By 
I take my MMA kind of seriously. It’s much more than just a hobby to me. I find myself thinking about it all the time, reading about it all the time, talking about it all the time, watching it all the time…
MMA bleeds over into my everyday life, too. Each week I keep my friends (some of them against their will) up to date on what’s going on in my world of MMA. I tell them what fights are happening this week or that week, where I’ll be watching the live regional fights or Pay-Per-View broadcasts, which championship belt is up for grabs, etc… Whether people are interested or not, if they are around me they will hear about MMA.
So, yesterday after I announced that Strikeforce had free televised fights on CBS this Saturday night, I was not surprised when I got an email from a casual ‘fight fan’ asking: “Hey, I thought Dan Henderson was in the UFC. When did he move to Strikeforce?”
Hmmmmm, funny you should ask…
The last time Jake Shields’ fist was raised in victory, I doubt he had any idea that the next time he walked into the cage his opponent would be Dan Henderson – the Pride Fighting Championship Middleweight & Welterweight Champion (simultaneously). Jake’s, last Strikeforce bout took place in November of 2009, just as Henderson’s UFC contract was ending and was up for renegotiation.
With a Professional MMA record of 25-7-0, Dan Henderson had always been ‘one of those fighters’ that Shields always admired. Dan had enjoyed an extensive career as a Wrestler (US Olympics, Pan Am Games, World Cup, and Grand Prix) before signing with the UFC in 1998. After 2 fights, he left the UFC and signed with Pride FC where he won 13 of his next 18 fights. When the UFC & the Fertitta Brothers (Zuffa, LLC) acquired Pride FC in 2007, Henderson began a second stint in the UFC organization. Unfortunately, as with most of the fighters who’ve transitioned in and out the UFC’s octagon, Henderson’s second stint was lackluster and unremarkable. Once his contract came close to ending, UFC brass made no secret that Henderson’s contract would not be ‘reupped’. A few words were thrown between Henderson and Dana White – next thing we know Henderson is signing a contract under Strikeforce.
Henderson signed a 4 fight, 16 month contract deal with Strikeforce in early December 2009. Originally, the word was that Henderson would fight Gegard Mousasi, Strikeforce’s current Light Heavyweight Champion but that rumor quickly died. Next, it was announced that Jake Shields would defend his Middleweight title against Henderson.
Jake has been no push over, either. With a Professional MMA record of 24-4-1, things have been going pretty good for him as he has not lost a fight since November 2005 (13 fights ago) and now holds the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship belt. The belt had been abandoned by Cung Le who had stepped down to pursue his acting career. Shields won the title in a 5 round unanimous decision match against Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller.
Of course, our story cannot be without controversy, as Shields’ performance during that title fight was considered subpar by most fans. Most felt Shields did not fight to win, but fought only enough to keep himself ‘alive’. Shields had several opportunities to finish the fight, yet took none.
At this moment, Jake Shields only has one fight remaining on his contract – his fight Saturday, April 17th 2010 – against Dan Henderson.
Rumor has it that once his contract ends, the UFC and Dana White will ‘swoop down’ and carry him off ‘into the wild blue yonder’. If that happens, Jake says he will probably settle down into the UFC’s Welterweight (170 lbs) division. He now fights at 185 which is Strikeforce’s Middleweight division. He says when he fights at 185 he doesn’t have to worry about cutting weight for fights. Obviously, his walk-around weight is very close to 185-190. With this in mind, he could most easily meet the UFC’s Welterweight requirements and fight at 170 lbs. Oh, Imagine the new competition for Georges St. Pierre in the UFC! Finally, there may be hope!
Dan Henderson has never had a problem moving back and forth between weight classes. In 2007, he became the first fighter to simultaneously hold titles in two different weight classes in a major MMA organization – Pride FC: Middleweight division (205 lbs) and Welterweight division (183 lbs). Pride FC weight classes were obviously a little different.
So for this match, here’s what I’m thinking…
Jake Shields is comfortable fighting at two different weights: 185 lbs and 170 lbs.
Dan Henderson is comfortable fighting at two different weights: 183 lbs and 205 lbs.
But, after the weigh-in’s Henderson is going to rehydrate and pack more weight than Shields. Henderson will be 200+ lbs when we see him on Saturday night.
Although we haven’t heard the trash talking we heard before Henderson’s last fight in the UFC, I have a sneaky suspicion that Henderson will be trying to ‘put the baby to sleep’ with his fist much like he did in his last fight. (Who could forget that?) What a wonderful way to welcome yourself into Strikeforce?!
I’m looking at both Shields’ and Henderson’s fight records and it’s hard to tell fight for fight who’s had the toughest competition. I really can’t decide.
I think it’s all going to come down to who ‘Brings It’ on Saturday Night.
Either way, Jake is leaving and ‘Hendo’ has come to his new home at Strikeforce. It will be the proverbial ‘Out with the Old, In with the New’ – the Changing of the Guard.
So, I wanna know: Who you got?
