A Billing Well Earned
by Anthony Pace on Apr 16, 2010 4:28 PM EDT
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Tomorrow night, Strikeforce returns to network TV for another installment of CBS Saturday Night Fights. At the top of the card is a name long familiar to MMA fans, even during the so-called "dark days" of the sport--Dan Henderson. Henderson has been competing in the sport since 1997, following his second stint representing the United States in the Olympics as a Greco-Roman wrestler.
That same year saw the debut of Randy Couture at UFC 13. I mention Couture to illustrate how egregiously overlooked Henderson has been. Over the 13 years both men have been competing in MMA, Henderson has unquestionably amassed a more impressive record than the beloved "Captain America". He holds wins over Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera, Babalu Sobral, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort. That goes without mentioning his winning the 1998 UFC Middleweight Tournament, the 1999 RINGS King of Kings Tournament, and the 2005 PRIDE Welterweight (183lb.) Grand Prix. If Couture and BJ Penn are lauded for winning major championships in different weight classes, Henderson must be more so for holding a major title in two different weight classes at the same time (the PRIDE welterweight and middleweight titles).
People often cite age as a factor in the adoration of Randy Couture. But Henderson is no spring chicken himself; he turns 40 this year. At a time when 90% of athletes' careers are over, Henderson is a top-10 fighter in one division and maybe #2 in another.
The most obvious reason for the lack of reverence sent Hendo's way is that he spent the better part of a decade in Japan. That, however, was where the most competition and money was at the time; to hold that against him would be foolish. Henderson simply hasn't had the long-term American audience Couture enjoyed for ten years.
His epic knockout of Michael Bisping at the landmark UFC 100, preceeded by a spot coaching The Ultimate Fighter, went a long way toward connecting the American audience to Hendo's legacy. But it will be some time around 10:20 pm tomorrow night when Dan Henderson's battered, rearranged, snaggle-toothed face appears on CBS, marking the over-due culmination of a long journey to American recognition of one of the sport's all-time greats.
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Yep
I’m a firm believer that Hendo should be more heralded than Couture.
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I really hope someone makes the case for Couture here, just to have the opposing view-point. It’d be a good debate, but I’m firmly in the Hendo camp, too.
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Apr 16, 2010 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Come on Couture huggers
I know you are out there!!!
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Coture has fought every bit of comp Hendo has, fuck let them fight
ALL YOU COUTURE HATERS CAN GO TO HELL! HE ONLY LOST TO ONE NOGUEIRA NOT BOTH AND HE BEAT VITOR TWICE CAN HEDO SAY THAT NO I DON’T THINK SO! DOES HENDO HOLD VICTORY’S OVER MIKE VAN ARSDALE AND TONY HALME I DONT THINK SO! AND COUTURE IS WAY PRETTIER THAN HENDO! I hope that will suffice it’s all I got.
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 4:52 PM EDT reply actions
i think i got the gist of his message...
LoL
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Apr 16, 2010 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I said I'm a bigger fan of Couture but Hendo is the man nobody can argue otherwise
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 4:57 PM EDT reply actions
lol
i was picking at you typing in all caps…..all caps=you were screaming online….
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I understood I was just replying to sound like a fool
The all caps thing is yelling is something I just recently figured out I thought now was a great to use what I had learned. And RNP anything involving Vegeta kicking some ass gets rec’d
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions
haha, a job well done so
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Apr 16, 2010 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
do you just have all this shit ready and waiting?
Your like the James Bond of gifs and pictures. So when does Hurling season start?
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions
haha
i’d be lying if i said i didnt have a library to pull from. i guess its a pet hobby of sorts, i just get a kick out of breaking up the monotony of text with a few visuals for purposes purely of banter (",)
So when does Hurling season start?
The League is just wrapping up as we speak, about 2 games precisely left in it… then we’re down to the serious shit, the stuff of men. super stoked for this years Championship, we’re going for the unheralded 5-in-a-row….i don’t even dare to dream, it’d put us in the pantheon of sporting immortality, god im getting goosebumps!!!! our quest starts the 20th June, the Championship itself starts the 23rd of May i believe…
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Apr 16, 2010 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions
And you go for Kilkenney right the old Black and gold/yellow?
When I was there they were showing it on TV in like Oct. But yes Hurling is infuckingcredible the first time I saw it I couldn’t believe what I was seeing
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Down here it's Football or nothing(obviously I'm not talking about soccer)
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions
awesome
ya the Black and Amber baby!!!!
My boy Henry’s gonna bring the Liam McCarthy (our Vince Lombardi) home to the banks of the Nore (hopefully!!!). close enough too, ya the final is usually the second weekend in september! delighted you liked it man, we love it here but i wish a more global audience could see it…i really do believe in the skillz these boys have. its phenomenal….
i love the bitta of football, i always try and at least catch the SupaBowl. its such a great sporting event, really pisses me off when when the ignorants here say its a boring game. amn i love its raw physicality, those boys be KILLING EACH OTHER. they lit like fucking wrecking balls
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Apr 16, 2010 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions
we'll continue this next week man,
I’m off work it’s miller time
by doonerthesooner on Apr 16, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
enjoy brother!
imma have what the man on the floor is having lol!
"Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive." ~ George Way
by RearNakedPoke on Apr 16, 2010 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions
The case for Couture
Couture will always be held on a higher pedestal than Henderson,for a number of reasons.
1)Couture captured gold more often than Henderson then.Couture won 5 belts in two differnt weight classes.Hendo only one one belt in two differnt weight classes,and his 183 pound belt in Pride was won with a VERY iffy decision over Murilo Bustamante.Then,in his next fight at that weight class,he lost in a non-title fight to Misaki.That didn’t look so good.
2)Couture beat a who’s who of the best in the world,across weight classes.It doesn’t look so great now,but beating Mo Smith,Vitor Belfort,Kevin Randleman,Pedro Rizzo,Chuck Liddell,and Tito Ortiz back in the day was a BIG deal.This was back when these guys were the elite of the elite.What was an even bigger deal,was Couture wasn’t given a popcorn fart’s chance in hell against any of them.And he beat em all.
3)For the vast majority of Henderson’s career,he was a John Fitch type character.Most of his fights were incredibly dull,and went to decisions.NOBODY wanted to see his fights.There’s a reason why people still jokingly call him “Decision Dan”.And a lot of the decisions he won were iffy,at best.To say his wins over Ninja Rua and Yuki Kondo were robberies wouldn’t exactly be an overstatement.
I love Dan Henderson,both as a fighter and as a person.But to say he’s accomplished more than Randy Couture in his career is just rubbish.And trying to point to his “win” over Minotaruo is utter horse crap.Have you ever watched that fight?Go watch it,then come back and tell me Henderson won.That was under Rings rules with typicaly horrible Rings judging.Just like when Dan “won” against Babalu when his fight when his fight went to a draw on two of the three score cards.They didn’t want to go to an extension round,so they just declared Dan the winner.Pretty much a typical Dan Henderson fight from back in the day,and how he got the nickname.
Check out my MMA highlight videos!
http://www.dailymotion.com/WheelchairBandit
Allow me to correct myself
Dan went 1-1 with Misaki in non-title fights after the Bustamante fight.
Check out my MMA highlight videos!
http://www.dailymotion.com/WheelchairBandit
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