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Henderson looking at fall return, likely at 205 pounds; Babalu wants fight

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Dan Henderson is gearing up for a fall return. <em>Photo by Esther Lin/Strikeforce</em>
Dan Henderson is gearing up for a fall return. Photo by Esther Lin/Strikeforce

MMAFighting.com is reporting that former PRIDE welterweight and middleweight champion Dan Henderson is currently looking at a fall return and his management is looking to have it happen at light-heavyweight as opposed to middleweight.

(Manager Aaron) Crecy said that Henderson was more likely to fight at light-heavyweight than at middleweight, but either was possible. Strikeforce is reportedly considering a middleweight tournament that would determine the No. 1 contender to face the winner of the upcoming Tim Kennedy-Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza title fight. Henderson hasn't been suggested as a possibility, but asked if the former PRIDE two-division champ would consider it, Crecy did not dismiss it out of hand.

"I don't know that he'd be disinterested," he said. "I don't know that he'd be opposed to it. It might depend on how it was formatted, if it was spread over multiple events or all in one night. He just wants to get back in there and start moving in the direction of a title match.

"Again, he's more interested in when he's returning," he continued. "We know it will be in the fall, it's just a question of exactly when."

Renato "Babalu" Sobral wants Henderson. Sobral is coming off a win at 195 pounds against Robbie Lawler last month.

"We haven't been offered the fight but we're pushing it and hoping for it, and Dan at least in the media, has seemed agreeable to it," said Sobral's manager Richard Wilner.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has said the fight is a possibility, but has yet to make a final decision.

Wilner said Sobral is willing to fight at 195 or 205 pounds and would also be open to a move to heavyweight, but would not be going to 185 pounds unless a big opportunity presents itself because of Sobral's trouble reaching the weight.