fans is fully aware of Dan Henderson, even if only in his capacity as the coach of Team USA in their battle against Team UK.

While Strikeforce has been busy assembling a talented roster, including their recent signing of DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix champion Marius Zaromskis, having a stable full of unknown talents isn't going to convince the average fan to tune in to Showtime.

Though names like Emelianenko, Mousasi and Shields may be the true mark of talent in the organization, Henderson is without question the biggest name outside of the hardcore fans. He is a fighter that people who spend minimal amount of time reading blogs like this can name and a recognizable addition that could bring new fans to the growing organization.

At this stage in their development - and Strikeforce is still very much in the developmental stage and not yet near equal footing with the monolith that is the UFC - acquiring names to attract fans is part of the plan. Why else do you think the UFC was signing everyone under the sun over the summer? It sure wasn't to capitalize on all the Phil Baroni merchandise sales...

But now, the UFC is taking an undoubtedly well-calculated risk, as fellow Bleacher Report writer Darren Wong accurately broke down in his most recent effort. For them, Henderson is not worth the large financial commitment he is seeking, as despite his name recognition, he is not a major PPV draw.

With Henderson, Strikeforce gains the one thing they need most right now: a recognizable name that can draw the attention of casual MMA fans away from the UFC vacuum. Once you're watching, the even more talented members of the roster have the capability to captivate you.

Henderson wasn't heading into this round of contract negotiations with the intention of becoming the MMA version of Bobby Hull. Up until ten days ago, he still believed a deal could be worked out with the UFC and a change of address would not be necessary.

Bobby Hull probably thought the same thing when he told the Chicago Blackhawks he would leave if they didn't pay him what he thought he was worth.

But "The Golden Jet" flew to Winnipeg, bringing name recognition to the otherwise unknown World Hockey Association.

Can Dan Henderson do the same for Strikeforce?


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Rated Next: Joe Warren

Welcome to Rated Next, a new segment we're trying out here to bring attention to fighters who may be flying under the radar of anyone outside of the hardcore set.

The fighters profiled here will be people that will soon be making a splash with the mainstream set and since I like having the upper hand and knowing about a guy before the Affliction-adorned masses start bastardizing their names, I thought I'd share them with you from time to time.

First up is Joe Warren.

It's not often that I throw my unwavering support behind a fighter who is just 2-0 and will turn 33 in 28 days, one more than it will take for me to turn 31. Send presents.

But Joe Warren is an exception to the rule; he's a former World Champion Greco-Roman wrestler who was favored for gold at the Beijing Olympics before testing positive for THC and being handed a two-year suspension.

As an aside, can someone please tell me how weed is a performance enhancer? Unless you're entering a Cheetos eating competition or a sleep challenge, you're not getting any edge from weed... at least that's what I've heard.

After missing out on the Olympics, Warren began his transition to MMA by joining forces with fellow Greco-Roman wrestling standout and Team Quest founder Dan Henderson. On March 8, 2009, Warren made his MMA debut as part of the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix against former WEC Featherweight champ Chase Beebe at DREAM 7.

When the fighters separated at the end of the first round, Warren was awarded the win after Beebe was unable to continue due to a cut above his right eye.

A little more than two months later, Warren returned to Japan and the second round of the Featherweight Grand Prix, where he would meet the returning Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. Once a consensus Top 10 Pound-for-Pound fighter, Yamamoto was coming off a layoff of over 500 days, but was still the heavy favorite, having only lost once in 19 previous fights.

As the judge's decision was read, Joe Warren's hands were raised; the American scored a Split Decision victory over his more experienced opponent and is now set for final two rounds this Tuesday where he'll once again be the underdog in his semifinal fight against Brazilian Bibiano Fernandes (5-2).

To put Warren's accomplishments into perspective a little, the first two victories of his career came over figthers with a combined record of 29-4 with one No Contest prior to having faced the former Michigan Wolverine.

Even if he doesn't emerge victorious in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Warren's star is certainly on the rise and he will be a fighter you hear a lot about in the coming months.

Just as Gegard Mousasi came out of nowhere to become a critic's darling and now full-fledged superstar after winning the 2008 Middleweight Grand Prix, a continued Cinderella performance and tournament victory would do the same for Warren.

Win or lose, Joe Warren is Rated Next.

(picture courtesy of Sherdog.com)
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The Under-Appreciated Superstar

How can a fighter with a professional record of 27-4 who has headlined three fight cards in the last eight months and is a former middleweight champion be under-appreciated?

By being Rich Franklin.

One of the early faces of the UFC, the former math teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio has become an afterthought when discussions turn to the premier fighters in the sport today.

Fans are quick to call out his two devastating defeats at the hands, well, knees of Anderson Silva, as if Franklin's fate was somehow different than the other eight men who have stood before "The Spider" and came away with nothing.

Knowing that a third fight against the dominant middleweight ruler was less than likely to materialize, Franklin set his sights on the light heavyweight division. Since that time, all Franklin has done is whatever the UFC has asked of him, including headlining UFC 93 and 99 earlier this year.

Saturday, he steps into another catchweight fight against another dangerous opponent, the returning "Phenom" Vitor Belfort. While some consider Franklin a gatekeeper to fighters looking to earn instant opportunities in the middleweight division, I call him a consummate professional who is grossly undervalued.

Think about it: his four losses are to Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida. Two of those men are currently the undisputed kings of their divisions, while Henderson was the first man to simultaneous hold titles in two different weight classes.

Their combined record is 65-11.

How do you fault a man for suffering defeats to three of the greatest champions the sport has ever seen?

Say what you will about Franklin being unable to win the big fights against the big names, but no one has been able to beat Machida at all, Silva has barely been challenged under the UFC banner and both of Henderson's UFC losses came in title fights, including one against Anderson Silva.

Yet somehow Rich Franklin has become this middle-of-the-road fighter unworthy of another title shot to some?

A loss to Lyoto Machida six years ago should not preclude Franklin from another opportunity, and a case could be made for a win here catapulting "Ace" into a title fight early next year.

Machida makes his first title defense next month against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and should emerge victorious. Honestly, can you see the guy who gassed against Mark Coleman come away with a win over the undefeated, almost untouchable champion? Me neither.

But who would be next in line?

Anderson Silva has stated on numerous occasions that he has no interest in fighting his friend and teammate, Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans have a score to settle once Jackson is done channeling his inner Mr. T and the rest of the potential contenders within the division are all locked up for the foreseeable future.

Add the UFC's need to find a suitable main event for the year-end Ultimate 2009 card (UFC 109) scheduled for January 2 at the MGM Grand and you have a tailor-made opening for Franklin to receive a title shot in a highly marketable main event against Machida.

Regardless of what happens in the future, both next year and tomorrow night, Rich Franklin is a consummate professional and a world class fighter.

Here's hoping some people start to remember that.

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Fighter Safety Falls on Everyone

Yesterday, we discussed the Yves Lavigne fallout from UFC 102 and the precarious position that referees are in when officiating MMA bouts.

One very interesting thought that came to me at the close of yesterday's article was the strange double standard in place where referees are criticized for their action or in-action, while fighters are praised for fighting until the bell, even when that means throwing an unnecessary blow or two.

The question for today is: Shouldn't fighter safety fall on everyone, the fighters included?

Much to my friend and colleague Katrina Belcher's dismay, I once again turn to the Dan Henderson's fight against Michael Bisping at UFC 100 to begin this discussion.

By now everyone has seen the clips and heard the comments; Hendo landed a deadly right hand to Bisping's jaw, knocking him out cold before following his fallen opponent to the mat with an additional forearm to the head.

While many will say that fighters are taught to keep going until the ref stops you, and cite things like football where you "play to the whistle," Henderson himself admitted that it was an unnecessary blow, intended "to shut him up."

Conversely, UFC 102 gave us a terrific example of restraint and intelligence in the form of Nathan Marquardt.

Just 20 seconds into his fight with Demian Maia, the former King of Pancrase landed a deadly right hand that sent the jiu jitsu ace spinning in the air before crashing to the mat face-first. Marquardt stood over his opponent, fist clenched, ready to deliver another blow, but stopped himself.

Some have called this a mistake, saying Marquardt would look like a fool if Demian Maia had rolled into a kneebar and ended the fight.

Exactly how many times have we seen fighters get drilled in the jaw, spin in the air, land on their head and roll into a kneebar to end a fight?

Marquardt knew his opponent was finished and saw no reason to inflict more punishment and should be applauded for his class, restraints and protecting his fellow fighter.

We criticize the referees when fights go on too long, shouting about fighter safety, but disregard that same stance when we think fights are stopped too early.

And why is fighter safety the sole responsibility of the referee?

Each man or woman who takes that ring should have concern for the other people in the ring, and for the most part they do.

That is why you see the victor go over and check on their fallen opponent more often than not, and why restraint like Nate Marquardt showed should be applauded.

Delivering another strike to a clearly dazed Maia wouldn't have changed the outcome of the fight; Maia was already out and Marquardt knew that, so why throw another punch just because the referee hasn't jumped in front of you?

Dan Henderson has been fighting long enough to know that he can knock people out with his right hand.

Everyone watching that fight knew Dan Henderson could knock people out with his right hand, except for maybe Michael Bisping.

So when Hendo connected and Bisping fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, the former Pride champion should be acutely aware that his British counterpart wasn't going to get back up.

While the referee may not have been in position to "save" Bisping at that time, a small part of Henderson should also be thinking about saving Bisping from any further injury, not landing one more shot to shut him up.

Though clearly within the rules, Henderson himself later acknowledged it was not needed, cutting the legs out from under anyone who wants to argue differently, though I know you still will... and I like that.

Matt Hughes released an armbar on Royce Gracie back when they met at UFC 60, knowing Gracie would not tap and he would have to break the legend's arm. He still went on to win the fight in dominant fashion, and Gracie had use of both arms.

Matt Brown looked at Lavigne in amazement when his fight with Pete Sell wasn't initially stopped, knowing Sell was done and not seeing any reason to continue the beatdown.

In both these instances, the fighters showed care for the safety and well-being of their opponent and it didn't diminish their performance one bit.

Additionally, there is a great difference between a hurt opponent and a beaten opponent.

Scott Smith was hurt when Pete Sell drilled him in the ribs; he wasn't on the mat, he wasn't verbally submitting. He was buckled over in pain and went right back to that position after dropping Sell with a now legendary right.

In his UFC 101 match against Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin was beaten and looked out for his own safety by tapping.

While some speak ill of tapping as if it is a sign of weakness, Griffin knew he was done and didn't want to take any more punishment. You can call him whatever names you want for tapping; I applaud him for knowing when he'd had enough and protecting himself accordingly.

Chris Leben should have taken the same route on Saturday night, knowing Jake Rosholt's arm triangle was tight and he wasn't going to escape. But Leben said after the fight that he'd "never tap in his hometown" or something along those lines.

Apparently getting choked unconscious and convulsing on the canvas is more noble than admitting defeat and protecting yourself.

There is no question that referees have to act in the best interest of the fighters and have their safety as their primary concern.

But the onus isn't just on them.

The fighters need to protect themselves, and their opponents.

Maybe that's why they always seem to say that when fighters meet in the center of the ring...


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10 Things I Learned Last Night

Sundays at my personal blog I Blog Because I Can have been dedicated to a little something I've called 10 Things I Learned This Week for almost two years.

With last night's historic UFC 100 and all the headlines and stories to come from that show, I thought today would be a good day to bring 10 Things to Keyboard Kimura because honestly, last night offered up a lot to digest.

1. Welcome to the Brock Lesnar Era
When Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans, everyone started speculating about how long Machida would reign atop the light heavyweight division. My prediction is that it won't be as long as Brock Lesnar dominates the heavyweight landscape.

There isn't another heavyweight on the scene with the speed / power combination of Lesnar and it was very apparent that Lesnar is continuing to pick up the nuances of Mixed Martial Arts at a rapid pace. As he keeps learning, his freakish athleticism and brute strength will only become more dangerous and that is bad news for everyone in the heavyweight division.

2. Georges St-Pierre is the Best in the World
Not just in the UFC and not just at 170 pounds. He is the best in the world, period. Now, I've been saying this for some time, as GSP has sat atop my Pound for Pound rankings for a while, but last night should have solidified that for everyone.

Once again, St-Pierre spent five rounds picking apart an incredibly talented opponent, making Thiago Alves look entirely overmatched. The question that immediately comes up is where does "Rush" do next? First and foremost, he rests the pulled groin he sustained, but then who knows. A superfight with Anderson Silva would have to be at least a year away, as stepping up to 185 would take St-Pierre adding more muscle to his frame and you don't do that overnight.

3. Hey Bisping - How's the Crow?
I'm all for pre-fight hype and smack talk, but there are some times when you just need to be careful what you say. Michael Bisping learned that lesson in a big, big way last night.

Looking up at the lights, birds circling his head, I wonder if he was reconsidering all the junk he talked about Dan Henderson and how he was going to prove himself as the #1 contender at 185. What he proved was that he doesn't adapt properly in the cage, circling into Hendo's big right hand and that he needs to shut his yap and keep training, not to mention beating someone above the talent level of Chris Leben before talking about a title shot.

4. Another Tough Decision
Judging can certainly go either way and things like this are going to keep happening in fights that are as back and forth as the Akiyama - Belcher tilt was, but I'm sorry, how did one judge give Akiyama a 30-27 score?

29-28 I would buy, but when one judge has it 29-28 Belcher, having another score it 30-27 for the other guy only highlights that we're still missing something in the judging department of Mixed Martial Arts.

5. You're Lucky You Were on The Ultimate Fighter
If Stephan Bonnar wasn't Stephan Bonnar, I'd be wishing him luck outside of the UFC right about now. That being said, he was the losing half of the Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finale and Dana White is loyal to the guys who helped him get to where he is (save for Tito), so I doubt he's done.

But he should be. When I questioned what would happen if Bonnar lost to Mark Coleman, I never thought I would actually have to think about it again, but Coleman pulled out decision and now Bonnar is back to the drawing board.

6. Speaking of Ultimate Fighters
I think Mac Danzig might be the first Ultimate Fighter winner to get released from the UFC.

He's now lost three straight and is clearly nothing more than a middle of the pack lightweight. With the way the division is continuing to improve and despite solid performances in a losing effort in each of those bouts, the UFC has shown that three straight losses is usually the breaking point.

7. We're Movin' On Up... A Little
UFC 100 was the cover story on the websites of both ESPN and Sports Illustrated for the bulk of the day yesterday and through the early part of this morning, giving the sport the major media attention it rightfully deserves.

However, let's not go patting ourselves on the back just yet. It's not like there is a whole lot of options out there right now, so being the lead story in a quiet week is one thing. The trick is to be the lead story each and every time a major card comes around. Let's see how everyone handles UFC 101 before we start proclaiming victory over the mainstream.

8. Paulo Thiago is Better Than I Thought
I know he lost, but I thought the guy was going to get flattened. Instead, he fought a very solid fight against Jon Fitch and that deserves at hat tip in my books.

He's still raw, but the talent is there. As Ficth said on the MMA Live post-fight show, he's big and long and uses that to his advantage, like securing a guillotine attempt in the first round. Give him a little more seasoning and some time working on his wrestling and we might have ourselves another contender at 170.

9. I'm Back!
After struggling mightily in the prediction department as of late, last night yielded an 8-3 performance to give me some breathing room, taking me to seven wins to the happy side of .500.

August will be the real benchmark of my handicapping skills, with both UFC 101 and 102, Affliction's third show, WEC 42 and the Strikeforce card at MSG with Carano vs. Cyborg as the headliner on tap.

10. Let the Fedor Watch Begin
It's going to happen. The only question is when?

When asked who he sees as a future opponent, Lesnar immediately said Fedor. We all know that the fans want to see it and, despite the smack he's talked about him in the past, Dana White knows that Fedor to the UFC - especially to fight Lesnar - would be MASSIVE and massive equals piles and piles of money to roll around in.

Expect the full-court press to begin as soon as "The Last Emperor" disposes of Josh Barnett at Affliction: Trilogy.


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FWP: Henderson vs. Bisping

Man an I dying to see this fight go down!

Not only because of the well-edited, Reality TV created heat between these two, but because this fight will answer a number of questions, including what happens next in the UFC Middleweight division.

Where does Dan Henderson stand with a win?
Does Bisping earn a title shot at UFC 105 in London if he comes out victorious?
Is Bisping really a top contender in the division or has he simply looked good against lesser opponents?
What does Henderson have left in the tank?

Let's break it down, shall we?

Dan Henderson (24-7-0) vs. Michael Bisping (18-1-0)

It's finally nice to have a fight I can break down in my traditional methods, examining strength of schedule, training camps, and everything else, instead of just knowing that Jon Fitch and Yoshihiro Akiyama are going to run through their UFC 100 opponents.

In terms of training camps, as much as I like Wolfslair and the work they have done getting Rampage back on track and Bisping to this level, Henderson and the group at Team Quest get the edge here.

Most of the time, when you're the top dog of the training group, the challenges and punishment you take in getting ready for a fight isn't always top notch. Ask Matt Hughes since he left MFS. That isn't the case with Henderson and Team Quest, as Matt Lindland is just as talented and decorated a wrestler as Hendo and the number of high caliber fighters who can help him prepare dwarfs those of Wolfslair Academy.

Looking at what I call "strength of schedule" - the collection of fighters each man has faced over their careers - Henderson is the hands down winner. While Bisping's biggest challenge to date has been Rashad Evans. Henderson has gone to war with the likes of Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson, Rich Franklin and both Nogueira brothers. Advantage: Hendo, easily.

The most interesting element of this fight is the stylistic matchup, as Henderson is an Olympic level wrestler and Bisping is a boxer / kickboxer with some of the fastest hands in the division. But here is the wrinkle: Bisping and his coaches have been saying he is going to out-wrestle the wrestler. What?

Do they not remember what happened last time "The Count" stepped into the cage with a wrestler? Matt Hammil tossed him around the Octagon at will before losing a horrible decision. Not to take anything away from Matt Hammil, but he's no Dan Henderson. To me, this sounds like either (a) pre-fight hype or (b) career suicide. I'm hoping for A.

Here is what makes this fight so attractive to me:

Everything I have come up with to this point points in the direction of a Dan Henderson win. More experience, better all-around game, stronger training camp... but why can't I shake the feeling that this just might be Michael Bisping's grabbing the torch and stepping to the upper echelon of the Middleweight division?

I know none are anywhere near the level of Dan Henderson, but Bisping looked real good in destroying Charles McCarthy and Jason Day before executing a perfect game plan against Chris Leben.

He's training alongside Rampage who could certainly provide a great deal of insight into beating Dan Henderson, having done so himself in the UFC.

And it's not like Henderson has been dominating people as of late either.

Can't it be Saturday already so I can just stop going back and forth on this in my head and watch a great fight?






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Fight Week Previews: Franklin vs. Silva

Time to tackle the Main Event.

While I wouldn't call it "the match up fight fans have been waiting to see" or whatever they've billed it as in the commercials, it certainly is an interesting tilt and one that should contain some serious fireworks.

And for those saying this is a sub-par Main Event, UFC 89 (Bisping vs. Leben) and UFC 95 (Sanchez vs. Stevenson) could tell you a thing or two about being sub-par, not "Ace" and "The Axe Murderer."


Rich Franklin (26-4) versus Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1)
Let's get the training team and training partners angle out of the way right off the bat, shall we?

It certainly doesn't hurt Rich Franklin to be training with Anderson Silva, just because he's Anderson Silva. The fact that Silva has previous knowledge and experience training with Franklin's opponent is clearly a bonus.

That being said, it also pisses off "The Axe Murderer" and even the way that sentence sounds comes off a little dangerous. It's not like Wanderlei trains in solitude either. The entire Wand Fight Team lives under one roof and Silva is a true pioneer in cross-training and circuit training.

As has been the case with a lot of the main card fights, training is a wash.

Franklin and Silva share one mutual opponent: Dan Henderson. Both suffered losses to the former Pride dual champion, though Franklin came out on the wrong side of a close decision in his last fight, while Wanderlei was knocked stiff in his last Pride bout.

Though Franklin gets a slight edge from his "better" result against Hendo, Wanderlei has the stronger overall competition. Not to take anything away from the guys Rich Franklin has fought and defeated, but Wanderlei has been in the ring with some of the best when they were at their peak and came away victorious more often than not. Then again, Wanderlei has two losses in three UFC fights, while Franklin has three in four and a half years...

Stylistically, this fight is a nightmare for Wanderlei Silva. I know that sounds strange, but guys who are willing to take a couple shots to find the right counter-punching opportunity are his kryptonite. Look at the Rampage fight. Franklin is strong enough on his feet and has exhibited a strong enough chin over the years to take a couple of "The Axe Murderer's" early offerings and still move forward.

While Franklin is no slouch on the ground, perhaps this is one time that it might be beneficial for Silva to display the BJJ skills he is reputed to have. After all, you don't train with a multiple time world champion and not pick up a thing or two.

24 hours before I tell you who I like, I still don't know. This whole card has me second-guessing and over-analyzing, and those are the cards I really enjoy.

See you tomorrow for the Punch Drunk Predictions.
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