Dan Henderson

Dan ‘Hollywood’ Henderson – MMA Profile

Dan Henderson was born in 1970, making him one of the oldest MMA fighters willing to get into the ring. With over a decade of professional bouts, he has racked up a record of 23 wins and 7 losses. Over the years, Henderson has been given a number of nicknames, including “Hollywood,” “Hendo,” and “Dangerous.” He fought as a middleweight and heavyweight in the PRIDE fighting organization before migrating to the UFC, having won championship titles in both weight classes in PRIDE.

The Wrestler Develops

Henderson showed early promise as a wrestler during high school, and he continued to develop throughout and after college. While attending Victor Valley High, he participated in the California State Wrestling Championships, earning medals twice. After graduation, he continued competing while attending classes at California State University, Fullerton and Arizona State. In 1993, Henderson participated in the NCAA championships. Then, upon leaving college, he competed in both the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. It was 1997 when the thought of entering the Octagon dawned on him.

He won his first 9 MMA fights, beginning with the Brazil Open ’97. He then spent several years dominating the PRIDE organization with his Greco-Roman wrestling style. In 2007, Henderson fought his last PRIDE bout. Walking into the ring to fight as a middleweight, he had already won the welterweight title. In PRIDE 33, he defeated Wanderlei Silva to become the middleweight champion, leaving the Octagon with titles in both weight classes.

After leaving the PRIDE organization at the height of his career, Henderson’s UFC return (he had competed in UFC 17) was discouraging. He lost 2 consecutive bouts to Quinton Jackson and Anderson Silva. However, he won his most recent fight by defeating Rousimar Palhares in UFC 88.

Henderson’s success throughout his MMA career was made possible by the faith that his father had in him. During high school, his father tirelessly shuttled him to wrestling matches in a van that constantly threatened to break down. At tournaments, he would connect a video camera to the van’s battery in order to record Dan’s bouts. Dan’s father never lost faith in his son’s ability to excel in wrestling. Fans would agree that his faith has paid off.