UFC 139 Results: Shogun vs. Henderson II Should Headline UFC on FOX 2

The first thing I said when Shogun Rua and Dan Henderson were done with their instantly-epic war on Saturday night was “man, that should have headlined UFC on FOX.”

It had everything you could want in a main event, as it was a total dogfight from beginning to end and had more memorable moments than some entire seasons of other sports. It was a long time coming for fans who have followed these men throughout their career, and it didn’t even kind of disappoint.

So why not go ahead and do it again?

One of the nice things about the way the UFC does its matchmaking is that the promotion usually gives itself wiggle room and can make the fights it has to when fans are demanding them. In the case of Shogun/Hendo, an immediate rematch could fall into the category of “booked by popular demand.”

And what better place to do it than on FOX, where the casual fan could tune in and become hooked by such a war in the same way they were hooked by Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar on Spike TV many moons ago. If you want to show a new fan what MMA is all about, it’s pretty clear that Shogun and Hendo are the guys to show off the skill and heart required in the octagon.

The second instalment of the UFC on FOX—first official “card” per se—needs a big headliner, one that has drawing power. Perhaps doing a card where you lead into the rematch with a replay of tonight’s remarkable showdown could work. Or maybe you stack the card with a great co-main event and hope that the two can catch lightning in a bottle for a second time.

What makes this feud great is that it’s not even really a feud. It’s just two tough guys who match up so well with one another that it’s almost impossible to pick a winner. If they fought a hundred times, neither man would win more than 51 or 52 of them, and they’d all be close. Close fights between tough guys are what get people interested, and getting people interested in the UFC is what having a network deal is all about.

So go ahead and make this rematch Dana, and put it on your next FOX show. These guys earned the right to that exposure tonight, and would probably earn you a whole lot more if you put them in the cage together one more time.

Be sure to stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all things UFC 139. B/R is your home for complete coverage of the November 19 fight card, from pre-fight predictions to in-fight coverage, results and post-fight analysis