Dan Henderson once again proved that age is nothing more than a number when it comes to a person’s desire. In the main event of Saturday’s Strikeforce event, Henderson once again claimed a championship when he defeated Rafael Cavalcante in the third round of their fight. The veteran pulled out another victory that will go a long way in cementing his place among the MMA greats.
However, after watching the fight I found myself pondering a question. Does Hendo’s victory prove that he’s still near the top of the 205 food chain or does this show the overall weakness that is apparent through Strikeforce’s roster?
Let me state the disclaimer that winning a title in any professional circuit is a tough ordeal and Henderson deserves to be credited for his performance. Still, I find myself wondering if his rise through the 205 ranks is due to Strikeforce’s bare roster and its inability to create big names for itself.
At 27-8 Henderson has done a lot in mixed martial arts. From being a two title holder in Pride, to challenging for two different titles in the UFC; he’s bound to enter a hall of fame at some point in his career. But his current resume does not hold the weight of title contenders that we see in the UFC or even Bellator.
For example, Henderson was 1-1 in the organization before being tapped for a title shot. That lone victory was against Renato “Babalu” Sobral who also did not have an impressive win-loss total in the organization. His knockout victory over Sobral caused him to jump other competitors for the next title bid. Two other individuals who were given such opportunities were Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva. Silva was due to the way he dispatched Chris Leben and Lesnar due to his pure drawing ability for the organization. In my opinion, Henderson doesn’t carry the spark that either of these individuals does.
It will be interesting to see who Henderson faces next and how well he will do. Both Gegard Mousasi and Muhammed Lawal pose serious threats to take back the title they have held. Some have even clamored for a “super fight” against Fedor Emelianenko. While the third option would be a higher pay day, Henderson will have to face the contenders at one point.
While 40 may be considered the new 30, in the world of MMA age does become a factor. We will all get to see how well Henderson avoids its omnipotent reach and holds on to the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title.
