Hendo Ready For Fight Years in the Making

Dan Henderson

Henderson would consider win a high point of storied career

Dan Henderson has faced some of the sport’s toughest competition. On Saturday night, he plans on writing another chapter to a legendary story.

The current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion will step up a weight class to face Russian enigma Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson says he’ll consider a win over Emelianenko to be a career highlight.

“I think this can be one of the most significant moments. Look at what he’s done for the sport. Although he’s coming off two losses I don’t really read into that too much, especially if he’s in shape and ready to go for this fight. I think a win over Fedor will definitely be one of the top moments in my career.”

When two legends of the sport square off the level of expectations is set to a high standard. While Henderson expects an exciting fight, he doesn’t look to the past to determine what the future will hold.

“Nothing that happens before really matters once you are in there. You have to be mentally and physically prepared to go in there and win. You have to be confident with your preparation and your skills.”

“Experience obviously can’t be a non-factor but I think it makes it more of an exciting fight. You have two guys who have been hurt before in fights and have pulled through and kept going. That definitely could happen Saturday and I think the fact that we both have as much experience as we have will only make it that much more exciting.”

While Henderson currently holds the light heavyweight crown in Strikeforce, he has never shied away from looking in other divisions for a fight. Despite Emelianenko’s comments in which he stated the smaller man may have the advantage, Henderson doesn’t necessarily agree.

“I wouldn’t say that at all. Fedor is pretty quick for a bigger guy. Sometimes that is the case but not here. He is quick, agile and scrambles well. He also has fast hands so I’m expecting an exciting fight.”

In a career that has spanned decades and continents, Dan Henderson has been there and seen it all. Even in the later stages of his career Henderson continues to strive for greatness and he shared insight into his mindset at today’s press conference.

“You always set goals for the future and hope to achieve them. When you set them if you don’t think you will reach them then you probably won’t. I’ve always kept going, even through losses and you learn from those. You try to get better and move on to the next fight.”