UFC 157: Hendo vs Dragon

[Onion]

Like you too man..

Our back and forth needs to set more of a standard for others. It would certainly liven up to boards more.

Im also a mere 20 mins away from the border... French Canadian descent

That's not gonna score any points with us

Also, Detroit/Windsor, or Port Huron/Sarnia border?

[Ash]

He works in the auto biz, so I would assume Detroit/Windsor.

[ATroms]

That's not gonna score any points with us

Also, Detroit/Windsor, or Port Huron/Sarnia border?

Baha..!! about 25 minutes highway drive from Windsor Border

[greatjake]

For the record everyone I know who knows what MMA is from the diehards to the less than casuals know who Henderson. His wins over Bisping and Shogun alone were enough to make him know in the US. Machida is probably more known but Ash you are grossly underestimating Hendos popularity. I don't see why the sale of clinch gear shirts is an arguing point. I've never seen a punishment mma shirt but Tito is extremely well known.

[greatjake]

I mean relative to active fighters in his division I'd say Rashad Bones Rampage Lyoto Forrest and Shogun are better known and IMO some of those guys are debatable.

[Ash]

None of those guys are debatably less popular than Dan. They're all former champs.

[Best80smovieRAD]

i dont get the debate on dan, if he was a draw than zuffa would of paid him after his bisping win. Dana was real critical of him at that time when it came time to sign him

if he was such a draw, they wouldnt of let him go off to strikeforce

[Tallica1981]

i dont get the debate on dan, if he was a draw than zuffa would of paid him after his bisping win. Dana was real critical of him at that time when it came time to sign him

if he was such a draw, they wouldnt of let him go off to strikeforce

Strtikeforce offered him good money and allowed Clinch Gear some major air time. Zuffa wouldn't allow clinch gear, so Dan went with the better deal.

[BulldogWrestler]

Yeah, according to Dan - the UFC actually offered him more base money - but the sponsorship is what made him bail.

[shagul]

Dan is all business, and that's also why I think it's silly to argue that much about TRT. This is his job, and if he's allowed to do X and that makes him better at it it would be silly not to. It would make more sense to complain if it was widely accepted that Lyoto lived by some kind of "only ecological supplements" nonsense, but I don't think that's the case here. Dan knows that he won't be in big money fights for much longer, and taking the Strikeforce deal made sense for both him and Dana (in terms of not offering more money) at the time. Now it's just about cashing in on the last couple of fights; a title is unlikely, and taking a fight against Lyoto is rather brave. I don't think Dan is even slightly worried about his stats.

To me the part that I like about Dan is that isn't great, yet he is a legitimate legend of the sport. He hits hard, is resilient, has some wrestling and isn't easily intimidated, but that's about it. Despite this he is in some sense the eternal champion in two weight classes of Pride! Neither of those titles made much sense at the time, but at least he didn't win the 205 pound tiltle by decision. I just don't think you have to be great to be a legend, so for me Dan is still more of a legend than Lyoto for example, but that could change. I think that the most legitmate part of his status is the fact that he has fought for over 15 years but never been T/KO'd and only been finished by three fighters who were also considered great at the time of the fight. Even Anderson Silva has lost to cans.

My only counter to any of Ash's arguments would be the parts about winning decisions. I think that it's hard to blame a fighter for winning questionable decisions. Considering that he has never been a major draw and that he has won those kinds of decisions in three major MMA organizations I have a hard time imagining anyone believing that Dan is bribing judges or being part of some secret Illuminati of fighters that influence judges. I suppose that some would like Dan to admit that he actually lost against Bustamante or Kondo etc, but as a businessman that wouldn't make much sense.

I agree with the consensus that it is rather unlikely that he will win this fight, but stranger things have happened.