Mixed Martial Arts fans will be treated to a thrilling affair this Saturday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN on CBS when former UFC fighter Dan Henderson steps into the cage looking to make his way into history as he attempts to dethrone reigning Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields. Though Shields is the champion he is a big underdog in the fans eyes coming into the fight. Vegas odds makers even have the champion coming in as the underdog, something we rarely see when a champion defends his belt. Below is a breakdown of both fighters coming into this Saturdays bout!
Dan Henderson – Fighting Out of Team Quest – Temecula, Ca.
Age: 39
Weight: 185 lbs
Height: 5-11
MMA Record 25-7
Dan Henderson is the only fighter in the history of Mixed Martial Arts to hold two world titles simultaneously in two different weight classes with a major MMA organization.Henderson, a two-time United States Olympic Games wrestler, held both, the PRIDE welterweight (183 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) titles. The former UFC fighter is making his Strikeforce debut after parting ways with the UFC. In his last fight at UFC 100, Henderson won the “Knockout of the Night” bonus with a stunning second-round KO (3:20) over Michael “The Count” Bisping in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 11, 2009.
Jake Shields Fighting out of Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu-San Francisco, Ca.
Age: 30
Weight: 170/185
Height: 5-11
MMA Record 24-4-1
Shields has won 13 consecutive fights en route to becoming the Strikeforce world middleweight champion and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down recently. Shields won the vacant STRIKEFORCE middleweight crown by earning a unanimous decision over MMA icon, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, in a live, CBS primetime televised bout from Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. on Nov. 7, 2009. Jake Shields will have to be at his best in what looks like the toughest challenge of his young career as he looks to stop Henderson from taking his title.
Analysis: This fight is really a matchup between two totally different styled fighters. Shields loves to get his opponents on the ground where he usually inflicts some serous damage before finishing off his opponents while Henderson would love nothing better than to stand toe-to-toe with Shields and pound the snot out of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist. I know the sports betting line may look strange seeing as how Shields is the champion, but he has been quoted as saying that being the underdog has given him extra motivation for his first title defense. Shields is a mediocre striker at best and has a suspect chin as well, providing Henderson with a target he will go after early and often. If Shield gets Henderson the ground, he could stand a chance of pulling off the upset, but most insiders, including myself, just don’ t that see that scenario playing out. I think Henderson catches Shields at some point of their fight before finishing off the champ with a TKO in the first three rounds.
