Dan Henderson Confirms Move Back Down To Middleweight, Eying Year-End Bout

Legendary former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson has seen better days in his illustrious (and lengthy) MMA career. After getting absolutely rag dolled by former heavyweight Daniel Cormier after coming in at 199 pounds prior to UFC 173, “Hendo” sits at a rancid 1-4 in his last bouts.

He’s fought some of the best fighters in the world in that span, as his losses have come to former champions in Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, and Cormier. However, with time running out on the 43-year-old Henderson, he may be fighting opponents who are just too much bigger and stronger than him.

That’s why Henderson, who contended for both the UFC and Strikeforce middleweight titles, is planning a move back down to 185 pounds. It was a decision that was oft discussed heading into UFC 173, but his fight with Cormier made it all but a foregone conclusion.

Henderson’s manager Daniel Woirin revealed the switch to MMA Fighting today. “Hendo’s” last fight at middleweight was an unsuccessful bid for the Strikeforce belt against Jake Shields at Strikeforce: Nashville in early 2010, a fight where Henderson gassed after rocking Shields badly in the first round.

The cut down to 185 may be taxing for him, but he’s apparently planning on fighting there by the end of the year. While he hasn’t fared all that well as of late, “Hendo” does own arguably the most-watched UFC middleweight knockout with his infamous starching of Michael Bisping at UFC 100 in 2009.

But he’ll be 44 years old when he steps back in to the Octagon as a middleweight. Will he add another dangerous presence to an already stacked division, or will he have more and more fans clamoring for his retirement?