Tag: UFC 151

According to ESPN, Dan Henderson will attempt to wrest the 205-pound title from the grasp of Jon Jones when the pair meet in the main event of UFC 151, however, the old warhorse only accepted to fight the young phenom because believes he’ll be victorious.

“I’ll never go into a fight or accept a fight if I didn’t think I could beat the other guy up,” Henderson said.

Furthermore, contrary to the general consensus, the 41-year-old Californian denizen has no intentions of pinning all his hopes on his trademark H-Bomb to end the night’s proceedings.

His main stratagem is to win rounds. Nonetheless, if an opening occurs to detonate his famous overhand right, he’ll take full advantage of it.

“My focus is to win every round, not to land the ‘H-bomb,’” Henderson said. “I’ll make sure I win every round and if I hit him good along the way, hopefully it knocks him out.

“A lot of people who think [Jones is unbeatable] have never fought before. They see what he’s done from the outside. He’s done well with his style but I feel like he’s never fought anybody like me. [My style] really goes well against someone like him.”

Henderson is right in his assessment of “Bones” Jones with regards to some of the populace who believe he’s unbeatable—any fighter can be beaten on any given day.

However, at this moment in time, his record would suggest otherwise.

Save for the one blemish on his résumé—a disqualification for illegal use of elbows against Matt Hamill, which in all honesty should be dismissed as an aberration—the 24-year-old is unbeaten and no one thus far has even come close to tilting his coveted crown—even four former light heavyweight titlists.

To date, Jones’s (16-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) rise to the MMA summit has been meteoric. In spite of all his achievements, Henderson believes he’s somewhat wet behind the ears and still has room for improvement.

“He’s young and sloppy a little bit,” Henderson said. “He still has a lot to learn, technically.”

If Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) does upset the apple-cart and assumes the position of UFC light heavyweight champion he will have added to his already prestigious collection of belts which include the PRIDE middleweight and welterweight titles and also the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt.

And with that in mind, a title defense could be in the offing, but then there’s that small matter of getting past Jones.

“I’d like to do that but first I need to make sure I beat Jon Jones,” Henderson said.

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Seasoned campaigner Dan Henderson told Sports Illustrated that Jon Jones has never fought anyone like him and thus will prove he has what it takes to derail the young phenom when the pair go head-to-head in the main event of UFC 151.

“He’s still young and unorthodox, that’s his biggest asset, [but] he’s young and sloppy a little bit. He’s done well with his style but I feel like he’s never fought anybody like me.”

“Bones” Jones came to prominence back at UFC 128 when he decimated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to capture the 205-pound title. At 23, it also made him the youngest-ever champion in the history of the Zuffa-based promotion.

Since attaining said title, Bones has successfully and impressively defended the belt on three separate occasions against a trio of former titlists—Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Presently, Jones holds sway over his weight class with an ironclad grip rod and no one has come close to knocking him of his perch, let alone deciphering his unorthodox style of fighting.

Another puzzle facing would-be challengers is the freakishly looking 84-inch reach Jones has at his disposal—an asset he has employed with great efficacy.

Henderson, the former Strikeforce 205-pound champion, is highly aware of Jones’ advantages, but nonetheless has his own stratagem come fight night.

“I guess the difference is he’s got arms twice as long as everybody else I’ve fought,” Henderson said. “But it’s not rocket science. I’ve been doing it a while. There’s certain things I need to be careful for that he does well. I’ve just got to be aware of that, and implement what I want to do with him.”

Jones (16-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) is the bookmakers’ favorite to make it a fourth successive title defense, which leaves Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the category of underdog, a status he more than relishes.

“For me it’s about beating the top guys out there, and everybody thinks he’s unbeatable,” Henderson said. “I love having the odds not in my favor.”

When the small matter of the 17-year age gap was mentioned, the 41-year-old Henderson said, “I guess I’ll have to show him what he can look forward to.”

Henderson is also a former PRIDE middleweight and welterweight champion.

UFC 151 is scheduled for September 1, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Event Center MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For additional information, follow Nedu Obi on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com