5 Possible Opponents for Dan Henderson's Next Fight

Dan Henderson came up just short for the second straight fight. He has lost two split decisions in a row to top light heavyweight competition. It will be hard for the veteran to rebound toward a title shot, but he doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.

Henderson entered as the No. 3-ranked light heavyweight, and although he will fall after UFC 161, he remains one of the sport's elite.

He will still garner a top fighter in his next outing, and a victory could move him right back into title contention. Time will tell where Henderson ends up, but he should be back in the UFC in short order.

These are five fighters that could challenge Henderson in his next outing.

Ryan Bader

The No. 10-ranked light heavyweight will be returning from injury soon enough, and would be a good option for both fighters.

It would be another chance for Bader to defeat a big name in the sport, and Henderson would get another top-10 opponent.

Both fighters want elite opposition. It's the only way they'll make it to a title shot. If the timing works out well for both men, this seems like a quality option for the UFC. It would make for a good co-main event to a pay-per-view, or even a solid main event for a televised card.

The winner would perhaps not join the title talk right away, but they would only be one more fight away from potentially challenging for gold.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

No. 5-ranked Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was slated to fight Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 161, but was forced off the card with an injury.

When Nogueira returns, a rematch with Henderson could await him.

Henderson lost to Nogueira back in 2005 via armbar. There is little question Henderson would be motivated to extract some revenge against Nogueira. It would also mean Henderson would get another top-five opponent.

The two veterans make sense for one another where they both stand in the division, and it would be an eagerly anticipated rematch.

The Loser of Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman

According to B/R's own Damon Martin, Henderson would consider a move to 185 pounds.

That opens up a lot of options for Henderson.

One of the top options awaiting him is facing the loser of next month's title fight. Neither Anderson Silva nor Chris Weidman will tumble far down the rankings, and it would give Henderson a chance to show why he deserves a title shot at 185 pounds.

Both fights would be highly marketable for the UFC. It could be one of the best options for Henderson's next fight.

Gegard Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi is unbeaten in his last seven fights, and is ranked No. 9 in the light heavyweight division.

This fight also makes sense at middleweight as Mousasi recently mentioned he is thinking about dropping back down to 185 pounds.

This is a fight that makes sense for either weight class, and could even be fought at a catchweight of 195 pounds to allow both men a more gradual step down in weight class. It could easily be the main event for a future televised card.

Both men want title shots, and middleweight could be the quicker path to that. The UFC should look into a fight between the two talented veterans.

Vitor Belfort

Henderson last met, and defeated, Belfort back in PRIDE in 2006. The two veterans are still among the very best in the world at what they do, and a rematch makes a lot of sense.

This fight could be at middleweight or light heavyweight. However, middleweight makes the most sense.

A middleweight scrap between Henderson and Belfort would give the UFC an instant No. 1 contender for the winner of Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. Fans would eat it up.

Belfort is ranked No. 2 at middleweight. Henderson would instantly be one of the top five fighters at 185 pounds should he be offered this fight to return to the division. This is the best fight to get Henderson into title contention, and one of the easiest fights to market for the UFC.

A rematch between Belfort and Henderson would create a lot of buzz around the MMA community.