UFC 151: 6 Interesting Facts About Dan Henderson

UFC 151 is headlined by a light-heavyweight contest of epic proportions. Dominant champion Jon Jones will meet dangerous challenger, and three-time world champion Dan Henderson.

The only championship that eludes Henderson's extensive hardware collection is UFC gold, and you had better believe that the 42 year-old won't be ready to conclude his tremendous career until he captures it.

But before their September 1 collision, let's take a look at Team Quest's toughest member.

Here are some interesting facts about Dan Henderson.

UFC 17 Tournament Champion

By the time that MMA exploded in 2005, Dan Henderson was seven years outside of winning the UFC 17 tournament.

Beating future UFC champion Carlos Newton in the 1998 tournament final, Hendo would grab his trophy and promptly leave the organization.

Fighting exclusively in Japan until 2006, many fans are unfamiliar with Hendo's pre-Zuffa success in the Octagon.

It is a true testament to Hollywood's experience and longevity that he can compete for a world championship more than 14 years later. 

Never Been Knocked out

Shogun Rua, Vitor Belfort, Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson, Rich Franklin, Rafael Feijao, Gilbert Yvel.

Each fighter listed is a feared knockout artist with power and technique, yet none of them were able to put a dent in Dan Henderson's legendary chin. Sure, Hendo has been rocked on occasion, but his ability to recover is absolutely inhuman.

Iron-chinned warriors of the past have fallen victim to flash KOs in their later years. Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva were once considered impossible to knock out, but had their lights turned out several times towards the end of their careers.

With Dangerous Dan turning 42 years old on Friday, maybe it's just a matter of time before we see the former PRIDE champion waking up with a flashlight in his face.

Maybe not.

Gone to Decision 19 Times

In recent years, Henderson has become known for his vicious knockout power. Becoming a human highlight reel in recent years has done great things for Hendo's marketability. However, people tend to ignore that the man formerly known as "Hollywood" has been to decision in 19 of his 37 career bouts.

In fact, six of Henderson's UFC bouts have gone to decision. His KO win over Michael Bisping and submission loss to Anderson Silva are the only fights that didn't reach the judges scorecards.

Against Jon Jones, the Team Quest fighter will be happy to hand an H-Bomb and call it an early night if possible. However, logic suggests that Hendo will need to utilize his wrestling and avoid Jones' extensive reach if he is going to win this fight. 

Could Hendo go to the judges for the twentieth time?

Unanimous Decisions Are Rare

Even when Hendo secures the victory, he doesn't seem to do so in convincing fashion. 14 times, Henderson was awarded a decision, and on eight occasions, he won either by split or majority decision. 

Think about that. In eight of Hendo's wins, one judge was unconvinced that Dangerous Dan was the better man.

Ironically, many believe that Hendo vs Shogun should have been scored a draw, but Henderson was awarded the unanimous decision.

With a history of close fights against world-class athletes, it's interesting to note that Jon Jones is nearly a 7:1 favorite for their UFC 151 clash.

Lost His PRIDE, UFC and Strikeforce Debuts

As an organization jumper, Henderson has bounced from company to company and won gold in most of them. However, Dangerous Dan doesn't seem to be much of a strong starter.

Debuting in PRIDE with a perfect 9-0 record, the Clinch Gear owner squared off with Wanderlei Silva and lost a unanimous decision.

Seven years later, Henderson was a champion of two weight classes and he had a plane ticket back to the USA to rejoin the UFC. In his return bout, Henderson would attempt to unify the PRIDE and UFC light-heavyweight championships, but ultimately lost a decision to Rampage Jackson.

After a contract dispute sent Hendo out of the UFC, "Hollywood" would move to the Strikeforce organization in hopes of capturing gold there. One more debut and one more loss.

Although Henderson nearly knocked out Jake Shields in the first round of their encounter, the grappling wizard would dominate Hendo for the final four rounds to win a unanimous decision.

Defeated World Champions in Three Weight Classes

It's easy to understand why some fans have written off Dan Henderson in his upcoming title fight against Jon Jones. After all, Jones has dominated the best fighters in the division and is a threat wherever the fight goes.

However, this isn't the first time that Henderson has given up a considerable size advantage. In fact, the former PRIDE welterweight (183 pounds) champion has defeated elite fighters all the way up to heavyweight.

Winning the UFC 17 middleweight tournament, Hendo also won the PRIDE championship for the same weight range by defeating Akihiro Gono, Ryo Chonan and former UFC champion Murilo Bustamante. Additionally, his knockout win over Michael Bisping is one of the greatest in history.

In the light-heavyweight division, Henderson truly shined. Victories over Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua, Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort highlight his exceedingly impressive resume.

If that isn't enough, Henderson also has heavyweight victories over the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio "Big Nog" Nogueira and Gilbert Yvel. 

Just when you think you know the answers, he changes the questions. Don't count Hendo out. It's a terrible decision.