Dan Henderson Situation Update

Posted by Jeffrey Harris on 10.16.2009

Dan Henderson's camp says he has signed no deal with Strikeforce. But has Dana White resigned to Hendo leaving the UFC?

In a report earlier today from, Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, Iole reported that Dana White confirmed UFC and Dan Henderson had been unable to come to a new deal to the current MMA free agent in Dan Henderson. White is quoted in the article as saying, "We have a good relationship with Henderson, and there are no hard feelings. He had a figure he believed he was worth, and we had our own figure, and we weren't able to get together." Iole went on to report that although White was saddened that the UFC would be losing Henderson, White would be confident that the UFC would eventually recover, and "We always find a way," according to Dana White. Iole also reported in the article that Henderson "appears to be on the verge of signing" a deal with Strikeforce.

Not long after the news sent the MMA blogging, and forum world in an uproar, Michael David Smith of MMA Fanhouse put out this story, and that according to Henderson's friend and business partner Aaron Crecy, there is currently no imminent signing planned with Henderson and Strikeforce. "We had a brief get-to-know-you session with (Strikeforce) and met them for coffee, but to say he's close to signing would be a gross misrepresentation," says Crecy. MMA Fanhouse reached Scott Coker who said, "We've had dialogue with Dan but that's all I'd like to say."

Dan Henderson got one big win at UFC 100, defeating Michael Bisping by KO, and earning knockout of the night for that show. A title fight with UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva, was seemingly inevitable. However, Silva and his manager, Ed Soares, desired that Henderson face another top UFC middleweight, Nate Marquardt, in an eliminator bout to determine Silva's next opponent. In addition, talks are now going on for Silva to defend his belt against UFC fighter, Vitor Belfort, whom Henderson defeated at Pride 32 in 2006. Henderson publically spoke on this on such shows as MMA Live and his desire to be paid more after his most recent fights and becoming a free agent.

Crecy also commented in the Fanhouse article that Henderson is currently not making any immediate plans on his future at the moment, but Henderson does plan on attending the Strikeforce event on November 7. After the news was reported that Henderson was a free agent and renegotiation talks with UFC had "slowed," Henderson commented on Inside MMA that he did not want to fight for anyone else except the UFC.

Credit: Yahoo Sports
MMA Fanhouse