COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite a 5-1 run in his past six fights, 40-year-old Dan Henderson had his doubts.
He wondered if he'd still be able to compete with the upper level of the light-heavyweight division and prove his relevancy in the sport.
With a crushing third-round knockout of champ Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (10-3 MMA, 3-2 SF) at Saturday's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" event, new champ Henderson (27-8 MMA, 2-1 SF) got his answer.
"It's been a while since I won a new belt, and this one definitely probably means the most to me because I'm 40 years old, and inside, I felt like I could still compete with the top guys," said Henderson, who fight in the Showtime-televised main card at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. "That's something I needed to prove to myself tonight. And I think I accomplished that for myself and hopefully the fans too."
Henderson, an early-UFC tournament winner and two-division PRIDE champion, famously divide ties with the UFC in 2009 on the heels of a three-fight win streak. But unable to come to terms on a new deal, he then signed with Strikeforce.
Since then, he's become one of the organization's biggest stars, and he was the clear fan favorite at Saturday's event.
Much of that admiration comes from Henderson's willingness to fight in two divisions, often against better guys. While most fighters go up in weight and stay there once they enter their twilight years, Henderson continually bounces. As with the UFC, he's competed in both Strikeforce's middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions.
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