Dan Henderson to UFC: Peace Out

When Kevin Iole reports something, you know it is right from the mouth of Dana White, so it comes as a surprise to many today that Iole reports that Dan Henderson and the UFC could not come to terms on a new contract. Ouch. Henderson, coming off a stint coaching UFC's flagship star-builder "The Ultimate Fighter" and knocking opposing coach Michael Bisping into oblivion feels he is worth more than what UFC is willing to offer him.

Dan Henderson’s career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship has ground to a close in a contract stalemate, and the former two-division PRIDE champion appears on the verge of signing a deal with the rival Strikeforce promotion.

Henderson, 39, devastatingly knocked out Michael Bisping in the second round of their heavily hyped fight on July 11 at UFC 100 in Las Vegas, in the final fight of his contract.

The two-time former U.S. Olympic wrestler had hoped to use that victory as a springboard to a middleweight title match against Anderson Silva.

But Silva and his manager, Ed Soares, weren’t keen on fighting Henderson again and didn’t think he’d done enough to warrant a rematch. Silva submitted Henderson in the second round of their title fight at UFC 82 on March 1, 2008. Since then, Henderson defeated Rousimar Palhares, won a split decision over Rich Franklin and knocked out Bisping.

 

UFC president Dana White went back-and-forth on whether he’d make Silva-Henderson II, but said at UFC 103 in Dallas that he would give the next shot at Silva to Vitor Belfort, after Belfort scored a first-round knockout of former middleweight champion Rich Franklin.