Dana White Speaks On Dan Henderson Signing With Strikeforce
Posted by Larry Csonka on 12.07.2009
“He’s not a big pay-per-view star, he’s not a big attraction, and he’s not going to sell out arenas.” – Dana White
- MMA Fanhouse spoke with Dana White, regarding Dan Henderson signing with Strikeforce. Here is what he had to say…
"He's happy, but the reality is that I pushed him into signing that deal. I told people over the weekend that he'd sign within the next week. I wanted him to s**t or get off the pot. He was in this limbo forever, and he needed more motivation to make a decision. Do you think that there's any guy we can't get that I want? Other than Fedor [Emelianenko]? So far, he's been the one guy we can't get. But everyone else that we've wanted, we got. If I wanted Dan Henderson, I could've signed him. For the money he wanted, he's not worth it. He's not a big pay-per-view star, he's not a big attraction, and he's not going to sell out arenas. He wants way too much and he doesn't bring anything to the table. Here's the reality: If I wanted him, he'd be in the UFC. It's not like, ‘F***, Strikeforce beat me out.' He's been a free agent for a long time. If I wanted him, I would have signed him by now."
usually i disagree with dana. well the truth hurts. hendo is a legend but not a mainstream crossover star like couture, liddell, and brock.
Posted By: rey (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 08:48 PM
he has an excuse for everything. dan has a name now. casual fans know who he is mostly because of bisping now. no he is not liddel, but he can sell some tickets.
cant side with dana on this one. he is bitter.
Posted By: c'mon son (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 08:50 PM
I love Dana but this is the first time I feel like he's being a bit of a baby. I mean, he is right that Henderson isnt a mainstream draw and he may have asked for too much money but there is no way White and the UFC didnt want him. Dont degrade him because he was pissed about losing his title shot and annoyed that Tito got a huge contract. Henderson was easily the 2nd best Middleweight and a contender at 205. He brings a lot of credibility to either division in Strikeforce. Id go so far to say that outside of Silva, that Strikeforce might have the better division. Id love to see Hendo kill Shields and then fight Mousasi for a 2nd belt. Good luck Hendo.
Posted By: lowe (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 08:50 PM
Well thank god Dana wanted Phil Baroni and Dennis Hallman
Posted By: Josh (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:02 PM
This is all a work. Henderson is being paid under the table to destroy all the top MH/LHW in SF, all the while the UFC's MW division clears up. By the time Henderson cleans out Strikeforce, Anderson will be looking for a new opponent.
And if Henderson fails, Dana will look like a genius for not re-signing him.
Posted By: Serial (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Ya sry Dana but you sound bitter and too overconfident when talking about one of the top 5 MWs in the world. Dan also says he felt a little dissed...perhaps it has to do with these types of comments hmm
Posted By: SedlockIHCC (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:19 PM
Dana speaks the truth.
Posted By: MBD (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:23 PM
For once can Dana White just say..
Best wishes in all your future endeavors.
of course not though....he's gotta be a bitch about it.
Posted By: MadLiberator (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:28 PM
When you got Tito Ortiz main eventing you can't talk shit. How well did that event go again Dana?
Posted By: Guest#8383 (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:51 PM
Strange he hires Phil Baroni, Dennis Hallman, and Renzo Gracie. But doesn't Dan anymore.. hmm.
Posted By: Ja (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 09:53 PM
Dana is correct that Henderson isn't a big time PPV draw or anything.
...However, the UFC claims to have the best fighters in the world. Dan Henderson is one of the best MWs in the world, fresh off a highlight reel KO on the UFC's biggest show EVER.
I don't buy Dana's stuff about 'Dan wanted to be the highest paid fighter blah blah'. More than likely, he thought he could keep a great fighter around making less. Sooner or later, he will have to start paying fighters more, whether he likes it or not. The UFC is making more than enough to increase the average fighter salary without running their business into the ground.
Posted By: Guest#1227 (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 10:19 PM
For once can Dana White just say..
Best wishes in all your future endeavors.
of course not though....he's gotta be a bitch about it.
Posted By: MadLiberator (Guest)
Of course not. If he did, that would very un-Dana White.
Posted By: Mr. Mack (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 10:49 PM
Three Things:
a) Being this Bitter just makes you look unprofessional… He’s trashing the #2 middleweight in all MMA. He might be asking for too much money, but he’s actually trying to convince every MMA Fan, that Hendo, doesn’t have it anymore & Sucks, that he’s name value is gone… If so… Why was he so heavily promoted as a big part of your biggest show ever, UFC 100? In my honest opinion: Hendo is to the middleweights, what Nogueira, is to the heavyweights … Does anyone question Big Nog’s Status?
b) I’ll repeat this again: “If Strikeforce, is a shit nothing promotion and they are not worth anybody’s time… Then don’t pay attention (bicth & moan) about absolutely everything that Strikeforce, does business wise… every time you mention them, it gives then more name value, to the casual UFC MMA Fan... it will make you’re fan ship, at one moment say “Let check them out, and see, what Dana’s is bitching so much about?”… It gives them more and more exposure as the “alternate promotion”…
c) As a Fan all I can say is: “SUCK IT, DANA... HENDO, KILL’S BITCHES DEAD!!!
Posted By: Fear_Inc. (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Henderson is right! He EARNED another shot at Anderson for the title and let's not forget when they fought he's one of the very FEW that actually gave Silva a fight! Belfort sux and we ALL know Silva will walk through him like everyone else in a very limited UFC Middleweight division! Hendo vs. Cung Le sign it!
Posted By: yankeeman (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Dana is starting to forget this is a sport, not sports entertainment. Why would you let one of the very top consensus fighters go and re-sign Tito? Because he is starting to fall into the trap of trying to sell ppvs based on personalities. That only works in real sports when it's not forced, and now Dana is forcing it. Huge UFC fan, but this sucks.
Posted By: guest guest (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 11:20 PM
dana is full of shit just a few months ago he was all talking about how good friends they are and how he wishes hendo the best no matter what his choice would be, now that hendo has gone to strikeforce he starts talking shit he did the same shit with fedor, tito, couture, frank shamrock and rampage dana white is nothing more then a little bitch always talking shit when things don't go his way what happen to being cool and being friends oh yeah hendo didn't suck your dick like chuck did
Posted By: Guest#8085 (Guest) on December 07, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Hendo wanted more money, the UFC didn't want to give it. Pretty simple, no reason to start mudslinging. Not like Hendo went out and started badmouthing the UFC really. The only negative he's said (in regards to the money thing) is about Tito making 'this much' so he [Hendo] deserves 'that much'...nothing wrong with that.
Happens in every other sport...2 huge players available, 1 signs, the other starts saying "well so and so got this much".
I'll miss seeing Hendo fight in the octagon but man that KO of Bisping will never fade out of my mind.
Posted By: Nick (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 12:27 AM
If youn ask me the UFC is starting to go down hill. What happened to the promotion that put on outstanding fight cards with 3 great fights on a PPV. Oh, that's right, you have to spread them out when your doing a PPV a month. Does any one really wanna see Chuck-Tito III??? I know I don't.
Posted By: dean1983 (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Dana could say the same thing about 95 percent of the roster. Is he gonna fuck them when they need a new contract?
Posted By: paco smith (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 12:57 AM
If it's true that Dana doesn't want Dan Henderson, then it's a real shame because it shows that Dana doesn't want every good fighter in the world in the UFC, which is what he SHOULD want.
Instead of pushing the boat out for Hendo, he's plugging the hell out of Kimbo Slice.
Get your priorities right, Dana, and put your money behind real fighters.
Posted By: Jon (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 03:50 AM
Dan Henderson is the Chris Benoit of MMA (minus the killing).
Ridiculously popular with the internet nerds, but the majority of us couldn't give a fuck about him.
Posted By: The Stealer (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 04:43 AM
OK, Dana is throwing his toys out of the pram but there is some truth behind what he says. Despite the great win against Bisping it was the coaching role on the Ultimate Fighter that cost Henderson. The man was hands down the most boring coach ever and, for all of his experience, he couldn't stop his team from falling apart.
Henderson may put people to sleep inside the octagon but he puts them to sleep outside it too...
Posted By: nax (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 05:00 AM
Fuck Dana, no respect for a legend Hendo's done more in this sport than almost anyone.
Do people understand now why Fedor and his people want fuck all to do with this guy? It's not about cash its about respect and Dana has no respect for the fighters that made him one of the most powerful men in sports.
Posted By: Guest#2055 (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 05:03 AM
And Nate MArqurate and Belfort is ? Shut the fuck up Dana! We see what the UFC is about resiging a loser like Tito just to get publicity ! And holding on to losers like Forest Griffen - cause he has errr heart lol give me a break !
Henderson shut down the UFC UK poster boy period ! As Dan pointed out before had Bisbing won in such a fashion he woudl have gotten the title hot no questions asked and to top that Anderson wouldn't have bowed out about elbow surgery ! !
Posted By: FACTS!@ (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 06:45 AM
he ko bisping trust me he is a draw now anytime you have a guy (legend in hendo) ko someone the fans dislike he becomes a draw until he is beat by someone else (unless its a war)
Posted By: dustin (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 08:05 AM
If Hendo isn't a ppv star, then why was UFC 93 called Franklin Vs. Henderson?
If he can't sell out arenas, then why was UFC 93 at or near full seated capacity?
Posted By: Brian (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 08:52 AM
Dan is the man who knocked bispings head around the world. If he didnt have attention or drawing power he does now. Dana do you actually see the gifs of bispings head flying around! You lost out on a middleweight fighter bc u wanted to fuck him out of a rematch with silva so you can give him belfort.
Posted By: reveal (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 10:38 AM
hahahah UFC sucks.
Posted By: ChrisVazquez (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 01:46 PM
What I dont understand is Dana White stated that the match between Bisping & Henderson would be a contender for Silva, I guess Dana didnt realize Bisping would circle towards Dan's right hand and get brutally knocked out. You then implicate contederships between Mai & Nate which you again banked on Mai submitted Nate which he was knocked out faster than James Irvin. When Henderson won that fight he had the negotiating power he saw what you paid Brock why cant he get paid. You fucked yourself out of a great fighter. GG Dana QQ more about not being able to sign Fedor.
Posted By: reveal (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 02:11 PM
He's top MH/LHW not being in the ufc we are winers no ppv to pay see one the to fight
Posted By: ELSANTO440 (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 02:12 PM
Normally I see Dana's side of things but Dan is a star no question about it. I mean after TUF and UFC 100 everyone wanted Hendo Anderson 2. Dana is just pissed that a quality fighter and name guy who has gotten a lot of UFC tv time in 2009 is going to Strikeforce.
Posted By: thejyav (Guest) on December 08, 2009 at 05:49 PM
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