Strikeforce Champ Jake Shields on Dan Henderson: All I Need is a Date and I Will Fight
By: Chad Edward Posted On: December 7, 2009 at 8:52pm
Former two-division PRIDE champion, two-division UFC title challenger, and Fighters.com’s third-ranked middleweight “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) has signed with Strikeforce after a 22-month, 3-2 stint with the UFC.
“I’m very happy to be a part of Strikeforce and their partnership with CBS and Showtime,” said the 39-year-old Henderson.
“We are excited to welcome Dan Henderson to Strikeforce,” said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. “Dan is one of the world’s premiere fighters who has lived out an extraordinary career. We are looking forward to having him compete for us.”
Notably absent from Strikeforce’s announcement was which division the versatile former Olympian will compete in.
Strikeforce’s light heavyweight division is owned by champion Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1) and the promotion’s middleweight division is topped by second-ranked Jake Shields (23-4-1).
Henderson can likely take his pick. For his new promotion, Henderson has no downside. Coming off of a brutal knockout of Brit “Count” Michael Bisping (18-2) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas in July, Hendo’ was likely and rightly next in line for another challenge to Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), making him the UFC’s best of the rest at 185-pounds. Should he beat Shields in a Strikeforce title fight, Strikeforce crowns a proven UFC-level champion. Should he lose to Shields, he vets Shields as at least as good as the UFC’s former top 185-pound challenger. Versus Mousasi at 205-pounds, the same logic applies as Henderson is a former PRIDE champion and went five rounds with former UFC light heavyweight champ sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) in a UFC title fight.
Though Mousasi has already publicly lobbied for a fight versus Hendo’, Fighters.com expects Henderson and Shields to matchup for the Strikeforce title.
And, like Mousasi, Shields is ready to take his case for the fight public. Monday night, Shields told Fighters.com exclusively, “I would love to [fight Henderson], but it’s up to Hendo’ and Strikeforce. But, on my end, all I need is a date and I will fight.”
Not to be forgot is former Hendo’ pupil and recent Strikeforce signee “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0). Though untested, Lawal has a little hype behind him and competes at 205-pounds. If Hendo’ were to take the Strikeforce title at light heavyweight, it puts a temporary stop-gap on Lawal’s budding career because it’s unlikely sensei and pupil would ever fight.
Finally, though Henderson prefers not making the weight cut to 185-pounds, his record clearly indicates he’s more competitive at middleweight.
Regardless which division Henderson fights in, his signing is a coup for Strikeforce because he’s been promoted in the US as a coach on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter and over a million people watched him cold-cock Bisping at UFC 100.
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Comments
yeah right… get ready to say goodnight Jake-y boy, you’re coming out of that one either choked out or knocked out
Jake is a king kong at welterweight, he only went up the 15lbs to middleweight because Strikeforce has better competition at MW, until they build their rooster at WW. Shields is a very small MW, after maintaining his weight at 182lbs for the last 5 to 6 years, he has only gone up to 190lbs and stalled.
I like both fighters, but this is a tough match up for Shields who should be fighting at WW, I thought it was gutsy that he went up for tougher opponents, but Hendo is a BIG MW, who weighs 210 to 225 when he is not preparing for a fight.
This is not a done deal, Shields management should avoid Henderson who is only looking for one fight, then he will go up to a weight that is more to his liking. If it happens Jake will 190 and Dan 208 on fight night.