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Dan Henderson

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Dan Henderson
Born (1970-08-24) August 24, 1970 (age 56)
Downey, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler
Years active1997–2016 (MMA career)
Known forLast Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion; Pride Fighting Championships Welterweight and Middleweight Champion; UFC competitor

Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a Middleweight. He holds the distinction of being the final Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion as well as the last Welterweight and Middleweight titleholder in Pride Fighting Championships, making him Pride FC's sole double champion.

Throughout his career, Henderson secured victories in several prestigious tournaments such as Brazil Open '97, UFC 17 Middleweight, the Rings: King of Kings 1999, and the Pride Welterweight Grand Prix. He contended twice for the UFC Middleweight Championship, once for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and also for the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. Remarkably, he was the pioneering MMA fighter to hold championship belts in two major organizations simultaneously across different weight divisions. When he retired after competing at UFC 204, he was recognized as the oldest competitor on the UFC roster.

Henderson's record features wins over four PRIDE champions—Emelianenko, Nogueira, Silva, and Misaki; six UFC champions—Rua, Belfort, Bisping, Bustamante, Franklin, and Newton; two Strikeforce titleholders—Sobral and Cavalcante; one Bellator champion—Lombard; and one Pancrase champion—Kondo. According to Fight Matrix, he ranks among the top 15 greatest mixed martial artists of all time on a pound-for-pound basis.

Wrestling career

Born in Downey, California and raised in Apple Valley, California, Dan Henderson primarily competed in freestyle wrestling but gained more prominence in Greco-Roman wrestling.

He attended Victor Valley High School located in Victorville, California, where he earned medals at the California State Wrestling Championships during 1987 and 1988, including a runner-up finish in 1987. He contributed to his school's 1987 state championship wrestling team and achieved national junior titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle disciplines in 1988.

Henderson wrestled for one season each at both Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State University, qualifying for the NCAA championships in 1993. He was crowned university national champion in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1991, 1993, and 1994, while also securing senior national titles in 1993, 1994, and 1997. Representing the United States at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, he finished 10th and 12th respectively.

At the World Wrestling Championships, Henderson placed 12th in 1994 and improved to 7th place in 1997. His achievements include a bronze medal at the 1995 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2000 Pan American Championships, where he triumphed over Luis Enrique Méndez in the final match.

After failing to secure qualification for the 2000 Olympics and losing to Matt Lindland in the final of the 2001 world team trials, Henderson redirected his efforts toward a career in MMA. During the 1990s, he also held a position as an assistant wrestling coach at Cerritos College.

Mixed martial arts career

Henderson commenced his mixed martial arts training in 1997 with the Real American Wrestling (RAW) team.

Brazil Open Tournament

That same year, Henderson made his MMA debut at the Brazil Open Lightweight Tournament, competing at 176 pounds—the lightest division he ever fought in. This single-night event featured four competitors, and Henderson emerged as the champion after securing two swift finishes.

UFC 17

Within a year, Henderson entered another one-night, four-man tournament at UFC 17, which had a weight limit of 199 pounds. This event marked the beginning of his sporadic UFC tenure that would last nearly twenty years. Despite sustaining a broken jaw from a punch by Carlos Newton, Henderson triumphed over Allan Goes and Newton to claim his second MMA tournament championship.

Rings: King Of Kings

Approximately eighteen months later, Henderson participated in the Rings: King of Kings Tournament (1999–2000), a no weight-class competition involving 32 fighters held across two nights. He faced formidable opponents such as Gilbert Yvel, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Renato Sobral—many outweighing him by more than 30 pounds—and won all five bouts to secure the tournament title.

PRIDE Fighting Championships

Henderson joined Pride Fighting Championships in late 2000 and took part in three tournaments. At Pride Shockwave 2005, he captured the Welterweight (183 pounds) tournament by defeating Murilo Bustamante via split decision. Leading up to this victory at Pride Bushido 9, he achieved knockout wins over Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono, which earned him the Pride Welterweight Championship.

In 2006, Henderson experienced his first loss to an opponent under 205 pounds when he was defeated by Kazuo Misaki via decision in a rematch. His final appearance in Pride was on February 24, 2007, at Pride 33 in Las Vegas, where he knocked out Wanderlei Silva to win the Middleweight (205 pounds) title while still holding the Welterweight belt. This accomplishment made him the first athlete to simultaneously possess titles in two major MMA weight divisions. Overall, Henderson compiled a 13–5 record in Pride with eight victories by stoppage.

UFC return

Henderson made his UFC return on September 8, 2007, facing light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 75 in London, England. Although Henderson controlled the early stages of the fight, Jackson dominated the later rounds and secured a unanimous decision victory, retaining both his UFC light heavyweight title and acquiring the Pride middleweight championship.

On November 17, 2007, it was announced that Henderson would challenge UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to unify the Pride welterweight (183 lb) and UFC middleweight (185 lb) titles. The bout took place at UFC 82 on March 1, 2008, in Columbus, Ohio. Despite winning the opening round, Henderson was submitted in the second round. This fight earned him his first Fight of the Night honor.

Henderson bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Rousimar Palhares at UFC 88, marking his inaugural UFC victory after a decade-long career. Subsequently, he returned to light heavyweight to face former UFC Middleweight champion Rich Franklin on January 17, 2009, at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. Henderson secured a split decision win amid controversy surrounding an eye-poke incident. He was later appointed captain of Team U.S. for season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, opposing coach Michael Bisping’s Team UK.

Coaching The Ultimate Fighter and subsequent events

The reality series premiered on Spike TV on April 1, 2009, culminating with a live finale held on June 20, 2009, in Las Vegas. The coaching rivalry between Henderson and Bisping reached its peak during their bout at UFC 100 on July 11, 2009, hosted at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Henderson secured the first knockout victory over Bisping with a second-round overhand right. This win earned Henderson a shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship and a $100,000 bonus for "Knockout of the Night." The knockout is widely regarded as one of the most remarkable in MMA history.

The fight sparked controversy when Henderson delivered a flying forearm strike to Bisping's unguarded head just before referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the contest at 3:20. Henderson later clarified that the follow-up blow was an instinctive reaction in the heat of battle before being halted by the official. UFC president Dana White remarked that Henderson’s explanation was made in a lighthearted manner.

Strikeforce

After his UFC contract expired, Dan Henderson inked a four-fight deal spanning 16 months with Strikeforce on December 5, 2009. His debut took place on April 17, 2010, at Strikeforce on CBS against Jake Shields. Henderson was also considered for a light heavyweight contest against Gegard Mousasi and expressed aspirations to eventually face Fedor Emelianenko during his tenure.

Despite scoring an early knockdown, Henderson was defeated by Shields via unanimous decision in his Strikeforce debut. Shields dominated the latter rounds with effective grappling, resulting in scorecards of 49–46, 49–45, and 48–45.

On December 4, 2010, Henderson knocked out Renato Sobral in the first round at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu. He then captured the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship by stopping Rafael Cavalcante via TKO in the third round at Strikeforce 32. After two evenly matched rounds, Henderson landed a decisive right hand that floored Cavalcante before the referee ended the fight at 0:50 of round three.

Henderson faced Fedor Emelianenko on July 30, 2011, at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson. Contrary to expectations of a catchweight bout, it was confirmed as a heavyweight contest. Henderson weighed in at 207 pounds, just above the minimum limit of 206 pounds; Fedor came in at 223 pounds. Henderson secured victory with a first-round knockout at 4:12. This bout marked the conclusion of his Strikeforce contract; he expressed interest in re-signing to defend his light heavyweight title.

Third UFC tenure

Following the press conference for UFC 133, Dana White expressed interest in re-signing Henderson to the UFC roster. Henderson proposed a unification title fight as a significant promotional event.

He made his UFC return at UFC 139 on November 19, 2011, where he defeated Maurício Rua by unanimous decision in what is widely considered one of the greatest fights in UFC history. The bout earned both competitors Fight of the Night accolades.

UFC President Dana White announced Henderson as the next contender for Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, with their matchup scheduled for UFC 151 on September 1, 2012. However, Henderson withdrew due to a knee injury, resulting in the event's cancellation.

At UFC 157 on February 23, 2013, Henderson lost a split decision to Lyoto Machida. He then faced Rashad Evans at UFC 161 on June 15, 2013, suffering another split decision loss.

In a rematch against Vitor Belfort at UFC Fight Night 32 on November 9, 2013, Henderson experienced his first knockout defeat. This fight concluded his existing UFC contract; he subsequently signed a new six-fight agreement.

Henderson revisited battle with Maurício Rua at UFC Fight Night 38 in March 2014. Overcoming early adversity, he secured victory via TKO and received both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses.

He then faced larger opponent Daniel Cormier at UFC 173 in May 2014 but lost via submission in the third round. Later that year, Henderson dropped down to Middleweight to challenge Gegard Mousasi at UFC on Fox 14, losing by TKO in round one.

On June 6, 2015, Henderson knocked out Tim Boetsch in the first round at UFC Fight Night 68. He later lost a trilogy match against Belfort at UFC Fight Night 77 in November via head kick followed by punches.

A planned Middleweight rematch with Machida scheduled for UFC on Fox 19 in April 2016 was canceled due to Machida testing positive for banned substances. Instead, Henderson faced Héctor Lombard at UFC 199, earning a knockout victory in round two and receiving a Performance of the Night award.

Henderson challenged reigning champion Michael Bisping at UFC 204 in October 2016. Although displaying strong moments throughout, he lost by unanimous decision; both fighters were honored with Fight of the Night bonuses. Following this contest, Henderson announced his retirement from competition.

In July 2018, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing alongside Maurício Rua for their legendary encounter at UFC 139.

Personal life

Raised on a ranch in Apple Valley, California, Henderson began wrestling at a young age and quickly earned a reputation as a tenacious athlete. During his high school years at Victor Valley High, he competed alongside his brother Tom under the guidance of coach Sam Gollmyer, with additional support from their father Bill Henderson and Joe Barrios. His ancestry includes Native American, English, Scottish, and French roots. In 2007, Henderson was prescribed testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) due to low levels but discontinued the treatment following the UFC's prohibition of TRT in 2014.

Under the mentorship of Bob Anderson from the California Jets, Henderson secured second place at the 1987 California State Wrestling Championship, contributing to Victor Valley’s team victory. The following year, he finished fifth in the state finals and earned national titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the Junior Nationals held in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The 2007 Confederated Umatilla Journal reports that Henderson’s grandmother, Alice (Bergevin) LeJune, is a registered member of the Confederated Tribes and owns property on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. He is said to be one-sixteenth Walla Walla Native American. Henderson has openly expressed pride in his heritage and emphasizes its importance to his children.

Team Quest

Dan Henderson is the proprietor of Team Quest Fitness Gym located in Temecula, California.

As of February 28, 2011, he has been engaged in a legal dispute concerning the Team Quest trademark with former teammate Matt Lindland.

Mixed martial arts

Amateur wrestling

  • International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
    • Bronze Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Henri Deglane Challenge, 2000
    • Gold Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Pan American Championships, 2000
    • Bronze Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Nordvest Cup, 1999
    • Bronze Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Henri Deglane Challenge, 1998
    • Bronze Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Pan American Championships, 1998
    • Gold Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, FILA Test Tournament, 1998
    • Gold Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Tropheo Milone Tournament, 1998
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Vehbi Emri Tournament, 1998
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Concord Cup International, 1997
    • Gold Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Gold Medal Challenge, 1997
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, World Cup, 1996
    • Bronze Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Pan American Games, 1995
    • Gold Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Sunkist Kids International Open, 1995
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, World Cup, 1994
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Pan American Championships, 1994
    • Gold Medalist, Junior Greco-Roman, World Wrestling Championships, 1990
    • Silver Medalist, Senior Greco-Roman, Pan American Championships, 1984
  • National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
    • Recipient of Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award (2010)
  • California Wrestling Hall of Fame
    • Inducted into CWHOF in 2013
  • USA Wrestling
    • Winner of USA Senior Greco-Roman Olympic Team Trials (1992 and 1996)
    • Champion at Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials (1994 and 1997)
    • Runner-up at Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials (1999 and 2001)
    • USA Senior Greco-Roman National Champion (1993, 1994, and 1997)
    • Second place at USA Senior Greco-Roman National Championship (2000)
    • USA University Greco-Roman National Champion (1991, 1993, and 1994)
    • USA Junior Greco-Roman National Champion (1988)
    • USA Junior Freestyle National Champion (1988)
    • Gold Medalist in Mini-Tournament at World Team Trials for Senior Greco-Roman (1999)
  • Amateur Wrestling News Magazine
    • Freshman All-American recognition from Amateur Wrestling News in 1990
  • California Interscholastic Federation
    • Runner-up at CIF High School State Championship (1987)
    • CIF All-State honors received in both 1987 and 1988
    • Champion of CIF Southern Section Championship in consecutive years (1987 and 1988)

Mixed martial arts record

|- |Loss |align=center|32–15 |Michael Bisping |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 204 | |align=center|5 |align=center|5:00 |Manchester, England | |- |Win |align=center|32–14 |Héctor Lombard |KO (elbow) |UFC 199 | |align=center|2 |align=center|1:27 |Inglewood, California, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|31–14 |Vitor Belfort |KO (punches) |UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson 3 | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:07 |São Paulo, Brazil | |- |Win |align=center|31–13 |Tim Boetsch |KO (punches) |UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:28 |New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | |- ... [Record continues with similar concise formatting] ...

Pay-per-view bouts

No. Event Main Bout Date Venue City Pay-Per-View Sales
1. UFC 82 Silva vs. Henderson March 1, 2008 Nationwide Arena Columbus, Ohio, United States 325,000
2. UFC 93 Franklin vs. Henderson January 17, 2009 The O2 Dublin, Ireland 350,000
3. UFC 139 Shogun vs. Henderson November 19, 2011 HP Pavilion San Jose, California, United States 290,000
4. UFC 161 Evans vs. Henderson June 15, 2013 MTS Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 140,000
5. UFC 204 Bisping vs. Henderson 2 October 8, 2016 Manchester Arena Manchester, England, United Kingdom 290,000

Submission grappling record

2 Matches, Both Lost by Submission
Outcome Record Opponent Method of Defeat Event Name Division Date Location
Template:No2Loss 0-2 United States Jon Jones Submission (arm-triangle choke) Submission Underground 2 Superfight December 10, 2016 United States Portland, Oregon
Template:No2Loss 0-1 United States Frank Shamrock Submission (heel hook) The Contenders Superfight October 11, 1997 United States Sioux City, Iowa

Filmography

Film Appearances
Year Title Role Portrayed Additional Information
2012 Dragon Eyes Beating Police Officer
Television Appearances
Year Series Title Role Played Notes
2019 Seal Team Himself Episode: "All Along the Watchtower: Part 1"
2006 The King of Queens Priority Plus Driver Episode: "Fight Schlub"
2005 Cubed Himself

See also

External links

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