Hendo: The American Athlete
Life and career of MMA legend Dan Henderson
Dan “Hendo” Henderson is one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time. This biography follows Dan as a young boy chasing his dreams of Olympic gold, as well as when his career path changed and he was fighting for UFC belts.
The first man in MMA history to hold titles in two different weight classes at the same time. He did it back in 2007, winning the 205 then 185 pound weight divisions in Pride Fighting Championship. Hendo was ‘champ champ’ before Connor McGregor! His list of accomplishments is long, including being a two time Olympian (1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta) in Greco-Roman wrestling.
Two types of amateur wrestling are Greco-Roman and freestyle. Greco-Roman wrestling doesn’t allow any grabbing of the legs or trips. All takedowns must be done with the upper body. Freestyle you are allowed to grab legs and go for trips. Dan trained both but specialized in Greco-Roman.
Dan was born and raised in Temecula, California, USA. Dan grew up on a farm with his parents and older brother, Tom. Dan got into his share of trouble. Lots of cuts, scrapes, and stitches. Something he says the “softer generation” of today doesn’t get to experience. Dan’s father Bill would often tell Dan to “put a band aid on it”, an expression Dan used many times in his career to help him overcome adversity.
Dan Henderson’s two biggest influences in his life were two of his wrestling coaches, Bill Henderson and Bob Anderson. Dan’s father Bill Henderson, a solid high school wrestler and tough, rugged man. He was hard on Dan in wrestling practices. That’s how Dan developed his legendary toughness and work ethic. Dan refers to his dad as Superman.
American wrestling coach Bob Anderson was a wrestling state champion, NCAA all-American and wrestled in the 1968 Olympic trials. He coached Dan in California as a youth, all the up to the Olympic Games. Bob Anderson also coached Rulon Gardner (Olympic gold), Randy Couture, and Heath Simms. Fun story, Bob Anderson travelled to Brazil in the 1970’s. He trained with BJJ master Rolls Gracie. Legend has it that Bob taught Rolls the paintbrush shoulder lock that we all know today as the Americana lock. Rolls called it the Americana in Bob’s honour.
The Henderson boys started wrestling when they were in grade school. Dan always loved competition, even as a young kid.
Dan Henderson got to wrestle legendary Olympic gold medalist Dave Schultz at a wrestling camp in 1988, when Dan was 17 years-old. He was star struck by his hero. Dave Schultz had accomplished everything Dan wanted to do in wrestling, including standing at the top of the podium winning Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling. A dream Dan was actively chasing. Dan was actually able to turn Schultz and score on him.
To Dan’s complete shock, Dave Schultz immediately popped up asked Dan how he did the move. It was a true lesson in humility. That day Dave Schultz taught Dan Henderson that you can learn from anyone.
A sponsor from his wrestling club gave Dan and a few others a unique opportunity to go wrestle full time in the Soviet Union. The training was long and intense. Dan got coached by many olympians in this time. He absorbed all the new information like a sponge. The training really took his wrestling to the next level.
Dan went to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, taking 9th place. There was a lot of biased officiating, cheating, and greasing by his opponents. Dan admits to being surprised at the lack of sportsmanship at the Olympic Games. He made it back for the 1996 games in Atlanta but suffered a similar result. His goal was still Olympic gold but a call from a friend, Randy Couture, changed his life forever. Randy had an offer for Dan to fight for a promotion in Brazil.
The offer was to fight in a one night only tournament. Dan could win $3,000 for the first fight and could double his money by winning a second fight that night. This was huge for someone making only $650 a month at the time from USA wrestling. That’s $650 Dan would only receive while ranked number one in USA wrestling, which was not every month.
Dan was 27 years old when he fought his first MMA fight in 1997. He defeated a Carlson Gracie black belt, Crezio de Souza, by TKO. He actually won the tournament, two fights in the same night. Winning $6,000 as well as a bonus of $,6000 upping his total one night earnings to $12,000. More money in one night than he was making per year at the time.
Dan first competed in the UFC at UFC 17 in May 1998. Dan won the UFC 17 middleweight tournament defeating Allan Goes in the first round. In the finals, despite getting his jaw completely broken and dislocated against Carlos Newton, Dan won. The fight, the tournament, and $22,000. Finally, he didn’t need to ask his dad for grocery money anymore.
Dan isn’t shy about chasing the money by leaving the UFC for bigger paydays overseas in Japan with Pride Fighting Championship. Within a few fights in Japan, Hendo was making $100,000 per fight. A much higher salary than the average UFC fighter. Later in his career, during negotiations with Dana White and the UFC, he left for Strikeforce. Dana refused to pay him the $800,000 per fight he had wanted. Strikeforce happily paid him that and gave him a $500,000 signing bonus.
He would go on to have 47 fights over a 19 year career. His final MMA fight was a 2016 loss vs. UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping.
Dan Henderson has had many classic MMA moments that will live on forever. The Bisping KO at UFC 100, the KO of Wanderlei Silva to become the first double champion, the KO of ‘The Last Emperor’ Fedor Emelianenko, KO of Renzo Gracie, elbow KO of Hector Lombard.
Among his peers and MMA fans, Dan Henderson is one of the most respected fighters of all time. A real American athlete.
Hendo Facts
Dan is a self admitted good dancer.
Dan got paid $600 a week to coach TUF.
Someone stole the fight shorts Dan wore when he KO’d Fedor Emelianenko. He has never got them back.
Dan was scheduled to fight Jon Jones at UFC 151 but had to withdraw when he tore his MCL. The fight vs. Jones never happened.
Dan mentions a few current UFC fighters who “would be fun to fight”. Israel Adesanya, Francis Ngannou, Stipe Miocic, and Ciryl Gane are on his list.
Dan says it would take 2 million dollars for him to come out of retirement
Dan Henderson career MMA accomplishments
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Oldest fighter to ever fight in UFC. 46 years old when he fought Michael Bisping at UFC 204. October 2016
Hall of fame - Fight vs. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. UFC 139. November 2011
UFC 17 Middleweight tournament winner
Fight of the night x4
KO of the night x1
Performance of the night x2
One of only two fighters to win tournaments in UFC and Pride FC
Pride Fighting Championship (Japan)
Pride Middleweight champion x1
Pride Welterweight champion x1
2005 Pride Welterweight Grand Prix Champion
Strikeforce
Light Heavyweight Champion x1
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