Dan Henderson is currently an MMA free agent considering all his options, but his camp says he is not close to signing a deal with Strikeforce or any other promotion after his negotiations with the UFC stalled.Responding to a Yahoo Sports report that Henderson is "on the verge of signing" with Strikeforce, Henderson's friend and business partner Aaron Crecy said that wasn't the case, and that no signing with anyone is imminent.
"We had a brief get-to-know-you session with (Strikeforce) and met them for coffee, but to say he's close to signing would be a gross misrepresentation," Crecy said.
When reached by FanHouse, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said, "We've had dialogue with Dan but that's all I'd like to say."
Crecy said that Henderson wants to take his time and make sure he's making the right decision before he signs with anyone. He said Henderson has a hunting trip planned and would not make any decisions about his future before that. Henderson plans to attend the November 7 Strikeforce show in the Chicago area, but only as a guest who wants to see how the organization is run, and not as the promotion's newest fighter.
Henderson, who's coming off a knockout win over Michael Bisping at UFC 100, is widely regarded as one of the best fighters in the world at both 185 pounds and 205 pounds, and he held the Pride championships in both of those weight classes. Strikeforce doesn't have nearly the roster depth that the UFC has, but it could put him in the cage with several good opponents in either of those weight classes: Jake Shields, Jason Mayhem Miller, Cung Le, Nick Diaz, Robbie Lawler, Gegard Mousasi and Sokoudjou would all be potential opponents for Henderson.
Still, the fight Henderson really wants is a rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, and that's why Crecy stressed that Henderson is in no way closing the door on getting back into the Octagon.
"Until something is signed," Crecy said. "Nothing is ever over."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-16-2009 @ 8:17PM
dalejr8tony said...
Shows how little the people that write these things actually know. Sokoudjou trains out of Team Quest with Dan, how is he a potential opponent?
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10-16-2009 @ 8:40PM
M13 said...
It's not unusual for teammates to fight each other should they decide. Henderson can fight up to 205 too.
10-16-2009 @ 9:30PM
mike said...
Actually, it shows how little you know. Dan Henderson has said many times he'd fight anyone.
10-16-2009 @ 9:00PM
neozoo said...
i personally think hendo's best days are behind him, however, he would be a great and credible addition to sf.
sf would be stupid if they let hendo get away.
it really is a no lose situation for them.
if hendo comes in and wins they could boast how they took one of the ufc's best fighters away.
and if hendo comes in and loses, they could boast that their fighters are as good as what zuffa has to offer.
and most ufc fans (especially the casual ones) would definately follow him over just to see how he does. hendo definately has name recognition.
kudos to sf if they do.
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10-16-2009 @ 11:49PM
Barry said...
Well since he's 39 saying his best days are behind him is rather easy to assume, but maybe you should ask Michael Bisping if Dan's a has been.
10-17-2009 @ 10:54PM
johnnynumber5 said...
Are you saying his best days are behind him because he may leave the UFC? Be honest.
Are Bisping & Franklins best days behind them? Well Franklin was never that good imo and always lost when he fought someone with talent. In fact, I thought Wanderlei won that fight against Franklin and so does everyone except those 3 judges
10-18-2009 @ 11:46AM
neozoo said...
barry,
i never said he is a has been.
johnny,
it has nothing to do with whether he leaves or stays, i just think he is on his downside as far as his career goes. and yes, to me, it is his age.
i think he is just a hair off of being and beating the best as of now.
hey, i could be wrong.....he still has power, his experience level is second to none and he is as tough as they come.
and it wouldn't surprise me to see him beat anyone. except perhaps, silva.
and even that, would be more of a cool shock than actual surprise.
bisping? who knows with him, he is still young and i don't know that he has achieved his best as of yet.
franklin? i really like him alot. but, for me, unfortunately, his best days were knocked out of him by anderson silva.
vandy? his best days were knocked out of him by hendo.
it is what it is, a changing of the guard. the new breed is here.
dudes in there mid 30's are for the most part, part of the old breed.
anderson and fedor are the bridges from then to now. maybe even vitor.
guys like machida, mousasi, jon jones, lesner(and with him it is if he keeps winnig),etc...seem to be the future (new breed).
10-16-2009 @ 9:56PM
richardbikle said...
I think Hendo beats silva next time, hendo thinks he beats silva the next time, silva thinks hendo beats him the next time.
the question is will the ufc give hendo his shot.
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10-17-2009 @ 12:29AM
neozoo said...
rich,
dude, i could be wrong, but you are way off on that.
i know you saw their first fight differently than me because i didn't think it was at all close.
in my eyes, silva destroyed hendo and would have no problem doing it again.
until someone beats him, he will be considered the best p4p fighter along with fedor.
to me, saying hendo can beat him is like saying arlovski could beat fedor.
look i don't particularly like silva, but i gotta give him his due.
no one has even come close to beating him.
i mean he has destroyed everyone in both mw and lhw that he has fought.
oh well, that's just my opinion.
10-17-2009 @ 12:49AM
richardbikle said...
you're right, he's really come into his own fighting at middle weight in the ufc. hendo won the first round in my book. hendo totally gassed in the second, i think he comes ready for 5 rounds next time and beats silva.
some of silvas best stuff is his foot work and positioning. hendo can take that from him. i think hendo takes the belt from silva if vitor doesnt get silva first. vitor and hendo would be a really good fight.
10-16-2009 @ 10:41PM
itsmejwb said...
Hendo beat the face of UFC UK, and gets his promised middleweight title shot taken away by someone he has beaten before. I hope he stays with UFC, but if he goes to Strikeforce, i see him being dominant @ 185. Sokoudjou and Mayhem are his Team Quest mates, and would be interesting to see him fight either one.
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10-19-2009 @ 4:39PM
fawesome said...
Hendo could beat Silva... Hell, Ryo Chonan did beat Silva. So did Takase and Azeredo -- early in his career, but fairly early in there's so if he's as good as he is, then he was years ahead of them at the time -- and they're pretty mediocre fighters. Clearly not counting his loss against Okami.
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10-19-2009 @ 5:30PM
MidnghtRider21 said...
The only Strikeforce matches I'd want to see Hendo in are against Shields or Mousasi. Dan is at a point in his career where he only wants to fight the best, and IMO he deserves a rematch with Silva, if not for his recent victories then for the fact that he was the last reigning Middleweight+LHW champ from Pride. I would demand more money too from Zuffa if I was pushed aside from number 1 contender and had to fight to get there again. I dont know if Hendo can beat Silva but I would sure as hell would like to see it.
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