MMA legend Dan ‘Hendo’ Henderson – one of the last icons from MMA’s breakout era still competing at a high level – will have his 46th pro MMA contest at UFC 199 next weekend when he faces former Bellator champ Hector Lombard at UFC 199.
At 45 years old, the question of retirement has been following the former two-division Pride champion around for a few years now, and it seems like Hendo might finally be considering the matter himself.
“I’m definitely capable of keeping on and still competing at a high level, but I’m almost ready to retire, and depending on how things play out after this fight with negotiations, it could be my last. Or maybe I’ll still fight. I don’t know yet,” Henderson told MMAjunkie Radio. “I’m at that point where I’m about ready, but definitely, I know in my heart I’m still capable of doing it and if I do decide to keep going on I’ll make sure I do it well.”
Henderson was scheduled to face Lyoto Machida at UFC on Fox 19 last month, but Machida was pulled from the fight after admitting to the use of a banned substance which he claimed he was unaware was prohibited. As a result, the Henderson-Machida bout was scrapped and Henderson was matched up against Lombard at UFC 199 – a decision Dan appears happy about.
“Instead of fighting a guy that runs all the time I got a guy that runs at you the whole time – at least for the first few minutes,” Henderson said. “It’s a totally different style, just a completely different fighter I’m training for. It is what it is I think it’s – the fight with Hector Lombard is definitely something the fans will enjoy more than watching Machida run around the whole time.”
UFC 199 takes place June 4th at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
