Dan Henderson recently looked back at his impressive knockout victory over Fedor Emelianenko. It was a massive achievement for Henderson, considering Emelianenko’s status as one of the greatest of all time.
Henderson and Emelianenko headlined a co-promoted event between Strikeforce and M-1 Global on Jul. 30, 2011. It took place at the Sears Center in Chicago, Illinois.
At the time, Henderson held the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship and boasted a 27-8 record. He moved up to heavyweight for the first time, a division Emelianenko, 31-3-1, had long dominated.
From the opening bell sounded, both fighters came out swinging. Emelianenko dropped Henderson with a left hook and attempted finish him. But, ‘Hendo’ quickly scrambled to his feet, dropped ‘The Last Emperor’ with an uppercut, and sealed the finish with ground strikes.
During an appearance on Paddy Pimblett’s Chattin Pony Podcast, Henderson shared what he remembered from the fight.
“He didn’t see it coming, which probably made it worse for sure,” Henderson said. “It was just a reaction on my part. I just reacted and saw an opportunity.”
Henderson’s performance proved that his power translated to heavyweight — something he believes surprised Emelianenko.
“[Emelianenko] was pretty aggressive and I was backing up, and I hit him with a nice left hook,” Henderson recalled. “I think that kind of showed him that, ‘Oh, the little guy could hit hard, too,’ so I think he kind of respected it after that.”
Dan Henderson Reveals his Team Was Nervous Ahead of Fedor Emelianenko Fight
Although Henderson seemed confident inside the cage, he admitted the mood leading up to the fight was different.
At the time, Emelianenko had suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. However, a win over Henderson, the reigning Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, could have possibly derailed ‘Hendo’s momentum.
Henderson revealed that the Emelianenko fight brought a much different feeling among his team and even his family. He admitted that they were more nervous, considering ‘The Last Emperor’s legendary reputation in the sport.
“You got to be careful, [ Emelianenko ] hits hard, too and he’s quick for a heavyweight,” Henderson told Pimblett. “Everyone in my camp was a lot more nervous. My wife, everybody was quieter during fight week. They’re nervous for me, I guess.”
Henderson Returned to the UFC After Emelianenko Knockout
Henderson’s knockout win over Emelianenko marked his final fight under the Strikeforce banner.
Following the bout, Henderson returned to the UFC, which had acquired Strikeforce and absorbed its roster. The Scott Coker-led promotion continued hosting events until January, 2013, before completely merging under the UFC banner.
Henderson made his return at UFC 139 in November, 2011, headlining against former light heavyweight champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. The five-round war became an instant classic.
Henderson earned a unanimous decision win, and the bout earned Fight of the Night honor. It was later named 2011;s Fight of the Year.
Although Henderson was unable to capture UFC gold, his resume remains impressive for a fighter of his era. He retired in 2016 after a hard-fought decision loss to Michael Bisping in a middleweight title fight at UFC 204.
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