Your favorite Dan Henderson moments

[SenorFranko]

Probably the Lombard KO or the Shogun fight.

I was at his last fight in Manchester and after the fight the arena was chanting 'Hendo' for ages. You can't hear it on the broadcast but it was a great moment.

 

[the ambush]

 

[ThunderStruck]

When DC almost threw him outside the cage.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

1. Flatlining Bisping
2. Tie - elbow from hell to back of Lombard's head KO or category F5 spinning backfist KO of Wand

- I actually thought the Lombard knock out was the first live death we saw in the UFC

 

[Buff]

When DC almost threw him outside the cage.

Older fighters always get fed to up and comers.

Also, Hendo officially started out as a "WW" wheras DC started as a HW.

There was no shame in losing like that... He was always going to get ragdolled, DC did it to much bigger fighters...

Dat groin was higher than Lex Steele.

 

[Rajon Rondo]

Bisping KO
Fedor KO

 

[cheesus]

Him getting ragdolled by DC. Never liked him much so don't care about his wins.

No one cares.

 

[cheesus]

He has one of the best highlight reels ever, so many to choose from but it would have to be the Bisping KO, that one of one the most technically proficient and perfectly executed overhand rights I've ever seen and the way he follows is beyond brutal. The fact that it was at UFC 100 makes it even more historic. Hendo without a doubt is one of the top contenders for the toughest guy in MMA.

 

[Buff]

Its funny because it's clever.

 

[CalvilloRay]

I was there when Hendo side-elbowed Lombard into the shadow realm at UFC 199.

Whole arena went absolutely fucking nuts.
Ah, UFC 199. A truly magical night.

I'll never forget it.

One of the greatest cards ever, hands down. Started off with Polo Reyes and Lil Dong fight of the year and kept getting better.

 

[Rafael MMA]

 

[mirko>anyone]

I made a "Hendo Moments" thread a few years ago... Some of the best gifs have vanished, but for reference, here's the post...

https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/dan-henderson-greatest-moment-career-appreciation-thread.3683015/

BRAZIL OPEN TOURNAMENT '97 CHAMPION (1997)



Wins 2 fights in one night on his debut, and wins the Lightweight tournament.


UFC 17 MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION (1998)

Defeats Allan Goes and Carlos Newton to win the Middleweight Tournament. Has jaw broken vs Newton but fights on to win.


RINGS: KING OF KINGS 1999 OPEN WEIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION (1999)

Defeats 2 guys in one night (Bakouri Gogitidze, Hiromito Kanehara), followed by 3 guys in one night; Lil Nog, Gilbert Yvel, and Babalu - all of whom had a big size advantage. Is crowned Open Weight Champion.


WINS PRIDE WELTERWEIGHT TOURNAMENT AND CHAMPIONSHIP (2005)

(couldn't find a decent pic or gif, so you'll have to settle for that - it's not from the tourny).

KO's Ryo Chonan, and Akihiro Gino on the same night, then beats Murilo Bustamante in the final to win the Tournament, and is Crowned PRIDE FC Welterweight Champion


WINS PRIDE MIDDLEWEIGHT (205LBS) CHAMPIONSHIP (2007)

Without giving up his 185 WW strap, Hendo moves up to 205 and brutally KOs Prime Wanderlei, and becomes the first person to simultaneously hold 2 belts at the same time in a major organisation.



UFC 100 - CREATES GIF OF THE CENTURY (2009)

After enduring months of trash talk from outspoken heel-allstar Michael Bisping on The Ultimate Fighter, Hendo delivered a KO that will live through the ages at the historical UFC 100 event. It was amazing.


WINS STRIKEFORCE LHW CHAMPIONSHIP (2011)

KOs Babalu in a title eliminator, then defendinf champ Feijao to win the 205 Strikeforce title - at the time Feijao was thought to be one of the better LHW in the world.


KNOCKS OUT FEDOR EMILIANENKO (2011)

Fighting at Heavyweight, Hendo moves up to face the apparent GOAT, Fedor Emilianenko - he was undersized, and coming in as a massive underdog - Hendo knocked him out for the first time in his career. Sherdog melted down.


Hendo Bless.

Honorable mentions go to beating Lombard aged 46, and having one of the fights of the last 10 years against Shogun aged 45 and getting the finish, knocking out Renzo Gracie, beating Ninja in Pride, His epic fight with Lil Nog, and hanging them up after a title shot which he arguably won.

Easy to forget how hard Dan Henderson actually is...

Awesome post. He’s had such a prolific career that narrowing it down to 3 moments will never be unanimous. Unfortunately, I’ve been sensing a lot of hostility towards Hendo from the newer wave of fans. Maybe it’s just a generational gap or TRT use, but there was a time when guys like Hendo were beloved. The dude was a badass through and through.

To answer the TS question. Man, it’s hard to say.

1. Beating Fedor has to be #1 and despite the catastrophic butthurt created by the “controversial” finish, it’s simply a massive feather in his cap.

2. The Bisping knockout is his finest and most popular moment in the UFC. Probably the most infamous one punch KO in mma history.

3. Hendo/Shogun is touted as one of, if not the, greatest fight in UFC history. Two bonafide, living legends who absolutely didn’t need to put that sort of slobberknocker on did it anyway and it’s a true treat for fans.

Honorable mentions:
You pretty much covered the others as well. He holds a win over Big Nog and knocked out Wanderlei to become double PRIDE champ. His fight with Rampage was easily one of the best of 2007. He fought damn near everybody. What a career.

 

[Buff]

Awesome post. He’s had such a prolific career that narrowing it down to 3 moments will never be unanimous. Unfortunately, I’ve been sensing a lot of hostility towards Hendo from the newer wave of fans. Maybe it’s just a generational gap or TRT use, but there was a time when guys like Hendo were beloved. The dude was a badass through and through.

To answer the TS question. Man, it’s hard to say.

1. Beating Fedor has to be #1 and despite the catastrophic butthurt created by the “controversial” finish, it’s simply a massive feather in his cap.

2. The Bisping knockout is his finest and most popular moment in the UFC. Probably the most infamous one punch KO in mma history.

3. Hendo/Shogun is touted as one of, if not the, greatest fight in UFC history. Two bonafide, living legends who absolutely didn’t need to put that sort of slobberknocker on did it anyway and it’s a true treat for fans.

Honorable mentions:
You pretty much covered the others as well. He holds a win over Big Nog and knocked out Wanderlei to become double PRIDE champ. His fight with Rampage was easily one of the best of 2007. He fought damn near everybody. What a career.

A lot of the fans only started watching when Hendo was on his way out... Think Harley Race when Hulkamania came along... The commentators just couldn't sell the haggard old slugger vs the charismatic shit talker...

When he was fighting he was often called a dirty fighter... Which he was - never afraid to throw shots to a sleeping opponent, the back of his head, or throw some "nasty" unorthodox zingers like sucker punches... The TRT gave him a new leese of life, which was awesome to me, and nobody really seemed to mind because everyone was too busy hating on Vitor.

 

[weed]

I crack jokes here & there on his IG posts, & he more often than not 'likes' them.

one joke was about Schaub & that created a pretty heavy discourse as a result because he replied back & was amused haha

the REAL Captain America.

 

[toowoomba]

View attachment 823140

Is rhat Vitor?

 

[Daelh]

No one cares.

You cared enough to answer...

 

[empsim]

I don't like unnecessary follow up shots, but Bisping deserved that one.

 

[dalegordon]

Lombard with the elbow high kick was amazing. Loved his comeback against fedor. His matches with shogun are hof worthy.

 

[G10]

Lol, I LOVED that Shields beat Hendo the way he did! It really showed that once he's on his back, Dan isn't good for much. Also, it's incredible to me how many flush shots Jake took from him in the first couple of rounds, and he kept fighting through. This is certainly an OG Jake Shields performance.

 

[TheBulge]

This one, probably. Really shows who Hendo was as a fighter. Takes a massive shot, looks like he's on his way out then comes back with a ferocious shot of his own.