(This story appears in today’s edition of USA TODAY .) When word circulated that 43-year-old fighter Dan Henderson would return to the cage to face fellow former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier at this weekend’s UFC event, just two months after a come-from-behind victory over Mauricio Rua, the initial response was one of concern and dismay. Cormier’s about as tough an opponent as you can find in the UFC’s 205-pound division these days, and Henderson is, well, 43 years old. Coming so soon on the heels of a brutal rematch with Rua, and after a difficult 2013 that saw Henderson (30-11 MMA, 7-5 UFC) go 0-3 against some of the toughest fighters in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, Saturday’s UFC 173 co-headliner (pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET) with Cormier (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) made it seem a little like Henderson was being plucked from the lion cage and dropped into the shark tank. What people might not realize, however, is that that’s exactly how Henderson wants it.
Originally posted here:
Dan Henderson: ‘People can say I’m too old,’ but UFC 173 could prove them wrong – MMA Junkie