StrikeForce - Henderson vs Fedor Set For July

[stxnas]

Report: Fedor Emelianenko vs Dan Henderson Strikeforce bout finalized for July 30 on Showtime - MMAmania.com

It's the H-bomb versus the F-bomb.

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Dan Henderson will reportedly move up a division to battle famed Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko at the promotion's upcoming Showtime event on July 30 in Chicago, Illinois.

SB Nation's own Jonathan Snowden brought word of the pending match-up earlier today.

Emelianenko (31-3) was bounced from the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament earlier this year after the cageside doctor deemed him unfit to answer the bell for round three of his quarterfinal bout against Antonio Silva.

Aside from the shock of his second consecutive loss, it was clear "The Last Emperor" was being manhandled for most of the fight, leaving many fans wondering if what was once considered the greatest heavyweight MMA fighter in history was outdated and overmatched.

Retirement talk was quickly scrapped a few days following the "Fedor vs. Silva" event and Emelianenko was back to work following the recent announcement of his participation in Strikeforce's upcoming July show.

To help prepare him for his next fight, Emelianenko was shipped off to the Netherlands for his first International training camp since 2005.

But is it too little, too late?

Star-divide

After an uninspiring debut saw him fall short against Jake Shields at Strikeforce: "Nashville" back in 2010, Henderson (27-8) redeemed himself by knocking out Renato "Babalu" Sobral in St. Louis later that year.

The win was enough to earn him a title shot against division champion Rafael Cavalcante back on March 5 and "Hendo" made the most of the opportunity by knocking out "Feijao" with an "H-bomb" in the third round.

With Strikeforce suffering from a lack of depth in its 205-pound division, Henderson immediately set his sights on the down-but-not-out Emelianenko, who may be one loss away from permanently hanging up the gloves.

Whaddaya say Maniacs, is Hendo biting off more than he can chew? Or will he send the Russian back behind the iron curtain for good?

 

[mh625]

I've been a Fedor fan for years and I hate to say it but I think Hendo knocks him out.

 

[luclyluciano]

Who knows? Hendo is at a huge weight disadvantage. I say he may get subbed.

 

[AnabolicFrenz]

If Jake Shields, a welterweight, can hold down Hendo for 4+ rounds then Fedor will man handle him with GnP.

 

[luclyluciano]

If Jake Shields, a welterweight, can hold down Hendo for 4+ rounds then Fedor will man handle him with GnP.

There was something wrong with Hendo in that fight. Others have said it. He hinted to it. Forget what exactly it was. Otherwise would have been much more competitive.

 

[Rodja]

Hendo had major back issues leading into that fight and looked old as dirt. However, he looked great against Babalu and Feijao.

 

[AnabolicFrenz]

He did look real good in his last 2 bouts, and I wasnt aware of his back problems during the Shields fight, thanks for the info. We will see how it goes im excited for it im a fan of both of them.

 

[mjtags67]

i think henderson is in big trouble

 

[kanakafarian]

Henderson has been fighting guys 30-40lbs+ heavier than him for over a decade in Japan. It's nothing new to be in the ring with a much bigger opponent. Henderson wins this one. Fedor hasn't been looking too great as of late.

 

[Rodja]

Henderson has been fighting guys 30-40lbs+ heavier than him for over a decade in Japan. It's nothing new to be in the ring with a much bigger opponent. Henderson wins this one. Fedor hasn't been looking too great as of late.

For a decade? The only legit HW he has ever fought is Noguiera (2x) and the rest were either MW's or LHWs.

 

[kanakafarian]

For a decade? The only legit HW he has ever fought is Noguiera (2x) and the rest were either MW's or LHWs.

I never said he fought HW's in Japan. If you read my post, I said he's fought guys 30-40lbs heavier than him dating back to the early Pride days. If you look at Henderson back then, he was a 175lbs guy. Fought all the 205 guys like Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, etc. And he has fought Gilbert Yvel who was a HUGE heavyweight back then.

And yes, for over a decade! He's been fighting in Japan since the late 90's.

 

[Rodja]

I never said he fought HW's in Japan. If you read my post, I said he's fought guys 30-40lbs heavier than him dating back to the early Pride days. If you look at Henderson back then, he was a 175lbs guy. Fought all the 205 guys like Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, etc. And he has fought Gilbert Yvel who was a HUGE heavyweight back then.

And yes, for over a decade! He's been fighting in Japan since the late 90's.

He fought in Japan for about 7 years; his last 2 fights in Pride were the US cards. The only fight were he was at a significant weight disadvantage was against Nogueira. Hendo has always fought around 195-200lbs (fight weight) and using Yvel as an example is a terrible example. He's a fight HW now, but, back then, he was trim and agile LHW. You should some watch some MMA before you go spouting off about this.

 

[kanakafarian]

He fought in Japan for about 7 years; his last 2 fights in Pride were the US cards. The only fight were he was at a significant weight disadvantage was against Nogueira. Hendo has always fought around 195-200lbs (fight weight) and using Yvel as an example is a terrible example. He's a fight HW now, but, back then, he was trim and agile LHW. You should some watch some MMA before you go spouting off about this.

Uh bro! I personally know Dan Henderson, and Rampage. I used to live in LA and my good friend (J. Cha) used to train with Rampage (Dan and Rampage used to hang out together ALL the time) down in OC. He was always around the Koreatown scene, and my friend was a club promoter. So I've spent many a nights hanging with him. There's a couple of guys here on AM on my facebook and yeah, I got pics of all of us partying back in the day. So yeah, maybe you should check yourself first. Why is it that you ALWAYS, on every single one of your posts, act like you know everything?! You act like an 8 year old always trying to correct and/or argue with everyone! Henderson used to weigh 180-185lbs! Believe me or not, I have pics to prove it. LOL You're a joke! I'll call you out on this one. Are you even a fighter or are you just one of those posers?! Is that pic even you on your avatar? LOL

BTW Yvel went into that fight around 225, but realistically he fought around 240! When was he EVER a LH? And Dan weighed in at 195 for that entire tournament! I've followed the fight game, and have been involved, for the past 15 years and I've NEVER seen Yvel below 220!! Get YOUR facts straight. LOL If you're wrong, you're wrong. Why can't you ever admit it?! Geez...just suck it up and admit when you're wrong rather than making a fool of yourself! LOL

 

[Rodja]

Uh bro! I personally know Dan Henderson, and Rampage. I used to live in LA and my good friend (J. Cha) used to train with Rampage (Dan and Rampage used to hang out together ALL the time) down in OC. He was always around the Koreatown scene, and my friend was a club promoter. So I've spent many a nights hanging with him. There's a couple of guys here on AM on my facebook and yeah, I got pics of all of us partying back in the day. So yeah, maybe you should check yourself first. Why is it that you ALWAYS, on every single one of your posts, act like you know everything?! You act like an 8 year old always trying to correct and/or argue with everyone! Henderson used to weigh 180-185lbs! Believe me or not, I have pics to prove it. LOL You're a joke! I'll call you out on this one. Are you even a fighter or are you just one of those posers?! Is that pic even you on your avatar? LOL

BTW Yvel went into that fight around 225, but realistically he fought around 240! When was he EVER a LH? And Dan weighed in at 195 for that entire tournament! I've followed the fight game, and have been involved, for the past 15 years and I've NEVER seen Yvel below 220!! Get YOUR facts straight. LOL If you're wrong, you're wrong. Why can't you ever admit it?! Geez...just suck it up and admit when you're wrong rather than making a fool of yourself! LOL

Where to start with your post...

First, I've trained for over 5 years and, yes, I have fought and that is me in my avi. I know that Hendo has never been a big guy and that he looks pretty average in a crown. However, saying that his entire tenure over in Japan was at a huge weight disadvantage is absolutely moronic. There are these things called weight classes that you may have heard of before at some point. Every single of his fights in Pride fall under this, so you need to get off of your one-track mind about the '99 Rings tournament, but I'll say it again: there has been only 2 fights, both of which were against Noguiera, where his was at a significant weight disadvantage. I've read an interview saying that trying to make MW now would tax his body too much since he began his TRT treatment. You act like he's a WW getting ready to fight a HW.

It's also a tad ironic that you call me a child and then go on a typical internet tirade...

 

[kanakafarian]

Where to start with your post...

First, I've trained for over 5 years and, yes, I have fought and that is me in my avi. I know that Hendo has never been a big guy and that he looks pretty average in a crown. However, saying that his entire tenure over in Japan was at a huge weight disadvantage is absolutely moronic. There are these things called weight classes that you may have heard of before at some point. Every single of his fights in Pride fall under this, so you need to get off of your one-track mind about the '99 Rings tournament, but I'll say it again: there has been only 2 fights, both of which were against Noguiera, where his was at a significant weight disadvantage. I've read an interview saying that trying to make MW now would tax his body too much since he began his TRT treatment. You act like he's a WW getting ready to fight a HW.

It's also a tad ironic that you call me a child and then go on a typical internet tirade...

"You should some watch some MMA before you go spouting off about this."

Look, go back to your post where you told me to go watch some mma before "spouting" off about it. It is you who, again, acts like you know everything. I guess we should now consider you the AM in house know-it-all?! Go back and read all your posts in general; you act as if you know EVERYTHING. You always try to call guys out on things, and for some reason, you're the type that always has to get the last word in - like a child. Boo hoo!

I had originally said that Henderson has fought bigger guys in Japan. Yes, true fact. He has always walked around at his fight weight. He fought Yvel at a 30-40lbs disadvantage. Fact. Ok so I was wrong when I said he fought for a decade in Japan, sorry, it was only EIGHT years. Close enough. But for you to tell me to stop "spouting" off?! LOL Boy, you've been fighting for 5 years?! Is that it? I've been in the game for much longer than you, bro. But, the difference is that I don't go around "acting" or "showing off"! LOL Funny sh*t right there. I've helped start up a grappling school of one former Pride fighter, Egan Inoue. He had originally started out in a studio of a gym and made the move to a huge school. But let me guess, you have no clue who he is, do you? Google my friend.

 

[Rodja]

"You should some watch some MMA before you go spouting off about this."

Look, go back to your post where you told me to go watch some mma before "spouting" off about it. It is you who, again, acts like you know everything. I guess we should now consider you the AM in house know-it-all?! Go back and read all your posts in general; you act as if you know EVERYTHING. You always try to call guys out on things, and for some reason, you're the type that always has to get the last word in - like a child. Boo hoo!

I had originally said that Henderson has fought bigger guys in Japan. Yes, true fact. He has always walked around at his fight weight. He fought Yvel at a 30-40lbs disadvantage. Fact. Ok so I was wrong when I said he fought for a decade in Japan, sorry, it was only EIGHT years. Close enough. But for you to tell me to stop "spouting" off?! LOL Boy, you've been fighting for 5 years?! Is that it? I've been in the game for much longer than you, bro. But, the difference is that I don't go around "acting" or "showing off"! LOL Funny sh*t right there. I've helped start up a grappling school of one former Pride fighter, Egan Inoue. He had originally started out in a studio of a gym and made the move to a huge school. But let me guess, you have no clue who he is, do you? Google my friend.

Egan Inoue, brother of Enson? Yeah, I have no idea idea who they are....:stups:

I'm sure Hendo was at a weight disadvantage aginst Busta (2x), Misaki (2x), Konda, Gono, Ninja, etc. Most of his career has not been spent against guys 30-40 lbs bigger than him. Unless you were there in Japan with a scale next to them as they walked into the ring, you cannot claim how heavy Yvel was when they fought. It's funny how you've never seen Yvel below 220. Umm, did you forget about when he fought Wanderlei or Jeremy Horn? I'm not saying that there won't a size disadvantage, but comparing Yvel to Fedor is laughable. You could easily flip the perspective and say that dealing with a LHW will make it easier for Fedor since he has fought at a weight disadvantage for most of his career. I'll leave out the personal attacks and stick to the topic at hand. I suggest you do the same as it tends to give your posts a bit more credibility.

 

[kanakafarian]

Ok, fair enough, we'll leave it at that. We'll just agree to disagree as the saying goes. As stated before, I personally know Dan so I know he used to walk around and fight at 180-185. Of course he's fighting around the 200 mark these days, but even at LHW he's underweight. He goes into those fights right between 195-200 when his opponents, after weigh-in, go in probably around 215-220. No, I'm not there with a scale, but it's obvious that most of his opponents are at a weight advantage. Look at the size disparity in most of his fights. Will Dan beat Fedor? In my humble opinion, I think so. Of course there is a bit of bias there.

 

[Rodja]

Ok, fair enough, we'll leave it at that. We'll just agree to disagree as the saying goes. As stated before, I personally know Dan so I know he used to walk around and fight at 180-185. Of course he's fighting around the 200 mark these days, but even at LHW he's underweight. He goes into those fights right between 195-200 when his opponents, after weigh-in, go in probably around 215-220. No, I'm not there with a scale, but it's obvious that most of his opponents are at a weight advantage. Look at the size disparity in most of his fights. Will Dan beat Fedor? In my humble opinion, I think so. Of course there is a bit of bias there.

I'll agree that he is an undersized LHW, but I've never seen him get outmuscled in a fight. Outworked, yes, but not outmuscled. He's a good amount heavier than he was in his Olympic days, but most of the Olympic wrestlers that transition to MMA end up moving in weight class.

I think the determining factor will be speed and cardio. Fedor's hand speed is better and he tends to throw more combinations, but Hendo still has the one-shot KO ability (even though Fedor has never been dropped). If Fedor comes out and just tries to head-hunt as he has done for the past few years, then I think Hendo can grind him to a decision. If Fedor gets back to his Sambo base and utilizes his trip and throw game, then I think he will eventually get Dan in a submission. I'd be stunned if Hendo was finished via strikes as his head is made of granite.

 

[ChrisSurf]

My money will be on Hendo

 

[bla55]

SPOILER ALERT! -------------------------------------





Wow, what a shame that this is how it went...

The best MMA fighter ever will now be forever questioned by haters because of the last 3 fights

P.S.: I can really only begin to imagine how incredible Fedor would have been if he was in extreme great shape... If he had ever packed more muscle, lost his mid section fat, etc... Wow...

I am really, really sad right now for what was the most amazing MMA career.

 

[luclyluciano]

The sport is passing him by. That's what I see. He is now starting to fight the better competition and the losses bear witness. He is still a good fighter, he just has better competition now. He stated himself that he never said he was the best, and I agree with him. He is a good fighter who had a great record. There are several really good heavies and light heavies out there. It's impossible to keep a spotless record against such refined talent nowadays.

Flame away

 

[kanakafarian]

And as predicted, Dan's H-bomb comes out triumphant!

 

[ChrisSurf]

The sport is passing him by. That's what I see. He is now starting to fight the better competition and the losses bear witness. He is still a good fighter, he just has better competition now. He stated himself that he never said he was the best, and I agree with him. He is a good fighter who had a great record. There are several really good heavies and light heavies out there. It's impossible to keep a spotless record against such refined talent nowadays.

Flame away

Bingo. I'm not a Fedor hater, always liked him, however anybody has to admit quite a few of his fights have been against just "ok" fighters or fights sorta washed up/not at their prime (notice I didn't say all as he's fought some good fighters). I personally believe if he had gone into contract with the UFC, good chance he may have had bunch of losses starting way earlier vs now. I've watched him for years.

Henderson will be like Couture, just genetically gifted. He's in better shape at his age then guys in their 20's.

 

[AE14]

At this point, fedor is irrelevant to the HW division. The decision he faces is 1. Retire, 2. Drop to 205, or 3. Fight cans and sideshows in japan. I think he will choose #3.