Archive for the 'Dan Henderson' Category

Pictured: The poster for tonight’s event.

As Ajit promised here, here’s some more of the Total-MMA staff with their picks ahead of tonight’s fights in Hoffman Estate, IL, which goes out live on Showtime. And it’s a strong show too - lead off by a clash of PRIDE legends; as former Heavyweight champ and the man frequently mentioned as the MMA GOAT, Fedor Emelianenko, tries to get back to winning ways against the only man to hold titles in two weight classes at the same time in a major MMA promotion, Dan Henderson. But the fun doesn’t stop there folks, as a pair of Welterweight title eliminators featuring wild sluggers Paul Daley and Scott Smith pitted against hot prospects Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine round out the undercard — which also sees top Middleweights Robbie Lawler and Tim Kennedy clash. And to top it all off we have a women’s Welterweight (135lbs) title fight between Golden Glory’s Marloes Coenen and the lovely Miesha Tate. Read the rest of this entry »

A very entertaining Strikeforce shows saw Dan Henderson once again utilize his big right hand to claim yet another title. We can only be glad most of us will never be at the receiving end of that bomb. In a co-main event bout, Marloes Coenen defended her title against a surprisingly game Liz Carmouche. Other bouts saw Tim Kennedy demonstrate why being a one dimensional striker in MMA is like being a blind wide receiver in the NFL. And Jorge Masvidal shows us that he can still box in a pivotal bout with prospect Billy Evangelista.

Let’s take a closer look at the nights main event and see exactly what happened: Read the rest of this entry »

Pictured: Rafeal “Feijao” Cavalcante and Dan Henderson at the Strikeforce weigh-ins yesterday.

It’s Showtime! No, not the “It’s Showtime” kickboxing promotion in Europe — go to our good friends at Liverkick.com for great coverage of their continued success. Nope, it’s time for some title bouts for Strikeforce as Dan Henderson (who nearly stands alone as MMA’s elder statesman these days) challenges for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title against upstart champion, Rafeal “Feijao” Cavalcante, and Liz Carmouche replaces an injured Miesha Tate to challenge Marloes Coenen for the Women’s Welterweight title. Tate’s absence hurts this show but the main event still stands tall as this week’s most relevant to the world’s MMA rankings picture. No question to me what to profile as this week’s “Fight of the Week”.

But, the questions about the fight itself are many.

Can Cavalcante continue to improve? How many times will he find a way to victory before we believe he belongs with a major MMA title? What does Henderson, now approaching his 41st birthday, have left? How many times have we written that until we accept he’s ageless?

I’ll do my best to answer…

Read the rest of this entry »

Pictured: Pat Healy hands Lyle Beerbohm his first loss via Unanimous Decision.

Strikeforce challengers 14 took place last Saturday in the Cedar Park Center in Texas, and was action packed. Out of the 5 main card bouts, 4 fights ended in submission and only the exciting main event went for the full 3 rounds.

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This Saturday, ZUFFA presents their best-ever lineup of semi-main events and undercard bouts.  UFC 88 is stacked top to bottom with compelling matchups in four weight divisions, many with title fight implications.  Though it lacks a title bout or the kind of transcendent matchup which would cap off a truly classic card, it’s a night of fights which, on paper, should not disappoint.  Our panel -

• CH: Chris Henderson
• AC: Alan Conceicao
• TH: Thomas Hackett
• DW: Dave Walsh
• LC: Lee Casebolt

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by Kendall Shields

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Would it be fair to say that Dana White is sometimes given to hyperbole? Not that you can fault him for it: the man is a promoter; he’s likely to, you know, promote. Sometimes — like when he tries to convince you, the UFC 82 Countdown viewer (watch it online in three parts), that this weekend’s Heath Herring vs. Cheick Kongo bout is indicative of how “the heavyweight division’s never been more exciting than it is right now” — you know it’s bullshit, you’re sure he knows it’s bullshit, and you’ve got to think that he knows that you know it’s bullshit. It’s really not that hard to remember more exciting times in the UFC heavyweight division. Like, say, a year ago, when Randy Couture came out of retirement to challenge Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight championship? Or when, a few months later, Couture defended it against a young challenger who had just shockingly upset a Mirko Cro Cop we all thought was still among the most dangerous fighters in the world? Or when it looked like the UFC had a legitimate shot at making a Randy Couture/Fedor Emilianenko fight a reality? It’s not that the heavyweight division is completely dead now that Couture has walked away from it — Brock Lesnar is uncommonly promising, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s submission win over Tim Sylvia was sweet relief — but to suggest that the heavyweight division has never been more exciting is obviously nonsense. You know that, Dana White knows that, but still it gets said. And again, that’s fine: promoters promote.

But in that same Countdown show, White states unequivocally that Anderson Silva is not only the top 185lbs fighter in the world, but indeed the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighter as well. This weekend’s bout between Anderson Silva and (sort of) Pride champion Dan Henderson, then, is set to determine not just the best 185 pounder in the UFC, but the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world, White tells us — he says this directly, not just by implication.

And maybe he’s right.

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 by Lee Casebolt

The Book is back, just in time for what promises to be the best title fight of 2008.

For our newer readers, The Book is Total-MMA’s scouting report on the best fighters in the world.  Later this week, the ever-demanding Jonathan Snowden will be scrutinizing Pride 183-lb champ Dan Henderson.  First, though, let’s take a look at Henderson’s opponent for this weekend, UFC and Cage Rage middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

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Total MMA Volume 2, Issue 1 - Dan Henderson (To save to your computer, right click and choose “Save link as…”)

After a brief period of inactivity, Total MMA returns with a new editorial team and a new issue to boot. Ross MacTavish no longer has time to put the newsletter together although will still be involved as a writer. In his place we welcome Jonathan Snowden who has stepped up from writer to co-editor and done a sterling job on his first issue in charge.

This issue includes…

- An extensive multi-page interview with Dan Henderson
- A look back to the Strikeforece: Shamrock vs. Baroni event
- A look back to UFC 73: Stacked
- Thoughts on Kimbo Slice’s foray into MMA
- Top twenty fighter rankings for every weight class

Whilst this issue looks back at the last month or two in MMA, the plan is for future issues to be released fortnightly and contains all the content, news and analysis from the previous fourteen days, as you’ve come to expect from Total MMA.

Feedback on this new issue is hughly encouraged and we’d love to hear what you think!