Dan Henderson är en intressant karaktär inom MMA. När hans kontrakt med UFC tog slut, så försökte han sig på att skaffa ett kontrakt som gav honom bättre betalt. UFC själva tyckte inte att han var värd den summan som han krävde, och där stannade förhandlingarna. Till slut så gick Henderson istället till Strikeforce där han fortsatt att göra sig ett namn, något som han definitivt gjorde när han vann mot Fedor Emelianenko via en TKO i slutet av juli.
Numera så äger UFCs moderbolag Zuffa även Strikeforce, vilket innebär att UFC är inne och fiskar talanger i Strikeforce. Detta tycker Henderson är alldeles utmärkt, och förväntar sig att dyka upp i UFC förr eller senare. Och går allt som det ska så planerar han att möta Anderson Silva i mellanvikt. Men det är förstås inget som är klart ännu.
Om Fedor kan återvända till sin tidigare form
“I think that he could recapture that [former glory], for sure. It takes a little bit of time once you get re-motivated. He probably took a couple years where he let the sport go past him a little bit. It’s gonna take him a little bit of time to play catch-up. I think he’s very dangerous and well-rounded and a tough guy, so I don’t see him having trouble getting back in there, no problem. I do think that his size is a little bit of…He’s right between light heavy and heavyweight and he’s a small heavyweight and he might not like to cut weight, so…we’ll see.”
Om han anser att TKO-vinsten mot Fedor kommer dyka upp på hans åstadkommanden i karriären.
“I guess as far as accomplishments go, it ranks right up there at the top. I think I just hit him right on the button. He wasn’t expecting anything at all to come from that angle and I hit him right on the chin, so I think it caught him so off guard that I think it knocked him face-first into the ground. It was something that I was definitely happy to have happen.”
Om han är besviken på att Fedor sagt att deras match stoppades för tidigt.
“I wasn’t disappointed at all [when he said the fight was stopped early]. I think at the time that the ref finally pushed me all the way off he started to kind of come to a little bit, but had the ref not gotten involved at all, he would have been knocked out. I can see his point, but it doesn’t disappoint me at all. I know the position I had him in and I know that with him falling face-first out cold for a second or two, I think the ref definitely made the right call. I just think that he should have been a little more aggressive getting me off of him.”
Om han anser att det finns några riktiga utmanare kvar för honom i Strikeforce nu när UFC tagit det dom velat.
“I definitely feel that there’s still the possibility for me to defend that belt in Strikforce, but I think now that the UFC has bought Strikeforce and they need to make money and I need to make money, so we’ll see what happens. I’d like to work out a deal where I’m fighting in both promotions.”
Om det är mer lukrativt för honom att gå matcher i UFC på grund av deras PPV-modell.
“For me it’s about the money and about the fights as well. I think both organizations definitely have the fights, but we’ll see. The pay-per-view [percentage] definitely could make a difference as well and I think either way, I’m hoping to get a pay increase after my last three fights, bt you never know.”
Var han vill gå sina matcher.
“There [are] definitely some interesting fights over there [at Strikeforce]. Obviously they’ve got a little bit more depth over at the UFC, but there [are] definitely some guys that would be a tough fight and an interesting match-up in Strikeforce. I would love to be able to defend my belt in Strikeforce and be able to go over and unify belts in the UFC and get a couple fights over there.”
Om UFCs deal med Fox.
“I think it’s great for the sport and I think, obviously Fox wouldn’t have signed such a big deal if they [didn’t know] the viewership that the UFC brings. I’m excited about it as well. For me it’s a matter of being in front of new fans.”
Om han är nära att gå en match mot Anderson Silva på Fox debutgala.
“You’d have to ask Anderson Silva’s camp, but I don’t think it was close at all because I don’t think he wants to fight me. It was something that was talked about and I said, ‘Sure, no problem. I’d do that.’ I’d cut down to 185 to fight him, but nobody else.”
Om Silva är den returmatchen han mest vill ha utav sina förluster.
“Probably. Especially the way he fights most the time. He’s disrespectful to his opponents and the fans at the same time.”
Hans relation med UFCs VD Dana White.
“I think he likes me, just because I don’t get in between him and his dinner.”
Hur han känner om sin MMA-karriär.
“I feel pretty good where I’m at. I feel I’m able to compete with anyone in the world at any weight class, especially the 135-pounders.”
Om hans karriär nu vs i Pride.
“Obviously the feeling was good back then as well, but if I compare the fighter I was then to the fighter I am now, I’m much more improved. I’ve learned, I’ve progressed with the sport and just continued to try to improve. My conditioning has been a focus in my last three fights and I think it showed.”
Hur han är hälsomässigt vid 41 års ålder.
“Good. I’ve been real smart my last few training camps and my body’s been feeling pretty good. Knowing when to kinda back off and let my body recuperate has been a huge adjustment.”
Om han är intresserad av att möta Mauricio ”Shogun” Rua.
“Yeah, I think that would be a great fight. Obviously the fight that I would want, and I think the fans would want even more, would be to see a title unification between whoever’s the UFC champ at light heavy and me. I would like for that to happen, but there’s a ton of fights over there. Shogun would be one of them. He just came off of a pretty big win and it would be something that all of the old school PRIDE fans would like to see, I’m sure.”
När han vill gå en match igen.
“Ideally, I would like to fight some time in December, even on the New Year’s Eve show would be great. But no later than that. Then again in probably February-March and again in June. I want the summers off.”
Hur det känns att vara utan ett kontrakt.
“It’s nice to not have to think about [where you’re next fight will be] and know what it is, but it’s also exciting to do that good ole’ negotiating phase and see what my next fight’s gonna be all at the same time in the negotiations. I don’t know. I’m just enjoying the moment and where I am right now.”
När han förväntar sig att ha ett kontrakt redo med Zuffa.
“I’m sure we’ll figure out a deal within the next month, two weeks. I would love to be able to fight in the UFC and defend my belt in Strikeforce.”
