Dana White: Dan Henderson is next for Jon Jones
Posted on April 22, 2012, 06:45 AM by Anton GurevichAfter defeating Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 145, Jon Jones has already learned the identity of his next opponent inside the Octagon. Multi-time champ and MMA legend, Dan Henderson, is next in line for "Bones", that's according to the UFC President Dana White, who confirmed the match-up during UFC 145 post-fight press conference.
The fight between Jon Jones and Dan Henderson is expected to take place later this year, most likely in August. This will be Jon Jones fourth title defense, after victimizing three former champions in Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans.
Dan Henderson, forty-one years old, is currently on a four-fight win streak, with victories over Renato Sobral, Feijao Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Nicknamed by yours truly as "Mr. Pound-for-Pound", Henderson won the UFC 17 Middleweight Tournament back in 1998, held both 205 and 185 titles in PRIDE, won the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title from the hands of Feijao Cavalcante, and went up to Heavyweight, weighing 207lbs, to defeat the all-time great Fedor Emelianenko.
Hendo will be the most decorated fighter Jones has ever faced inside the UFC Octagon.
It looks like the young gun Alexander Gustafsson will have to wait for his shot at the title. Rogerio Nogueira, Ryan Bader, Rampage Jackson, and maybe even Rashad Evans could be next for "The Mauler", who convincingly defeated Thiago Silva at UFC on Fuel TV 2.
Comments
Jones will feel very confident fighting Hendo considering he dismantled Shogun.
Jones has the strength, the wrestling, the reach, the cardio and the youth. I can't see this fight lasting long despite the hype.
Another good fight for jones would be against the swede, his wrestling however I think will prove too much.
Dan has a better chin than Rashad. Although he lacks in speed compared to Rashad he makes up for in power. Dan is also not afraid to step in and be on the offensive, something Rashad couldn't do. I can see a lot of people overlooking Henderson based on Jones' last 4 title defenses.
That being said, I got Hendo to win before the 3rd.
Hendo has the right hand and the jaw to fight jones, but he lacks the speed to get within range.
Speed, reach and cardio will be Jones' keys to victory. He'll simply gregjacksonize (no offense there) and circle the whole fight around Hendo, keeping him to distance with kicks and jabs executed quickly and using his reach. Hendo won't be able to touch and will get frustrated.
Rashad took some heavy shots tonight, especially those wild elbows from jones.
I think his chin is not too bad.....he's only been knocked out once. All the big names, Rampage, Wanderlei, chuck, Bisping, vitor, have all succomb to knockouts.
I thought Matt brown showed an awesome chin in his fight. He got tagged with so many hard shots and destroyed wonderboy.
After fighting Rashad, Henderson will look like he's in slow motion to Jones. Bones by submission 2nd round.
I think Jones' biggest advantage against Dan will be his cardio. Assuming the fight goes past the 2nd round Dan will start slowing down a lot and Jones will take advantage.
If Jones gets Dan in a position like Shogun had him in the 5th round of their fight, Jones will definitely finish with elbows
Hendo won't last a round with Jones....he is just too slow.
He will indeed gas out after a round or two.
I think E1 knows if Hendo lands his right hand cleanly he can take out almost any fighter in any division but apart from that he has little to trouble Jones with. Hendo is a legend and his record speaks for itself but I feel Dana is feeding a lamb to the slaughter in this one. Shouldn't have given Jones so many fights last year as in another year he'll be in a position of rematching old opponents unless some new blood emerges in the LHW division.
brendan schcub let me down for nearly 3500 euro, what a glass jaw
yer seemed nowt on the left hook!
mostly arm, but with heavy weights any shot is gonna have power.
that`s why i never bet on heavy weight fights, any shot can be a fight ending one. unless the opponent is Roy Nelson!
why the FACK would you put 3500 Euro on him when Nog knock his ass out cold??? I'm not a betting man but that just seems really dumb man sorry for your loss but I saw that one coming...
FINALLY, hendo gets the shot. I love Hendo (no homo), but:
1. Gas tank is catching up with his age
2. Jones will stick and move like the condit vs diaz fight
Therefore, Jones by submission 4th round
jones should just go up to heavyweight unless anderson would come up and fight him but doubt that will happen
STFU!!!!!!!! Jones needs to stay at 205....Jesus christ ppl give it up all ready how about every champion move up in weight....is that what happens when you have a few title defenses?! Hes not that heavy he walks around at 221-225 cut less than 20lbs to make weight.... I'm so sick of hearing how JJ needs to go to HW....NO HE DOESNT!!!
Its going to be another one sided affair!!! Henderson has a good chin but those elbows are lethal. I'd do for Jon Jones by TKO 2nd round (if not the 1st)
you've got it all figured out buddy!
congratulations :)
hahahaha.... how old are you bruce?
Ha ha. I like that you have a sense of humor Grandslam. I'm too old to be on a website like this. Will be 53 in a month. BTW I agree on your assessment of Jones vs Hendo.
The way you asses most of the fights reflects how passionate you are about the sport. got to admit I never miss your comments!
Dan wont talk crap before the fight. He'll simply smile at Jon. Dont count out Hendo. If Jon makes the same mistakes he made against Rashad he can get KO'd in a second. Jones slipped to one knee right in front of Rashad and Rashad didnt do anything. Rashad had the opportunity to take Jon's back also and he was to gassed to do anything about it. If Dan had connected like Rashad did, you would have a different champ this morning. I still cant stand Jones, hes an asswipe.
I think that's one of the funny things about fighting Jones. Normally you see someone do something out of the ordinary and your mind registers "Opening! Strike!" When Jones does something like slip to a knee, you have to stop and wonder whether he's added acrobatic breakdancing techniques to his striking arsenal, and his just trying to sucker you in. By the time he gets back to his feet, it's too late to capitalize.
If Evans was gassed at that point I think Hendo would be sucking air by then so...NO your wrong, sorry bud.
Henderson has a shot but I see Jones winning. I had Rashad to win last night because IMO he has the better footwork, wrestling and boxing of the two. The weird thing is, he didn't use it. Being in the cage with Jones does something to people. They forget who they are. The only guy that hasn't happened to was Machida and he got rocked and finished in the second. The only ways I see Jones losing the title at LHW are in a rematch with Machida IF Machida fights a perfect fight or against Anderson who I honesty think would clown Jones.
Evans mentioned that about the footowrk. Said he threw a leg kick in the second round and Jones checked it off his knee and hurt his foot. His mobility never came back during the fight.
I haven't read Rashad's comments yet. It is interesting to know that he wasn't psyched out by Jones but actually injured. That makes me wonder how a rematch might go. Rashad did well considering he was short what is arguably his greatest asset. Having seen last night's fight though I don't think I would pick Rashad in a rematch.
ThiS is a ridiculous fight. Prob go similar to couture machida. I love hendo but he has very little chance here. It's pretty easy for jones to stay out side a right haymaker and counter such a wild punch.
What if it went similar to Couture vs Tim Silvia? While Silvia is no Jones the size comparison might be more similar
It is no more ridiculous than any fight Jones can line up at LHW. The only fights that make more sense are Machida or Anderson. I don't see Jones getting a KO either. The only person to even come close to KOing Hendo was Fedor. I do agree that Jones will win though.
"More sense" in that they have a better chance at beating Jones not in that they deserve it more. Anderson can fight whoever he wants without waiting in line in my opinion but Machida needs to climb back up the ladder.
in a perfect scenario.
Hendo KO's Jones with his right, finally wins the UFC title (to add to all his other big titles he's won)...then retires as champion and his Legacy is cemented.
As epic as that would be, I think it's more likely that Jones waits for an opening, takes Hendo to the mat, gets full mount, and pulls a Jake Shields. With the added bonus of hitting harder than a teddy bear. I think if this fight hits the mat it is officially over. I just can't picture a way Hendo wins on the ground, and Greg Jackson will be sure to point that out to Jones.
Still, if Hendo comes in and wrecks Jon like it's nothing... I think he'd go down not only as a legend, but might very well be the only person to legitimately beat Jones ever. At least he'd shut up all the haters that felt he just got lucky against Fedor. That'd be worth it for me.
He did get lucky against Fedor. They were both swinging wildly with no defense. Whoever won that fight was winning on luck. When you fight that way and both guys have an iron chin and an anvil in their hand it is a coin toss.
His legacy is plenty laid already. Olympics and several mma titles are more than prob any other fighter out there. He is a living legend and a top tier fighter still. But I don't think he has a chance against a versatile agile striker like jones. Or machida. Prob Evans either.
He only needs one shot. Evens goes to sleep. Machida probably out points him but might also go to sleep. I am taking Jones via decision BUT one right hand is all it takes.
Hendo is a legend but don't see him having much chance in this fight except from a random H-Bomb
lots of doubters out there. I believe in Hendo
While Jones will be set to face Hendo, I think the next N1 contender matchup should be made between Davis and Gustafsson. And there's also Bader and Machida who both lost to Jones but Machida looked like he had the key to defeat Jones and Bader looked great since that fight.
Hendo, then the winner of Davis-Gustafsson (potential matchup), then Bader or Machida or Evans depending on how things went.
Dan Henderson.... just another name to add to the list of champions Jones has beat.
Either way I hope they do this fight in a couple months I hate when the more entertaining fighters only fight twice a year.
Jones round 2 sub....mata leao.
this fight makes no sense at all.
Hendo will get destroyed, plain and simple.He has no chance whatsoever in this fight.
Rashad is the number 2 light heavyweight in the world and he only managed to take bones to the fifth round
i know Dana owes Hendo a title fight but this wont be a competative fight at all IMO and i'm a big Hendo fun
Gustaffson makes more sense in my opinion judging by the way he dismantled Thiago Silva
I think Gustaffson needs one more fight maybe against Lyotto or davis. but honestly any of the top 6 LHW contenders would make great match up against one another. The problem is Jones is just a level higher than the top 6 lhw.