A recent video grab has been making the rounds on social media that sees UFC icon Dan Henderson in his element. ‘Hendo’ can be seen ringing in the New Year with his nuclear family in a way only he could. The decorated Hall of Famer was seen giving his future son-in-law a brutal leg kick, all in the festive jest. It seems as though even in retirement, the 50-year-old fighter is still very much in fighting shape.
Dan Henderson was giving out leg kicks on New Years Eve pic.twitter.com/cR1XYz3O1F
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) January 1, 2021
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It’s not uncommon for people to request professional fighters to either punch them or choke them unconscious as a joke. However, it’s safe to say that Henderson’s family wouldn’t want him to land an ‘H-Bomb’ on one of them. Settling for a nerve-damaging leg kick seems to be the best way to navigate through family reunions going forward.
UFC Legend review: Dan Henderson
Another notable highlight from Henderson’s career comes in the form of his rivalry with former 185-pound champion Michael Bisping. The two had an extremely entertaining run coaching against each other at TUF and went on to compete at UFC 100. Dan Henderson landed the H-Bomb on Bisping that changed their careers.
Although his final fight came in as a title shot gifted on a silver platter against Bisping to round out their rivalry, his greatness can’t be overlooked. Henderson fought the who’s-who of talent killers and actually came close to dethroning ‘The Count’. It seems as though even in retirement, the 50-year-old fighter is still very much in fighting shape.
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#OnThisDay in 2016: @Bisping got his rematch with Dan Henderson in front of his own Manchester fans! 🇬🇧
📺 Watch more on @UFCFightPass now! pic.twitter.com/BfzSrAz2SH
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) October 8, 2019
‘Hendo’ comes in as one of those fighters who has a deceptively good record when considering all perspectives. Chiefly, he’s been part of the old guard of MMA pioneers who has been responsible for making the sport what it is today. Furthermore, he was able to hang with the current crop of athletes despite spending years actively competing at a high level.
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The former Olympian comes in with a 32-15 record, however, it’s impossible to ignore that his losses came to high caliber opponents exclusively. His time at PRIDE FC made him the household name he became within the world’s largest MMA organization, the UFC. Nevertheless, the narrative of his legacy could have been different had they ended up in victories.