Chance for title shot swayed Dan Henderson's decision for quick turnaround
Dan Henderson didn’t really want to fight in May. He wanted to take some time off and fulfill some scheduled obligations following his win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on March 23 in Brazil.
Henderson, though, isn't one to turn down a fight. And the fact that his bout against Daniel Cormier at UFC 173 on May 24 in Las Vegas is a light heavyweight title eliminator meant he couldn’t pass it up.
"That pretty much helped the decision along," Henderson told FOX Sports. "I don't know when I would have fought if I didn’t move up to May 24. And there's no guarantee who I fought would have put me toward a title shot."
Henderson, 43, also knows his time in the sport is running out. He signed a six-fight contract with the UFC before the "Shogun" bout and once that deal is complete, Hendo is likely done. He has already accomplished more than any other American-born MMA fighter ever, winning titles in PRIDE and Strikeforce and winning a UFC middleweight tournament way back in 1998.
"I'm getting older," Henderson said. "The quicker these fights happen, the better for me."
Another thing Henderson (30-11) was hoping to do after fighting in March was find a legal alternative to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). TRT was banned by the Nevada Athletic Commission in February and, while Henderson was allowed to use it one last time in Brazil against Rua, it has basically been abolished.
For the fight against Cormier, Henderson will be on no testosterone-enhancing substances. He has looked into a few natural alternatives, but has not done enough research to make sure they are allowed by commissions yet. Henderson was also not on TRT for his fight with Rashad Evans last June in Winnipeg. He doesn't believe it will affect him against Cormier.
"I don’t feel that was the reason for me winning fights over the years," Henderson said. "It has to do with training and mental attitude and I still have that."
Henderson is preparing for someone who is quite a bit like himself. Like Hendo, Cormier was an Olympic wrestler. Both men also wield power in their hands, though Henderson has an advantage there over most -- his right hand remains one of the most devastating weapons in MMA.
Cormier has expressed a little displeasure in fighting Henderson, who is someone Cormier has looked up to going back to his wrestling days. He said last year that he has a "man crush" on Henderson and would not want to step into the Octagon with him.
The respect is mutual, Henderson said. He's a fan of Cormier, too, and will remain that no matter what happens May 24.
"But he might not be as big of a fan of me after this fight," Henderson said with a chuckle.
Even creeping toward his mid-40s, Henderson still has a steely focus on winning the UFC light heavyweight title. He's won two belts in PRIDE and one in Strikeforce. There's only one thing missing and that's why Henderson didn't say a word about the quick, nine-week turnaround, one of the quickest of his long career.
A win over Cormier gets him a title shot. He'll figure everything else out later.
"There's no choice in the matter," Henderson said. "That's where I want to be."
