It looks like former UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will be getting his wish. Multiple reports confirm that current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson and “Shogun” have verbally agreed to face one another, likely as the main event of UFC 139.
The originally penned headliner for this event, a heavyweight title match between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos, was moved to the UFC’s debut on Fox, which takes place Nov 12th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. I think it’s safe to say that this will be a fair replacement; Rua’s last 5 wins have come by knockout, whereas “Hendo’s” last 4 wins have ended in similarly decisive fashion, the most recent being a first round knock out of former Pride heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko.
Henderson’s last octagon appearance was highlighted by perhaps his most brutal finish to date over fellow TUF 9 coach Michael Bisping at UFC 100. Mauricio Rua on the other hand, is coming off a quick dispatching of Forrest Griffin in their rematch at UFC 134. A fight that has nothing but title implications written all over it, don’t expect this one to go to the judges, especially considering “Shogun’s” somewhat rocky history with them.
Speaking of title implications, UFC 139 will also feature former UFC light heavyweight champ and middleweight contender Vitor Belfort, taking on former Strikeforce middleweight kingpin Cung Le, as well as a bantamweight bout between former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber and former WEC bantamweight champ Brian Bowles. That’s a lotta (former) gold for one event, son. UFC 139 goes down November 19 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
-Danga