The lost narrative of “Shogun vs Henderson 2”

http://youtu.be/DUeE7jCEbDc

MMA fans the world around collectively had an, “Oh shit!” moment last night when Dan Henderson detonated a right hand across the face of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.  Not only did it pad Henderson’s already considerable highlight reel, but it also rearranged Shogun’s nose in a way that man was not meant to wear.  It was a great finish to an entertaining fight and Hederson’s last fight under the controversial fog of TRT.  Still, lost in the collective jubilation of Hendo fans relishing the sweet, sweet knockout victory was the fact that Henderson looked like a shell of his former self Sunday night.

It’s hard to say that Henderson is washed up.  Hard in that it feels like Dan Henderson has been fighting forever.  Weird in that his recent run in MMA may be Henderson’s most exiting run to date.  But let’s be honest with ourselves, Sunday night Henderson looked lethargic and his timing was noticeably off.  For most of the round Henderson simply plodded forward in a slow, deliberate manner.  Hendo seemed content to simply weather the storm of leg kicks and punches in order to land his patented right hand.  It wasn’t a good look for most of the fight.

In fact, when Shogun clipped Henderson with an uppercut I was all but certain that the fight was over.  That what I was witnessing on my living room couch was the end of the Dan Henderson era.  I was already to write the eulogy before Henderson shocked the world and damn near decapitated Rua with that damn right hand.

Still, the fact remains that we are entering the eve of Dan Henderson’s career.  The countless wars seem to finally have caught up with the middleweight powerhouse.  It’s a sad realization.  I’ve long been a fan of Henderson.  But to deny that the Henderson we saw Sunday was a fraction of the Henderson we have grown familiar with is delusional.  Fact of the matter is that we are at the end of an era.  It’s sad and will be sadder should they put Henderson in with some young lion (not likely) or downright disastrous if they pair him with champion Jon Jones (highly likely should Jones beat Teixeira).

If this were Hollywood, Henderson would use this victory as his swan song and walk off into the distance.  But, this is fighting and history tells us that fighters cut from Henderson’s cloth will need the exit door shown to them in the form of a beating.