A powerhouse wrestler, it took him a while before Dan Henderson relied in the power behind his leather to finish his fights.
Six of his first nine fights ended by decision, but after a while, the touted Olympian soon became one of the hardest-hitting men, barring any division, as he has since proved that same power across three different weight classes.
Henderson takes on fellow Pride veteran Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on November 19 as the former Strikeforce champion makes his return to the Octagon for UFC 139.
The stakes are high for Henderson, because if the Californian does prove successful in his next outing, he becomes one of the top contenders in the organization, seeking refuge in either the middleweight or light heavyweight class—pretty much, Henderson’s future is at his discretion.
He has come a long way since his debut in 1997, producing some memorable bouts with equally-memorable finishes over some of the best fighters in the world today.