UFC: Will a Dan Henderson Victory over Fedor Earn a UFC Title Match vs Jon Jones

Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight champion Dan Henderson is on the eve of participating in the match he had in mind when he signed with the company in 2009.

The opponent of Hendo is former top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter Fedor Emelianenko. This match is easily the most anticipated match in Strikeforce history and a dream fight in terms of legends of the sport.

Henderson is widely considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters of all time, and he turns 41 in August. He has been successful at different weight classes, winning titles during his tenure with Pride at Middleweight and Welterweight.

Hendo fought unsuccessfully against Rampage Jackson and Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight and Light-Heavyweight Championships and he had earned a rematch with Anderson Silva. But a contract dispute allowed Strikeforce to sign the veteran fighter and he eventually claimed the Light-Heavyweight Championship which he still holds.

His opponent on Saturday is arguably the most legendary of all mixed martial arts fighters, "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko. Though Fedor suffered his first two real defeats in his last two fights, he should be re-focused and looking to rebound with a huge win over Dan Henderson.  

Though a win for Fedor would catapult him back into the title picture and into relevance once again, a win for Dan Henderson could land him yet another opportunity to fight for the UFC.

A win over Fedor could place him at the top of the rankings once again. Who would be a better test for Jon "Bones" Jones than the iron head known simply as Hendo?

This might force Rashad Evans to wait even longer for a title shot, but the window of opportunity is closing for a Henderson vs Jones fight.

Henderson versus Jones would be a huge fight for the UFC and one that could be promoted very easily as champion versus champion. The fight would also be overwhelmingly accepted by the MMA community.

Henderson has the one-punch knockout power that could end the night for Jon Jones and he has shown that he can deal with superior strikers in the past. He has fought just about every elite striker that MMA has had to offer.

As for Jon Jones, a win over Dan Henderson would add yet another legendary name to his list that could include his next opponent Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and the man he defeated for the UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

Henderson brings his Olympic level Greco-Roman wrestling and his largest weapon, simply referred to as the H-Bomb, which could level any playing field.

Henderson defeating Jones would allow Henderson to walk away on top as the only person to hold titles in the UFC, Pride, and Strikeforce. This is a feat that might never be duplicated.

Whatever the future holds for Dan Henderson solely depends on the result of tomorrow night's legendary superfight between two of Pride's greatest champions and two of Mixed Martial Art's most iconic figures.